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Washington Post
6 days ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
Some prep for bear invasions, but little environmental policy expected at G-7 summit
CALGARY, Alberta — Environmental policy has been largely omitted from this year's Group of Seven summit. But there's no ignoring nature at the remote lodge in the Canadian Rockies where the world's most powerful leaders have been gathered this week. Bear invasions are among the top safety concerns in Kananaskis, where officials have taken extensive measures to shield G-7 participants from encounters with the local populations of grizzly and black bears. They've erected electric fences, set bear traps and developed strict protocols to ensure that food does not inadvertently attract uninvited animals. Local schoolchildren in May removed buffaloberry bushes from the area, taking out a key attractant in an effort to deter bears from approaching. Event organizers distributed pamphlets reminding attendees that they should keep a distance of at least 10 buses between themselves and bears. 'You're definitely in bear country,' said Trevor Julian, the executive director of Friends of Kananaskis, which organized the effort to extract the berry bushes. He visited the conference site before the world leaders arrived and saw extensive fencing and security cameras. 'I don't think a person or a bear would be able to breach that area without being seen,' Julian said. The decision to host the summit in the bears' habitat drew objections from some local residents, who were concerned about the impact of the event on the area's wildlife. A bear died after it was tranquilized by security officials during the 2002 summit in Kananaskis, then called the Group of Eight because Russia was a member. The ursine tiff serves as something of a metaphor for the much larger issue of how the international meeting is handling environmental questions, most notably climate change. As event organizers tried to avoid any confrontation between the world leaders and natural threats, they also attempted to avoid confrontations with President Donald Trump over environmental policy. Climate change had been a priority at recent G-7 summits, but this year, organizers opted to raise the subject indirectly through sessions on related issues such as wildfires and minerals. Trump departed the summit a day early to address the crisis unfolding in the Middle East. Before leaving, he declined to sign on to a G-7 statement calling for Iran and Israel to de-escalate. Trump's 2017 decision to not implement the Paris climate agreement became a significant stumbling block during international meetings in his first term. And domestically, Trump has sought to unwind many of the climate-related policies adopted by the Biden administration. The moves to avoid confrontation with Trump have enraged some local climate activists, especially as hundreds of wildfires burn in Canada. The warming climate has increased the risk of drought and fire across the country in recent years. 'Canada has invited world leaders to a country that is literally on fire,' said Keith Stewart, a senior energy strategist at Greenpeace Canada. 'Rather than tiptoeing around Trump and his climate denialism, Canada and the rest of the G-7 should be strengthening climate cooperation even if that means finding ways to work around the President of the United States.' Environmentalists became concerned about the G-7's handling of climate issues last month, when finance ministers gathered in Banff, Alberta. The joint communiqué released from that meeting did not include a set of actions to combat climate change, a departure from every other G-7 since 2019. The G-7 is gathering at a tumultuous time for international environmental policy, but it has been overshadowed by other topics. The summit's emphasis has traditionally been on economic issues, and tariffs were expected to dominate the discussions here after Trump instigated trade wars against many of the United States' closest allies. It's understandable that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney would leave climate issues off the table as he attempts to create some consensus on these other issues, said Aaron Cosbey, a senior associate at the International Institute for Sustainable Development. Cosbey is disappointed, but avoiding a debate on climate change could protect programs established by previous G-7 agreements, he said. 'If they're not mentioned, then they're not shut down,' Cosbey said. Climate change is only accelerating, however, as leaders avoid the topic, he said. 'The fact that we're ignoring it doesn't mean it's going away,' Cosbey said. 'The lack of international cooperation on climate change is a problem.' As for Kananaskis's bears, Julian said he does not expect 'a large negative effect' on the local grizzlies because organizers have largely kept the events contained to a small area. Amanda Coletta contributed to this report.
