🐟 Fish Die-Off in Banff

Good morning, Bow Valley!

Some of you started your Sunday at 6AM with a Caesar and a prayer. By 9:30 AM, it was therapy. We hope you’re carrying your head high this Monday morning. We’ll take silver and move on.

— Fortune Whelan, Ben S., Sneha Kainth, Madalyn Beach

DEAD FISH SURFACE AT VERMILION LAKES, AREA PARTIALLY CLOSED

What’s Happening? Dead fish have surfaced beneath the ice at Vermilion Lakes, prompting Parks Canada to issue a partial closure while officials monitor the winter die-off.

The Science. Parks Canada says the cause is “winterkill,” a natural event that happens when thick ice and heavy snow block sunlight from reaching the water. Without sunlight, aquatic plants stop producing oxygen. In shallow lakes like Vermilion, there is less water available to hold oxygen during long ice cover, which can lead to mass fish deaths.

Winterkill has been recorded here as far back as 1959, with notable events in 2023, 2024 and again this winter.

What Fishing Guides Are Seeing. Owner of Canmore Fishing Adventures, Brad Murphy, says the event itself is not unusual.

“We do see it from time to time on the river with suckers of that size,” said Murphy.

But he questions whether fish mobility could be part of the picture. Rail lines appear to separate parts of the lake system from the Bow River, which he says may make it harder for fish to leave before freeze-up.

“Essentially cutting the fish off from the river and making it difficult for them to navigate out of the lake during the winter months,” Murphy said.

He pointed to Lac des Arcs east of Canmore as an example where a constructed dike and culverts, drainage pipes that allow water to pass under roads or rail lines, can affect movement.

“Here again the fish can find their way in during the spring and summer months, but have difficulty finding their way out before getting trapped during low water in the fall then under the ice in the winter,” he said.

Murphy added that as late-summer river levels decline, the likelihood of fish becoming stranded could increase.

Why a Partial Closure at Vermilion Lakes. The closure is meant to reduce wildlife attraction to fish carcasses, which serve as an easy food source for scavengers and predators such as bears. Most areas, including Vermilion Lakes Drive and nearby trails, remain accessible, but visitors are being asked to respect signage.

Read more about the winterkill event in our full story.

YOUR HOUSE IS EMPTY. THAT’S THE RISK

Most problems don’t happen when you’re home. They happen when a place sits empty.

Whether it’s a long weekend, a winter away, or months spent out of town, unoccupied homes are where small issues turn into expensive ones. A door left unlocked. A leaking pipe. A stove tripped. An alarm that goes off and no one shows up.

Ten-8 Security offers professional HomeWatch checks for Bow Valley properties, carried out by licensed, trained guards. Not a neighbour. Not a drive-by. A full interior and exterior walkthrough.

Each visit includes checking doors and windows, appliances, plumbing, signs of forced entry, and anything that looks off. Visits are documented, issues are reported, and schedules are customized. Some homeowners book checks every few nights. Others set them up for an entire season.

Checks start around $25 per visit, with monthly plans that cost far less than one emergency call-out.

If your place is empty, this is how you know it’s actually being watched.

Request a free security consultation here. 

_{*Presented by Ten8Security.}

THE DIGEST

• 🤍 Avalanche Fatality Near Revelstoke. A skier died Thursday after being buried in an avalanche during a guided heli-ski trip, about 19 km southeast of Revelstoke. Selkirk Tangiers Helicopter Skiing said the guest was one of the last in the group descending when the slope released. They were buried under 1.5 metres of snow, extracted, and flown to hospital, where they did not survive. Closer to home, a skier triggered a Size 2.5 avalanche near Mount Murray off Spray Lakes Road on Friday. The skier was injured but not buried.

• 📈 Alberta Drops $400M on New Water Bombers. With wildfire seasons getting longer and more intense, Alberta is investing $400 million to buy five new water bombers. The first plane is expected in 2031. The aircraft can scoop 6,100 litres of water in about 12 seconds. The province currently has four Alberta-owned tankers built in the late 1980s. Officials say this isn’t replacing this year’s $160 million wildfire budget, it’s about modernizing the fleet. For Bow Valley residents, that means more long-term fire response capacity in a high-risk region.

