The Alberta government’s recent conditional approval of a plan to reopen and expand Fortress Mountain could mark the start of the newest chapter in the resort’s up-and-down history. The Southern Alberta ski area, which is located in the Kananaskis Country, a protected area in the Canadian Rockies approximately 90 kilometers (56 miles) west of Calgary, opened under the name Snow Ridge in 1967. Since opening, it faced bankruptcy, multiple ownership changes, and a several-year closure in the 1970s before finally closing its doors to the public in the mid-2000s. Those doors may not remain shut thanks to a newly approved proposal.
The current holder of the Crown Land lease for the resort, Fortress Mountain Holdings, has submitted a proposal, which entails the construction of up to 12 ski lifts, over 2,500 housing units, including hotels, condos, and employee housing, as well as 1,100 parking spots. Additionally, in an attempt to draw visitation beyond solely the winter season, the plan heavily emphasizes non-ski amenities such as ziplines, suspension bridges, mountain bike trails, and even a mountain coaster. The full plan would be completed by 2040 in five phases, establishing a four-season resort town and mountain in the heart of Kananaskis Country.
While the concept was approved on June 5 of this year, Fortress Mountain must still answer several key questions before it is able to actually begin construction. First, the resort must determine how and from where it will source the vast amounts of water necessary to support an endeavor of this scale. Second, the proposed site sits in bear, bighorn sheep, and endangered bat habitat. Given that, large-scale development will be strictly limited to the base area, and the resort must outline plans to construct new lifts and trails away from ecologically critical locations. Additionally, in accordance with Alberta law, Fortress Mountain must complete Indigenous consultation with local First Nations groups, who, as of February 2026, have been in opposition to the project.
Perhaps the most vocal opponent of the Fortress Mountain plan has been the Bearspaw, one of three tribes that comprise the Îyârhe (Stoney) Nakoda First Nation. The tribe’s core complaint relates to a lack of consultation during the planning phase of the proposal. A Bearspaw spokesperson told the Rocky Mountain Outlook that “pre-existing assessments have been done without the assistance of the Nations and do not presently incorporate traditional knowledge of the sites.” Additionally, the only clear nod to Indigeneity in the proposal is the inclusion of a First Nations cultural center, which the Bearspaw also state “appears as tokenism.”
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While the Bearspaw has been contacted by Fortress Mountain since the proposal was released to the public in late January, this has done little to ease tension. Many view the involvement of First Nations subsequent to plans being finalized as simply a way to comply with regulations. Consultation with Bearspaw and other tribes during the initial planning phases may have been seen as more of a genuine attempt at including Indigenous people in a project that will fundamentally alter land to which they are deeply connected.
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Despite the many hurdles left to clear for Fortress Mountain, it does appear the project is edging closer to getting underway. While the mega expansion, set to transform the currently dormant resort, must still prove its capacity to meet certain environmental and cultural standards (with regards to the First Nations), the general concept has been given a green light by the Alberta government. If all goes to plan, Southern Alberta will have another serious tourist hotspot by 2040. Hopefully, the project can be completed in a responsible and respectful manner.