CTV News
11-06-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Kananaskis: An explainer on Alberta's cherished park and G7 host location
A road sign warning of no access to the site of the G7 leaders' summit is pictured in Kananaskis, Alta., Monday, June 2, CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh CALGARY — For the next week, Derek Ryder will be temporarily divorced from his favourite mountain range and beloved trails in Kananaskis, Alta., so the world's most powerful people can safely gather for the G7 leaders summit. The spokesman for Friends of Kananaskis Country, an environmental stewardship group for the region, has been trekking in Kananaskis Country, informally known as K-Country, since 1976. 'I've been basically everywhere,' says Ryder, who added he's traversed more kilometres in Kananaskis than he can count. As the G7 leaders prepare for the annual meeting in Kananaskis, which first hosted the summit in 2002, the world's eyes will be on the region's dense forest and jagged alpine. What is Kananaskis? Comprising several provincial parks, Kananaskis was created by former Alberta premier Peter Lougheed in 1978. The Alberta Parks website says Lougheed was convinced to establish the park after a single helicopter ride over the jagged mountains. From above, the Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge — chosen as the leaders' residence for the summit — is a mere pinprick surrounded by over 4,000 square kilometres of Rocky Mountain wilderness abutting Banff National Park. Unlike past summits in urban centres, the leaders are to be cordoned off from the outside world. Kananaskis has a small local population of 156, according to the most recent census. 'Block one road on two ends, and you pretty much have an isolated world in K-Country,' Ryder says. Who will be at the G7? Prime Minister Mark Carney will chair the summit. He is to be joined by: U.S. President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The presidents of the European Council and European Commission usually represent the European Union. A prominent group of invited non-G7 leaders are also to attend, including Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The late Pope Francis was at last year's G7, becoming the first pontiff to address the forum. There's been no public chatter about whether Pope Leo XIV might be in Kananaskis. The three-day summit starts Sunday. How do you get to Kananaskis Village? Kananaskis Village is roughly 75 kilometres southwest of Calgary. It has two entry points. The first is off the Trans-Canada Highway en route to Canmore and Banff. Drivers can otherwise enter through a rural road. Other sections of the park, mostly south of the village, are still set to be open during the summit. Is it similar to Banff? Though it shares a mountain range with Banff National Park, Ryder says the wilderness in Kananaskis has a unique feel that separates itself from the national parks. 'To me, it feels less like a museum,' he says. The area's popularity has increased over the past decade, adds Trevor Julian, executive director of Friends of Kananaskis. But its relatively quieter trails are alluring to some hikers, he says. Banff, meanwhile, attracts more than four million people every year. 'I find there's so many hidden pockets of Kananaskis where you can go for the day — or days — and not see people.' Julian says. Are bears a risk? Kananaskis is native bear territory, Ryder says, and the animals happily traverse through Kananaskis Village on any given day. Two layers of fences line the perimeter of the village. Ryder doesn't believe that will keep them out. 'Fences, unless they're electrified, don't stop bears from doing anything,' Ryder says. But bears are more interested in eating plants than wreaking havoc on talks between prime ministers and presidents, he says. During the 2002 summit in Kananaskis, a bear climbed a tree near the site and, as conservation officers tried to lure it down, the animal fell and died from its injuries. 'There's no magic in this,' Ryder says. 'There's only really good people doing the best job we can.' What else should I know about Kananaskis? In 2013, Kananaskis saw hundreds of kilometres of trails washed away by sudden flooding, which also forced out 110,000 people downstream in Calgary. The historic flood wiped out much of the picturesque 36-hole golf course at Kananaskis and took five years to rebuild. Darren Robinson, general manager of Kananaskis Country Golf Club, says a few employees stayed on during the closure. Ryder, who has written a book about the flood, says it 'massacred' trails and the road winding through Kananaskis. In some areas, the flood redirected water flows in such a way that former ponds are now dry pits. 'It was pretty traumatic,' he says. Ryder was among an army of volunteers who helped rebuild trails, bridges and boardwalks, though many trails have permanently disappeared. 'In restoring K-Country, I think in a lot of ways, we restored ourselves,' he says. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2025. Matthew Scace, The Canadian Press
CTV News
11-06-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Kananaskis: An explainer on Alberta's cherished park and G7 host location
