🚑 11 Kids Hospitalized. Now What?

Good morning, Bow Valley!

We thought we’d start this morning by playing matchmaker. Love Is Blind is coming to Canada, and applications are open. Our publisher Ben is not shy about saying this is his favourite TV show.

(Ben here. I have never said that!)

If you haven’t watched, singles get to know each other without seeing one another, then decide whether to get engaged before meeting face-to-face. We’d love to see someone from the Bow Valley enter the pods. The current application deadline is Nov. 2. Apply here, or send this to the single friend you’re already thinking of.

-Ben S., Cassandra Stefanic, Fortune Whelan, Brendan Nogue, Alexia Chambers, Keith Fernandes

WHAT WE'VE LEARNED NINE MONTHS AFTER 11 CHILDREN WERE HOSPITALIZED AT A CANMORE HOTEL

What’s Happening? Nine months after a chemical incident at Canmore Inn & Suites sent 11 children to hospital, an engineering review has identified the likely cause. The hotel has since introduced new safety measures, but questions remain about pool safety and oversight.

How Serious Was The Incident? On Jan. 25, roughly 30 children became ill following an apparent chemical release in the hotel's pool area.

Emergency crews evacuated the area and activated mass-casualty protocols. 

Eleven children were taken to hospital, including one who was transported to Alberta Children's Hospital in Calgary in serious but stable condition.

What Caused It? An engineering review commissioned by the hotel identified a bypassed chemical safety system as the likely cause.

According to a summary of an Alberta Health Services (AHS) presentation, the pumps that add chlorine and acid to the pool water had been moved from outlets controlled by that safety system to regular electrical outlets.

That allowed the pumps to run without those safeguards, apparently allowing the chemicals to mix in the pipes and produce toxic chlorine gas.

The hotel says a procedural error, rather than an equipment maintenance problem, likely caused the incident.

What's Changed Since January? In June, after a closure that lasted for four months, the pool reopened to the public. 

The hotel replaced its chemical controller, upgraded monitoring equipment, introduced additional staff training and now requires a certified pool operator on site whenever the pool is open.

That wasn't the case on Jan. 25, when the employee operating the equipment wasn't individually certified.

During a July 14 inspection, AHS identified an elevated pH reading and a controller requiring recalibration. Both issues were resolved during the inspection, and the pool remained open.

Was There A History Of Problems? AHS records show inspectors identified violations at the hotel's pool or hot tub on 32 separate days between November 2023 and October 2025, including three whirlpool closures in 2024.

Those earlier violations have not been linked to January's incident.

Provincial pool regulations haven't changed following the incident, meaning certified operators still aren't required to be on site whenever a public pool is open.

For Mike Kastern, whose two sons were swimming that day, the hotel's changes haven't restored his family's confidence.

“We don't feel it was taken care of, and we would never stay there again,” he said.

Read our full story.

HEADING AWAY FROM THE BOW VALLEY FOR A FEW MONTHS?

There’s a big difference between leaving your Bow Valley home for a weekend and leaving it through an entire season.

Snow, wind and major temperature swings can affect the exterior. Inside, heating equipment, plumbing, appliances and sump pumps continue operating even when nobody is home.

North Summit Home Watch provides snowbirds and seasonal travellers with a reliable local presence while they’re away.

Before regular visits begin, North Summit completes a comprehensive walkthrough to learn how the property operates, locate important shut-offs and establish its normal condition.

Scheduled visits then follow a consistent exterior and interior process. Homeowners receive a documented summary, with photographs or video when something needs attention. If North Summit discovers an urgent concern, they contact the homeowner promptly so a response can be arranged.

They can also provide practical support beyond the scheduled checks.

That could mean completing an additional visit after a major storm, collecting packages, giving a contractor authorized access or remaining at the property while approved work is completed. Before the homeowner returns, North Summit can adjust the heat or hot tub, collect groceries or pick up serviced skis and bikes.

It isn’t full-service property management, rental management or home maintenance. It’s a flexible local service focused on checking the home, communicating concerns and making extended absences easier.

Book A Free 15-Minute Security Consult

_{*Presented by North Summit Home Watch.}

THE DIGEST

• 👁️ Canmore Optometrist Helps Hundreds Of Kids See Clearly In Guatemala. Here's a feel-good story from one of our own! Dr. Joanna Phillips swapped her Canmore clinic for classrooms in Guatemala this September, joining a team that provided 349 eye examinations, mostly to schoolchildren. They identified 49 patients needing prescription glasses and referred another 23 for further care. Working alongside local health care providers, the team helped arrange individually prescribed glasses for children who needed them. The mission also focused on building partnerships to improve access to eye care long after the volunteers returned home. Read our full interview with Dr. Joanna Phillips.

