By: Shaun Fluker
PDF Version: Legal Designation of the New Castle Wilderness Protected Areas
Orders in Council commented on:
Order in Council 020/2017 (amendments to South Saskatchewan Regional Plan under Alberta Land Stewardship Act)
Order in Council 021/2017 (amendments to Forest Provincial Recreation Areas Order)
Order in Council 022/2017 (designation of the Castle Provincial Park under Provincial Parks Act)
Order in Council 023/2017 (designation of the Castle Wildland Provincial Park under Provincial Parks Act)
Order in Council 024/2017 (amendments to the Public Lands Administration Regulation)
On January 20, 2017 the Lieutenant Governor in Council issued 5 Orders in Council and thereby followed thru on Alberta’s commitment announced back in September 2015 to legally protect the area in southwestern Alberta known as the Castle wilderness with a new wildland provincial park and a new provincial park. What remained to be seen back in September 2015 was what this legal protection would exactly amount to, and these Orders in Council provide us with the important details. At the time of the announcement back in September 2015 I provided some context for these new designations in At Long Last – Legal Protection for the Castle Wilderness. Collectively these Orders in Council create the Castle Wildland Provincial Park and the Castle Provincial Park effective February 16, 2017, and implement consequential amendments to existing regulations to accommodate these new designations.