💸 Half of Banff Earns Under 40K

Good morning, Bow Valley!

We'd like to welcome Ben back from vacation this morning. After spending the past week in 45°C Las Vegas heat, he has returned with a newfound appreciation for June snow in the Bow Valley. Perspective is a funny thing.

- Fortune Whelan, Ben S., Madalyn Beach

HALF OF BANFF TAX FILERS EARNED LESS THAN $40K

What’s Happening? New Town of Banff data shows affordability remains a significant challenge for many residents. Half of Banff tax filers earned less than $40,000 in 2023, while nearly one in four fell below Statistics Canada's low-income measure.

Banff Continues To Lag Other Mountain Towns. A report presented to Banff's Governance and Finance Committee yesterday found the town had the lowest median income among comparable mountain communities, including Canmore, Jasper, Whistler, Fernie, and Revelstoke.

The median income for Banff tax filers was $39,770 in 2023, while nearly three-quarters earned less than $60,000 annually. Median family income rose to $108,530, but still ranked lowest among the communities included in the comparison.

“We remain the community with the highest percentage of tax filers with incomes in this range,” said Banff Director of Community Services Alison Gerrits.

What It Takes To Afford Rent. To put local affordability into perspective, Town administration calculated how much a resident would need to earn if they spent no more than 30% of their income on housing, a benchmark commonly used to define affordable housing. 

The analysis found a single renter would need to earn about $31.46 per hour to afford an average one-bedroom apartment in Banff. Renting a bachelor suite required roughly $21.96 per hour, while renting an entire four-bedroom home alone would require more than $100 per hour.

By comparison, provincial data shows the Banff-Jasper-Rocky Mountain House region had Alberta's lowest average hourly wage in 2023 at $26.96 per hour.

Why It Matters. Town officials said the findings help explain why many residents rely on roommates, partners and shared housing arrangements to live in Banff. The data is also being used to guide affordable housing initiatives, including the upcoming 50 Wolf Street project, which will include eight deeply affordable studio units aimed at lower-income residents.

“The path council has taken and the decisions that council has made with respect to affordability and leaning into universal affordability programs in the community make complete sense,” Gerrits said.

Read our full story

“NOTHING EVER HAPPENS HERE”

That’s a common belief in the Bow Valley. And most days, it holds up.

But scroll local Facebook groups over the last six months and a different pattern shows up. Vehicles broken into overnight in Benchlands. A travel trailer stored at Ghost Lake, hit while no one was around. Christmas inflatables taken from a yard at 2:23 a.m., with thieves working for more than 20 minutes without interruption.

None of these are dramatic crimes. But they all have one thing in common. Empty properties and no one checking on them.

That’s the gap Ten-8 Security is built to fill. Their licensed guards conduct scheduled interior and exterior checks for homes and businesses, verifying doors, looking for signs of entry or damage, and documenting every visit.

They also respond when alarms are triggered, something many homeowners and business owners assume police handle, but generally don’t.

Home checks start at just $25 per visit, with flexible schedules that scale from a long weekend to an entire season.

Most security work isn’t about stopping something big. It’s about noticing the small stuff early.

Even in places that feel safe, empty properties don’t watch themselves.

Request a free security consultation here 

_{*Presented by Ten8Security.}

THE DIGEST

• 🤍 Airdrie Woman Dies In Kananaskis Scrambling Accident. A 47-year-old Airdrie woman died Saturday after falling while scrambling on Mount Bryant in Kananaskis Country. RCMP say she was hiking with a group when the incident occurred, prompting a response from mountain rescue, emergency crews, and a helicopter search team. Friends identified her as Katie Heaven, an active member of Alberta's hiking community and a realtor based in Airdrie. Many remembered her as someone who brought people together through a shared love of the mountains. The incident remains under investigation. Here’s everything officials told us.

• 🖼️ Eclipse Turns Upstairs Café Into Local Art Gallery. Eclipse Coffee Roasters is transforming its upstairs Railway Avenue seating area into a rotating gallery for local Canmore artists, with artwork displayed for up to six months or until it sells. The initiative is being supported by local artist Debra Kiel, whose Nature's Embrace series weaves human figures into trees to explore themes of love, loss, family, and our connection to nature (see her work). Eclipse says the goal is to give local creatives exposure in a busy community gathering place, while giving visitors one more reason to linger over their coffee. Visit Eclipse.

