$25K fine possible after illegal gender reveal leaves pink stains on Lake Louise
Officials are investigating following a series of viral photos that were published on Reddit.
Officials with Parks Canada are investigating following a January 31 gender-reveal celebration on Alberta’s Lake Louise that left confetti and pink dye behind on the lake ice.
Kim Steinbacher, a visitor from California, came across the litter while snowshoeing. She took photos of the litter and posted them on Reddit, where they quickly went viral.
“I went to Lake Louise [Saturday] afternoon at 2:30 p.m,” she says in the post, which was published on February 1.
“[I] noticed a wide area of pink colouration and spotted small bits of metallic confetti. Knew immediately what it was. After finishing my snowshoe walk, I returned to the spot and spent an hour picking up all the metallic confetti so that the pieces would not end up in the lake when the ice thaws this summer.”
Steinbacher says she checked the Fairmont webcam archive, and it looks like the pink dye and glitter were released between 1:50 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. on January 31.
“You can still see the pink section on the webcam, roughly 75 metres or so to the right of the boathouse,” she says.
She shared a photo of the metallic glitter she managed to collect — enough to fill a plastic sandwich bag.
Some of the trash left behind following the gender reveal. (via Reddit)
Speaking with reporters, Annie MacNeil, public relations and communications officer with Parks Canada, said the agency is looking into the incident and that offenders could face fines up to $25,000 in accordance with Canada’s National Parks Act.
At least three other gender reveal incidents have been reported in protected areas in B.C. and Alberta, including at Banff, Yoho, and Kootenay National Parks over the past five years.
“Unfortunately, none of these cases resulted in enforcement action due to insufficient evidence,” MacNeil said.
Parks Canada strictly enforces Leave No Trace protocols, which includes requiring visitors to stay on designated trails, respect wildlife enclosures, and leaving areas exactly as they were found.
Facebook comment shows another angle of the reveal
When we posted a video of the story to our Facebook page, we received a comment from someone unrelated to the incident who says they happened to be walking through the park at the time of the reveal and snapped a picture.
According to the photographer, who appears to be an out-of-province visitor, the incident happened at “exactly” 1:57 p.m. on January 31.
The image shows a cloud of pink dust being released into the air. More than a dozen people can be seen in the photo, although it's not clear how many are directly involved.
Photo of the gender reveal taken by a passerby, shared with The Weather Network on Facebook. (Facebook/The Weather Network)
Anyone with information related to the gender reveal is encouraged to contact Banff Dispatch at 403‑762‑1470.
Header image: Glitter photo via Reddit/Katie Steinbacher. Background file photo of Lake Louise sourced from Canva Pro.