How Banff Plans to Tackle Housing, Traffic and Climate Over the Next Four Years

Housing, protecting Banff's natural environment, improving transportation and strengthening community partnerships will remain the town's top priorities over the next four years after council approved a new strategic plan July 14.

While the 2027-2030 Strategic Plan largely builds on the previous four-year plan, it places greater emphasis on supporting residents, preparing for climate-related challenges such as wildfires and managing the impacts of growing visitor numbers through what it calls Human Use Management, a framework intended to better understand and influence how increasing numbers of residents and visitors affect housing, transportation, infrastructure, quality of life and the natural environment.

The plan is organized around four priorities, Building a Life in Banff, Protecting Banff's Environment, Moving People Sustainably and Nurturing Relationships and Collaboration, and will guide council's decisions, spending priorities and major initiatives through 2030.

Rather than signalling a dramatic change in direction, the new plan reflects how council's thinking has evolved over the past decade. While housing, environmental stewardship, transportation and partnerships have remained consistent priorities, the latest strategy recognizes they are increasingly interconnected and must be addressed together as Banff grapples with record visitation, climate change and growing pressure on community infrastructure.

Banff's 2019-2022 strategic plan focused on affordability, climate action, transportation, heritage and emergency preparedness through detailed goals and measurable targets. The 2023-2026 plan streamlined those priorities into four broader themes centred on residents, climate action, transportation and partnerships.

Rather than focusing primarily on affordability, the new plan expands that conversation into what council calls Building a Life in Banff, linking housing with social supports, community amenities and overall quality of life.

That broader vision was echoed during public submissions.

Banff entrepreneur Jesse Kitteridge urged council to think beyond simply making Banff more affordable and instead create opportunities for residents to build wealth.

"Banff has spent years talking about affordability almost entirely through the lens of reducing costs," Kitteridge told council. "That's important, but there is another side of the equation, creating pathways for Banff residents to earn more."

Kitteridge argued the town should support locally owned businesses and higher-paying employment opportunities.

"Rather than just asking how to make Banff cheaper, let's now ask how to make Banff-ites wealthier."

Environmental protection also remains one of council's core priorities, but the emphasis has shifted from primarily reducing greenhouse gas emissions to helping Banff adapt to a changing climate.

The plan broadens that work to include wildfire preparedness, community resilience and environmental stewardship. Those priorities build on work already underway, including FireSmart initiatives, fuel-reduction projects with Parks Canada, tighter penalties for violating fire bans and discussions around developing a municipal wildfire recovery plan following the lessons of Jasper's 2024 wildfire. Together, they signal that future council decisions will increasingly be made with climate resilience in mind.

The transportation priority also builds on existing work, continuing efforts to reduce reliance on personal vehicles while expanding transit, walking and cycling. At the same time, it places greater emphasis on managing traffic congestion and visitor pressures as Banff continues to welcome record numbers of visitors, with priorities that include improving parking management and advocating for regional mass transit connections.

The plan also calls for stronger engagement with residents, closer collaboration with Parks Canada, continued work toward Indigenous reconciliation and ongoing advocacy with other levels of government, recognizing that many of Banff's biggest challenges, from housing to transportation and visitor management, extend beyond municipal authority.

Mike Kelly, executive director of the Banff & Lake Louise Hospitality Association, said his organization supports that collaborative approach.

"On the strategic plan, we are supportive and we are willing to partner as it moves into implementation," Kelly told council.

The document itself also reflects a shift in how council approaches strategic planning. Unlike earlier plans, which included detailed targets and implementation strategies, the 2027–2030 plan intentionally focuses on broad priorities rather than prescribing specific policies or measurable outcomes.

In a written submission, the Banff & Lake Louise Hospitality Association encouraged council to develop clear performance measures as implementation moves forward, noting the plan is "intentionally high level" and "does not prescribe specific policies or actions."

With council's approval, the strategic plan will now guide municipal budgets, work plans and major policy decisions through 2030.