We find ourselves at a pivotal moment where decisions made today will shape our community for years to come. These decisions are becoming increasingly out-of-touch with the financial challenges of living and working in Jasper.

I am supportive of the development of the Jasper Transit service and the benefits that it offers our community, however, as a resident of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, I am deeply concerned about the current proposed rate of municipal spending on Electric Vehicle (EV) buses and the infrastructure required to house and operate them.  The increasing costs to fund these purchases and development are not sustainable in the long term and could leave us tax payers burdened for years to come. There have been far too many recent capital projects undertaken by the Municipality of Jasper (MOJ), that have spiraled out of control, leaving the community and its residents in a financial precarious position.

The lack of comprehensive and reliable research into the feasibility of this project is alarming. It is essential that any significant investment such as this be backed by thorough investigation into its long-term viability and cost-effectiveness. Moreover, while EV busses have their benefits in terms of reducing carbon emissions, they also present challenges such as high upfront costs and require specialized infrastructure and maintenance programs. There is a vast amount of evidence showing that these buses have very significant performance and maintenance issues, particularly in colder environments.

Currently, the federal government and FortisAlberta, are conducting a study across nine communities in Alberta to see how well, or not well these buses will do in our climate as well as with the different regional energy requirements. This study is meant to guide them in strategic planning and decision-making for a greener future for Alberta.

Tourism Jasper, The Jasper Chamber of Commerce, as well as individual residents, have all requested an operational budget or forecast for the operation of the said service. The project cost estimates have varied drastically and as mentioned at the February 27, 2024 Council meeting at 2:15:39pm, it was stated that there are no guarantees that once the project goes to market, the price will remain the same. However, no one has given an actual cost for this project, nor whether the cost will be from a capital or operational perspective. An assumption that grants will be provided on a yearly basis from Federal or Provincial governments, is an insult to the residents that will have to continuously have their taxes raised on a yearly basis for years to come.

In the past three years, the taxes of Jasper residents have increased by 40%. Last year, Jasper had one of the highest tax increase in all of Alberta, and that is even after the near 7% decrease of the original 16% that was originally proposed by council.

We, the residents of Jasper Alberta, urge our local government officials to reconsider the decision to move forward on the EV buses project, including the development of infrastructure, until the mentioned study has concluded and we have obtained viable results.