Jumbo Resort is bad news for BC bears

Grizzly bears travel Jumbo Valley

Grizzly bears in southeastern British Columbia often travel the corridor between the Purcell Wilderness and Banff National Park. Their populations from over the border in Canada form the basis for recovery of grizzlies in Washington State.

For 20 years, local residents and the Ktunaxa Nation have averted a mega-resort built in the high forests and meadows of the Jumbo Valley in southern BC for grizzly bears. In March 2012, the BC government approved the four-season Jumbo resort on 130,000-acres of Jumbo Mountain's grizzly bear habitat. The Ktunaxa Nation has vowed not to give up.

Looking up the Jumbo Valley

Learn what more you can do to keep Jumbo wild.

Grizzly bears in the Purcell Mountains are already in serious danger, their habitat fragmented. Reasearch by renowned grizzly bear biologist Michael Proctor shows that the proposed Jumbo Glacier Resort would severely fragment the Purcell Mountains, one of the continent's most critical transboundary connected habitats for grizzly bears.

In 2010, regional district directors put Jumbo plans on hold to give East Kootenay residents the opportunity to make their voice heard on the future of the wild valley. But the resort is still being actively pushed by developers, and the threat to the area is ongoing.

Scott Niedermayer, the NHL’s Most Valued Player said this when he added his voice to keeping Jumbo Glacier wild for grizzly bears and other wildlife.

“I have been fortunate to play hockey and travel all over the world. Wilderness and wildlife values are disappearing, due in part to development proposals similar to the proposed Jumbo Resort.”