• ❄️ How Canmore Is Turning Old Snow Into Early Ski Season. Winter has arrived early at the Canmore Nordic Centre, thanks to Frozen Thunder, a program that stores snow under insulating covers all summer. The high-performance loop opened Oct. 17, with a recreational loop also planned for intermediate and advanced skiers. But keeping the snow around isn't cheap. The program costs roughly $150,000 annually and faces a $30,000 funding shortfall, prompting a new volunteer society to help secure funding. Also, new this year for anybody hitting the ski trails: You'll need a Nordic Centre pass and a Frozen Thunder bib.

• 📉 Parks Canada Plans To Cut 500 Jobs Nationwide. Nearly 3,000 employees are receiving notices that their positions could change, relocate or be eliminated as the agency faces $145 million in budget reductions over three years. That doesn’t mean 3,000 layoffs: the planned reduction is equivalent to 500 full-time jobs, with voluntary departures covering some of that total. The union questions how reducing staff squares with Ottawa encouraging more park visits. Locally, Parks Canada is ending Banff’s 55-year search-and-rescue dog program, which helped find missing people and avalanche victims. 

• 🍽️ Special Menus Take Over Banff And Lake Louise. Taste for Adventure is in full swing, with 28 participating restaurants serving exclusive dishes and multi-course menus through Nov. 5. Here are three worth a look: The Fat Ox’s $44 three-course dinner includes beef short rib or gnocchi; Juniper Bistro’s $60 tasting menu features braised bison or butternut squash steak; and The Prow’s $50 three-course menu takes you through duck, Arctic char and elk short rib. Special menu availability varies by day and time, so check before you go and book a table. 

This Video Partnership Made Them $6,915 From One Video

This past June, we partnered with Boundary Ranch in Kananaskis to promote their trail rides.

We did the full experience, filmed it from our POV, and shared the video with our 75,000+ followers on Instagram and Facebook.

The results?

174,000+ views
1,200+ comments
2,500+ shares

But the number that matters most: $6,915 in sales.

And that figure is based only on purchases made using our coupon code. It doesn’t include people who became customers later, told friends about Boundary Ranch, booked another experience, or remembered the video when planning a future Kananaskis trip.

➡️ Want a campaign like this for your business? Fill out this quick form.

AFTER WEEKS OF FLOODING, EXSHAW RESIDENT ASKED FOR HELP KEEPING WATER AWAY. HER REQUESTS WERE DENIED.

What’s Happening? After spending weeks pumping groundwater away from her Exshaw home in June, Briana MacLeod asked the MD of Bighorn for three drainage improvements to help prevent future flooding. All three requests were denied, leaving residents waiting for a longer-term solution.

This Isn't A New Problem. Groundwater flooding has affected East Exshaw for years, with residents reporting damaged basements, cracked foundations and thousands of dollars in pumping costs.

In July, residents told MD council that the problem had worsened since a 2019 flood protection project on Exshaw Creek. However, a 2023 study commissioned by the municipality found that the project’s pond, built to collect sand and gravel carried by the creek, had only a limited effect on groundwater levels. 

How Bad Was The Flooding? MacLeod ran six sump pumps beneath her home and another gas-powered pump outside, sometimes waking every two hours to keep them running.

It was the worst flooding she'd experienced in four years living on Pigeon Mountain Drive. When she travelled for work, 18 neighbours took turns refuelling her pump.

What Improvements Did She Request? MacLeod proposed lining a nearby drainage ditch with concrete to prevent water from seeping back into the ground, installing a pipe residents could pump water into, or allowing her to install a permanent pipe beneath the back lane at her own expense.

Her concern is that water pumped into the existing ditch could eventually seep back toward nearby homes.

The MD says the ditch can handle stormwater runoff, citing an independent engineering assessment. However, that assessment did not specifically address MacLeod's concern about pumped groundwater returning to the area.

The municipality says the requested improvements aren't included in approved construction plans or current budgets. It did not directly explain why MacLeod couldn't install her own pipe.

Is There A Bigger Solution? Previous studies have examined possible fixes, including an underground barrier and a municipal pumping system. Neither was considered feasible.

What Happens Next? The MD has applied for $70,000 in federal funding toward a $95,000 study examining flooding across Exshaw.

A funding decision is expected in late December or early January, with work potentially beginning in 2027. 

For now, MacLeod wants smaller improvements while the municipality seeks a lasting solution.

“I would expect some small basic improvements to be done every year,” she said.

Read our full story

THINGS TO DO

Monday 

• Food & Friends Hosts Pay-What-You-Can Community Dinner. Enjoy a volunteer-run dinner featuring African pumpkin stew, rice and black beans, spinach salad, and dessert. Planning to take your meal home? Bring your own container. The last dine-in seating is at 6:45 PM, with takeout only afterward. 5-7 PM. St. Michael’s Church, Canmore. Pay what you can.

