Random camping fee

[headdamage]

It just keeps getting better.  $90 annual pass for any vehicle enter Kananaskis country.  Cost appears to be per vehicle, so if you drive more than one, you get to pay twice....

Soon their will be toll fees to leave your house.  Small government, my ass.

What the hell?

[Red90]

Okay, press conference over so a website is up...

https://www.alberta.ca/kananaskis-conservation-pass.aspx

Pass is not required:
Ghost area
McLean Creek Public Land Use Zone
McLean Creek Provincial Recreation Area
Fisher Creek Provincial Recreation Area

Personal vehicles
Day pass - $15 (registers one vehicle)
Yearly pass - $90 (registers up to 2 vehicles)

[Red90]

I should add..  Nixon also said there is still another fee coming for ATV use.  They are having trouble finding a way to do it where it is not obvious that they are double charging for the same thing.  This is why the Ghost and Mclean Creek are exempt.  There is another fee coming to cover the off road driving, in order to fulfill their election promise.

[B-Red]

I can live with a trail fee if we get clarity on where we can go

[binch]

Oh, now that is almost certainly a tax directed at the folks around Calgary as they are the dominant users.    But K-country has always thought of itself as a national park.    ;)

[binch]

I can live with a trail fee if we get clarity on where we can go

I said it before and I'll say it again......"I'm good with paying a trail fee as long as they money goes back into the trail system...NOT the general revenue stream!"   

[Red90]

One thing that I don't think has been discussed and should be on people's minds.  Currently, the government has no legal right to charge for general access to crown land.

In order to get around this issue, there is a proposed bill (Bill 64) currently in second reading. https://www.assembly.ab.ca/assembly-business/bills/bill?billinfoid=11912&from=bills

In is an amendment to the Public Lands Act, https://www.qp.alberta.ca/documents/Acts/P40.pdf

The basic gist of the amendment changes the wording to allow them to charge fees for ANY use. The current act more or less provided limits to fees for entering a PRA or for use of trails within a PLUZ.  The new wording removes all of these limits and allows fees for anything they choose on public land.

This is the meat of the new text.

Rent, fees and other charges
9.1(1) Subject to any regulations made under subsection (3), the Minister may, by order,
(a) prescribe or provide for the manner of prescribing
(i.1) fees relating to the use or occupation of public land,including the carrying on of activities on public land,

And that is about it other than adding a paragraph stating the user accepts all liability.

- There are no limits on what the fees apply to.
- There are no limits to the fees themselves.
- There is nothing requiring how the fees are to be used.

It is a revision to allow unlimited application of fees with no control of how the money is spent beyond the bill preamble (which has no legal standing).

[B-Red]

That's a good point John. I will check it more in detail on my end.
Cheers

[binch]

Jason and the golden fleece.......I think  there maybe a movie in that  ;D

[Red90]

Bill 64 was passed on Wednesday without amendments.  They can now charge people for access to any crown land, for any reason and use the money in any way they choose.

Pass required to enter Kananaskis as of Tuesday. https://www.alberta.ca/kananaskis-conservation-pass.aspx

Camping pass required for Tuesday to camp on crown land.  https://www.alberta.ca/public-lands-camping-pass.aspx

[Trevor]

I've got 0 problem with funds directed to trail maintenance, oversight, etc. $30 combined with my fishing license is still far cheaper than it costs me for a simple fishing license in other jurisdictions. Hell, the fact that I have to pay tax on what I freaking EARN is a far far greater affront.

It all comes down to where the funds go. As with all things government, politicians and the top bureaucrats and their fiefdoms are the enemy, never trust them to do what they pledge.

[binch]

Bill 64 was passed on Wednesday without amendments.  They can now charge people for access to any crown land, for any reason and use the money in any way they choose.

This is for the eastern slopes area below Grande Prairie.....isn't it...?

A plan like no other.....USER FEES, and don't give them a damned thing for it. >:(

[Red90]

This is for the eastern slopes area below Grande Prairie.....isn't it...?

Yep.

https://www.alberta.ca/assets/documents/ep-map-public-lands-camping-pass-area.pdf

https://esrd.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=ef80eca3fccb431fb7fa0c5d8a2e7d76

[B-Red]

The Conklin area and north of Edmonton is still free for camping.
Brûlée lake and Ruby lake are for a fee.
Still, low compared to everything else

[Trevor]

Bill 64 was passed on Wednesday without amendments.  They can now charge people for access to any crown land, for any reason and use the money in any way they choose.

This is for the eastern slopes area below Grande Prairie.....isn't it...?

A plan like no other.....USER FEES, and don't give them a damned thing for it. >:(

Well at least it is still open. Notley and her Maoist clan were going to be shutting down most of these areas completely. That was how the work at Ruby came to pass, a few smart folks lower down in the department were trying hard to keep at least a couple trails open.