Banff National Park of Canada

Introduction

In accordance with the Canada National Parks Act, public involvement is a cornerstone of planning and management for Canada's National Parks. Through consultation with individuals, groups, and Aboriginal peoples, Parks Canada is able to create opportunities for Canadians to share their knowledge and expertise, thus ensuring that understanding is the basis for sound decision-making.

Banff National Park, as part of its commitment to ongoing public consultation, hosts a planning forum each fall. The forums are an opportunity for key stakeholders and the general public to review Parks Canada's efforts to meet management objectives as well as discuss and identify issues related to implementation of the management plan. A summary report is prepared before each forum that chronicles progress towards achieving key management objectives. As well, a record of the forum, which documents outcomes is produced after each planning forum.

Almost all of the planning projects undertaken in Banff National Park involve some form of public consultation. For example, several of the proposed amendments to the management plan were developed with the assistance of public advisory committees. In addition, they were all subject to public consultation during the 2003 Management Plan Review. Other examples of public consultation in planning include the Lands Adjacent to the Town of Banff planning process, and the Regional Transportation Study, both of which are scheduled to involve, input from public advisory committees and a broader public consultation process.

Parks Canada recognises the importance of public consultation as a component of the management plan review process. In 2003, Banff National Park embarked on a review of its management plan. The consultation process consisted of:

• A series of 14 meetings with key stakeholder organisations to review the proposed amendments and to receive feedback;
• Four open houses in Canmore, Calgary, Banff, and Lake Louise with a total of 205 individuals in attendance; and
• 110 electronic and written responses.