AMPPE's Membership Newsletter: Your source of information on visitor experience, access & recreation in Canada's rocky mountain national parks.
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     May 28, 2020      
Moraine lake
Dear AMPPE Members:
Pivot is a word you hear a lot these days as businesses continue to grow and innovate in response to the consumer and social changes that are hitting companies and communities worldwide. Like other organizations, AMPPE is also pivoting towards more streamlined operations and will be closing the Bear Street office on May 31, 2020. Although the office is closing, AMPPE continues to advocate for you and the issues and concerns you bring forward. New contact details are listed later in this email.

AMPPE has worked hard this month to ensure your voice is heard as governments allocate
unprecedented sums to new programs. As governments turn their attention to relaunching the
economy, AMPPE continues to look for opportunities to access funding and exert influence as new programs and funding decisions are made. If history is a guide, decisions and policies implemented now could be in place for decades.

AMPPE's actions in the past, for example, have ensured that visitor experience is now a key pillar of Parks Canada's mandate. This means that the Mountain Parks continue to offer a breadth of sustainable experiences for locals and park visitors now, and into the future.

While this pandemic has caused businesses and Mountain Parks residents to pivot towards a new way of doing things, this crisis has shown that the community spirit, collaboration and resilience that has marked AMPPE's history will endure long into the future.

Advocacy Update
FUNDING
Overall, government has been responsive to AMPPE's concerns, however, gains remain to be made. The federal and provincial governments have announced several new programs and funding programs. We have been looking into how to access funding that will serve to stimulate the local economy.

MARCH 27 - AMPPE URGES RENEWAL EXTENSIONS, INVESTMENT AND RENEWED FOCUS ON EMISSION REDUCTIONS
In a letter to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada, Jonathon Wilkinson, AMPPE co-chair, Yannis Karlos, set out five actions for the federal government to consider to help the Mountain Parks recover. The recommendations focused on leveraging stimulus programs, new and re-investment in the Parks and a push to accelerate plans to reduce the carbon intensity of the tourism sector. AMPPE also suggested that government establish a joint working group to begin planning for the recovery of the tourism sector as the Province of Alberta has since done. We are continuing to actively advocate our plan to the Minister's office.

MAY 13 - AMPPE ASKS PROVINCE TO CLARIFY ASPECTS OF RELAUNCH STRATEGY
AMPPE called on the Province to clarify the definition of essential travel, provide clarity and guidelines specific to each sector, plan for potential subsequent outbreaks and to consider regional strategies.

MAY 24 - AMPPE URGES TRANSPORT CANADA TO CONSIDER MORE REGIONAL DECISION-MAKING
In a letter to Transport Minister Marc Garneau we addressed an April 5th announcement regarding the prohibition of commercial vessels engaged in non-essential activities (such as tourism and recreation) urging a more regional approach to decision-making. We expressed that a local perspective can be incorporated into Transport Canada's decision-making as it relates to the ability of the tourism and recreation sectors to return to business as quickly (and responsibly) as possible.

MAY 25 - AMPPE REQUESTS APPEARANCE BEFORE FEDERAL FINANCE AND INDUSTRY COMMITTEES
As government gets back to business, committees will soon begin to meet. AMPPE has requested opportunities to appear before these committees to ensure the importance of the Mountain Parks and their contribution to Canada are considered.

2020 PARK MANAGEMENT PLANS
On May 27, Parks Canada announced the indefinite suspension of all consultations and formal engagements due to the need to focus on critical operations and reopening. This includes activities related to the Banff National Park Management Plan . We will continue to monitor and will be prepared to engage when the process reopens.

AMPPE Closes Bear Street Office
As mentioned earlier, AMPPE's Bear Street office will close its doors on May 31, 2020.

AMPPE's mailing address remains P.O. Box 2999, Banff AB, T1L 1C7...you can continue to send your membership dues to this address.

The office can be contacted through staff, Debbie and Brheigh at:

Debbie Harksen, Director of Communications and Engagement
Phone: 587-335-0829 Email: [email protected]

Brheigh Grant, Administrative Coordinator
*NEW* Weekly Coffee Chat

In the spirit of pivoting, AMPPE would like to invite you to a new way of engaging with your fellow AMPPE members. Debbie Harksen, AMPPE's new Director of Communications and Engagement, will be available for 'office hours' weekly. Drop by to say hello and for an informal chat. The coffee chats will be appropriately distanced, and will provide an opportunity for you to chat with fellow members.

Coffee chats will take place weekly in the following locations:

  • BANFF: Mondays 10 a.m. in front of the Wildflour Bakery on Bear St.
  • LAKE LOUISE: Wednesdays 10 a.m. in front of Laggans.
  • JASPER: Start date to be determined, but will take place monthly.

Please help us to get to know you!
AMPPE's Speaker's Series

Last October, AMPPE launched a “Speakers Series” with a post-election discussion and analysis with veteran Canadian journalist, Tom Clark, moderated by Mayor Karen Sorensen.

AMPPE plans to organize more speakers in the future and invites you to please reach out to [email protected] to suggest topics of interest.
Useful Links

Banff and Lake Louise Tourism have created some excellent tools you may find useful as you reopen.
“No one will protect what they don’t care about;
and no one will care about what they have never experienced.”
~ Sir David Attenborough