Please join us for the presentation of the Final Report of the Jasper Economic Impact and Opportunity Assessment at our up-coming Speaker Series featuring Ben Brunnen of Verum Consulting on June 9th 4:30pm-7:30pm. Event details & tickets here.

The Jasper Economic Impact and Opportunity Assessment is an industry-led initiative to quantify the wildfire's economic impact and chart a course for transformative recovery.
VIEW THE FINAL REPORT HERE.

Overview

The Jasper Economic Impact and Opportunity Assessment (EIOA) is the most comprehensive economic analysis ever undertaken in Jasper. Commissioned and led by four of Jasper's core economic development organizations — Jasper Park Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Jasper, Community Futures West Yellowhead and the Jasper Employment and Education Centre — with research conducted by Verum Consulting, it is an industry-driven initiative built on a simple conviction: Jasper's recovery cannot be guided by intuition. It requires data, analysis and a clear-eyed understanding of where our visitor economy is and where it needs to go.

The EIOA is not a post-mortem. It is a forward-looking strategic instrument, with a planning horizon of three to ten years, designed to support a transformative recovery — a recovery trajectory that does not simply restore what existed before, but builds a visitor economy that is more sustainable, diversified and resilient than it was when the fires began.

Photo credit: Tourism Jasper

Why This Matters

The 2024 wildfire was the most significant economic disruption in Jasper's history. Beyond the immediate losses — destroyed properties, lost revenue, displaced residents and workers — the wildfire exposed structural vulnerabilities in Jasper's visitor economy that had been present for years, like overdependence on a narrow seasonal window, chronic workforce and housing constraints and limited economic diversification.

Our post-wildfire recovery presents a rare and time-limited opportunity to address those vulnerabilities deliberately. But seizing that opportunity requires an evidence base — one that quantifies what was lost, models what recovery looks like under different scenarios and identifies the strategic investments and policy changes that will have the greatest impact.

That is what the EIOA is designed to deliver.

What the EIOA Will Produce

The assessment covers six interconnected areas:

Economic Impact Quantification — A full accounting of the direct, indirect and induced economic impacts of the wildfire on Jasper's economy, including lost business revenues, employment impacts and effects on the broader regional and provincial economy.

Baseline Economic Profile — Establishment of pre- and post-fire economic conditions across Jasper's key sectors, providing a benchmark against which recovery progress can be measured.

Recovery Projections — Multi-year (3–10 year) recovery trajectories modelled under multiple scenarios, giving decision-makers a realistic and data-grounded picture of what recovery looks like — and how policy choices affect the pace and shape of that recovery.

Strategic Opportunity Identification — Analysis of where the greatest opportunities lie for building a stronger, more resilient visitor economy — including sector diversification, infrastructure priorities, workforce development and visitor experience enhancement.

Policy and Investment Recommendations — Evidence-based recommendations for all levels of government and the private sector, focused on the interventions most likely to accelerate and sustain transformative recovery.

Annual Monitoring Framework — A set of indicators and tracking mechanisms that will allow Jasper's economic development organizations — and government partners — to measure recovery progress and adjust strategy over time.

Industry-Led, Not Government-Driven

The EIOA was not commissioned by government. It was initiated and funded by Jasper's economic development organizations because the community could not afford to wait.

The four partner organizations — JPCC, Tourism Jasper, CFWY and JEEC — collectively represent the institutions most directly connected to Jasper's businesses, employers, workers and visitors. That connection is what makes this assessment credible: the questions it asks and the way it engages the business community reflect the realities on the ground.

This project was funded in part by the Northern and Regional Economic Development Program, Ministry of Jobs, Economy, trade and Immigration, Government of Alberta.

Status

Research has been conducted by Verum Consulting. The final report will be released and highlights presented at a public event on Tuesday, June 9. Event details & tickets here.

VIEW THE FINAL REPORT HERE.

Partners

Jasper Park Chamber of Commerce — Co-commissioner and project partner
Tourism Jasper — Co-commissioner and project partner
Community Futures West Yellowhead — Co-commissioner and project partner
Jasper Employment and Education Centre — Co-commissioner and project partner
Verum Consulting — Research and report preparation

Contact

For more information about the EIOA or JPCC's recovery advocacy, contact [email protected] or call 780-852-4621.