Developers of a large scale apartment complex on Connaught Drive have been given a third six-month extension of their permit from Parks Canada. 

In December of 2022, MDMC Development received development permits for their proposed 144 unit apartment building at Parcel GB.

Development permits are issued for one year and expire if a building permit isn’t obtained within that timeframe, according to Parks Canada’s Town of Jasper Land Use Policy. 

In December of 2023, an initial extension was granted with the expectation that the developer was to obtain a building permit by June, 2024. 

In June, that timeline was extended to December 15, 2024. 

Now, Parks Canada has granted another six-month development permit extension. The Jasper National Park development office has said the extension was given due to delays arising from the Jasper Wildfire. 

“Parks Canada and the Municipality of Jasper continue to work with the lessee with the goal to increase housing options in the community,” reads a statement from Parks Canada.

The project was granted significant variances for the two-building apartment complex, including a roof height variance; a reduction in the required parking stalls; and a variance to allow for 15 percent smaller units than prescribed in Jasper’s Multi-Unit Dwelling district (R3b). 

The original asking price for the release of Parcel GB was $6.1 million. In 2019, the price was $5.5 million. The final fee that MDMC Development paid for the release of land was $4.32 million. That price took into account costs associated with servicing the lot, according to Parks Canada.

Jasper’s Murdock Bowen is developing the parcel in partnership with Michael Yong, an Alberta entrepreneur who has been found guilty of illegally distributing securities. While Yong was originally accused of defrauding investors in a multimillion-dollar land deal, he was eventually cleared of those charges.

Bob Covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com