June 12, 2026 | Calgary, Alberta
Treaty 7

Yesterday, the Government of Alberta approved, with conditions, the Fortress Mountain Resort Master Development Plan.

CPAWS Southern Alberta is disappointed. While conditions are attached to the approval, they are minor and will in no way be enough to mitigate the severe environmental impacts of a development of this magnitude on the Kananaskis region.

The Fortress Mountain Resort proposal is the first major project to advance under Alberta’s All Season Resort Act, formerly Bill 35. The proposed development includes private real estate, new lift and gondola infrastructure, accommodations, commercial amenities, and the addition of an anticipated 8,300 visitors per day.

“We firmly disagree that this proposal met the fundamental decision criteria: That the concept is appropriate for the landscape, that environmental impacts can be managed, and that the proposal aligns with other applicable legislation and government directions,” says Emma Hoskins, Conservation Campaign Specialist at CPAWS Southern Alberta.

As stated previously, this approval raises an important question about the future of protected areas and the dangerous precedent set through the redesignation of Alberta park lands for resort development. Recall that to facilitate this project, 131 hectares were removed from Spray Lakes Provincial Park and redesignated as an All-Season Resort Area.

The Government of Alberta has framed these decisions as an opportunity to support the tourism sector and bolster economic diversification. However, the prioritization of private profit, and paid access, over the protection and accessibility of public lands for all, is extremely concerning.

This decision also comes at a time when Kananaskis Country is already experiencing increased visitation pressures. Kananaskis is now seeing upwards of five million visitors per year, surpassing Banff National Park’s historically high visitation. Building additional infrastructure and increasing visitation on such a massive scale puts immense pressure on wildlife habitat, ecological connectivity, as well as the recreational experience that Albertans value.

What’s more, Albertans have said, time and again, that they overwhelmingly do not support this type of development. Feedback gathered through Alberta’s Plan for Parks initiative highlighted support for low-impact, quiet recreation and maintaining the natural character of Alberta’s parks: The opposite of what Fortress Mountain All-Season Resort represents.

Submissions received by the Government of Alberta during the public input process for the Fortress Mountain Resort proposal include significant concerns about:

• Climate and wildfire risk
• Economic viability
• Private real estate
• Cumulative effects
• Impact on the character of Kananaskis from increased visitation
• The need for Indigenous consultation,
• Strains on local community and housing
• Misalignment with existing policies
• Traffic access and emergency readiness
• Water and watershed security
• Wildlife and wildlife habitat

These concerns do not seem to have been meaningfully addressed in the approval of this Master Development Plan (MDP). While certain changes are required to be made to the MDP, the proponent may now work towards a disposition decision, which would grant them the legal right to use and develop the land.  

Defending Alberta Parks, Now and Always

“The Fortress Mountain Resort decision is about more than a single resort proposal. This decision represents an early test of how Alberta’s All Season Resort Act will be applied and what role conservation will play in future decisions affecting public lands,” warns Katie Morrison, Executive Director of CPAWS Southern Alberta.

Fortress Mountain is not the only proposal moving forward under Alberta’s All Season Resort Act. Additional developments are already being explored elsewhere in Kananaskis, the Bow Valley, and across the province, threatening to shrink parks and protected areas to make way for resorts.

Protected areas were established to conserve wildlife habitat, maintain ecological integrity, and provide opportunities for people to experience nature. They should not be vulnerable to commercial development through boundary changes and special designations. The Fortress decision will help define how Alberta interprets the purpose of its parks for years to come. We will continue advocating for a future where conservation, wildlife, and public access remain the primary priorities on public lands.

Continue to let the Minister of Tourism and Sport, and your MLA know that this project is against the wishes of Albertans for their public lands and should not receive a land disposition for development.

You can also stay engaged in other All-Season Resort Proposals such as the Silvertip Gondola, which is currently seeking an All-Season Resort Area designation remove protected areas from the Bow Valley Wildland Provincial Park to develop a gondola up Mount Lady Macdonald.

To act, please consider sending a letter to your MLA to express your concerns:

Photo Credit: Mitchell Leong