Is Outdoor Recreation really an industry?
A recent report on Alberta’s Crown Land Outdoor Recreation Economy revealed some shocking statistics...
  • Albertans spend $2.3 billion on crown land outdoor recreation trips annually and another $376 million on recreation equipment and related accessories for these trips.
  • This spending contributes $2.8 billion in provincial GDP (including direct, indirect and induced effects) and generates $551 million in tax revenues
  • ​36,000 full-time equivalent jobs are generated by Albertans’ spending on crown land outdoor recreation trips and equipment.  While also indirectly fuelling employment in many other sectors. 
  • Gateway communities with crown land outdoor recreation economies are more likely to attract new businesses and residents with greater wealth, and have faster growing wages.
  • On a more local level, when you calculate (visitors x Avg MTB cost x 71.7% of visitors MTBing) a conservative estimate has over $3,000,000 worth of MTB's riding the trails on an average day.
  • With over one thousand users on an average day, combined with the estimated expenditures within this report, a very conservative valuation on the economic impact of this recreation area would place it at over $10 Million every year.

Read the full report below...