💰 Banff Drops $6M

Good morning, Bow Valley!

A couple of weeks ago, we floated the idea of unique adventures just for the Bow Valley Insider community. The response was huge, so we’re launching the “Bow Valley Insider Adventure Club.” Maybe the name sticks, maybe it doesn't. But we're moving forward. First up: a via ferrata on October 12. Not the touristy Banff Norquay route you’ve seen on Instagram, but a legit hidden line you’d only hear about from someone who knows a guy who knows a guy. We’ve got 6 spots total, and only 3 are left. Details here if you want to join us. This will probably be sold out by end of day.

— Fortune Whelan & Ben S.

BANFF COMMITS $6.25M TO NEW STAFF HOUSING PROJECT

What's Happening? Banff Town Council just approved up to $6.25 million for a joint housing project with Parks Canada that will turn two vacant Squirrel Street lots into 30 to 38 staff housing units.

The Deal. The town and Parks Canada will split land, costs, and operations. Banff’s share will be paid back through rental revenue, projected at about $443,000 a year, not property taxes. Two agreements are currently being drafted: one to outline each party’s responsibilities, and another to establish how the housing will be managed.

Banff’s Housing Crunch Is Legendary: A fixed town boundary, sky-high home prices, and a near-zero vacancy rate have made staff housing a top priority. As Councillor Oliver put it, “land is king,” and securing centrally located property like this is a rare opportunity.

Part of a Bigger Housing Push. In the past 18 months, more than 400 additional homes have been built or approved, surpassing the total from the entire previous decade, though many are still awaiting approvals or under construction. Partnering with Parks gives the town a chance to deliver faster while still having a say in how the housing is allocated and managed.

What’s Next? The old buildings are already slated for demolition, design work will begin this fall, and Council will review a borrowing plan once the final costs are known. No completion date yet, but if all goes to plan, two of Banff’s major employers will soon have new housing to help keep staff in town.

Read the full story on our website. 

BOW VALLEY HOUSE HUNTERS: WILDLIFE EDITION

Spoiler: It’s mostly mythical creatures.

Welcome to the Bow Valley, where the wildlife is thriving… and first-time homebuyers are endangered.

Let’s observe:

On the ridge, the Local Barista eyes a $749K one-bedroom. She quietly refreshes Realtor.ca, then retreats to the safety of her rental den. Nearby, the Remote Tech Couple swoops in, offering $100K over asking with no conditions and a smug smile.

And look! The elusive First-Time Buyer. You almost missed them… they haven’t been spotted since 2019.

Can anyone actually afford to buy here?

Maybe. But it takes a guide who knows the terrain.

Michael & Cari Hossmann don’t just do mortgages. They help locals map out what’s possible, whether it’s buying with a partner, unlocking creative lending programs, or getting prepped for when the right listing appears.

Before you write off homeownership as folklore, book a free strategy call. They’ll help you separate fact from fiction.

Because even in Canmore, not all hope is extinct.

_{*Presented by Dominion Lending Centres Synergy Financial.}

THE DIGEST

• 🐻 Grizzlies Prompt New Trail Closures and Warnings in Kananaskis and Banff. Mount Shark trails (including Watridge Lake, Karst Springs, and ski loops) are closed after close grizzly encounters. Meanwhile, Banff has issued a warning (not closure) for popular larch hikes, including Arnica Lake, Vista Lake, Twin Lake, and Shadow Lake, where a bear with a jaw deformity has had multiple run-ins with visitors. 

• 🏡 Canmore Breaks Ground On Biggest Affordable Housing Project Yet. Canmore just kicked off its largest affordable housing build: 144 rental units set to open in 2027. Run by Canmore Community Housing, which offers below-market homes for locals, the new development will target rents at about half the town’s $2,400 average for a one-bedroom. The $64M project already has 568 people waiting and is part of a 20-year plan to add more than 1,000 affordable units.

• 🔥 Wildfire Risk Still Running Hot. The Calgary Forest Area, which covers Kananaskis, Bragg Creek, and Cochrane, is sitting at very high fire danger thanks to warm, dry, gusty conditions and no rain in sight. Banff National Park is at moderate risk, though the Panther River wildfire continues to smolder at 11 hectares under close watch. Fire bans and advisories remain in place.