• 📝 Heritage Group Says Banff Visitor Centre Plan Has Lost Focus. If you missed our earlier coverage, Parks Canada recently selected a winning design for a major redevelopment of the 200-block of Banff Avenue, including a new visitor centre, public spaces, housing, and underground parking. Now, a Banff heritage organization is urging Parks Canada to put visitors back at the centre of the project. The Eleanor Luxton Historical Foundation says the winning design places too much emphasis on housing and not enough on creating a world-class visitor centre, which it says was the project's original purpose. Parks Canada says the design is still conceptual. 

• 🐻 Bear Update: One Warning Added, Another Lifted. Parks Canada has issued a wildlife warning for the Lake Minnewanka Trail after a bear entered an unoccupied tent. Officials are urging hikers and campers to carry bear spray, travel in groups, and remain alert, noting that bear mating pairs have also been spotted in the area. Meanwhile, the 1.5-kilometre no-stopping zone near Protection Mountain that we reported on Monday has now been lifted, suggesting the well-known Bear 142 family has moved on from the area for now.

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THE MOST IMPORTANT COMPETITION IN BANFF LAST WEEK

What’s Happening? Banff may have a new sporting tradition. Last Thursday, 25 competitors packed the rooftop at the Rose & Crown for what organizers and longtime locals believe was the town’s first-ever hot dog eating contest, all competing for glory, bragging rights, and a very unusual trophy.

The Champion Ate Seven. The question was simple: how many hot dogs can a person eat in 10 minutes?

The answer, apparently, is seven.

That was enough for Banff local Jonathon Prior, a server at The Fat Ox, to claim the inaugural Glizzy Gobbler championship. It wasn't a runaway victory, either, with several competitors finishing just behind him at 6.5 hot dogs.

The Trophy Was Spectacularly Ridiculous. There was no cash prize waiting at the finish line. Instead, Prior took home gift cards, Rose & Crown merchandise, free Monday hot dogs through October and a custom 3D-printed trophy featuring a crowned hot dog emerging triumphantly from a bun.

"It (the trophy) is in The Fat Ox kitchen now," Prior told Bow Valley Insider.

"My training, I thank the kitchen boys at The Fat Ox for keeping me fed."

The Crowd Stole The Show. While the eating was impressive, the atmosphere may have been even better. Supporters arrived with handmade signs bearing slogans like "The Glizzy Gobbler" and "Our Weiner," the rooftop filled with spectators, and for 10 glorious minutes, dignity became entirely optional. 

Prior said he skipped the classic competitive-eating tricks.

"I didn't use any technique like dipping the bread in water," he said. "Kept it simple and just ate normal."

A New Banff Tradition? That remains to be seen. But after attracting 25 competitors, filling a rooftop with cheering spectators and producing a champion willing to defend his title, Banff's competitive eating era may have officially begun.

See pictures from the event

THINGS TO DO

Wednesday

• Business Networking Coffee In Banff. Looking to grow your network without spending an entire evening doing it? Bow Valley Chamber's Coffee Connector brings together local business owners, entrepreneurs, and professionals for casual conversation over coffee and pastries before the workday gets rolling.  Attendance is capped at 14 people, so RSVP ahead. 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM. Good Earth, Banff. Free.*

• Canmore MTB Classic Kicks Off Today. Hundreds of mountain bikers from around the world are descending on Canmore as the Canmore MTB Classic gets underway. The event runs through Saturday, featuring elite racing and up-and-coming athletes. Not sure when to go? Check out the full schedule, or drop by Saturday’s expo and beer garden when the biggest festival atmosphere is expected to draw the largest crowds. Canmore Nordic Centre. Spectating is free.*

Thursday

• An Award-Winning Mountain Film Night. Champions of the Golden Valley follows the rise of homegrown ski culture in Afghanistan, while also tracing how skiing helps one refugee family find hope and belonging. Two screenings are happening at 6:30 PM and 8:30 PM. artsPlace, Canmore. Suggested donation is $35.*

• Explore The Future of Energy. Curious about climate solutions, future energy, or what bacteria might have to do with healing the planet? This one’s for the science-brained. Researchers from the University of Alberta’s Future Energy Systems will lead hands-on activities and share work on climate change, new energy technologies, and energy careers. 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM. Banff Library. Free. 

