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Outlined by the looming Canadian Rockies, the small mountain town of Kananaskis, Alberta (population: 156), today is playing a large role on the world stage. Leaders from some of the world’s most advanced economies have gathered here southwest of Calgary for the G7 Summit 50 years after the Group of 7’s formation. The countries present are Canada (which assumes the G7 presidency this year for the seventh time), France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. The EU also takes part. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in early June announced that his country’s three core missions for the summit would be “protecting our communities and the world,” “building energy security and accelerating the digital transition,” and “securing the partnerships of the future.”
Known for its natural beauty and diverse landscapes winding underneath the Canadian Rocky Mountains, Kananaskis, which also hosted the G7 in 2002, offers a peaceful and scenic backdrop with the privacy needed for international negotiations — enhanced this week by a no-fly zone and a controlled access zone around key summit venues. The Kananaskis Improvement District is the only Alberta municipality located within a provincial park. Nearly all of its 4,000-sq.-km. (1,544-sq.-mile) land base is owned and administered by the Province of Alberta. — Evan Secor and Adam Bruns
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