• 🏫 Canadian Rockies Public Schools Has a New Boss. CRPS has appointed Debbie McKibbin as superintendent, a 31-year division veteran stepping into the role in January. Her focus: steady leadership after last fall’s teachers’ strike, strong reading, writing, and math outcomes, and well-being embedded in daily school life. Division data shows a 5% drop in reported depression among Grades 7 to 12 students and a 5% rise in positive self-esteem. McKibbin, who helped shape the division’s whole-child framework, says her priority is building trust while keeping academics strong.

• 🚁 Gripped Magazine Recounts the Rockies’ First Heli Rescue. In August 1966, two climbers were stranded on Mount Babel’s east face above Moraine Lake. To communicate from below, wardens laid out rolls of white toilet paper on the shoreline, arranging them into large letters that read: “WAIT HELP COMING AM,” visible from the wall. A helicopter was called in from Jasper, and rescuers rigged an untested cable system to lower a warden down and haul the injured climber back up. By noon, both men were safely off the face, marking a first for helicopter-assisted rescue in the Rockies.

Step Into the Marketing Ring…

In this corner:
✅ Access to 16,500+ Bow Valley Locals
✅ Scroll-stopping copy written in our voice
✅ Trackable results you can brag about

And in the other:
🛑 Print ads your customers flip past with their morning coffee

Ready to fight smarter?
➡️ Partner with Bow Valley Insider and join the winning team

NEW ITALIAN COMFORT FOOD LANDS ON CANMORE’S MAIN STREET

What’s Happening? A new Italian restaurant has opened in one of downtown Canmore’s most familiar dining spaces, as seasoned local operators pivot concepts in a hospitality market that’s anything but easy right now.

A Familiar Address, New Bet. Luigi’s Italian Kitchen opened in late January at 714 8th St., the longtime home of Santa Lucia before a three-year stint as Das Schnitzel Haus. The same trio behind The Rose & Crown made the switch, saying Canmore was missing a strong Italian option and that Italian cuisine has broader, year-round appeal than German fare.

The menu leans hard into comfort: pasta, pizza, tiramisu, cannoli, and a tableside carbonara spun in a flaming cheese wheel. It’s designed to be fun, family-friendly, and accessible on price, not just a special-occasion splurge.

Why This Matters. The launch comes against a challenging backdrop. National estimates suggest Canada could see about 4,000 restaurant closures this year, following roughly 7,000 last year. Industry groups say more than 40% of operators are breaking even or losing money.

Locally, the picture is more nuanced. Banff and Canmore dining rooms can stay busy during peak tourism months, but operators describe rising food and supply costs, higher shipping, persistent staffing gaps, and shoulder seasons that are increasingly difficult to carry.

As one chef put it recently: in a seasonal economy, you often have just a few peak months to make enough to survive the year.

Locals + Visitors = Survival. Luigi’s owners say early demand has been strong, especially from locals returning multiple times in the first month. That balance, locals plus tourists, is key in the Bow Valley.

In a town where winters are long, betting on comfort food, repeat business, and broad appeal might be less about trend-chasing and more about staying power.

See pictures and read our interview with Luigi’s owners.

THINGS TO DO

Monday

• Run Club Under the Big Flag. Join the Strides running group under the big flag at the Nordic Centre. All levels are welcome, whether you are chasing a personal best or just out for fresh Bow Valley air and good company. It is free, friendly, and a great way to move your body. 5:30 PM. Canmore Nordic Centre. Free.*

• How to Grow Fresh Food at Home. Want to feel a little more in control of what’s on your plate? Join the Biosphere Institute and Michelle Backhouse for an interactive evening on growing food at home and strengthening food sovereignty. The session includes a hands-on sprouting demo using simple household materials. Bring a small jar. 7:00 PM. Canmore Library. Space limited.

Tuesday

• 40+ Shinny Hockey. Dust off the gear and hit the ice to work off your Olympics hangover. This casual, all-levels skate is perfect for meeting new friends and sharpening your stick-and-puck skills. Full gear is required, with skate and helmet rentals available. 2:00 PM - 3:15 PM. Fenlands, Banff.