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• 🦜 Birding Walk Workshop Returns to Canmore Next Week. If your hikes could use a bit more “what just made that sound,” this one’s for you. A guided birding walk on June 19 runs through Canmore, starting at the Big Head, with local expert Gareth Thomson leading the way. Hosted by the Interpretive Guides Association, expect a mix of spotting, listening, and learning how to actually identify birds beyond “small and fast.” Runs 8 to 10 AM, costs $40 to $60. Bring binoculars (if you have them) and decent footwear. It’s a low-key way to level up your outdoor awareness. Limited spots. Register here.*

• 🌷 The Most Local Garden Centre In Town. “Shop local” gets thrown around a lot in Canmore, but Wendy’s Garden Centre is about as local as it gets. Wendy has lived in the Bow Valley for more than 20 years and spends spring and summer helping locals, restaurants, hotels, and storefronts bring colour back after a long winter. Her new setup is now open across from Elevation Place in the old car dealership parking lot (map), packed with hanging baskets, shrubs, flowers, trees, and veggie starts selected for Bow Valley conditions. Open daily 9 AM-6 PM (5 PM Sundays), rain or shine.*

• ⛷️ Summer Skiing Included With New SkiBig3 Passes. SkiBig3 has launched sales for its 2026/27 season passes, with one notable perk: access to Banff Sunshine’s summer skiing season from June 20 to July 5, made possible by one of the snowiest winters in recent memory. Passholders who also purchase before Oct. 15 can save up to $770, according to SkiBig3. The pass includes unlimited access to Banff Sunshine, Lake Louise Ski Resort, and Mt. Norquay next winter, plus four discounted buddy passes and 50% off lift tickets at 27 Mountain Collective resorts.  If you're planning to ski next season, now's the cheapest time to buy. Details here.*

• 🪚 Free Wildfire Prevention Toolkits To Borrow. Neighbourhood clean-up plans just got easier: the Biosphere Institute now has free FireSmart toolkits residents can borrow. Each kit includes rakes, pruners, loppers, shears, handsaws, polesaws, gloves, vests, and safety glasses to help reduce wildfire risk around homes and shared spaces. Toolkits are available first-come, first-served. Reserve one here.*

• 🏨 Summer Solstice Painting & Tasting Experience. The Juniper Hotel is hosting a special Summer Solstice experience that combines a guided painting session with local artist Mindy, seasonal canapés from Chef Sergio, and panoramic views over Banff National Park. Guests will enjoy a welcome beverage, five curated tastings inspired by early summer in the Rockies, and a relaxed creative atmosphere designed to celebrate the longest day of the year. No artistic experience is required. June 21. Tickets here. Limited spots available.*

CIVIC NEWS

• Exshaw Residents Pump Out Flooded Basements. Several Exshaw residents were dealing with flooded basements this week after heavy rain and rising Bow River levels pushed groundwater into homes along Mt. McGillivray Drive. Some residents say repeated flooding has left them frustrated and concerned about nearby Exshaw Creek and the catchment pond. The MD of Bighorn says elevated groundwater is linked to snowmelt and heavy rain, and cites a 2023 report finding the pond did not significantly increase groundwater levels.

LIVE MUSIC

• Wednesday, June 10th, 8:30 PM: Wild West Wednesdays.. Location: Dusty Boot, Banff. No Cover.

• Wednesday, June 10th, 10:00 PM: Wine Wednesday w/ DJ Raven!. Location: Rose & Crown, Banff. No Cover.

• Thursday, June 11th, 8:30 PM: Art of Piano: Tema Blackstone, Éric Le Sage. Location: St. George in the Pines, Banff. $45.

• Thursday, June 11th, 10:00 PM: Country Night w/ Troy Toma.. Location: The Drake, Canmore. TBA.

SPORTS

• AJHL Playoff Changes Draw Concern From Canmore Coach. The Alberta Junior Hockey League has approved a new playoff format that gives the top six teams first-round byes and introduces play-in series for lower-ranked clubs. The league says the changes will reward regular-season success, but Canmore Eagles head coach Andrew Milne worries they could weaken local rivalries and increase travel costs. Milne said matchups against nearby teams help boost attendance and make it easier for fans to follow the playoffs on the road. 

That’s all, folks!

We’ll see you back here on Friday, 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.