Paradise has a cost, and that’s more than evident when it comes to housing. Since at least 2014, the town has had a 0.0 per cent vacancy with approximately 37 per cent of residents overpaying for shelter, according to the municipality. A 2021 analysis by Parks Canada also identified that 46 new housing units have been constructed in town since 2017, but 63 units were converted to condominiums through the sa ...

Peter Shokeir | editor@fitzhugh.ca We all have our share of deep-freeze stories, and I’m sure plenty of Jasperites can top the one I’m about to describe. But for me, this one was a doozy. Back two winters ago in Grande Prairie, the temperature had dipped to -40 C over the course of a weekend. My own car was among the first to go kaputz that Saturday as I had forgotten to plug it in the other night. For a re ...

Following weeks of public backlash, the UCP government has decided to reinstate Alberta’s 1976 coal policy. The blowback had been strong indeed but not atypical, at least for this government. The policy protects the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountain, and while the Jasper area was safely nestled within a national park, local councillor Jenna McGrath had voiced her worries about the possible impact to the ...

How long until the world returns to normal? Well, we still have quite a ways to go before humanity beats back the scourge of the coronavirus, perhaps another year or two of restrictions. It seems to all depend on the vaccine rollout, which has already hit a few snags.  The positive side is that new vaccines are coming out every day, with Johnson & Johnson’s single-shot vaccine appearing to be 66 pe ...

Some realities are inevitable but bitter nonetheless. Last week, Jasper Municipal Council decided to implement paid parking. There are a few caveats though. It will be a pilot project that can be adjusted based on what works and what rubs too many people the wrong way. Administration also needs to first present a plan for the pilot project along with one for public consultation. In short, don’t expect parki ...

Over the last five years, the downsides of social media have become apparent. What downsides am I talking about? Take your pick: doxing, hate speech, fake news, conspiracy theories, censorship, data harvesting but perhaps worst of all is the near-total degradation of social discourse. This unnatural means of communication has few of the social cues we so rely on. It does not require you to look someone in t ...

After a turbulent year filled with health restrictions and political unrest, my new life in Jasper is a major positive change that stands out amid all the negative ones. Starting this month, I am becoming the new editor and publisher for the Jasper Fitzhugh as Fuchsia Dragon leaves this role to go on maternity leave. I am moving from Grande Prairie, where I served as an editor for the Grande Prairie Daily H ...

Happy New Year! With this, our first edition of 2021, we are entering a new chapter for the Jasper Fitzhugh. Before the holidays, you may have noticed our advertisements for a publisher/editor. I will soon be stepping away from the Fitzhugh on maternity leave, and with this issue I am passing the reins to my replacement, Peter Shokeir. Peter has moved to Jasper and the Fitzhugh from Grande Prairie, where he ...

Here we are, finally, on the last day of 2020. It has been a year that none of us expected - one that has thrown countless curveballs and changed us in many different ways.  We have all faced unforeseen challenges this year, but found ways to support each other, to be creative and kind, to overcome adversity.   Our focus has been shifted, our adaptability proven, and we have learned more abou ...

This year, ‘home for the holidays’ has a slightly different meaning. Due to public health restrictions, we will be holding festivities with only our households, missing family gatherings and reunions with friends. Our holidays will be quieter and more intimate, but we have lived nearly 10 months in this new normal - we know our responsibilities and have learned how to stay connected, apart. This is a tough ...