Canmore Gondola Debate Draws Lessons From Other Resort Towns

As public engagement continues on a proposed gondola on Mount Lady MacDonald, comparisons to other resort communities suggest such projects are often tied to broader tourism growth and development, even when presented as transportation or access improvements.

The Silvertip gondola proposal in Canmore, led by Stone Creek Resorts, is currently under provincial consideration as part of Alberta’s all-season resorts framework, with public feedback highlighting concerns about wildlife, traffic, tourism pressure, and safety in alpine terrain during an open house held by the development team on April 7.

In response to wildlife concerns, Stone Creek said the gondola has been designed to pass above designated wildlife corridors, which would remain intact.

“We are not placing any of our guests in the wildlife corridors and will be proactive with our guests to educate them about the corridors and to stay out of the corridors,” Stone Creek Resorts said.

Stone Creek said its environmental assessment is informed by more than 20 years of wildlife movement data, including analysis of corridor function, cumulative effects and species-specific impacts for animals such as grizzly bears, wolves, elk and bighorn sheep.

Concerns about traffic and tourism pressures were also raised during engagement, according to Stone Creek, which expects a significant share of gondola users would already be visiting the Bow Valley and described the project as a way to manage that demand.

“We expect a significant share of visitors would already be coming to the Bow Valley,” the company 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.”

The proposed base area is designed as a multi-modal hub with potential connections to transit and intercept parking, and is intended to align with broader transportation planning in Canmore.

Stone Creek also pointed to regional visitation trends as part of its rationale, saying Banff recorded 4.5 million visitors in 2025-26.

“The question isn't whether pressure on the corridor increases, it's whether new infrastructure is planned to manage it. The gondola is designed to be part of that answer,” the company said.

Feedback also emphasized the need for local benefits. Plans for the broader Silvertip development include a resort village with accommodations, retail and conference space, as well as approximately 850 units of employee housing. Stone Creek has said preliminary analysis suggests the project could generate more than $40 million annually in tourism revenue for federal and provincial governments.

Similar concerns were raised about inexperienced visitors accessing alpine terrain near Mount Lady MacDonald. The company said visitors would be directed to remain within developed areas and discouraged from accessing more complex terrain through signage, education and wayfinding, and did not specify any enforcement measures or physical restrictions.

“Access by gondola users to Lady MacDonald Provincial trails would be discouraged because of the complexity of the terrain,” the company said.

While the Silvertip proposal is presented as a way to manage existing tourism pressures, similar infrastructure projects in other resort communities have often been linked to broader growth strategies.

In Colorado, a proposed gondola linking Winter Park Resort to its downtown is being advanced as part of a long-term redevelopment plan that includes expanded housing, increased hotel capacity and the creation of a pedestrian-oriented commercial corridor.

The gondola is intended to reduce reliance on vehicles by encouraging visitors to park in town and ride to the mountain. It also forms part of a broader redevelopment plan that includes nearly doubling the town’s housing stock and increasing hotel rooms by as much as 500% by 2033, alongside expanded skier capacity and lift upgrades.

While the project is framed as improving access and reducing traffic, local discussions have also focused on how that growth will be managed. Members of the town’s administration have pointed to the experience of communities such as Aspen and Snowmass, where similar expansion has been associated with rising housing pressures and changes to local character, as a cautionary example.

Across resort communities, gondola and lift infrastructure is often introduced as a way to improve access, manage visitor flow and enhance the overall experience, but in some cases is implemented alongside broader development plans that expand capacity and reshape how visitors move through a destination.

Public feedback on the Silvertip proposal and related land-use changes can be submitted through the Government of Alberta’s website until May 14.