🦫 Canmore Killed Two Beavers

Good morning, Bow Valley!

Just a quick shout-out to Keith Fernandes this morning, who’s joining our team as a freelance journalist to help with some of our overflow stories. He’s lived in the Bow Valley for more than a decade, worked in tourism, runs his own business and is trained as a journalist. You’ll see his first byline today on our artsPlace story, with many more to come. Welcome aboard! 

- Fortune Whelan, Ben S., Brendan Nogue, Alexia Chambers

CANMORE KILLED TWO BEAVERS IN SPRING CREEK, RAISING QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT COMES NEXT

What's Happening? The Town of Canmore killed two beavers in the Spring Creek area on Aug. 28 and Sept. 1 after receiving reports of activity it said was contributing to public safety concerns and damaging private property. The decision addressed the immediate problem, but wildlife experts say new beavers could eventually move into the same habitat.

Residents Knew Something Had To Be Done. Spring Creek resident Graham Lock told Bow Valley Insider that beavers had been cutting trees and damming the creek, creating concerns about potential flooding.

"The way the creek was being dammed, I think something had to be done," he said.

What surprised him was how. Lock initially assumed the beavers had been relocated.

Why Not Just Move Them? Relocating beavers in Alberta generally requires a special provincial permit, an appropriate release site and approval from a regional biologist. Even then, relocated animals may leave the site or struggle to survive.

And removing beavers doesn't remove the habitat. Another family can eventually move in.

Could Canmore Have Kept Them There? Biosphere Institute executive director Gareth Thomson told Bow Valley Insider that beaver ponds can become "biodiversity hotspots," supporting everything from insects and fish to birds.

One alternative is a pond leveller, a pipe installed through a dam that controls water levels while allowing the beavers and wetland to remain.

But they're not a cure-all. Alberta Trappers Association president Bill Abercrombie said they don't prevent beavers from cutting trees, digging into banks or creating other infrastructure problems.

"It's case by case," Alberta Conservation Association biologist Kevin Gardiner told Bow Valley Insider. Gardiner was not involved in the Canmore situation, but pointed to a separate example on conservation association land near Raven River, where a pond leveller initially worked before the beavers moved elsewhere and began causing flooding. The association eventually had the animals removed. 

What Has Canmore Done? Beyond killing the two beavers, the Town has notched the existing dam to lower the water level. No final decision has been made about further dam modifications or cleanup.

What Happens Next? Canmore is now reviewing Alberta's beaver-management guidelines and considering longer-term options, including pond levellers and "beaver deceivers," another type of device designed to reduce flooding conflicts.

The bigger question is whether Canmore eventually develops a more proactive strategy that identifies where beavers can be accommodated and where conflicts with infrastructure make coexistence difficult.

Because while these two beavers are gone, the habitat isn't.

Read our full story, which includes detailed interviews with experts. 

FURNISH YOUR ENTIRE 3-BEDROOM SHORT-TERM RENTAL, FROM $25K TURNKEY TO FULLY CUSTOM

Furnishing a three-bedroom short-term rental can get expensive quickly, especially when you're buying a sofa here, mattresses there, and realizing three weeks later that you completely forgot the patio.

There's an easier way to do it.

Castle Mountain Home Furnishings can furnish an entire three-bedroom property starting at $25,000, including all three bedrooms and mattresses, the living room, dining room, and patio furniture.

But before you spend anything, their design service is free.

Their team can help you figure out where your budget is best spent, choose pieces that work together, and create a space that fits your property and style. There are no cookie-cutter furniture packages, either.

Canadian-made furniture is also at the heart of the lineup. So you can furnish the property with quality Canadian craftsmanship without having to shop from multiple suppliers. 

Everything can be handled through one local team, including delivery and setup.

Furnishing a new Bow Valley property? Book a free design consultation with Castle Mountain Home Furnishings before you start shopping.

_{*Presented by Castle Mountain Home Furnishings.}

THE DIGEST

• 🏃 Ultra Runner Sets Record From Lake Louise to Jasper. Harry Marshall just ran the entire 227-kilometre Icefields Parkway in 30 hours, 2 minutes and 31 seconds, breaking the previous fastest known time by more than an hour. Along the way, the 28-year-old ran through a major thunderstorm, watched a partial lunar eclipse under a full moon and eventually reached a point where his legs could barely run 100 metres at a time. This is one of the wildest endurance stories we’ve heard, and considering we live in the Bow Valley, that’s saying something. Read our full interview. 

