🏠 Banff’s Cheapest Rentals

Good morning, Bow Valley!

Love it or hate it, Canmore’s pedestrian zone has wrapped up for the year. Cars are back downtown, so if you’ve gotten used to wandering down the middle of the street, it’s time to head back to the sidewalk.

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

BANFF IS BUILDING 75 BELOW-MARKET RENTALS, BUT WHO GETS FIRST ACCESS?

What’s Happening? Banff’s new Wolf Willow housing development will add 75 apartments with rents below typical market rates by the end of 2027. But with roughly 300 households already on the rental waitlist, demand remains high, and not everyone waiting will secure a unit.

Who Gets First Access? The Banff Housing Corporation (BHC), which manages the town's below-market housing, will offer apartments on a first-come, first-served basis through its existing waitlist.

There's no separate list for The Wolf Willow, located at 50 Wolf Street near the Banff Community Health Centre and canoe docks. Applicants are ranked by when their applications are approved.

The development includes 32 studios and 43 one-bedroom rentals. Tenant selection is expected to begin in spring or summer 2027, with move-ins planned by year's end.

How Long Is The Wait? Applicants currently face an estimated two-year wait for studios and one-bedroom apartments, or three years for two-bedroom units.

The new development is expected to ease pressure on the waitlist, although BHC can't say by how much. It also won't help those waiting for two-bedroom rentals, since none are included in the project.

What Will Rent Cost? Rates haven't been finalized. For comparison, BHC's existing studios rent for $940 a month and one-bedroom apartments for $1,225, including utilities.

Eight of the new studios will be priced at 60% of median market rent, providing lower-cost options for eligible residents.

Applicants must meet income requirements, qualify under Parks Canada's rules for living in Banff and generally work at least 30 hours a week in town.

What About Buying? The Wolf Willow will also include 15 price-restricted, two-bedroom homes for sale. Buyers will be selected through a separate lottery-style process, with priority for first-time homebuyers.

About 600 people are already on BHC's ownership waitlist. Sale prices are expected to be announced in early 2027.

The Bigger Picture. Banff estimates it's short 700 to 1,000 homes. While The Wolf Willow will increase the town's below-market housing supply, demand is expected to remain extremely high.

Read the full story and learn more about applying. 

BANFF BEER FESTIVAL HAS A NIGHT JUST FOR CELEBRATING LOCALS 

When you work in the Bow Valley, a weekend festival can mean visitors are having a great time while you’re busy making those good times happen.

The organizers of the Banff Craft Beer Festival heard that from locals. Their answer was to add Thursday.

This Thursday (Oct. 22), from 5-10 PM, Cave and Basin becomes a place to meet your friends, sample something good, and enjoy a night out before the weekend shifts begin. You don’t need to work in hospitality to join. Thursday is an invitation to the whole valley.

And you don’t need to love beer, either.

There’s food from The Fat Ox, Farm & Fire, The Block, Rose & Crown, and more, alongside cocktails, spirits and non-alcoholic options. Beer fans can find familiar names like Banff Ave Brewing and The Grizzly Paw, then branch out to something they haven’t tried.

Between bites and samples, there’s live music, DJs, games and a historic mountain venue to explore. Bring the friends you keep saying you’ll catch up with.

Locals’ night also comes with a lower price. Thursday tickets are $69.99, $10 less than weekend tickets, including entry, $40 in tokens to use for food and drinks, a commemorative sample mug, and shuttle access.

Shuttles leave from behind the Mount Royal Hotel starting at 4 PM, bringing you to Cave and Basin and back downtown afterward.

Saturday is already sold out. Make Thursday your night and grab your tickets while they’re available (they’re 90% sold out). 

_{*Presented by Banff Beer Festival.}

THE DIGEST

• ⚠️ Magnitude 3.7 Earthquake Recorded Near Canmore. The quake struck 35 kilometres north of town at 4:46 AM on Friday, at a depth of five kilometres, according to Earthquakes Canada’s report. Earlier estimates put its magnitude above 4.0. It follows a smaller, magnitude 2.3 event detected near Ghost Lake on July 21, which drew no reports of shaking. Anyone who felt Friday’s earthquake can submit a report to Earthquakes Canada.

• ✨ The Holiday Train Is Rolling Back Into The Bow Valley. If you haven’t seen it before, picture a train covered in thousands of lights, with a boxcar that opens into a stage. On Dec. 15, Sam Roberts Band and Owen Riegling will play free outdoor concerts in Cochrane (3 p.m.), Stoney Nakoda (4:25 p.m.), Canmore (6 p.m.) and Banff (7:15 p.m.). It’s free, but bring non-perishable food for local food banks. Donations stay in each community. Mark your calendars and find the exact train stops here.