• Oscar-Nominated Film Hits the Big Screen. Movie Night brings One Battle After Another, a 2026 Oscar nominee for Best Picture. The story follows Bob, a washed-up revolutionary living off-grid with his fiercely independent daughter, Willa. When an old nemesis resurfaces and Willa disappears, he’s forced back into a fight he thought was long over. 7:00 PM. artsPlace, Canmore. $6-$12.*

JOIN OUR MARCH ICE CLIMBING ADVENTURE

If you’re feeling a little adventurous this winter, this one’s for you.

We’re running another beginner-friendly ice climbing experience on March 21 that’s equal parts instruction and fun. You’ll climb real ice waterfalls near Canmore with Nolan from Leviathan Mountain Guides. No climbing experience needed. Rock or gym climbing is totally fine. But, if you’ve already ice climbed before, this will likely feel too introductory.

Spots are capped at six, so everyone gets plenty of ice time. More details.

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• ⛸️ Canada’s Story Hits the Ice in Canmore. The Canmore Skating Club is transforming the Canmore Recreation Centre into a full theatre-on-ice for Canada: Our Story on Ice on March 28 and 29. Expect professional lighting, music and up-close seating as local skaters of all ages bring Canada’s history to life. Olympian Keegan Messing will also take the ice, delivering the kind of high-energy performance he’s known for. It’s a true family event. Tickets are limited. Bonus: save 10% before Feb. 28 with code Canada15.*

• 🔥 Prescribed Burn Continues. If you’ve seen smoke just as you enter the mountains westbound on Hwy 1, that’s intentional. Crews are continuing a prescribed burn in Bow Valley Provincial Park near the YMCA of the Rockies. The original advisory posted last Friday said it would last “a few days,” and as of this morning, it’s still active. Expect visible smoke. No need to report it.

• 📌 Planning an Event? Get 40% Off at Canmore Opera House. If you’re organizing a retreat, corporate off-site, milestone birthday, celebration of life, community fundraiser, or honestly anything else, this is a strong excuse to lock in your date. Book an event held between now and the end of April and get 40% off. The bright log cabin in Spring Creek seats up to 120 and includes a stage, projector, sound system, microphones, tables, chairs, a bar, and even a fire pit. Everything is included. No hidden fees. Inquire here.*

• 👉 Last Call to Weigh In on West Bragg. Feedback closes this week on the proposed two-storey trail centre at West Bragg Creek. The plan would add a 3,750-square-foot public hub near the main parking lot with indoor washrooms, a warm-up space, meeting room, and solar-powered systems. Supporters call it overdue infrastructure. Critics worry about traffic and wildlife impacts. No parking expansion or user fees are proposed. 

• 🙋‍♂️ Help Shape the Future of Banff Pride. Banff Pride is recruiting new Board members who live or work in Banff and want to help guide local strategy, growth, and inclusion. Executive and Member at Large roles are available, and all backgrounds are welcome. If you are passionate about building a vibrant, inclusive Bow Valley community.

CIVIC NEWS

• Downtown Rezoning Sparks Backlash in Canmore. A packed public hearing pushed Canmore council to postpone a vote on its downtown rezoning plan. The proposal would shift some R1 lots to R4, allowing single homes to add secondary suites or be replaced with townhouses and fourplexes. Residents raised concerns about traffic, fire access, sewer capacity, and taller buildings edging closer to sidewalks. Supporters argue denser housing is key to climate goals and long-term affordability. Council delayed the decision to March 3 to compile an issues list and review infrastructure and safety impacts. Read our full story. 

LIVE MUSIC

• Monday, February 23rd, 2025, 10:00 PM: Brent Lee. Location: Banff Rose and Crown. No Cover.

• Tuesday, February 24th, 2025, 10:00 PM: Jesse Peters. Location: Banff Rose and Crown. No Cover.

SPORTS

• Sunshine Skier Brendan Mackay Wins Olympic Bronze. Banff Sunshine Village took to social media this week to cheer on one of its own. Calgary’s Brendan Mackay won bronze in men’s Olympic ski halfpipe, landing a clutch 91.00 on his final run after crashes on his first two attempts. The UofC alumnus and Sunshine spring skier secured Canada’s first Olympic medal in men’s ski halfpipe since 2014.

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.