SE New Trails Act

From user conflicts to environmental impacts, management of trails on public land in Alberta has been a long-standing challenge in the province. The recently passed Trails Act provides the Minister with a variety of powers to delegate authority over public trails. Jason will provide a review of the recently passed Trails Act and how trails management and trails legislation could be reformed to create accountability in siting, construction and management of trails. The new act has been decried by environmental groups and legal commentators as damaging to the environment and risks allowing private control of public land.

Speaker

Jason Unger is the Executive Director and General Counsel of the Environmental Law Centre (ELC), an Alberta based charity focused on legal education and environmental and natural resources law reform. Jason’s practice has focused on issues of water law, legal tools for conservation on private lands, environmental assessment law, species at risk and pollution prevention. Prior to joining the ELC Jason worked in private practice at firms in Edmonton and Calgary. Jason also sits as a Board member on the Alberta Water Council.