Rebuilding Guide

Jasper National Park’s Realty and Municipal Service Office is available to assist you. If you need lost documents, such as copies of leases, Real Property Reports and plans, please reach out to jasperrealtymunicipalservices@pc.gc.ca.

Additional information on the bulk debris removal program can be found on the Municipality of Jasper website.

Those who are undertaking demolition and debris removal on an individual site can find more information about demolition permits on the Rebuilding Jasper Parks Canada website.

To make it easier for business operators, home-based businesses in buildings that were destroyed in the fire are not required to re-apply for business licensing permits during the rebuild process.

Similar to before the fire, all new development, even if it is to replace a structure that was destroyed, must be built in accordance with the current Land Use Policy, Architectural Motif, and Safety Codes. This may mean that some structures may not be able to be built exactly as they were before. If you would like to build a similar structure to what you had before, but the current policies would prevent you from doing so, please talk to the Parks Canada Development Office to discuss what options are available to you.

We understand rebuilding is not the best decision for everyone, please reach out to jasperrealtymunicipalservices@pc.gc.ca or (780) 852-6220 to talk about the options that are available to you.

Information on important changes to the Land Use Policy and Architectural Motif are found earlier in the Rebuild Guide. If you would like a detailed summary or redline copies of the changes made to the Architectural Motif and Land Use Policy, please reach out to the Parks Canada Development Office.

Existing homes are not required to make changes to align with the updated development policies. When it comes time to replace roofs, siding or other areas, depending on the scope of the renovations, as was the case before the wildfire, leaseholders may be required to bring their development into alignment with modern policies and codes.

As always, leaseholders are encouraged to undertake simple maintenance actions like keeping firewood and other combustible materials away from buildings, pruning bushes and trees away from buildings, and regularly cleaning leaves and other combustible materials away from roofs, eaves and under decks.

Bill C-76, an Act to amend the Canada National Parks Act, received royal assent on October 3, 2024. The bill enables Parks Canada to transfer some of the authorities for land use planning and development to the Municipality of Jasper.

The transfer of specific authorities for the management of day-to-day administration of land use planning and development will take place after a number of steps occur (e.g. establishment of a community plan and land use bylaw). Until that time, Parks Canada remains the land use planning and development authority and will continue to accept and consider applications for development in the townsite of Jasper.

Parks Canada and the Municipality of Jasper are committed to the following:

• Making changes to the approved planting lists to incorporate FireSmart best practices
• Creating a new Community Plan for Jasper^{Footnote 1}
• Creating a land use bylaw for Jasper^{Footnote 1}
• Creating new architectural standards and guidelines for Jasper^{Footnote 1}
• Completing the transfer of specific land use planning and development authorities from Parks Canada to the Municipality of Jasper

For the purposes of defining building height, height is measured from grade to the top of the roof, not counting chimneys or other projections. Grade is measured as the average of the elevation of the corners of the front property line.

No, you do not have to rebuild exactly the same structure as what you had. Any new development must comply with modern safety codes and current land use policies. If you would like to build a similar structure to what you had before, but the current policies would prevent you from doing so, please talk to the Parks Canada Development Office to discuss what options are available to you.

Following the recent wildfire, we understand that many lessees in Jasper National Park are considering the sale (assignment) of their vacant leaseholds. As a reminder, land in Jasper is held under long-term lease agreements, and all leasehold assignments (including those of vacant lots) require the review and consent of Parks Canada.

Parks Canada will continue to review and provide consent for lot sales (assignments) once the demolition and clean-up process has been completed and verified by Parks Canada by the issuance of a Certificate of Completion of the demolition permit. This ensures that the property is suitable for transfer to new lessees and rebuilding.