A road sign warning of no access to the site of the G7 leaders' summit is pictured in Kananaskis, Alta., Monday, June 2, CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh CALGARY — For the next week, Derek Ryder will be temporarily divorced from his favourite mountain range and beloved trails in Kananaskis, Alta., so the world's most powerful people can safely gather for the G7 leaders summit. The spokesman for Friends of Kananaskis Country, an environmental stewardship group for the region, has been trekking in Kananaskis Country, informally known as K-Country, since 1976. 'I've been basically everywhere,' says Ryder, who added he's traversed more kilometres in Kananaskis than he can count. As the G7 leaders prepare for the annual meeting in Kananaskis, which first hosted the summit in 2002, the world's eyes will be on the region's dense forest and jagged alpine. What is Kananaskis? Comprising several provincial parks, Kananaskis was created by former Alberta premier Peter Lougheed in 1978. The Alberta Parks website says Lougheed was convinced to establish the park after a single helicopter ride over the jagged mountains. From above, the Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge — chosen as the leaders' residence for the summit — is a mere pinprick surrounded by over 4,000 square kilometres of Rocky Mountain wilderness abutting Banff National Park. Unlike past summits in urban centres, the leaders are to be cordoned off from the outside world. Kananaskis has a small local population of 156, according to the most recent census. 'Block one road on two ends, and you pretty much have an isolated world in K-Country,' Ryder says. Who will be at the G7? Prime Minister Mark Carney will chair the summit. He is to be joined by: U.S. President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The presidents of the European Council and European Commission usually represent the European Union. A prominent group of invited non-G7 leaders are also to attend, including Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The late Pope Francis was at last year's G7, becoming the first pontiff to address the forum. There's been no public chatter about whether Pope Leo XIV might be in Kananaskis. The three-day summit starts Sunday. How do you get to Kananaskis Village? Kananaskis Village is roughly 75 kilometres southwest of Calgary. It has two entry points. The first is off the Trans-Canada Highway en route to Canmore and Banff. Drivers can otherwise enter through a rural road. Other sections of the park, mostly south of the village, are still set to be open during the summit. Is it similar to Banff? Though it shares a mountain range with Banff National Park, Ryder says the wilderness in Kananaskis has a unique feel that separates itself from the national parks. 'To me, it feels less like a museum,' he says. The area's popularity has increased over the past decade, adds Trevor Julian, executive director of Friends of Kananaskis. But its relatively quieter trails are alluring to some hikers, he says. Banff, meanwhile, attracts more than four million people every year. 'I find there's so many hidden pockets of Kananaskis where you can go for the day — or days — and not see people.' Julian says. Are bears a risk? Kananaskis is native bear territory, Ryder says, and the animals happily traverse through Kananaskis Village on any given day. Two layers of fences line the perimeter of the village. Ryder doesn't believe that will keep them out. 'Fences, unless they're electrified, don't stop bears from doing anything,' Ryder says. But bears are more interested in eating plants than wreaking havoc on talks between prime ministers and presidents, he says. During the 2002 summit in Kananaskis, a bear climbed a tree near the site and, as conservation officers tried to lure it down, the animal fell and died from its injuries. 'There's no magic in this,' Ryder says. 'There's only really good people doing the best job we can.' What else should I know about Kananaskis? In 2013, Kananaskis saw hundreds of kilometres of trails washed away by sudden flooding, which also forced out 110,000 people downstream in Calgary. The historic flood wiped out much of the picturesque 36-hole golf course at Kananaskis and took five years to rebuild. Darren Robinson, general manager of Kananaskis Country Golf Club, says a few employees stayed on during the closure. Ryder, who has written a book about the flood, says it 'massacred' trails and the road winding through Kananaskis. In some areas, the flood redirected water flows in such a way that former ponds are now dry pits. 'It was pretty traumatic,' he says. Ryder was among an army of volunteers who helped rebuild trails, bridges and boardwalks, though many trails have permanently disappeared. 'In restoring K-Country, I think in a lot of ways, we restored ourselves,' he says. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2025. Matthew Scace, The Canadian Press
CTV News
29-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
G7 sustainability effort sees Kananaskis Village bear-proofed
