
Wildlife overpass in Kananaskis named after former premier Peter Lougheed
Article content
Located on Highway 1A near Lac des Arcs in northern Kananaskis, construction of the $17.5-million project began in 2022 and was completed in fall 2024. It was the first overpass of its kind built outside of a national park in Alberta.
Article content
Article content
Article content
'Naming this structure in honour of former premier Lougheed provides a long-lasting reminder of his work to preserve Kananaskis Country for our enjoyment and the safety of the wildlife that roam through the region,' Transportation and Economic Corridors Minister Devin Dreeshen said in a news release on Friday.
Article content
Article content
The crossing supports the Alberta Wildlife Watch program, and is expected to reduce wildlife collisions in the area by 80 per cent. According to the Government of Alberta, animal-vehicle collisions cost Albertans nearly $300,000 per day in property damage and account for roughly 60 per cent of all reported crashes on rural highways.
Article content
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Calgary Herald
08-08-2025
- Calgary Herald
Jasper wants more Edmonton passenger train links, but is it a railroad to nowhere?
When you arrive in Jasper via rail, you see a quaint downtown on one side, and stunning mountain scenery on the other. With shops and restaurants right across the street, there's an immediate connection to the town. Article content When you arrive in Edmonton via rail, you see mountains of dirt, where the Blatchford neighbourhood might be someday. There is one solitary track, and VIA trains have to go through the CN rail yard and then back slowly into the passenger station. There's no transit service to the depot. If you can find a major city with a more awful passenger rail station than Edmonton's, you truly are a traveller with a glutton for punishment. Article content Article content Article content So, if Jasper municipal officials get their wish, and a regular Jasper-Edmonton rail link becomes a priority for the provincial government, the biggest issue might be in the big city, not the small mountain town. Article content Article content Earlier this week, Jasper's municipal council unanimously passed a motion to ask the province to make an Edmonton-Jasper run a priority in the Passenger Master Rail Plan. The province's transportation ministry is currently consulting people and organizations across Alberta in hopes of developing a passenger rail network that connects Edmonton, Red Deer, Calgary and the mountain parks. The plan would also look at the feasibility of commuter-rail services in Calgary and Edmonton. Article content 'Alberta's government is thinking long-term when it comes to strengthening our rail network and boosting trade infrastructure across the province,' said Alberta Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors Devin Dreeshen in a statement. 'Through our Master Rail Plan, we're exploring every opportunity to better connect communities, expand tourism, and move goods more efficiently. Jasper holds a unique place in Alberta's landscape, both as a beloved destination and a potential gateway to stronger economic corridors. Article content Article content 'While no final decisions have been made, we look forward to working with local leaders and stakeholders to explore Jasper's role, along with many other communities, as part of a broader, forward-looking vision for rail in Alberta. Alberta's master rail plan is anticipated to be released later this summer.' Article content Article content Currently, the only rail connection between Jasper and Edmonton, 365 km east, is through The Canadian, VIA Rail's twice a week train that connects Toronto and Vancouver. But, The Canadian is prime illustration of why passenger rail service in Western Canada needs a lot of work. VIA uses tracks that are owned by CN, and since cargo pays the bills, the passenger train has to make way for the long, snaking freight trains that bring goods from east to west and vice-versa. So VIA's schedule often ends up being more a guideline than a timetable. The scenic views from the train can't be beat, but if you need to be at your destination by a certain time, the train is not a great bet.


Edmonton Journal
06-08-2025
- Edmonton Journal
Opinion: Regional airports are a lifeline that need our support
The future looked bright in June 2014 when Fort McMurray International Airport (YMM) opened a glistening new terminal designed to handle 1.5 million passengers a year. Article content Soon after, the global price of oil started plunging, sending the local economy into a tailspin. Then in 2020, COVID-19 upended air travel around the world. Article content Article content YMM is still struggling to get back to the future. Today, it operates at less than a quarter capacity, serving roughly 350,000 passengers a year. That's 40 per cent fewer than before the pandemic. And yet, the problem is not a lack of demand; it's a dearth of flights at the right time. Fort McMurray's demand for airline tickets is strong. Article content Article content It is a familiar story for regional airports across Alberta, and much of the country. Since the pandemic, flight frequencies and total seat capacities have declined as airlines rationalize routes to cope with pilot and aircraft shortages, according to an analysis by InterVISTAS Consulting for the Canadian Airports Council. Article content Article content Alberta has been hit harder than most provinces. Flight frequencies at regional airports are down 61 per cent since 2014; seat capacity has dropped 57 per cent. Most concerning is that flights from smaller airports to hub airports in Calgary and Edmonton have been cut significantly, leaving many Albertans with fewer travel options and feeling more disconnected than they've been in years. Article content That's unfortunate because now, more than ever, Canadians want to be connected — to the rest of the country and the world. With Canada facing economic and political threats from the U.S., better regional air service is critical. Article content Article content Canada's 100 airports are uniquely positioned to help drive economic growth. Linked to eight gateway hubs, dozens of smaller regional airports underpin a vast network that helps move people and goods safely and efficiently across this country's vast land mass. Article content Regional airports are 'primary enablers' of resource development, trade, tourism, northern sovereignty and health care, according to the InterVISTAS report. 'Regional air service has the power to transform our national economy, create opportunities for communities that would otherwise not have them, and improve the well-being of all Canadians,' the report concludes. Article content Adding just a single regional flight can create as many as 210 jobs and generate $41.2 million in economic output. Multiply that across the entire country, and the benefits would provide a much-needed economic boost during difficult times.


Calgary Herald
31-07-2025
- Calgary Herald
Alberta restaurants more profitable over the last year, Canadian and U.S. tourists up
Restaurant sales in Alberta rose by 6.8 per cent in May from last year, according to Statistics Canada — and an economist says multiple factors explain the increase. Article content Alberta isn't alone. Instead, the trend is consistent across Canada, and its most important driver is a push to buy local and ditch travel plans to the U.S. following President Donald Trump's threats of tariffs and annexation, says Siddhartha Banerjee, an economist with financial institution ATB, which is also a provincial crown corporation. Article content Article content Article content Trump's rhetoric has prompted a decline in air travel among Canadians. The number of Albertans returning from airports in the U.S. fell by 7.2 per cent in June from last year, and the Canadian average rises to 19.2, according to ATB. Article content The flow of American tourists, meanwhile, has only been rising. Article content ATB's analysis shows that the number of Americans entering Canada via Alberta's airports has grown by more than 11 per cent. 'That's definitely boosting revenues,' Banerjee said. Article content Also propelling the province's hospitality industry is population growth. Alberta swelled by more than 200,000 residents last year, and Banerjee said ATB projects more than 120,000 newcomers will have moved to the province by the end of this year. Despite the pressures on infrastructure, the pattern has proved favourable for certain industries. Article content Article content More people mean more demand and more labour. Employment in the food and accommodation sector in the first half of this year was up by 4.9 from the same period in 2024. The trend is buffeted by a softer inflation, which fell from 5.9 per cent in 2023 to 3.6 per cent in 2024. However, higher revenues could also be a result of increased prices over the years. Article content Alberta, however, isn't the province with the highest revenue gains in its hospitality sector. New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario and Saskatchewan all boast a rise of 8 per cent or more in proceeds from the previous year, although the numbers don't include the economic impact from hosting the G7 and the Rotary convention, which drew thousands of people to Alberta. Article content Banerjee said geopolitical tensions have inevitably infiltrated the domestic markets in Canada, and so he expects a drop in consumer purchases over the next few months as the effects of tariffs begin to unfold. However, the restaurant industry may remain relatively unscathed.