Canmore Is Rewriting The Rules That Shape What Gets Built

The Town of Canmore has launched a full rewrite of its land use bylaw, the rules that govern what can be built and where. The move is getting support from the development industry, along with some early warnings about potential slowdowns and community pushback.

The current bylaw has grown to more than 600 pages after years of amendments, making it difficult to navigate and apply in practice.

“After many years of amendments, duplications and inconsistencies can begin to accumulate,” said Alexandra Piper, executive director of the Bow Valley Builders and Developers Association.

A Town review has already identified gaps between policy goals and the rules themselves. In some cases, zoning still limits development to single-family homes, while requirements around lot size and building form can make it difficult to build smaller or more flexible housing types.

Piper said clearer, more consistent rules would benefit both developers and residents. But she emphasized that the rewrite is not meant to directly solve housing issues.

“The Land Use Bylaw rewrite is about creating clear and consistent rules that support timely approvals and reduce uncertainty for both the developer and the community,” she said. “To BOWDA’s knowledge, there is no intent to create housing reform with this Land Use Bylaw.”

Support With Caution

While BOWDA supports the rewrite, it is taking a cautious stance on how the process unfolds.

“We are cautiously optimistic,” Piper said.

She noted that topics like density, building height, zoning changes, and accessory dwelling units often trigger concern in the community, even though they are tied to affordability and energy efficiency.

As the process continues, tension between adding housing and preserving the town’s character is expected to increase.

“This is a large and highly complex undertaking, and some of the changes required to address sustainability, affordability, and climate resilience will be difficult for the community to accept,” Piper said.

What Could Change

While the project is still in its early stages, Town planners have outlined several potential directions for how the new bylaw could function in practice.

“We really want to make sure that the new land use bylaw improves accessibility and usability… and supports community priorities,” said Nathan Grivell, senior development planner with the Town of Canmore, during a March 26 public engagement webinar.

One of the biggest potential shifts is simplifying zoning into a few core categories, like low, medium, and high-density areas, with additional rules layered on depending on the site, such as environmental constraints or design requirements.

Planners are also exploring a shift away from strictly limiting what types of buildings can be built, and instead focusing on how those buildings affect their surroundings, like height, shadowing, and privacy.

It’s not meant to solve housing, but it could still change what gets built by giving more flexibility within existing neighbourhoods.

The Town is also looking at loosening rules around secondary suites, including reducing parking requirements, allowing more than one in some homes, and making them easier to include in new builds.

Environmental and Climate Considerations

The rewrite is also expected to address how local regulations interact with energy efficiency and climate goals.

Town planners said some current rules can actually work against energy-efficient construction. For example, better-insulated buildings often have thicker walls, which can count against size limits.

“We want to make sure that the regulations… aren’t actually discouraging energy efficiency,” said Grivell during the webinar.

Potential changes include removing these types of barriers, as well as introducing incentives such as additional height or floor area for buildings that meet higher environmental performance standards.

The Town is also exploring ways to incorporate wildfire and hazard resilience directly into development regulations, reflecting growing concerns about climate-related risks in the Bow Valley.

Risks During the Transition

BOWDA is warning the Town to avoid repeating past mistakes, including layering on more rules, introducing low-value requirements, or trying to solve too many issues through zoning alone.

Another concern is whether proposed changes are tested against real-world use.

Rules that look good on paper can create problems if they don’t reflect how projects actually get built, Piper said.

There are also concerns about what happens during the transition. A slowdown in development could have ripple effects on housing supply, affordability, and local services.

“When development slows, there can be downstream impacts on housing supply, affordability, and the delivery of community services,” Piper said.

Early-Stage Work

These concerns were raised during early discussions between BOWDA and the Town at a Jan. 26 workshop focused on the Town’s Issues Report, which outlines problems with the current bylaw.

So far, discussions have focused on process, not specific policy changes.

“Because the work is still at a very early stage, BOWDA’s input has focused on how the rewrite is approached, rather than on specific regulatory changes,” Piper said.

One key recommendation is to help the public clearly understand what changes would look like in practice.

“Understanding drives acceptance, and understanding comes from seeing how change plays out in reality,” she said.

What Success Looks Like

Piper said success will come down to whether the new bylaw actually works in practice, not just on paper.

“Success isn’t just good policy; it’s policy that can be implemented, and that delivers on the community’s priorities,” she said.

The rewrite is expected to take about 30 months, with a new bylaw going to council in late 2027 or early 2028.