A grizzly bear feasts on buffaloberries along Smith Dorrien Trail in Spray Valley Provincial Park in Kananaskis Country in July 2021. (File Photo/Rocky Mountain Outlook) A group of students and scouts from southern Alberta are bear-proofing areas around Kananaskis Village ahead of next month's G7 Summit. More than 200 local teens have been plucking buffaloberry bushes in May in an effort to detract wildlife from venturing into the space. The bright red berries are very popular with bears. Trevor Julian, executive director of the non-profit Friends of Kananaskis Country, is leading the charge. 'We're partnered with Global Affairs Canada,' he told CTV News. 'They reached out wanting to do a bit of a legacy project, something good for the environment left behind, and we pitched this to them. Now we're working together, engaging students from the Bow Valley and Calgary and some scouts to come out and do this work and learn a little bit about the environment.' Friends of Kananaskis Country typically focuses on trail maintenance but couldn't pass up the opportunity to make the forest that much better, too. Julian jokes launching the project under the G7 banner was a nice excuse to do something that will primarily help the village long after any delegates have left. That's because security barriers and wildlife fences have already been erected around the area, and the buffaloberries are still about a month away from blooming. Digging the plants out of the ground will keep the immediate area clear for up to 10 years. Students have been focused on pulling roots near the hotel, the staff residences and along a main trail in Kananaskis Village. 'I think it's really good for us,' said Crescent Heights Grade 10 student Alexander Scott. 'We get work experience, and it's obviously really good for the park because they keep the bears away from the buildings. 'It's just overall fun.' 'I think it's great that we get to come out here and enjoy the nature,' said Grade 11 student Ayna Spahic. 'And I'd probably be in bio class or in physics, doing some science stuff. I'd rather be out here!' The work is being done in 10 days across three weeks. It wraps up the first week of June. Leaders arrive in K-Country on June 15.
CBC
24-05-2025
- General
- CBC
Bow Valley kids picking berries to keep bears away from G7
Social Sharing There surely won't be lions or tigers at the G7 summit in Kananaskis, Alta., next month, and officials are doing their best to keep bears away, too. As many as 5,000 participants are set to descend on the area in a few weeks, and officials are already working to install security barriers and clear out the area of anything that might attract bears to keep both people and the animals safe. Earlier this week more than 200 local kids began plucking buffaloberry bushes around Kananaskis to detract bears from venturing into the area. The bright red berries are quite popular with bears. "The buffaloberries haven't been cleared out of the area in and around Kananaskis Village for about 15 years. So there's quite a lot of them," said Trevor Julian, the executive director of Friends of Kananaskis Country. The non-profit, which primarily maintains trails around the area, was approached by Global Affairs Canada last year for ideas on how to help with the environmental sustainability of the summit. Removing the buffaloberry bushes was their idea. "That's what we'd suggested to them, that it would be a worthwhile activity to do. It would, one, have the potential to reduce human-wildlife conflict, but also to engage the public and students in it," Julian said. The students, along with a Scouts Canada group from Calgary, took three days this week pulling the bushes right down to their roots — as the berries haven't bloomed yet. They have another four days of work lined up for next week, and another three days the first week of June. "We reached out to schools to see who was interested in participating, doing some service, learning a bit more about the environmental and wildlife conflict," Julian said. Bear killed at G8 The efforts to minimize the wildlife-human contact at the summit come after some lessons learned in 2002, when Kananaskis hosted what was then known as the G8 summit, before Russia was expelled. In 2002, a bear ventured too close to leaders in a tree and was tranquilized. "They shot [it] so it would fall into a net then be moved to a safe place," said John Kirton, a political science professor and the director of the G7 Research Group at the University of Toronto. "But [the bear] missed, fell to the ground and died." Officials from Alberta's Ministry of Public Safety also have plans to erect fencing around bear attractants, as well as electric fencing to keep bears out. "Wildlife is expected to be present in the surrounding environment, and the primary focus will be on the prevention of any close encounters between wildlife and the event's key facilities or areas frequented by attendees," said Sheena Campbell, the director of communications for the ministry. "Staff have and continue to provide guidance on the development of strict protocols for managing food attractants, ensuring that these attractants are properly stored and disposed of to prevent any accidental attraction of wildlife." Julian said delegates will also receive a crash course on wildlife awareness. "Training the delegates — you know, people who aren't used to being in bear country where you're essentially among grizzly bears and black bears — what's the best things you can do to avoid conflict and then also what you should carry. For example, bear spray if you're out in the wilderness and things like that," Julian said.
