New fees for private shuttles, buses to Moraine Lake spark concerns from operators

Parks Canada is introducing a new licence and fee for commercial vehicles to take people to the beautiful and busy Moraine Lake.

Parks Canada is rolling out a new licence and new fees for private shuttles and buses taking people to one of the most beautiful, busiest places in Banff National Park.

For 2025, commercial vehicles will need to acquire a licence of occupation and pay fees on a per-vehicle, per-trip basis due in large part to the growing number of visitors to Moraine Lake.

“For the summer of 2023, we had a little over 13,000 commercial vehicles going up Moraine Lake Road, and then last summer in 2024 that was up to nearly 25,000. So, that’s an 85 per cent increase,” said François Massé, a field unit superintendent for Lake Louise, Yoho and Kootenay.

The tourist hot spot has been closed to personal vehicles for two years, with commercial vehicles having free entry until now.

Massé says the fees are expected to make up around $4 million of the $11 million it costs to manage traffic programs at both Lake Louise and Moraine Lake.

“Between parking fees, tickets for the shuttle and the commercial operator fee now, we’re looking at getting back into a sustainable operation,” he said.

While many operators agree they should contribute their fair share, they don’t think the fee formula is fair.

“I support it with a couple of caveats,” said Jesse Kitteridge with Moraine Lake Bus Company.

The new fees vary based on the size of the vehicle, ranging from just over $100 for smaller vans to around $600 for a coach bus.

“We operate primarily 24-seater buses, which cost slightly over $300 per bus, so for us that works out to $18 a seat. So, that’s how much our ticket prices are going up this year,” he said.

The fees also differ based on what a company charges for a round trip and there are incentives for fares under $45.

“It would be impossible for us to meet the low, low ticket price they want us to meet and still pay our staff a living wage, so that’s a non-starter for us,” said Kitteridge.

“What we heard from Parks is they want cheap-as-possible tours for our overwhelmingly American visitors—not living-wage employers, carbon-neutral businesses, locally owned businesses or high-quality guided and educational experiences.”

Kitteridge also believes the fees should be equally distributed to anyone visiting the lake.

“We support the idea that all visitors to Moraine Lake should be responsible for paying an equal user fee, whether they arrive on a Parks Canada shuttle, private shuttle or Roam bus,” said Kitteridge.

A group that advocates for businesses in the park is hoping Parks Canada will consider delaying the changes for this season, or better collaborating with owners for next year, saying the six months' notice to companies wasn’t enough.

“They’re already selling their rates for 2027, so the tour operators have already sold their trips for this summer and have no way to recoup the costs,” said Debbie Harksen with the Association for Mountain Parks Protection and Enjoyment.

Massé says operators were warned fees were coming for more than a year.

He says a per-seat charge was considered, but with growing congestion, they believe charging per vehicle will encourage companies to fill their vehicles.

“We started to notice many, many vehicles going up the road last summer were almost empty,” said Massé.

Applications for licences are being accepted until April 30 with the road reopening to Moraine Lake in June.