Steps to sell (assign) your vacant leasehold:

1. Complete demolition and clean-up: Ensure that any demolition and clean-up of your property is fully completed according to the demolition permit. This includes removing all debris and hazardous materials, and restoring the lot to an acceptable standard. There may be other conditions, such as, if your property is not backfilled to ensure public and wildlife safety is maintained through fencing.
2. Advertising your lot: You are permitted to list your vacant leasehold on the open market or arrange for a private sale
   
   • Engage a lawyer: It is recommended that you engage a lawyer experienced in leasehold transactions to assist with the legal aspects of the sale, including drafting the necessary agreements and ensuring the transfer complies with Parks Canada's policies. The law office may request confirmation from Parks Canada information associated with the leasehold, such as current leases, date of the lease, and any lease amendments, and compliance of the lease for demolition and clean up.
3. Submit a request for assignment: Once the sale of lot is finalized with a prospective buyer, you or your lawyer will submit a formal request/documentation to Parks Canada for approval of the assignment of your leasehold.
4. Parks Canada Review and Consent: Parks Canada will review your request, including the status of the demolition permit. Parks Canada will then grant or deny consent for the sale. Parks Canada does not unreasonably withhold consent.
   
   1. Additional information may be needed prior to Parks Canada providing consent- such as mortgage documents of the buyers, letters of undertaking, etc. * Your lawyer is generally the middle party throughout this process.
   2. Note: Parks Canada must also consent to the financial transaction (mortgage) as without Parks Canada consent, the buyer will not be able to register the mortgage with Alberta Land Titles.
5. Transfer of Leasehold: After the sale is finalized and the new buyer has received consent from Parks Canada, the leasehold will be officially transferred to the new lessee, and the transaction will be considered completed.

No, you do not. Please contact jasperdevelopment@pc.gc.ca or 780-852-6123 for any inquiries on development or requests for a pre-application meeting. Please note that your inquiry or meeting request may be directed to a planner from the Municipality of Jasper or from Parks Canada. If you would prefer to meet with a specific organization, please state this in your call or email.

Generally, you do not. However, a survey is recommended to ensure your building does not encroach on neighbouring properties.

The basic subdivision process, and its concurrent development process, is outlined below.

1. Formal Subdivision Request - Proponent to submit formal written request to Parks Canada to undertake a Subdivision of Lease.
2. Survey - The lot will need to be re-surveyed. The proponent shall, at their expense, contract a Canada Lands Surveyor to realign the lots, access must be provided to the street for each lot. The surveyor will provide Parks Canada with a preliminary proposed plan of the new lots. If the new survey lines are acceptable, Parks Canada will then provide direction to Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) to prepare formal survey instructions for the surveyor. Surveyor to complete survey and submit for Parks Canada/NRCan approval. NRCan will then register the survey.
3. Subdivision Fee and Appraisal – Parks Canada regulations require a subdivision fee to be paid. Proponent to obtain, at their expense, an appraisal of the current leasehold and as if the leasehold had been subdivided, in accordance with an Appraisal Terms of Reference.
   
   The Subdivision Fee calculation using the formula contained in the National Parks of Canada Lease and Licence of Occupation Regulations:
   A = (B (C – D)) / 10
   where:
   A is the sum to be paid
   B is the average of the appraised value after subdivision
   C is the number of leases after subdivision
   D is the number of leases surrendered
4. Appraisal Certification - Proponent to submit appraisal to Parks Canada for review by Public Works and Government Services Canada. Upon Appraisal Certification by PWGSC, proponent to reimburse Parks Canada for PWGSC appraisal certification services.
5. Process Executions:
   
   1. Proponent to pay subdivision fees as calculated in accordance with the National Parks of Canada Lease and Licence of Occupation Regulations (SOR/92-25)
   2. Lessee will surrender the current lease.
   3. Parks Canada to issue one lease per lot to the proponent (regulations require that the granting of these leases are only to an eligible resident or a company with a business in the Municipality of Jasper with the purpose of constructing residential residences). The leases will contain the standard development clauses with determined time frames incorporated as a condition of the new lease documents. Parks Canada is currently waiving these requirements until further notice; however, they will remain in the lease to prevent speculation (land being held by an investor until the value increases).
   4. The lease(s) are now ready to be assigned (sold) to another party.

To expediate rebuilding, it is possible to undertake the development process at the same time, for more information please contact the Development Office.

This will depend on how your lease is structured. If you have a single leasehold on a double lot and would like to build a home on each lot, you will need to subdivide your lease. Talk to the Development Office at jasperrealtymunicipalservices@pc.gc.ca for more on this.

One of the changes to the land use policy was to remove the minimum site width allowed for each district. This means that where development is feasible, lots and leases could be subdivided to accommodate additional lots and development.