• 🖌️ artsPlace Is Exploring a Much Bigger Downtown Home. Canmore’s arts centre says it has simply run out of room. Its gallery is booked two years ahead, while new evening theatre performances can’t realistically be added until 2028. Now artsPlace and the Town are studying a potential new facility on its existing downtown block, with early planning identifying a need for roughly 50,000 square feet, more than six times its current size. The project is also exploring whether the block could include a transit hub, public washrooms, municipal offices, public space and potentially below-market housing. Nothing has been approved for construction yet. 

• 🚂 93% of Readers Want the Train to Stop in Canmore. After reporting that a future Calgary-Banff passenger train could pass through Canmore without stopping, we asked what you thought. Of 951 readers who voted, 889 said a Canmore station would benefit the community. Getting cars off the road and connecting locals to Calgary and the airport were major reasons, along with making it easier for workers to commute into town. Not everyone agreed, though, with concerns about crowds, cost and wildlife impacts. Read what your neighbours had to say. 

• 🧊 Nepal’s Glacier Disaster Has Lessons for the Rockies. This isn’t a Bow Valley story, but we know many locals have been following the devastating glacier collapse in Nepal and wondering about similar risks here. Canmore-based hydrologist John Pomeroy told The Narwhal that Canada isn’t immune. He points to a 2012 glacier collapse near Mount Edith Cavell in Jasper that could have caused hundreds of casualties had it happened during the day, while also identifying areas around Lake Louise and the Columbia Icefield as places where glacier-related risks exist and can change rapidly. 

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EMPLOYEE SERIOUSLY INJURED IN COLUMBIA ICEFIELD VEHICLE ROLLOVER

What's Happening? A Pursuit employee was seriously injured after a small tour vehicle rolled over at the Columbia Icefield on Sept. 1 while the employee was conducting an operational maintenance check. No guests were onboard, and the employee has since been released from hospital and is recovering at home.

What Happened? RCMP Cpl. Mathew Howell told Bow Valley Insider the vehicle was travelling toward the icefield while mechanical tests were being conducted when an issue occurred and it rolled over.

Pursuit COO Stuart Back said the vehicle "left the lateral moraine access road." The driver, who was alone, was taken to hospital in Jasper with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

The vehicle was not one of the Ice Explorers used to carry larger groups of visitors onto the Athabasca Glacier.

The Cause Isn't Known Yet. Pursuit said it is reviewing the circumstances with RCMP, Occupational Health and Safety and Parks Canada.

"We will not speculate about the cause while that work is underway," Back said.

RCMP received the initial call but did not attend the scene, with the matter subsequently handed over to Occupational Health and Safety.

Glacier Tours Were Temporarily Cancelled. Pursuit cancelled glacier tours Sept. 1 and 2 while operational and safety assessments were completed. The Columbia Icefield Adventure tours resumed Sept. 3 after Pursuit said it received clearance from the relevant authorities.

Ice Odyssey tours, which use smaller vehicles that accommodate up to 10 guests, will remain unavailable until at least Sept. 8. Affected guests are being offered refunds or the option to rebook on the larger Columbia Icefield Adventure vehicles. 

The Columbia Icefield Skywalk was unaffected and has remained open.

Read our full story

THINGS TO DO

Friday

• Canmore Ice Climber Hosts Book Signing. Canmore’s Café Books is hosting Gordon McArthur for a signing of Throwing Hope, his new book about climbing, resilience and continuing when things get hard. Stop by to meet McArthur, talk climbing and pick up a signed copy. 12 PM - 4 PM. Cafe Books. Free.

Saturday

• Local Makers Take Over Canmore Civic Centre. The Labour Day Market returns with local artisans, handmade goods, live music, coffee and food. It’s a chance to browse locally made finds and support small businesses from around the region. 10 AM - 4 PM. Canmore Civic Centre. 

• Pink Party Takes Over The Fat Ox Saturday. Dress accordingly. The Fat Ox is celebrating Studio Rosé by Miraval with an afternoon of rosé, pink-inspired cocktails, mountain views and disco vibes. You can sip Studio Rosé topped with cotton candy, browse the Inked & Linked permanent jewellery pop-up, grab Happy Hour until 4 PM or stick around for dinner. Whether it’s a girls’ day, date or simply an excuse to wear pink, this one should be fun. 3 PM - 8 PM. The Fat Ox, Banff. No cover.*

Sunday

• Last Chance for the Nakoda Classic Pow Wow. Sunday is the final day of the three-day gathering at Goodstoney Arena in Mînî Thnî, with dancers, singers and drummers coming together for competition and celebration. Expect dance specials, drum competitions and Grand Entries. Admission is free and everyone is welcome. Goodstoney Arena, Mînî Thnî. Free. 

