In Good Company: a Sustainable Tourism Framework
Updates
After a year of extensive public participation that took place from June – August 2021 regarding the future of tourism in Canmore., Council endorsed Regenerative Tourism Framework on Oct. 5, 2021.
The Regenerative Tourism framework, if followed, acts to preserve the social fabric of the community, maintains and where possible enhances ecological integrity, and continues to ensure Canmore’s long-term economic health. Council also directed administration to work with Tourism Canmore Kananaskis and the Tourism Round Table to create a process to oversee and monitor progress from the Regenerative Tourism Framework and to facilitate a broad-based community dialogue.
Click here to read the pdf Rengerative Tourism Framework (2.79 MB) and follow this project for ways to get involved at mycanmore.ca
Overview
People love Canmore. Some have grown up here, and some have chosen to grow old here. Some are planning their arrival, and others come for a short while as an escape to a vibrant community and beautiful landscape.
This place, of which we are grateful stewards, is located on Treaty 7 territory and has a rich history. While the town is built from mining roots, it is safe to say that tourism is now the primary economic driver.
Tourism in Canmore Kananaskis (in a normal year) infuses over $345 million dollars directly into our local economy, supporting over 4,000 jobs. Sharing our home with visitors can be a great thing, but we do not yet have a clear agreement about what this means for our community.
We need to make sure that our lifestyle and our tourism economy are aligned and sustainable. That is why we struck a Tourism Task Force, made up of residents like you, to help shape the future of sustainable tourism in Canmore. To get us there, we have launched a process to build a tourism framework to guide our path forward – and we want you to be a part of it.
The Process
The Town of Canmore and the Tourism Task Force have engaged an independent consultant, Stormy Lake Consulting, to initiate meaningful conversations regarding tourism and its role in our community.
This process will lead to a shared understanding and will define a comprehensive, balanced and sustainable framework for tourism and the tourism industry in a way that:
- Preserves the social fabric of the community,
- Maintains and where possible enhancing ecological integrity, and
- Continues to ensure Canmore’s long-term economic health.
Throughout June and July, the community was invited to share, learn and participate in workshops, surveys and other activities. The input we received from these research initiatives will directly influence the creation of a sustainable tourism framework and the future of tourism in this community. Stay tuned for the release of this framework in the fall.
Thank you to everyone who participated and provided their input.
Get Involved
Click here to learn more about how you can share your perspective on the future of tourism in Canmore.
