Many of our of friends, neighbours, and family who stock our shelves, brew our favourite coffee, teach at our schools, provide childcare to our kids, or work at our local clinics cannot access housing in Canmore. They’re often commuting from Calgary or Cochrane, or, at worst, giving up on the Canmore dream altogether. 

The biggest driver of this is our limited space combined with the high demand for living in our beautiful mountain town. Right now, about one in four homes in Canmore are not occupied by a permanent resident, despite the 0.9% vacancy rate.

The good news is that our Livability Tax Program is one of the best tools to address Canmore's housing crisis. 

To help keep Canmore within reach for those building our community, we’re introducing fairness into our taxation system. Starting in 2026, non-permanent residents will now pay rates equal to those who run tourist homes, which are properties that may operate as short-term vacation rentals.

Most importantly, 100 per cent of the revenue from this program will support building approximately 2,000 non-market homes to help more Canmore residents call this place home.

We’ve heard from many of you who want to join the conversation but aren’t sure how or where to start. We’ve taken your feedback and have ;aunched a new tool to make it easy to show your support. You can now send a personalized letter to your elected officials through our website to support the Livability Tax Program.

Get involved and share with family and friends who have been impacted by the housing crisis