Banff Extends Canoe Club Contract After Dock Disruption

Banff council has approved a one-year extension for the Banff Canoe Club concession after ongoing impacts from a failed retaining wall and temporary dock reduced capacity and increased operating costs for the business.

The extension comes six months after council approved a $200,000 project to replace the retaining wall supporting the Bow River canoe dock, which failed in 2025 and forced the installation of a smaller temporary dock upstream. The contract had been scheduled to expire on Oct. 15, 2027.

According to a report presented to council, the Banff Canoe Club requested the one-year extension because the temporary dock installed after the retaining wall failed has affected its operations.

Speaking to council, Daryn McCutcheon, owner of Banff Adventures, said operating under the temporary dock configuration continues to create significant challenges for the business.

"The retaining wall has caused some pretty significant challenges for our operation," he said.

McCutcheon said the smaller dock requires staff to move canoes between storage and the launch area rather than store them on the dock, increasing labour costs and making operations less efficient.

"Our labour costs have gone up considerably. It's impacted our ability to do business," said McCutcheon.

He added that launch capacity has also been reduced, with the temporary dock allowing only two or three canoes to be launched at a time instead of the previous five or six.

"We were looking for a potential extension because, at the end of the day, when we signed the contract, it's not how it is today," he said.

The Banff Canoe Club has operated the Bow River canoe rental service under contract with the town since 2013 and was awarded its current seven-year contract in 2021, originally scheduled to run through October 2027.

The retaining wall issue first emerged in May 2025 when the wooden structure supporting the canoe dock failed, forcing the facility to close. The town fenced off the area and installed a smaller temporary dock upstream. In January, council approved a $200,000 repair project after administration warned Parks Canada had approved the temporary dock for one year on the understanding the town would replace the retaining wall.

Mayor Corrie DiManno said the operator's circumstances had changed significantly since the contract was signed, making the extension reasonable.

"I completely understand that it's been challenging operationally and economically as well," said DiManno. "I believe that extending by a year is reasonable, given the circumstances have changed for your operating conditions."

McCutcheon said he was encouraged the council had approved the retaining wall replacement but remained uncertain about when the work would begin.

"We were hopeful that the retaining wall would be improved upon," said McCutcheon. "That has come through the council and now there is a plan in place moving forward. I'm not sure when that exactly is going to happen to replace the retaining wall."

As of publication, no public timeline has been provided for the retaining wall replacement.