Fire-damaged Waterton Lakes National Park gets $21M boost from Ottawa

Ottawa is spending nearly $21 million to help Waterton Lakes National Park park bounce back from a destructive wildfire.

Thefire in September 2017scorched about 200 square kilometres, or almost 40 per cent, of the park in southwesternAlberta.

The visitor centre and other buildings were destroyed, but crews managed to stop the fire from spreading into Waterton's townsite.

The federal cash is to go toward fixing the 14-kilometre Red Rock Parkway, rebuilding trails, restoring a campground and researching archeological sites revealed by the fire.

Earlier this week, Parks Canada scrapped plans for a 107-kilometre cycling route along the scenic Icefields Parkway that runs between Jasper and Banff national parks.

Some of the $66 million that had been earmarked for that project is instead going toward restoring Waterton.

"In 2017, the tireless efforts of Parks Canada and partner agencies ensured public safety and protected property in and around the community of Waterton Lakes, but the Kenow wildfire had a major impact on other areas of the national park," Environment Minister Catherine McKenna said in a statement Friday.

"The funding being announced today will make a significant contribution to the wildfire recovery efforts in Waterton Lakes National Park."

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