Long-serving Jasper school trustee Dale Karpluk will not run for re-election in October. Karpluk, who was first elected in 2017 and who for the last four years has sat as chairperson on the Grande Yellowhead Public School Division board, said she is ready to pass the torch to another community-minde...

The 2025 Jasper Folk Music Festival marched into town on Friday, September 5. The two day festival was a weekend of whimsy and well-deserved respite for a community rebuilding after the July 2024 wildfire. The Jasper Local has this photographic report : Totally tubular: On Friday, September 5, the c...

A gardener and a publisher walk into a Farmers’ Market I sow seeds in potting soil. When we were chatting at the market, Jasper Local publisher Andrea Ziegler sowed a seed in my ear, “You should put your gardening tips in writing.” That seed has sprouted. I love growing and foraging for food. And I ...

Richard Ireland has indicated his intent to run for mayor in Jasper again. The only mayor that the community has ever known filed his notice of intent papers today, August 15, 2025. Reached at his home Friday afternoon, Ireland said he and his family came to the decision to offer his services to the...

Were it not for a life-altering wager, longtime local and raft guide Andre Blanchette-Dube might not have been raised in Jasper. “My parents moved to Jasper because my dad took a bet with his coworkers,” Blanchette-Dube said. “There was a job opportunity as a music teacher and [my dad] applied for t...

A week of theatre games hosted by a duo from Edmonton culminated in a Friday afternoon circus performance for the ages (and for all ages). From August 4-8, Marie-Joanne (MJ) Fogue Makou and Steve Jodoin from Unitheatre Edmonton brought big performer energy down the Yellowhead Highway and into the Ja...

The 2024 wildfire exacted a terrible toll on Jasper, but instead of focusing on what’s been lost, Jasper’s next mural will honour The Things That Grew. Starting on August 6, helped along by a series of community events and opportunities for residents to gather, Belgian artist Gijs Vanhee will bring ...

At about 10 p.m. last July 22, 2024, anxious Jasperites, stuck in gridlock only blocks away from their homes and illuminated by the headlights of their neighbours, evacuated slowly westward towards the Yellowhead Highway. One year later, on July 22, 2025, many of those same people came together agai...

On a path fraught with obstacles, it's helpful to have a guide One year after a wildfire altered the way forward for so many Jasperites, local residents are being empowered as Pathfinders . Spearheaded by the Jasper Recovery Coordination Centre and supported by the Municipality of Jasper, the Pathfi...

“I feel like I should share my process of healing and hopefully it can help somebody else.” - Katie Potter __ A collection of writing, visual art and photography is rising from the ashes of Jasper’s devastating wildfire. To commemorate the one year anniversary of the fire, on July 25, the Jasper Art...

But keeps parking requirements after hearing from concerned residents Editor's note: This article includes a correction (6:08 p.m. July 16) regarding council's recommendation of a new residential district to accommodate six storey apartment buildings Municipal council has ratified multiple proposed ...

It was with a feeling of trepidation that we approached Jasper this year. We have been regular visitors since 2001 and it’s become a kind of home away from home for us, full of happy memories and newfound friends. To say it was a tearful approach would not be an exaggeration—seeing the devastation t...

Jasper roping up for celebrations of Mount Alberta's 1925 inaugural ascent If you are going to steal a mountain in Jasper, I’d recommend Mount Alberta. It’s old (around 75 million years), but lightly used. It’s almost completely hidden from the Icefields Parkway—crowded in among more popular peaks—s...

Jasperites donned their red and white, kitted out their floats and paraded around the community with pride on Canada Day (Tuesday, July 1). Local businesses, organizations, and performers came together to showcase what makes Jasper such a special place to live and visit. Maligne Adventures took an a...

Congratulations to the 2025 graduates of Jasper Jr/Sr High School and École Desrochers! These bright young individuals are now stepping confidently into their futures. With the tools and experiences gained from their educational journey in Jasper, they embark on new adventures, carrying the communit...

While Jasper's mountains, rivers and lakes get plenty of (deserved) air time, it's the people who live here that make the community welcoming and inclusive. This summer, freelance contributor Georgia Ristivojevic is helping introduce Jasper Local readers to Jasper locals . Moving halfway across the ...

A beloved family is saying goodbye to Jasper, and their friends are throwing a bittersweet going-away party. “There will be a lot of tears,” said organizer Twila Paterson. “There already have been.” Charlene Tio-Tio and Twila Paterson have shared many milestones in Jasper together. Paterson has orga...

Trafficcongestion is becoming a growing issue at the town’s two remaining gas stations, according to a letter sent to Jasper Municipal Council. Mayor Richard Ireland told the rest of council on Tuesday (June 10) that both the Jasper Park Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Jasper had sent a letter askin...

Jasper council approves EV charging stations, another recovery position Jasper council approved the establishment of two new electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at the Activity Centre parking lot on Tuesday, June 3. The charging stations will be installed through an agreement with SureCharge Cor...

Pancakes, petting zoo, pony rides, parades and more happening in Jasper's neighbouring village in B.C. The village of Valemount, B.C., is gearing up for this year’s Valemountain Days festival, an annual three-day event for locals and visitors alike. This year’s festival, taking place from Friday, Ju...