Subdivision involves two processes—subdividing the land and subdividing your lease. For more information on the lease subdivision process and associated fees, please contact jasperrealtymunicipalservices@pc.gc.ca.

Mobile homes are only allowed on lots in the R4 District subject to the Land Use Policies in Section 7.15. Property owners who lost a mobile home are permitted to replace it with another mobile home subject to safety code requirements and the requirements of the Land Use Policy. Mobile homes are not permitted elsewhere in the Jasper townsite.

The Land Use Policy requirements for the replacement of mobile homes are based on the requirements that were established for mobile homes in Jasper in 1992 and were updated to: a) grant more flexibility to mobile home owners, b) align with requirements for permanent structures in the land use district, and c) align with modern safety codes.

Any mobile home placed on a lot in Jasper must comply with applicable safety codes. We strongly encourage you to contact a safety codes officer (PDF, 244 KB) before purchasing a used mobile home to verify it meets the current code. To avoid any issues, please do not purchase a new mobile home before confirming that the mobile home meets current building code requirements for mobile homes.

As with all districts, the Land Use Policy establishes restrictions on the size of a mobile home, setbacks, site coverage, and parking to maintain the character of the neighbourhood.

Any mobile home placed on a lot in Jasper must comply with applicable safety codes. We strongly encourage you to contact a safety codes officer (PDF, 244 KB) before purchasing a used mobile home to verify it meets the current code. All mobile homes will be required to have a minimum 4:12 roof pitch and meet Architectural Motif Requirements regarding siding and roofing. Vinyl siding is not permitted.

Under the Canada National Parks Act, the amount of floor area that can be developed for commercial purposes is limited in the Town of Jasper. This is to ensure there are enough residential lands available to provide a comfortable living community for the national park visitor service centre, with a limited land base that is fixed in law.

The commercial floor area cap is allocated on a lot-by-lot basis. Redevelopment of buildings that had been allocated commercial floor area before the fire can build up to their pre-fire commercial area allocation.

If you are a commercial leaseholder who is not interested in rebuilding, please reach out to Parks Canada to indicate what your plans are for the site.

There is currently 2,092 m² (22,500 square feet) of commercial floor area remaining to be allocated in the Jasper townsite. There is no remaining commercial floor area to be allocated in the industrial park.

If you would like to expand the commercial floor area of your building, your first step is to apply to the Parks Canada Development Office for additional commercial floor area. Commercial floor area is limited, and applications may not be successful. Applications are taken once per year. The deadline for applications for 2024 is November 30. More information on this process can be found here.

Timelines will vary depending on the complexity of the application. The Parks Canada Development Office is currently experiencing an unprecedented volume of inquiries and applications. We are actively working to bring in additional resources to speed up application review timelines. We appreciate your patience as we review your application.

To speed up the process, make sure you are submitting a complete application by following the appropriate checklist for your development.

Incomplete applications cause delays in reviewing permit applications. If an application is incomplete, development officers will let you know what is missing and pause their review of your file until the missing information is submitted.

Make sure you have:

• All the required drawings and plans
• Label all the plans with dimensions in metric
• Provide as much detail as possible

We have allowed flexibility to make rebuilding easier, therefore approved landscape plans are required prior to issuing a final occupancy permit.

All applications submitted after the new rules come into effect will be reviewed based on the updated policies. Applicants with ongoing applications will be notified of the changes, and their alignment will be discussed with the Development Office. For in-progress applications, Parks Canada is committed to working collaboratively with applicants to ensure that those applications can continue to proceed in a timely manner.

A variance means a relaxation to the planning, architectural, siting or other requirements of the Land Use Policy due to unique site conditions or built heritage resource factors. This can be reducing a required setback or allowing a building to be built slightly taller than the height limit for the land use district.

The Superintendent has the ability to approve development permits with variances only if:

• the proposed development would not unduly interfere with the amenities of the area or the use, enjoyment, safety, aesthetics, or value of neighbouring properties; and
• an unusual site configuration, soil conditions, or other factors, which are peculiar to the site and not the result of actions of the applicant, may result in unnecessary hardship or practical difficulties for the proposed development; or
• approval of the variance would likely improve the quality of the design.

To apply for a variance, please review the guidance on the Parks Canada website, then submit this form (PDF, 203 KB) to the development office. Major decisions will go through the standard process of community notification.