• 🏠 What Could A Bow Valley Vacation Rental Actually Earn? We spoke with two local property managers to work through the numbers. Their estimates for a two-bedroom property worth around $900,000 ranged from $90,000 to $130,000 annually before expenses. But management fees alone can take 15 to 30 percent, before mortgage payments and other bills. With the new 132-unit Banff Legacy Resort in Harvie Heights targeting its first completions next year, we break down what owners could earn and what they’d need to spend.

• ⛷️ U.S. Ski Resorts Skip Ottawa’s Annual Ski Show. Resorts usually send representatives to pitch ski holidays to Canadians. This year, no American resorts attended, a first in at least 20 years. The organizer believes fewer Canadians heading south made exhibiting harder to justify financially. One Canadian skier who spent years taking family trips to Vermont is heading to Banff this winter because of U.S. politics. The show attracted upwards of 9,000 visitors, with Canadian businesses helping fill a sold-out exhibitor floor.  

Your Christmas Plans Are Coming Together. Let’s Make Sure Locals Hear About Them.

Maybe you’re stocking the shop with gifts, organizing a Christmas event, taking holiday orders, or booking festive dinners and parties.

You’re putting a lot into making the season a success. We can help get the word out.

Tell us what you’d like to promote, and we’ll put together a campaign to reach locals and Calgary weekenders during this holiday season.

Interested? Fill out this quick form.

NEARLY 1 IN 3 CANMORE RESIDENTS ARE 55+. HERE’S WHAT THEY NEED TO STAY.

What’s Happening? Most older Canmore residents want to stay in the community as they age, but a new survey suggests affordability could make that difficult. Rising housing costs, limited seniors’ housing options, and access to health care are among their biggest concerns.

The Numbers Tell The Story. Of the 456 people surveyed, 81% said staying in Canmore as they age is important. But only 58% felt confident they could afford housing in the years ahead.

And the costs aren't getting any easier to manage. According to Canmore Community Housing, average advertised rents in August topped $2,500 a month for a one-bedroom unit and $3,100 for a two-bedroom. Alberta-wide averages were $1,477 and $1,821, respectively. 

Owning Vs. Renting. Local realtors we spoke with say longtime homeowners generally have more options, particularly if they can use the equity in their properties to downsize. Renters and residents on fixed incomes face a tougher situation.

“If a senior is renting in Canmore or the Bow Valley, this can be challenging,” said Jessica Stoner, an associate broker with RE/MAX Alpine Realty. 

For some, leaving is already the more affordable choice. 

Elena Silvestroff, 76, moved from Canmore to Cochrane in 2021 after nearly three decades in the community. She said she purchased a home for roughly one-third of what a comparable property would have cost in Canmore.

And Housing Options Are Limited. Bow Valley Regional Housing, which provides housing for lower-income residents and seniors, says about 40 people are waiting for a spot at Canmore's Bow River Lodge. The estimated wait is around a year, while seniors seeking an apartment could wait up to three years.

CEO Ian Wilson says the Bow Valley needs more housing of all kinds, with an earlier assessment suggesting Canmore could need another 60-unit seniors' lodge within 10 to 15 years.

So, What's Next? The survey findings will help shape Canmore's Age-Friendly Action Plan, which will look at housing, services and infrastructure needed to support older residents. Recommendations are expected to reach council in spring 2027.

Read our full story

THINGS TO DO

Monday

• Learn How EV Charging Works In The Bow Valley. Curious about charging an electric vehicle at home or on the road? The Biosphere Institute of the Bow Valley will explain charging options, how they work and what drivers should consider during this free Earth Talk at the Canmore Public Library. 7:00 PM-8:00 PM. Free, but advance registration required.*

•  Half-Price Pasta Mondays Are Back. Starting today, Monday dinners at The Prow come with 50% off all house-made pastas and 20% off every bottle of wine. There's also a new featured pasta each week, giving regulars something different to try. The Prow, Banff. Book your table here.*

• Canmore's Weekly Winter Hill Workout Returns. Build strength and fitness with a 4 km uphill run on Spray Lakes Road, followed by 4 km downhill. All fitness levels are welcome. Meet at 5:30 PM under the big flag at the Canmore Nordic Centre. Walkers and those doing shorter distances meet earlier at the upper Grassi Lakes parking lot. Free. More details.

