New Calgarians explore Canada's first national park

The Calgary Catholic Immigration Society and BrewsterTravel want to introduce thousands of new Calgarians to Canada's first national park.

"Our goal is to hopefully have 2,000 immigrants come through this program before May," said Luke Sunderland, general manager of Banff attractions for Brewster.

The company has partnered with CCISto bring refugees and immigrants to Banff for a day of free sightseeing, including a trip up the gondola and some time on the shores of Lake Minnewanka.

The trips started in October.

"It's all about just giving them a day to celebrate what we think is a quintessential Canadian thing to do from what would otherwise be a pretty troubling time as they try to acclimate and try to be a part of Canadian societies," said Sunderland.

'It is amazing'

Alpha Nkenge has been in Canada with his family for two months. Speaking in French, he said he's thrilled to be in the country and to see the mountains.

It's a sentiment echoed fby Adnan Alsalamat from Syria, enjoying his second trip to the mountains since he arrived in December, 2015.

"It is amazing," he said.

Amanda Koyama, with theCCIS, said they're planning to run the program for the next six months.

"It's important because only one child on this bus has actually ever been to Banff, given that everyone is pretty new to Calgary and doesn't necessarily have the means, or the time for that matter, to get out to Banff," she said.

"It's something we sometimes take for granted, those of us who live here."