- In the fall of 1883, three Canadian Pacific Railway construction workers stumbled across a cave containing hot springs on the eastern slopes of Alberta's Rocky Mountains. From that humble beginning was born Banff National Park, Canada's first national park and the world's third
- The discovery of the hot springs contributed to the historical development of the region when it gained international reputation as a spa destination.
- The Canadian Rockies Hot Springs, including Radium, Miette and Banff Upper Hot Springs, are among the top attractions in the Canadian Rockies.
- The hot springs have attracted more visitors than any other Parks Canada initiative, all at a fair and reasonable cost to Canadians and international visitors.
- The hot springs are cornerstones of the communities they’re located in. This is especially so at Radium Hot Springs, where the facilities are used for children’s swimming lessons and swim team practices.
- Currently, admission to the hot springs is one of the most affordable attractions making them a popular draw for tourists and local residents. General adult admission starts at $6.05 on the low end at Miette Hot Springs and peaks at $7.30 for the Banff Upper Hot Springs. In comparison, an adult pass for the privately owned Banff Gondola retails for $29.95, increasing to $34.95 in 2013.
- A private facility near Radium Hot Springs uses the same spring water, but charges double for access to their hot pool, which is more than 15 times smaller than the Parks Canada facility.
- The Hot Springs Enterprise Unit (HSEU) is a cost-neutral Parks Canada program. In a 2007-2008 report, the HSEU forecasted operational expenses of $4.024 million and a revenue objective of $ 5.0 million.
- Much of the Canadian Rockies tourism is already American-owned. An American company should not have a monopoly on our Canadian natural resources and heritage.
- The Canadian Rockies Hot Springs are a natural environment to a variety of different species of plants, insects and animals, including endangered species like the Banff Springs Snail in Banff and the Rubber Boa Snake in Radium Hot Springs.
Take Action: E-mail your MP to tell them to keep the springs in the public domain
Learn more about the Don't Sell Our Hot Springs campaign.
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