Tuesday

• Glow-In-The-Dark Bingo Night In Banff. The Rose & Crown is turning its Pool Room into a glowing bingo party every other Tuesday, complete with drinks, glowing accessories and prizes. Your $20 ticket gets you five bingo cards, a highball or pint of Trolley 5 Lager and a chance to win up to $250 in gift cards. Doors at 7:30 PM, bingo at 8:00 PM. Rose & Crown, Banff. $20.*

A FREE WEEKEND DEDICATED TO FEELING GOOD

Consider this your invitation to slow down, try something new and discover Canmore’s growing wellness community, all for free.

Creekside Villa’s Wellness Market & Open House runs this weekend (Oct. 24 & 25), with two full days of local products, mini services, and complimentary classes.

On Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., browse natural skincare, healing remedies, aromatherapy products, chocolates and more. You can also try mini facials, reflexology, tarot readings and breathwork consultations, then grab a mocktail and unwind by the outdoor firepit.

Sunday brings a full schedule of free 45-minute classes, including mindful strength and mobility, slow flow yoga, restorative yoga, iRest Yoga Nidra, 9D Breathwork and a relaxing Sunday sound bath.

It’s an easy, no-cost way to explore Creekside Villa and find a wellness practice that fits into your life.

Space in Sunday’s classes is limited, so view the schedule and reserve your free spot in advance.

_{*Presented by Creekside Villa.}

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• 🗳️ It’s Voting Day. Here’s Where To Go. Polls for Alberta’s referendum are open today, Oct. 19, from 9 AM to 8 PM Local voting locations include Lawrence Grassi School (610 7 Ave.) in Canmore and Banff Community School (330 Banff Ave.). You must vote at the location assigned to your home address, so confirm your voting place before heading out. 

• 🐻 Bears Are Still Active. Keep The Pumpkins Indoors. WildSmart reported a relatively quiet week in the Bow Valley and Kananaskis, with no new bear warnings or closures. But bears are still searching for food before hibernation. With Halloween approaching, WildSmart is reminding Bow Valley residents to keep pumpkins inside your windows rather than on your doorstep. They’re a wildlife attractant, and even balconies aren’t out of reach for a climbing bear.

• 🌉 Bridge Removal Brings Equipment Onto Kananaskis Trails. Crews are removing two abandoned bridges at Evan Thomas Creek and Ribbon Creek, with work starting today until Nov. 20. Expect intermittent construction equipment on Bill Milne, Wedge Connector, Terrace, Kovach and Link trails, plus access routes connecting to the Wedge Pond parking lot. If you’re heading through, watch for equipment during the day, follow signs, and stay out of active construction zones.

• 🎨 Local Arts Grant Deadline Extended To Oct. 21. Bow Valley artists and arts organizations have extra time to apply for two Canmore funding programs. The Arts and Culture Micro Grant supports creating new work and sharing it with the community, with up to $1,000 available for individual artists. The Lamphouse Emerging Artist Grant offers up to $3,500 for education, materials, residencies and other opportunities to build skills and advance an arts career.

• 🙋‍♂️ Want To Run A Café At Radium Hot Springs? Parks Canada is looking for someone to take over the poolside café at Radium Hot Springs, with opportunities to serve food, drinks, and retail goodies to roughly 250,000 annual visitors. Not a bad spot to set up shop. Interested? Call 403-522-1186 to request the proposal package and application details. You've got until Dec. 31 to apply.

CIVIC NEWS

• Canmore To Begin New Flood Protection Work At Three Sisters Creek. Crews will begin building a berm along the east side of the upper creek the week of Oct. 19 to reduce the risk of debris floods, which can send mud and rocks rushing downstream. The project builds on flood protection work completed in 2018. A heads-up for trail users: the town is asking everyone to respect closures around Three Sisters Creek and the nearby Bow Valley Community Fireguard while work is underway.

LIVE MUSIC

• Monday, October 19th, 2026, 10:00 PM: Brent Lee.  Location: The Rose and Crown, Banff. No Cover.

• Tuesday, October 20th, 7:00 PM: Dumb Crush. Location: The Drake, Canmore. $12.58

SPORTS

• Canmore Runners Pull Off Surprise Grizzly Ultra Victory. Who says you can't run for fun and still win? Taylor Skala planned to tackle the 50-kilometre race solo, but pregnancy changed her plans. Instead, she recruited her husband and three friends to form Team Fifth Wheel. With Taylor running the final leg at 25 weeks pregnant, the group won the mixed five-person relay category at the Canmore Nordic Centre on Oct. 10. The kicker? They had no idea they'd won until the finish line.

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.