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- How To Find Housing in Banff & Canmore (Without Losing Your Mind)
How To Find Housing in Banff & Canmore (Without Losing Your Mind)
Let’s be real: finding housing in Banff or Canmore can feel like a full-time job.
I’ve seen people pack up and leave before they even had a chance to unpack. I’ve also seen people crammed into a single bedroom with six roommates. A few years ago, I lived with someone whose “room” made Harry Potter’s cupboard look roomy.
All that to say—it can be tough. But don’t let that scare you off.
With a bit of planning and realistic expectations, you can find a place to call home. And once you do? Life in the Bow Valley is pretty hard to beat.
Stick around till the end—we’ve pulled together a full list of resources and links to make your move a whole lot smoother.
Here’s The Reality: There’s Not Enough Town
Banff and Canmore might be small, but their reputations are massive. Banff has around 8,000 residents, Canmore has closer to 15,000—and together, they welcome millions of visitors each year.
But it’s not just tourists flooding in. Every peak season, a wave of workers rolls in too—bartenders, hotel staff, ski techs, guides—all hoping to land a job and live the mountain town dream.
Here’s the catch: Banff can’t really grow. It’s inside a national park, which means tight federal restrictions on development. Canmore can expand, but land is limited and pricey, so most new housing ends up geared toward luxury buyers or second-home owners—not seasonal staff.
That combo keeps demand sky-high and supply painfully low. And when the rental market is that competitive, landlords can charge whatever they want.
It sucks, but it’s the reality: if you pass on a place because it feels too expensive, there are 300 other people in line who won’t. So be ready to move fast, and adjust your expectations.
Staff Accom Is Basically a Rite of Passage
If you haven’t lived in staff housing, have you really lived in Banff or Canmore?
Nearly everyone here has done a stint in staff accom—sometimes out of necessity, sometimes just for the experience. It’s a solid way to get a roof over your head, make a few instant friends, and ease into the mountain town lifestyle without immediately draining your savings.
If you’re moving here without a place lined up, your best move is to find a job that comes with housing. Most big employers—and even some smaller ones—offer staff accommodation as part of the deal. Make sure to mention you’re looking for housing when handing out resumes. It’s often the only way to get your foot in the door, and the rent is usually cheaper than a private listing.
The tradeoff? Space. Staff accom tends to mean bunk beds, shared bathrooms, and tiny kitchens packed with people on opposing shifts. You’ll be giving up privacy—but gaining proximity, affordability, and a built-in social circle.
Facebook Is a Necessary Evil
Love it or hate it, Facebook is one of the best tools for finding housing in Banff and Canmore. It’s how my partner and I found our current place—and surprisingly, it was pretty painless.
There are multiple local Facebook groups dedicated to housing. Are they oversaturated? Yes. Are they crawling with scammers? Also yes.
But if staff accom isn’t an option, Facebook is likely your next best bet—as long as you’re willing to put in the time and stay sharp.
Don’t just lurk and scroll. Introduce yourself with a photo and a short post: who you are, what you’re looking for, and what kind of tenant or roommate you'd be. The more info you give, the better your chances.
And remember—it’s not just landlords watching those posts. Lots of current tenants (like me!) help fill rooms in their places, so you’re also appealing to potential future housemates.
Key tip: Never send money before seeing the place in person and signing a proper agreement. Scams do happen.
It’s Who You Know
In Banff and Canmore, word of mouth is everything. Landlords are often the last to know when someone’s moving out, so your best leads usually come from friends, coworkers, or that one guy you met at Mel’s last weekend.
Some houses here feel like they’ve been passed down through generations of roommates—handed off from one friend to another, to another, and so on.
If you’re Aussie, this might work in your favour even before landing. With approximately 50% of Australians now living in Banff (okay, not technically true—but it sure feels like it), there’s a solid chance you already know someone who knows someone who knows of a room becoming available next Thursday.
That said, wherever you're from, the same rules apply:
A friend of a friend works at a property management company? Hit them up.
That guy at Mel’s mentioned his roommate’s leaving? Slide into his DMs.
Your buddy’s restaurant offers staff accom and needs a new cook? Send your resumé—with your buddy’s blessing.
Don’t wait for a listing—ask around. So many rentals here never make it to Facebook. They get passed along before ever being advertised.
And when your time comes to leave? Pay it forward.