• ✅ Banff Greenlights 10-Year Roadmap. We’ve reported a lot on Banff’s Community Plan, the 10-year framework for housing, transportation, the environment, and the local economy. This week, after years of consultation, council officially adopted it. Parks Canada still needs to give the final nod, but once approved, every land use bylaw, investment, and project will have to align with its goals. You can read more about the final plan here.

• 🦡 Wolverine Numbers Shrink By 40% In Rockies. A decade-long Parks Canada study shows wolverines in Banff, Yoho, and Kootenay dropped from 54 in 2011 to 32 in 2020, including 15 breeding females. That’s an 8% annual slide. Even a handful of visitors on a trail was enough to make them disappear from cameras. Add in trapping outside park borders, night-lit development, and shrinking spring snow, and recovery is likely measured in decades, not years.

BOW VALLEY SCHOOLS PREPARE FOR POSSIBLE TEACHER WALKOUT

What’s Happening? Teachers across Alberta have voted 89.5 percent against the province’s latest contract offer, setting the stage for a strike as early as October 6. If it goes ahead, all Canadian Rockies Public Schools (CRPS) in Banff and Canmore would close, halting in-person classes, distance learning, and extracurriculars.

What’s on the Table? The rejected deal included a 12 percent salary increase over four years, a plan to hire 3,000 new teachers over three years, and $400 million for classroom improvements and school construction. The Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) says it still falls short on wages and supports.

The Local Impact. CRPS has warned parents to prepare for closures beginning Monday. About 2,000 students from Banff and Canmore schools could be out of class with little notice. Affordable childcare is already scarce in the Bow Valley, and many parents juggle shift work in tourism and hospitality. One Canmore mom has even posted in a local Facebook group looking for a babysitter to cover full days, noting her family supports teachers but still needs childcare.

What’s Next? Unless talks resume and a new deal emerges, the ATA says 51,000 teachers could hit the picket lines. The province could intervene with back-to-work legislation, but that would take time. For now, Bow Valley families are bracing for an early and unexpected start to “snow days.”

THINGS TO DO

Wednesday

• Banff All-Candidates Forum On The Environment. The Biosphere Institute is hosting a public forum where Banff election candidates will share their plans on climate and environmental issues within the park. 7–9 PM. Catherine Robb Whyte Building, Banff. Free.*

• Movie Screening. A new documentary, Sugarcane, explores the 2021 uncovering of unmarked graves at a residential school in Canada. It’s a portrait of grief, resilience, and the fight to heal from intergenerational trauma. 7:00 PM. artsPlace, Canmore. Free.*

Thursday

• Chess Night Returns. Join local chess enthusiast Eric Boerger every Thursday until Dec. 18. All skill levels welcome, with sets provided or bring your own. Kids under 12 must come with an adult. 5–8 PM. Canmore Library. Free.

• Canmore’s All-Candidates Forum On The Environment. Hosted by the Biosphere Institute, hear Canmore candidates share their plans on local climate and environmental issues.7–9 PM. Canmore Seniors’ Association, Canmore. Free.*

BANFF PRIDE SPEAKER SERIES

This year’s Banff Pride Speaker Series at Lux Cinema brings three powerful conversations that connect Canada’s queer past, present, and future. Each evening is free, but seating is limited, so registration is advised.

Friday, October 3 | 5:30–7:00 PM | The Brunswick Four: Canada’s Stonewall

• In 1974, four women were arrested for singing lesbian songs in a Toronto bar, sparking one of Canada’s first national conversations about queer rights. Two of them, Lamar Van Dyke and Adrienne Rosen, revisit the night that helped ignite modern LGBTQ+ activism. Register here.

Saturday, October 4 | 5:30–7:00 PM | Sarain Fox: Indigiqueer Stories on Screen & Stage

• An evening with Sarain Fox, Anishinaabe activist, filmmaker, and Canadian Screen Award winner. Through the short film Indigiqueer and a candid discussion moderated by MLA Brooks Arcand-Paul, she explores visibility, resilience, and the future of Two-Spirit storytelling. Register here.

