Environment Committee on March 10th, 2021

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Mr. Chair, I have a question for Parks Canada.

It looks like these estimates do not include appropriations for capital expenditures. If we allow for spending included in the main estimates and the supplementary estimates (A), the spending carried over from 2019 to 2020, capital spending for Parks Canada in 2020-21 will be $145 million lower, or 16% lower, than the last fiscal year.

At the same time, the risk assessment in Parks Canada's 2020-21 departmental plan notes that aging infrastructure, inadequate level of recapitalization and maintenance, climate change and inflationary impacts mean that Parks Canada may not be able to maintain a sustainable asset portfolio posing threats to public safety, cultural heritage and the agency's reputation. The plan further notes that Parks Canada is continuing its efforts to secure additional funding in 2020-21 and 2021-22 to address the forecasted decrease.

How will this forecasted decrease affect the agency, its assets and its capacity to meet its objectives? How much additional funding will Parks Canada be seeking in the 2021-22 year, and how will these funds be used?

[Ron Hallman]

Let's go back to our CFO, Ms. Blanchard.

[Catherine Blanchard]

The amount of money in 2020-21 has gone down for capital by $144 million, but in terms of how it will affect us, we still have $750 million to invest this fiscal year in our assets, and that's exactly what we're doing. It is a decrease, but we still have significant capacity to continue to make progress on improving the condition of our assets.

It's really important to keep in mind that this fund relates to $4.2 billion that the government has invested in Parks Canada for us to invest in our assets over the past five years.

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Is that additional funding for 2021-22?

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Please make it a yes or no.

[Catherine Blanchard]

The additional funding for 2021-22 is $220 million.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

That's perfect.

[Catherine Blanchard]

We will have a reference level of about $500 million next year as well.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Thank you.

We now go to the Conservative Party. Would it be Mr. Jeneroux?

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

You bet, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Good. Go ahead.

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

How many minutes do I have? Did you say four?

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

You have four minutes.

[Monique Pauzé, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

A point of order, Mr. Chair, before we start Mr. Jeneroux's turn.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

I'm listening.

[Monique Pauzé, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

I thought I had two and a half minutes, but you interrupted me after two.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Since we don't have much time left, I reduced the each MPs time from five minutes to four, then from two and a half minutes to two.

[Monique Pauzé, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Okay. Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Mr. Jeneroux.

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

Thanks, Mr. Chair.

I can take three and a half, after that exchange, if it helps.

For Parks Canada, we've seen a number of festivals—I'm thinking of the Point Pelee bird festival that was just in the news—being cancelled in the last little while due to COVID. Do we have a projection of how much revenue was lost because of these cancelled festivals?

[Ron Hallman]

Could we go to Michael Nadler?

[Michael Nadler]

Sure, I can give a general answer, and then Catherine Blanchard may add some financial detail.

As you might be aware, we ceased operations briefly in 2020 to prepare and adapt to the COVID-19 context. Then we opened a smaller number of places than we might otherwise have, and we also had to limit some of the activities that would normally be available to visitors, such as events and activities like the bird festival.

Overall, our visitation across Parks Canada places was roughly 66% of normal over the visitor season and even into the fall. We're probably going to reach about 15.4 million from March to March in terms of visitation, which is down. Our revenues were impacted as well. Because we had to limit the offerings for visitors in order to ensure their health and safety and because fewer places were available, our revenues were roughly 36% of normal.

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

So, you're down 66% in terms of people coming to the parks and then 36%, essentially, in revenue.

[Michael Nadler]

We were not down 66%. Our visitation was 66% of normal, so we were down 34%.

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

Okay.

Here in Alberta, there's Jasper National Park, and they're working with the municipality in terms of allowing things like sidewalk seating, things that are different from what Parks Canada is used to. Is that something that could be done more broadly across the board, across the country, versus going municipality by municipality? Has there been any discussion about doing something like that?