🏔️ Welcome to $1.9M Canmore

Good morning, Bow Valley!

At 8:30 AM today, Team Canada’s men face Czechia in the Olympic hockey quarterfinals. If you’re anything like us, productivity is about to take a sharp decline this morning. If your boss asks, just tell them BVI said it was mandatory civic engagement. Tune in.

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

CANMORE HOMES NEAR $1.9M AS 2026 PRICE GROWTH FORECAST TO SLOW

What’s Happening? Last edition, we reported one-bedroom rents in Canmore hit $2,389 in 2025, up 10.1% year over year. Now, the ownership side: detached home prices are nearing $1.9 million, with growth expected to slow but not reverse in 2026.

The Headline Number. Royal LePage’s 2025 Winter Property Report shows the median price of a single-family detached home rose 9.5% year over year to $1,861,000 in the first nine months of 2025. Growth is forecast to moderate to 1.5% over the next 12 months. So, appreciation is cooling, but from an already very high starting point.

A More Balanced Market. The number of homes changing hands fell 7% compared to a year prior. That marks a clear slowdown from pandemic-era highs, when homes were trading quickly and above asking.

More homes are staying on the market longer, particularly higher-priced detached houses, giving buyers slightly more time to make decisions. In practical terms, sellers face more competition, and buyers have a bit more time to think.

Local realtor Lori Mitchell told Bow Valley Insider the market “feels more balanced overall,” with buyers acting more deliberately. Bidding wars are less common.

Segment Split. Condos told a different story, with median prices declining 1.3% year over year to $754,700. Meanwhile, flexible-use properties such as hotel-condos and short-term-rental-friendly units remain active, reflecting continued demand for lifestyle and investment ownership.

Who’s Buying? Demand appears strongest from within Alberta, particularly Calgary and Edmonton, along with out-of-province Canadians. International demand was not highlighted as a major driver.

Policy in the Background. The Livability Tax, which applies a 0.4% surcharge on non-primary residences, remains part of buyer and seller conversations. Mitchell says it has prompted some owners to reconsider the ongoing costs of holding a second home, but it has not yet led to a wave of new property listings. Instead, a separate Canmore Community Housing report suggests some owners may be opting to rent their properties out long-term. 

Bottom Line. Slower growth and fewer sales do not mean affordability. With detached homes near $1.9 million and limited land to build on, meaningful price relief appears unlikely.

FREE INDIGENOUS MUSIC CONCERTS AT BANFF CENTRE

Toga da wôhnagabi (Stories for the Future)

Feb 26 & 28 | 7 PM | Rolston Recital Hall 

Fourteen Indigenous musicians take the stage to share brand-new songs created during Banff Centre’s Toga da wôhnagabi music residency.

Hosted by Dale Mac and Cheryl L’Hirondelle, these evenings feature original work shaped by story, language, and connection to land. Expect powerful vocals, contemporary sounds, and deeply personal storytelling through music.

If you’re curious about new Indigenous music and want to hear songs being shared publicly for the first time, this is your chance.

🎟️ Get your free tickets here.

_{*Presented by Banff Centre.}

THE DIGEST

• 👶🏻 Olivia & Noah Still Rule Alberta’s Baby Name Charts. Alberta’s baby name dynasty rolls on. Olivia has now topped Alberta’s baby name list for 13 straight years, while Noah extends his streak to seven. Last year, 173 baby girls were named Olivia, down from its 2020 peak, while Noah climbed to 259. Amelia, Emma, Sophia, and Charlotte rounded out the girls’ top five; Theodore, Oliver, and Henry followed for boys. In total, 52,000 births were registered in 2025, with 14,500 unique names, including Khaleesi and Zendaya.

• 🏗️ Alpine Club Eyes Major Clubhouse Overhaul in Canmore. After three decades of patchwork fixes, the Alpine Club of Canada wants a long-term redevelopment of its Canmore clubhouse. The proposal would rezone its provincial lease to allow safer road access, a new maintenance facility, and up to 140 parking stalls. The club says chronic winter access issues, staff housing pressures, and overflow parking tied to nearby trails have hit a breaking point. Bed capacity would remain capped at 60. 

