Todd Loewen shakes hands with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith after he was sworn into cabinet as minister of Forestry, Parks and Tourism in Edmonton on Oct. 24.JASON FRANSON/The Canadian Press
Alberta’s new minister of Forestry, Parks and Tourism says his focus will be on ensuring the province’s parks are more accessible to people.
Todd Loewen has just received his mandate letter from Premier Danielle Smith.
The letter contains a heavy emphasis on developing tourism in the provincial park system.
In it, Smith instructs Loewen to develop campgrounds, recreation and tourism opportunities on provincial lands.
Loewen is expected to speed up the approval of permits and licences, establish a tourism and hospitality immigration stream, and improve tourist infrastructure in high-traffic areas.
She also tells the minister to develop ways to manage provincial forests and grasslands to store carbon.