Frequently Asked Questions

  • Fortress Mountain Resort is a proposed all-season mountain destination in Kananaskis Country, Alberta, located approximately 125 km west of Calgary. Western Securities Ltd., and Ridge North America have partnered to submit an application for development under the All-season Resorts Act to the Government of Alberta's Department of Tourism and Sport.

  • The proposed resort is situated on a 1430-hectare Crown land parcel in Kananaskis Country, approximately 125 km west of Calgary.

  • No. The project is in the regulatory review stage. An application has been submitted to the Government of Alberta under the All-season Resorts Act, and the Department of Tourism and Sport is conducting its review. 

  • The All-season Resorts Act is provincial legislation that governs the development of all-season resort destinations on public land in Alberta. It establishes the framework under which an applicant can apply for an All-season Resort disposition – a form of long-term land use authorization. The Act also sets out requirements for public consultation and environmental impact assessment as part of the review process.

  • The project has moved into the regulatory review phase following the 30-day public notice period. The team is currently reviewing all feedback received through written submissions, the online survey and open-house listening sessions. We are analyzing the feedback received and will share results once complete. We are also continuing Indigenous Consultation with Treaty 7 First Nations. 

  • The Master Plan, prepared by Ecosign Mountain Resort Planners in November 2025, outlines a phased approach to developing an all-season resort. 

    Phase 1 focuses on day visitors and summer, fall and spring activities, centred on a lift-accessed sightseeing experience. At full buildout, the plan envisions alpine skiing, year-round recreation programming, overnight accommodations, real estate and employee housing – all connected to a resort core. 

    The Master Plan is a planning-level document; detailed engineering and architecture will follow regulatory approvals.

  • Yes. The initial phase of development focuses on day visitors, with summer activities leading the way. From there, the plan expands to all-season day-use programing before overnight accommodations are introduced in later phases. 

  • The existing water licenses support the first two phases of the Master Development Plan. Looking ahead, the project team is completing a preliminary hydrogeological program to confirm on-site water availability for future phases. The team will verify water supply at each stage before advancing development.

    The team is also committed to water-efficient design, including modern low-flow fixtures and rainwater harvesting for non-potable uses such as irrigation and snowmaking. 

  • The project team plans to establish a modern, engineered wastewater treatment system built in phases, with advanced treatment technology designed to protect downstream ecosystems. The system will be phased so that treatment capacity grows alongside the resort and continuous monitoring will ensure compliance with provincial environmental standards.

  • Our team’s environmental commitments reflect the expectations embedded in the All-seasons Resort Act, land-use planning guidance, and Alberta’s water-conservation and wildfire-resilience objectives. The risk/mitigation table in the Environmental Assessment submitted as part of the application details what measures will need to be considered during project development. 

    Wildlife protection is a core principle of the project's design. Our development plan is concentrated in previously disturbed (brownfield) area and building designs are clustered to reduce habitat fragmentation. 

    Environmental sustainability is a governing principle across all phases. 

    The project team is also working with Indigenous partners on rewilding and stewardship programs and is exploring the designation of a long-term conservation area, following the requirements of the OECM designation: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/nature-legacy/other-effective-area-based-measures.html

  • The project team is actively engaging with the government to establish a traffic management approach. We understand the requirements of the development and are working with provincial representatives to establish best practices and a path forward.  

  • The project team is actively consulting with Treaty 7 First Nations, consistent with the provincial regulatory framework. We are committed to long-term, respectful relationships with Indigenous communities.  

    We are planning Indigenous equity participation in core utilities, co-development of cultural programming and involvement in stewardship and rewilding initiatives. The proposed resort core also includes an Indigenous Cultural Centre—a facility we are looking to co-create with our Indigenous partners.

  • Environmental sustainability is a governing principle across all phases. The project team is committed to meeting the province’s Environmental Excellence requirements outlined in the All-season Resort Act, including low-carbon construction approaches, water conservation, FireSmart design and long-term habitat protection. Specific measures will be confirmed through the regulatory process. 

  • Wildfire risk and emergency response planning are identified as areas of study during each phase. Our team will adopt a proactive operational readiness posture to address wildfire risks including muster stations, staff responsibilities, and suppression equipment, while ensuring all seasonal and year-round staff are trained in evacuation and basic fire response. 

    FireSmart design principles are also being applied to the project's planning process. Specific emergency access planning is being developed in coordination with Kananaskis Public Safety.