Tuesday

• A Chat With Legendary Mountaineers Barry Blanchard And Steve Swenson. The two climbers will share stories from decades of mountain adventures, dangerous expeditions, and personal challenges. Local author Nikki Tate will moderate the conversation, with Blanchard discussing his new memoir, The Echo, which we previously covered in Bow Valley Insider. 6:30-8 PM. Canmore Public Library. Free.

• Georgetown Inn Serves $15 Fish & Chips Every Tuesday In Canmore. Enjoy beer-battered Atlantic cod with house-cut fries, coleslaw, tartar sauce, and lemon. Choose a one-piece meal for $15 or two pieces for $19.95. The pub just won “Best Fish & Chips,” as voted by locals in the 2026 Bow Valley Insider Awards. 11 AM-close. Georgetown Inn, Canmore.*

• The Drake Hosts Stand-Up Comedy Night. Get ready for an evening of laughs as comedian Jesse Gettis headlines a full lineup of stand-up comedy. Grab a seat, but be warned: the front row might become part of the show! Doors at 7:30 PM, show at 8 PM. The Drake, Canmore. $20*

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• 🙅🏻‍♂️ Winter Travel Not Recommended On Banff Legacy Trail. With winter conditions setting in, travellers are being advised to stay off the Banff Legacy Trail until spring. The popular paved pathway is not maintained during winter, meaning cyclists, walkers and other users could encounter deep snow, icy sections, snowplow debris and closed access gates. Maintenance won't resume until spring, so anyone planning to use the trail should check current conditions.

• 🏆 Banff Educator Wins National Conservation Award. Getting kids outside has earned one Banff local some national recognition. Colin Harris, founder of Banff-based charity Take Me Outside, has received the Canadian Wildlife Federation's inaugural Nature-based Education Champion Award, recognizing his efforts to connect students with nature. The award is part of a new national program celebrating Canadians making a difference in wildlife conservation and environmental education. Harris now leads a national team helping teachers bring learning beyond classroom walls and into the great outdoors.

• 🗳️ Got A Favourite Bow Valley Project? Give It Your Vote. Local community ideas are competing for a share of $80,000 through Field Law’s 2026 Community Fund Program, and you can help them get noticed. Projects include affordable youth climbing coaching, an expanded bike skills park at the Canmore Nordic Centre, and fly-fishing outings supporting first responders’ wellbeing. Here’s how: Visit the website, search for “Banff” or “Canmore,” and click to vote. Voting closes Nov. 20, and results will help judges decide which projects receive funding.

• 🙋🏻‍♂️ Want A Say In The Bow Valley's Environmental Future? The Biosphere Institute is looking for new board members who care about the community and the environment. The local non-profit runs programs that help people live safely alongside wildlife, take action on climate change, and teach young people about the environment. They're especially interested in people with experience in non-profit leadership, finances, fundraising or board governance. If you've got the skills and a passion for the Bow Valley, this could be your way to give back. Applications close Oct. 30. Learn more and apply.*

• ⛰️ Those Hidden Counters At The Canmore Nordic Centre Have A Purpose. Ever noticed a little device tucked away along the trails? The Nordic Centre has been using infrared trail counters since 2008 to keep tabs on how busy its trail network gets. Staff collect the data monthly to see how many people are using the trails and when they're busiest. That information helps guide future trail planning. So, next time you're out walking or skiing, keep an eye out. You might just spot one.

CIVIC NEWS

• What's Next For Bragg Creek? Big decisions about Bragg Creek's future are on the table. Rocky View County is looking to replace the community's nearly 20-year-old development plan, which guides where and how future growth can happen. Before anything is approved, residents have a chance to weigh in. A public hearing is set for Nov. 12, but written submissions are due Friday, Oct. 30, at 4:30 PM. Want to speak virtually? You'll need to register by Nov. 11. 

LIVE MUSIC

• Monday, October 26rd, 2026, 10:00 PM: Brent Lee. Location: The Rose and Crown, Banff. No Cover.

• Tuesday, October 27th, 10:00 PM: Jesse Peters. Location: The Rose and Crown, Banff. No Cover.

SPORTS

• Canmore’s Britt Richardson Starts World Cup Season With Strong Opening Run. The 2026 Olympian and former junior world champion hit the slopes Saturday at the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup in Sölden, Austria, where the world's top skiers compete for points throughout the winter. Richardson started strong in the women's giant slalom, sitting fourth after her opening run before finishing 27th overall. American Paula Moltzan claimed the victory, but Richardson's early performance provided an encouraging start to another season on the world stage.

That’s all, folks!

We’ll see you back here on Wednesday, same time, same place! 

Heads Up: We sometimes feature paid promotion from local businesses and organizations we trust. When you see a little asterisk (*), that means it’s a sponsored post. We only work with partners we think our readers will actually care about.