By Canadian Press

Banff, Jasper, Kootenay and Yoho national parks to see infrastructure upgrades

Jan 23, 2023 | 1:19 PM

BANFF, Alta. — Parks Canada has announced money to improve safety and experiences for visitors to four mountain national parks in Alberta and British Columbia.

It says $71 million in federal funding for Banff, Jasper, Yoho and Kootenay national parks includes upgrades to critical infrastructure, such as Parks Canada dispatch for emergency calls, as well as to several roadways and bridges.

It also includes improvements in the community of Lake Louise, Alta.

The hamlet has been one of the busiest areas in Banff National Park, which gets about four million visitors annually.

A recent report noted a 29 per cent increase in visitors throughout the park between 2010 and 2019 — and some roads around Lake Louise have seen a 71 per cent increase in traffic volume.

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The full list of projects receiving funding include:

• Lake Louise sewer and water rehabilitation – $23.75 million
  • Ongoing repairs to water and sewer infrastructure.
• Lake Louise Drive rehabilitation and modernization – $9.8 million
  • Redesigning the road to accommodate transit infrastructure, private vehicles, and cyclists. Designs will include methods of improving habitat connectivity.
• Parks Canada’s Dispatch Console System Replacement (Banff) – $1 million
  • Upgrading dispatch equipment in Banff and Jasper to support emergency operations related to fires, rescues, helicopter operations, winter road maintenance, and more.
• Trans-Canada Highway roadway rehabilitation – $11.3 million
  • Two sections of the highway in Banff National Park between Castle Junction and Lake Louise will undergo improvements including fencing, retaining walls, culverts, and shoulder widening.
• Highway 11 roadway rehabilitation – $4.3 million
  • A 6.3 kilometre section of highway in Banff National Park will undergo extensive renovations including stabilizing slopes, surface repaving, replacing guardrails and culvers, and removing a kiosk island.
• Highway 92 South roadway renovation – $10.4 million
  • Various sections of highway in Banff National Park and Kootenay National Park will improve visitor and wildlife safety, including avalanche mitigation measures, culvert and bridge replacements, and slope and retaining wall stabilization.
• Icefields Parkway / 93 North roadway stabilization – $11.3 million
  • A section near Poboktan Creek in Jasper National Park requires reconstruction to address a freeze-thaw resiliency deficit and improve geohazard mitigations.
• Snaring and Moberly Bridges design work – $1.7 million
  • This funding allows design work to be completed in 2023 for two bridges in Jasper National Park.
• Trans-Canada Highway roadway rehabilitation – $9 million
  • The highway in Yoho National Park between Lake Louise and Field, B.C., will be repaved to improve roadway conditions and visitor safety.

Parks Canada says the money is part of $557 million in recently announced funding over three years to ensure continuation of infrastructure projects and maintenance work in the parks.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 23, 2023.

The Canadian Press

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