Following engagement with the public, stakeholders, and Indigenous peoples on sustainable outdoor recreation between November 2020 and January 2021, the Government of Alberta announced its
intention to introduce a Public Lands Camping Pass for the Eastern Slopes area effective June 1, 2021. The pass will be available for purchase through Alberta Resource Licensing Management
(AlbertaRELM.com) – the same place that sells fishing and hunting licences. To ensure Indigenous peoples have continued access to Crown lands for the purpose of exercising First Nations Treaty rights, Metis harvesting, or First Nations or Metis traditional uses, the Public Lands Camping Pass requirement will not apply to:
• First Nations individuals with Status (as recognized by the federal government);
• and for the area of the Eastern Slopes north of the Red Deer River, exemptions will be available for recognized Metis harvesters (recognized under the Government of Alberta’s Metis Harvesting in Alberta Policy (2018)), Metis Settlement members, and members of “Aseniwuche Winewak Nation of Canada, a Fellowship of Aboriginal People” (a society incorporated under the Societies Act);
• Persons under the age of 18; and
• Persons receiving benefits from any of the following programs: Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH), the Adult Health Benefit, or Income Support.
Individuals exempt from the camping pass requirement will need to carry and, if requested by an enforcement officer, show their documentation/cards when camping on public lands in the eastern slopes where a camping pass will be required. I have attached a fact sheet with a map for the Public Lands Camping Pass.
The most up to date information about the Public Lands Camping Pass will be posted at Alberta.ca/CampingPass. To discuss the implementation of the exemptions for the Public Lands Camping Pass, please contact our team directly at .
In a further initiative under government’s approach to modernizing Crown land management, legislating an Alberta Trails Act will be considered later this year. To subscribe to the mailing list and be alerted of upcoming engagement opportunities, please visit www.alberta.ca and search for “Alberta Crown Land Vision.”
Alberta Environment and Parks Letter