Vanlife Isn’t as Easy as Instagram Makes It Look
There’s something undeniably romantic about vanlife—the freedom, the mountain views, the minimalist lifestyle. It’s easy to see why more and more people are swapping their 9-to-5s for life on the road.
But Banff and Canmore aren’t exactly vanlife-friendly.
In Banff, sleeping in your vehicle is only allowed within designated campgrounds. Bylaw officers patrol regularly, and if you’re caught camping on the street or in a parking lot, you’re looking at a hefty fine.
Canmore is a bit more relaxed. They even have a Safe Park program designed to support people living in vehicles (however, it’s only available from May to September). So, it’s a good option if you’re thinking of testing out the vanlife dream here, but it’s not a permanent solution.
Just keep in mind: the Rockies don’t mess around with weather. Even in the middle of summer, overnight temps can dip close to zero. So unless your setup is fully insulated and built for mountain conditions, that dreamy vanlife summer could turn uncomfortable real fast.
What Your Money Actually Gets You
Prices can be all over the place in Banff and Canmore—so before you jump at a place that seems like a deal, make sure you know what’s included.
Some rentals cover everything—utilities, internet, parking. Others will tack those on separately, and suddenly that “cheap” room isn’t so cheap anymore.
For context:
My partner and I pay $1,900/month for a large bedroom in a penthouse condo, shared with three others. That includes all bills, Wi-Fi, and even a heated underground parking spot. So yeah—shared housing can still come with perks if you land the right place.
Here’s a rough breakdown of typical prices:
Staff Accommodation (usually shared rooms, sometimes private): $600 – $1,000/month
Single/Couples Room (in a private rental, shared with others): $1,200 – $2,200/month
2-Bedroom Apartment or Condo (not shared): $2,500+/month
Of course, there are exceptions to every rule—but if you’re seeing anything drastically cheaper than this, read the fine print and check for red flags. Most often, though, you’ll be paying more.
Other Stuff That Matters (A Lot)
There are a few extra factors that can make or break your housing hunt. Here’s what you really need to keep in mind:
Got a pet?
Good luck. It’s hard enough to find a rental here—adding a four-legged friend to the mix makes it even tougher. There are pet-friendly Facebook groups, and some property management companies are more flexible, but expect a longer search.
Join every waitlist you can.
Banff and Canmore both have property management companies and non-profits that help with housing. Get on the lists early. Some people get lucky in a few weeks, others wait over a year. Either way, it’s worth a shot.
Got a car? Look further out.
Dead Man’s Flats, Exshaw, and even Cochrane are popular with folks who don’t mind a drive.
Dead Man’s Flats & Exshaw: Close to Canmore, easy commute.
Cochrane: Cheaper rent, but about an hour away—still doable if the savings make it worth it. Lots of people commute from Canmore to Banff for work too.
To live in Banff, you must work in Banff.
So don’t show up hoping to find a place before you have a job—especially not in the park. If you’re job-hunting, start with Canmore. Hostels are cheaper while you’re searching for something more permanent, and everything you need to get settled is within walking distance.
Team up.
Flying solo? Try to partner up. Ask around or post in housing groups to find others looking for roommates. Landlords prefer locking in a group for a season over rolling the dice on individuals who might ghost by next payday.
Timing is everything.
You’ll have way more luck finding a place (and a job) before the season starts.
For summer: Arrive in March/April.
For winter: Arrive in September/October. Just note—ski hills might hire in October but not start you until the snow hits in November. Budget for a dry spell if you’re banking on that paycheck.
Links and Resources
Jobs with Staff Housing:
Job Sites:
Property Management & Non-Profits:
Facebook Groups:
Final Reality: It Is Worth It—But You’ve Gotta Plan Ahead
Yeah, it can be daunting—but knowing all this now gives you a huge leg up.
Dreams of moving to Banff or Canmore—dreams that have been building for months, maybe even years—can crash and burn fast if you don’t sort out housing early. Plenty of people arrive with high hopes and leave just weeks later, defeated by the rental grind.
But if you use this info wisely, do your homework, and put yourself out there, you’ve got a much better shot at landing a place to call home—whether that’s a bunk in staff accom or your own little corner in a mountain condo.
Good luck out there. You've got this.
Additional Reading
Check out our complete guide to moving to Canmore or Banff.
Questions?
Drop your questions below.
 Phil Tomlinson | I’m Phil, a UK-born chef now living in Banff. Cooking is my craft, but writing is my passion. Whether it's in the kitchen or through the words I write, I love finding the connections between communities and cultures that tell great stories. |
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