Banff-Kananaskis MLA Urges Province to Reject Silvertip Gondola Proposal

Banff-Kananaskis MLA Sarah Elmeligi is urging the province to reject the proposed Silvertip gondola, arguing opposition to the project reflects broader concerns about protected lands and the concentration of tourism development in the Bow Valley.

In a June 2 letter to Tourism and Sport Minister Andrew Boitchenko, Elmeligi said she received 624 emails about the proposed development, including 386 from constituents, with only one expressing support for the project.

"The collected correspondence presents a clear, consistent, and deeply felt opposition to the proposed Silvertip Gondola," Elmeligi wrote.

The province is currently reviewing more than 5,200 submissions received during public consultations on whether lands associated with the proposed gondola near Canmore should be designated under Alberta's All-Season Resorts Act. Designation would allow the project to move into the next stage of the province's resort-approval process.

The proposed development, led by Stone Creek Resorts, would see a gondola built on the slopes of Mount Lady Macdonald above Canmore, along with a transit hub, day lodge, viewing platforms and other visitor amenities. The proposal would require changes to the boundaries of Bow Valley Wildland Provincial Park.

In her letter, Elmeligi urged the province to reject the proposal and maintain existing park boundaries.

"At its core, this issue reflects a broader concern about the future of protected lands in Alberta, the integrity of long-standing conservation commitments, and the balance between economic development and environmental stewardship," she wrote.

The letter says residents raised concerns about redesignating lands within the provincial park, impacts on wildlife habitat and the potential erosion of protections for parks and protected areas.

The concerns echo arguments raised by environmental organizations throughout the consultation process. The Biosphere Institute of the Bow Valley has previously argued the proposal conflicts with long-standing land-use policies intended to protect environmentally sensitive terrain, while the Wild Sheep Foundation of Alberta has warned increased human activity associated with the development could affect local bighorn sheep populations and other wildlife.

Elmeligi said many residents viewed the proposed gondola within the broader context of several tourism developments moving forward in the Bow Valley and Kananaskis region, including the recently approved Fortress Mountain Resort master plan and Nakiska's summer expansion.

"I do find the Fortress and Nakiska and Silvertip, all of these happening very close together in time and in space," she said. "Three out of the four all-season resorts are focused in a landscape that is already quite busy with tourists and recreationists."

Elmeligi said some residents questioned whether Alberta's all-season resort strategy was fulfilling its original purpose of spreading tourism opportunities to other parts of the province.

"I did hear from some constituents that they were under the impression that the All-Season Resorts Act was to spread tourism out around the province and to be able to offer other rural municipalities these economic opportunities," she said.

Stone Creek has disputed suggestions the project would harm wildlife corridors, saying the gondola has been designed to pass above designated wildlife corridors that would remain intact. The company says its environmental assessment draws on more than 20 years of wildlife movement data.

"We expect a significant share of visitors would already be coming to the Bow Valley," the company previously said. "We see value in creating a new, managed mountain experience that keeps people in appropriate areas and reduces pressure on more sensitive parts of the landscape."

Stone Creek has also argued the project would improve access to alpine experiences, support tourism infrastructure and generate economic benefits for the region. Plans for the broader Silvertip development include accommodations, retail and conference space, as well as approximately 850 units of employee housing.

As of publication, the province has not disclosed how many of the more than 5,200 submissions supported or opposed the proposal, nor have they indicated when a decision would be made.