• 🐻 Bow Valley Wildlife Corridor Hits 500K Views on YouTube. The Yellowstone to Yukon corridor, which runs through the Bow Valley, is featured in a new Planet Wild YouTube video titled “We’re Creating the World’s Biggest Wildlife Corridor.” In two days, it’s already topped 500,000 views. The video explains how wildlife overpasses, tunnels, fencing, and GPS tracking are reconnecting fragmented grizzly populations and reducing collisions by more than 90%. It’s a behind-the-scenes look at the infrastructure reshaping how animals move through our region.

• 💰 Funding Crunch Blamed for Canada’s Slow Olympic Start. Canada’s medal drought is being pinned on money. The Canadian Olympic Committee says core funding for national sport organizations hasn’t kept pace with inflation, effectively shrinking since 2005. Through the first week, Canada had just one gold and sat 15th in gold count. Athletes have reportedly paid an average $25,000 out of pocket to compete. Officials are now calling for a $144 million funding boost, arguing Olympic success is “nation-building.”

Local Ads That Actually Work

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CANMORE BEGINS REWRITING ITS DEVELOPMENT RULEBOOK FROM THE GROUND UP

What’s Happening? Canmore is launching a full rewrite of its Land Use Bylaw, the 600-plus-page rulebook that governs what can be built and where. Internal Town reports say the current system has become too complex, inconsistent, and hard to navigate.

Why Now? The existing bylaw has grown through years of amendments and special cases. Staff say it’s layered, negotiation-heavy and not fully aligned with today’s housing, climate and environmental goals. Even basic access is an issue. The document is PDF-only and difficult to search.

More than half of Canmore’s developable land is regulated through customized Direct Control districts, essentially site-specific zoning rulebooks. These were meant for special cases but are now widespread, adding length and complexity. 

Housing + Climate Tensions. The review flags a mismatch between zoning and housing goals. Low-density zoning dominates many areas, limiting housing diversity. Technical rules such as minimum lot sizes, required distances between buildings and property lines, and minimum lot widths can make smaller or alternative housing forms difficult or impossible to build.

Climate conflicts are also embedded in the rules. Floor area calculations can penalize thicker, energy-efficient walls. Some electrification equipment faces barriers and FireSmart principles are largely absent.

Wildlife + Fire Gaps. Town policy calls for wildlife corridor protection and wildfire resilience, but staff say the zoning bylaw does not clearly translate those priorities into enforceable standards.

What Changes. The rewrite, starting now and expected to run through 2028, aims to simplify zone categories, reduce reliance on custom districts and move toward a searchable, web-based format. Staff describe it as a rare chance to rebuild the rulebook and better align it with how Canmore plans to grow.

Read our full story on Canmore’s development rulebook reset.

THINGS TO DO

Wednesday

• Create a Comfort Tote with Frankie D’s. Frankie D's Donuts is hosting a free community evening focused on comfort, creativity, and real conversations about mental health. Participants will create tote bags and hope jars filled with grounding items and supportive messages for themselves or others. 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM. Banff Library. Learn more. Free.*

Thursday

• Women’s Gold Medal Hockey Game. Canada’s women face off against the U.S. for Olympic gold. If you’re watching from home, clear your schedule. If you’d rather be in a crowd, The Rose & Crown in Banff is showing it on the big screen starting at 11 AM.*

• Fireside Sunset: Banff’s Cosiest Golden Hour. Only 30 seats each Thursday and Friday. This limited patio pop-up pairs Chef Sergio’s street-food-style Fireside Bites with a signature cocktail or mocktail, all set beside glowing firepits overlooking Banff. It’s not a formal dinner. Keep the ski gear on, gather your crew, and settle into a relaxed après as the sun dips behind the peaks. Includes two bites, one drink, and s’mores. Juniper, Banff. $33. Reserve here.*

• Film Screening & Headwaters Discussion. A new documentary, Trouble in the Headwaters, lands in Canmore with a screening and discussion. The film examines how clear-cut logging in Alberta’s headwaters may be linked to flooding and water quality concerns. After the screening, Professor Younes Alila and filmmaker Daniel Pierce will lead a Q&A. 7-9 PM. artsPlace, Canmore. Free.*

WHY THOUSANDS OF BOW VALLEY LOCALS ARE OVERLOOKING THIS CLINIC

What’s Happening? Mountain Maternity and Family Practice, along with its sister clinic Canmore Collaborative Health, is accepting new patients and wants Bow Valley residents to know a key detail that often gets missed: they are not just a maternity clinic.