Saturday, October 11 | 5:00–8:00 PM | Pride vs. Prejudice: The Delwin Vriend Story

In 1991, teacher Delwin Vriend was fired for being gay. His fight against the Alberta government went all the way to the Supreme Court, resulting in a landmark case that enshrined LGBTQ+ protections into Canadian law. Register here.

_{*Presented by Banff Pride.}

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• 🍃 A Weekend of Renewal in Canmore. This month, Rockies Restorative Retreat offers a 3-day women’s wellness event designed for transformation. With 30+ practitioners leading workshops in movement, ceremony, and wisdom teachings, you’ll release old patterns and reconnect with your true self. Highlights include psychic medium Dan King, breathwork, and shamanic healing. October 17–19. Weekend and single-day passes available. Details & schedule here.*

• 🎭 Last Chance for This Musical Comedy. Oh Anne! is closing soon at Carter-Ryan Theatre. One local said, “What an amazing performance… every bit the equal of Theatre Calgary.” Another praised the small but mighty cast. With fiddles flying and four actors bringing dozens of characters to life, this East Coast twist on Anne of Green Gables is clever, chaotic, and unforgettable. Get last-minute tickets here. Use BOWVALLEYINSIDER for 15% off.*

• 🧡 Italian Thanksgiving at The Fat Ox. Celebrate Thanksgiving with an Italian twist on Sunday, October 12, and Monday, October 13, 2025. Enjoy a cozy family-style dinner for $42 per person, featuring autumn panzanella salad, turkey piccata or mushroom lasagna, roasted Brussels sprouts, and a classic tiramisu. Reservations are recommended for this special two-night feast.*

• 📸 Help Science With Your Photos In Jasper. Two new photo stations in Jasper let visitors turn snapshots into science. At glacier viewpoints, take a photo from the marked stand to track how ice is melting. On Old Fort Point trail, do the same to capture how forests recover after wildfire. Quick, simple, and your pictures help researchers study Canada’s changing landscapes.

• ✨ Saturday Tarot Readings in Canmore. Healing Mountain Creations (1 Industrial Place, Unit 101B) hosts tarot reader Ashley Sage every Saturday in Canmore. Book by phone (403‑837‑0138), email ([email protected]), or in-store before October 4. Ashley’s readings focus on love and positive energy, providing a meaningful experience for yourself or as a thoughtful gift.*

• 🎤 Canmore Musician Taps Into Cowgirl Spirit With New EP. Caroline Whyte has released her debut EP Ranch Songs, inspired by a year living in a barn loft outside Cochrane. The four tracks blend Alberta’s western landscapes with an Americana-meets-indie-pop sound, produced with Amelie Patterson and Brayden Bell. It follows her single The Hollow, now past 70,000 streams. Listen here.

CIVIC NEWS

• Banff Receives $200K Grant For Wildfire Resilience. Banff has secured $200,000 from Intact’s Climate Resiliency Grants to reduce wildfire risk. The funding will support FireSmart landscaping, tree thinning, and vegetation management around town infrastructure, adding to $1.4M already invested locally to protect residents, visitors, and critical facilities.

• First Canmore Election Forum Replay. Miss the first all-candidates forum at the Malcolm Hotel on Monday? The full replay is now online. The audio isn’t great, but it’s better than nothing if you want to hear where candidates stand.

LIVE MUSIC

• Wednesday, October 1st, 2025, 8:00 PM: Mad Caddies with Authority Zero & The Corps. Location: Melissa’s MisSteak, Banff. $42.20.

• Thursday, October 2nd, 2025, 7:00 PM: Clout Game. Location: Exshaw, Legion. No Cover / $20 for Steak BBQ starting at 5:30 PM.*

SPORTS

• Canmore Wolverines Eye Soccer Three-Peat. The Canmore Wolverines girls soccer team is chasing a third straight Foothills League banner after crushing Strathcona-Tweedsmuir 11–1. Next home game at Millenial Park: Oct. 2 vs. Foothills Falcons, 4:30 PM.

That’s all, folks!

We’ll see you back here on Friday, 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.