Commercial floor area allocation

The Canada National Parks Act establishes a limit on the maximum commercial floor that can be built in the Town of Jasper.

The purpose of commercial development limits is to ensure that development and land use within the Town of Jasper does not undermine the ecological integrity of the national park or erode the small-town character of the community.

If your proposed commercial development requires an increase in commercial floor area you will need to apply to the Jasper Development Office for a Commercial Floor Area Allocation.

There is currently 2,091.10 m² of commercial floor area remaining to be developed in commercially-zoned properties in Jasper. There is no commercial floor area remaining to be developed in the S block industrial area of Jasper.

Businesses looking to increase their commercial floor area allotment must apply to the annual allocation process. This annual process is in place to ensure that the remaining commercial floor area in Jasper is allocated in a fair, equitable process that best meets the needs of the community.

The process for applying for additional commercial floor area is as follows:

1. Submit an application for your additional commercial floor area (PDF, 180 kb) to the Jasper development office at developpementjasper-jasperdevelopment@pc.gc.ca Applications are due by November 30, 2024..
2. Proposals will then be reviewed by a committee of Municipality of Jasper and Parks Canada representatives against the following criteria and placed in draft rank order.
   1. Enhance visitors and residents’ experience of Jasper
   2. Protection of resident-oriented services
   3. Provide a new service or product to the community, rather than adding more of an existing product or service
   4. Maximize underutilized space in the commercial area
   5. Provide any additional benefits to the town, such as staff accommodation
   6. Align with the Jasper National Park Management Plan, the Jasper Community Sustainability Plan, and all other applicable development regulations
3. Applicants will receive notice of approval or denial of the conceptual plan by January 8, 2025; and
4. If approved, complete development permit applications are due on or before the last Monday of February 2025.

Here are some key considerations for commercial floor area allocations:

1. Commercial floor area cannot be transferred between properties.
2. Commercial floor area means the total floor area of all levels of a commercial building or structure, excluding staff housing, parking areas, garbage rooms, or mechanical rooms.
3. The downtown area of Jasper has restrictions on what types of commercial businesses can take place in the basement or on the second story. For new developments, basements can only be used for commercial storage, parking, or resident-oriented businesses (as defined in the Jasper Community Sustainability Plan), and second storeys can only be used for apartment housing or resident-oriented businesses. This means that new rooftop patios for restaurants are not permitted.

Note: This information is presented as a general guideline of Parks Canada business licence processes and cannot be used as an official interpretation of the various codes and regulations currently in effect. If you would like specific information please contact the Parks Canada Administration Office at developpementjasper-jasperdevelopment@pc.gc.ca or at 780-852-6123.