HORSES, YOGA, COLD PLUNGES AND INDIGENOUS STORYTELLING. ALL IN ONE SATURDAY.

If your ideal Saturday involves trying something new, Star 6 Ranch is opening the gates for a full day of it.

On Saturday, September 12, Life on the Land returns for its second year, bringing together a pretty eclectic mix of free experiences at Star 6 Ranch.

Not sure where that is? Star 6 Ranch is just off Highway 1, shortly after the Highway 40 turnoff toward Kananaskis. 

Spend some time with the horses. Take a yoga class. Try a cold plunge. Learn traditional Ĩyethka crafts. Hear Indigenous stories of the land. Take a walk with the donkeys. Then grab something from a food truck, listen to live music, and see what else catches your attention.

The best part? The entire day is free.

Life on the Land runs from 10 AM to 6 PM, and there’s no expectation that you stay for all eight hours. Come for one activity, bring some friends and make a day of it, or show up solo and see where the day takes you.

Many activities are completely drop-in, while a few with limited capacity, including some equine experiences, so we recommend registering ahead.

Check out the full schedule and pre-register for limited-space activities (filling fast).

_{*Presented by Star 6 Ranch.}

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• 🍻 Oktollerfest Is Coming to Canmore. The Drake Screaming Retriever is putting a canine spin on Oktoberfest with Oktollerfest on Sept. 19. Bring your best-dressed pup for a costume contest, grab a stein and be among the first to try Screaming Retriever’s new Chocolate Retriever Dunkel Lager. There’ll also be a DJ, lawn games and a dog-friendly patio. Lederhosen optional, apparently. It's $15 and includes a pint. Grab your tickets here.*

• ✅ Caribou Street Reopens to Vehicles. Banff’s Caribou Street reopened Thursday afternoon after remaining closed while crews finished work on the redesigned street. New bike racks have been added to the east end, while boulders, planters, trees and shrubs were installed on the west. One more construction update: final paving on Lynx Street and the west portion of Caribou is expected in late September or early October, weather permitting. 

• 🐻 Bear Warning Issued for Skoki Trails. Parks Canada is warning hikers about a grizzly frequenting the Skoki area, including trails around Skoki Lodge, Hidden Lake, Merlin Meadows, Baker Lake, Red Deer Lakes and Deception Pass. The bear has displayed bold and curious behaviour, including approaching people closely. Groups of four or more are recommended, along with making noise and carrying bear spray. 

• 🤍 Fundraiser Launched for Woman Who Died on Tent Ridge. We’re learning more about Mariel Cendana Surat, who died while hiking in Kananaskis on Aug. 24. Surat was originally from the Philippines and was a single mother of three who, according to her son, spent much of her life working to give her children a better future. Her family has now launched a GoFundMe to help cover expenses to bring her home to the Philippines for burial with her family. You can support the family through their GoFundMe here. 

CIVIC NEWS

• Canmore Is Spending $4.65M on Bigger Hybrid Buses. Canmore is replacing three aging Roam buses with 40-foot hybrid-electric models that can carry 72 passengers, 64% more than the current buses. The hybrids cost roughly $1.28 million more than diesel alternatives, prompting debate over whether the emissions and potential fuel savings justify the premium. Federal funding will cover about $2.93 million, leaving Canmore responsible for roughly $756,000. The new buses are expected to arrive in 2028.

LIVE MUSIC

• Friday, September 4th, 2026, 6:00 PM: DJ Tenax.  Location: Rose and Crown, Banff. No Cover.

• Saturday, September 5th, 2026, 9:30 PM: The Henchman.  Location: Tavern 1883, Canmore. No Cover.

• Saturday, September 5th, 2026, 10:00 PM: Envy.  Location: The Rose and Crown, Banff. $5.

• Sunday, September 6th, 2026, 10:00 PM: Kate Reid and her Band.  Location: Melissa’s MisSteak, Banff. No Cover.

SPORTS

• Banff Bears Win Second Straight Rugby Championship. The Bears defeated the Calgary Irish 34-11 to claim back-to-back Southern Alberta Rugby Union titles. The game was tight for the first 60 minutes before Banff pulled away. Next up, the Bears head to Edmonton in two weeks with a shot at adding a provincial championship.

That’s all, folks!

We’ll see you back here on Monday, 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.