The Big Misconception. The name does a little too much heavy lifting. Doctors say many people stop at “maternity” and never hear the “family practice” part. The result? Residents assume the clinic is only for pregnancy and women’s health, when in reality they provide full-spectrum primary care for all ages and genders.

What They Actually Do. Think less niche, more everyday medicine for men, women, and children. Doctors say most appointments have nothing to do with pregnancy at all. Common visits include viral illnesses, chronic disease management, joint and back pain, mental health care, skin concerns, routine checkups, and medication renewals. In their words, a big part of family medicine is also reassurance.

Why This Matters Locally. Many Bow Valley residents still don’t have a regular family doctor and rely on walk-ins or the ER. Physicians say this leads to missed follow-ups, skipped preventive screenings, and fragmented care. Issues like abnormal lab results, early cancer signs, anxiety, or chronic conditions can fall through the cracks without continuity.

What Surprises New Patients. New patients often expect long waits and paperwork. Instead, they find same-day or short-notice availability, quick online registration and booking, and access to a large physician team across both clinic locations. The shared-care setup between Mountain Maternity and Canmore Collaborative Health brings family doctors and other health services together under one roof.

Interested in Becoming a New Patient? Fill out this quick form, and Dr. Brendan Flowers and the clinic team will personally follow up with you.

_{*Presented by Mountain Maternity & Family Practice.}

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• 🫗 Anything But a Cup Night at Rose & Crown. On Monday, March 23, The Rose & Crown in Banff is hosting an “Anything But a Cup” party. The idea is simple. Bring something other than a cup to drink from. Teapots, trophies, gravy boats. If it can hold a beverage, it works. Order your drink, use your chosen vessel, and tag @roseandcrownbanff on Instagram for a chance to win a $50 gift card. The most creative entry wins.*

• 🥘 February Grab & Go Dinner Deals. Valbella Gourmet Foods is serving up two February Grab & Go specials designed to feed a crowd without the fuss. The Valbella Pizza Night (feeds two) pairs their meat-loaded original pizza with a large Caesar salad. The Pork Roast Night (feeds three to four) includes a pork loin roast, oven-roasted veggies, and hearty Habitant pea soup. Order here before they sell out.*

• 📣 Elladj Balde Lands in New Apple Ad. Local ice skater Elladj Balde, known for racking up tens of millions of views with his wild outdoor skating clips, is now featured in a new ad from Apple. Even better, a lake off the Parkway makes a cameo in the background. It is a slick global spotlight on Bow Valley scenery and another reminder that some of the world’s most cinematic backdrops are sitting right in our backyard.

• 🩸 Donate Blood or Plasma in Canmore. Roll up your sleeve and help save lives. Canadian Blood Services has appointments available on February 24 at the Bill Warren Training Centre in Canmore. Donations of blood or plasma directly support patients across the country. If you are able, book ahead and give what you can.

• 🐌 Did You Know Banff Has Its Own Snail? Hidden in the waters of Cave and Basin National Historic Site lives one of the rarest creatures on Earth: the Banff Springs snail. Found nowhere else in the world, these tiny snails glide across floating microbial mats, grazing on bacteria and even travelling upside down beneath the water’s surface.

CIVIC NEWS

• Banff Property Assessments Up. Property values in Banff continue to climb. The town’s overall assessment rose 12% this year to $4.66 billion. Residential values saw a modest 2.3% increase, while non-residential properties, including hotels, jumped 8.3%.

LIVE MUSIC

• Wednesday, February 18th, 2026, 9:00 PM: Elevate 360. Location: Melissa’s MisSteak, Banff. $11.30-$16.50.

• Thursday, February 19th, 2026, 9:00 PM: Bunny Hops. Location: Magpie and Stump, Banff. No Cover. 

SPORTS

• Bow Valley Athletes Shine at Alberta Winter Games. More than 2,400 athletes competed at the 2026 Alberta Winter Games, a biennial provincial event for athletes aged 11 to 16 that’s helped launch future Olympians. Canmore sent 107 athletes and Banff sent four, with local medals coming in speed skating, cross-country skiing, biathlon, and alpine skiing. Full results.

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.