Canmore Residents Push for Safer Walking and Cycling Routes

Canmore residents say they want safer pathways, better public transit, improved winter maintenance and a smarter approach to parking as the town updates the plan that will guide future transportation decisions.

Those are some of the biggest findings in a new Town of Canmore report summarizing more than 1,300 pieces of public feedback collected this spring.

The town received more than 1,316 comments from residents, businesses and community groups, including 402 online surveys and 685 submissions through an interactive map from 176 contributors. Overall, participants called for better-connected walking and cycling routes, expanded public transit, safer shared pathways, improved snow clearing, clearer wayfinding and better planning for future growth.

The transportation plan is one of three long-term planning projects the town is updating this year.

Many of those concerns centred on making it easier and safer for people to get around without relying on a vehicle.

Safety was one of the strongest themes throughout the engagement process. Participants repeatedly raised concerns about "managing users on shared infrastructure," particularly as more people walk, cycle and use e-bikes on the same pathways. During the community open house, safety generated more comments than any other topic.

"Feedback highlighted ongoing concerns around safety for all users, alongside a need for clearer regulations and education," the report says.

Participants supported slower traffic, safer intersections and better-designed pathways, along with clearer signs, more education about trail etiquette and infrastructure that reduces conflicts between pedestrians, cyclists and other users.

Many also said Canmore already has a strong pathway network but that it needs to keep pace with the town's growth. They supported more protected cycling routes linking neighbourhoods with schools, businesses and recreation areas, as well as wider, better-maintained pathways and new connections to growing areas such as Three Sisters and Elk Run.

Public transit was another major priority. Participants praised Roam Transit but said service needs to expand as the community grows. They want buses to run more often, serve more neighbourhoods and provide better connections without forcing riders to travel through downtown.

Winter maintenance was another major concern.

Participants emphasized "the importance of consistent, year-round maintenance to support safe and accessible mobility." Many said snow and ice make it difficult to walk and cycle safely because sidewalks, crosswalks and pathways are not always cleared consistently.

"There is also a broader concern about aligning maintenance practices with community goals," the report says, adding that if the Town wants year-round biking, pathways need to be maintained throughout the winter.

The survey results largely reinforced those themes.

People who walk said snow and ice were their biggest barrier, followed by concerns about sharing pathways with faster cyclists and e-bikes. Narrow sidewalks and poor lighting were also common complaints.

Cyclists identified many of the same issues, with snow and ice, riding in traffic, bad weather and bike theft ranking among their biggest barriers.

Transit users most often said bus routes do not go where they need to go and that schedules do not match work or school hours.

Drivers, meanwhile, most frequently identified parking availability as their biggest challenge. Younger residents and lower-income respondents were also more likely to say the cost of owning a vehicle was a barrier.

The survey also showed transportation challenges varied across the community. Women were more likely than men to raise safety concerns, older residents were more affected by winter conditions and conflicts on shared pathways, and people living in outlying neighbourhoods had greater difficulty accessing transit and feeling safe walking or cycling after dark.

When asked about their broader priorities for Canmore, respondents most often chose protecting natural areas, community safety, affordability and environmental sustainability.

Many also said they would like to walk, cycle and use public transit more often if those options better met their needs.

Community organizations that took part in a stakeholder workshop largely echoed the public feedback, calling for clearer wayfinding, stronger connections between cycling and transit, better parking management and a more coordinated approach to managing visitor transportation.

"There was also strong interest in more strategic parking management and better coordination to manage tourism impacts," the report says.

The town also received one formal submission from Tourism Canmore Kananaskis, which recommended placing a greater focus on visitor transportation through measures such as intercept parking, stronger regional partnerships, improved active transportation infrastructure and better forecasting future travel demand.

The feedback will now be used to prepare a draft Integrated Transportation Plan. Residents will have another opportunity to comment later this year before a final plan is presented to council in early 2027.