Actions Taken by the Town of Canmore in Response to Covid-19
We continue to implement many initiatives in order to align with the guidance we receive from both provincial and local health authorities and to ensure that we are protecting our community.
Updated June 21, 2021
Masks
The Mandatory Mask Bylaw was in place between August 7, 2020 and July 6, 2021 and compelled residents, visitors, and businesses to wear a mask or face covering in all public indoor settings as well as when they were outside in a line-up at any retail or food establishment.
Municipal Facilities
We are very proud of the safe environment that we are providing in our municipal facilities. Our attention to implementing health and safety protocols has meant that there hasn’t been any known spread of COVID-19 within our facilities. All of our facilities have re-opened to the public. Visit Contact Us for details.
Financial Actions
We know that many Canmore residents have been significantly impacted by Covid-19 through job loss, business closure, and other factors. We are taking action to help our community financially.
- Maintain essential services and business continuity, including budgeting $470,000 for new costs associated with the response to the pandemic
- Provide departmental expenditure reductions to help mitigate losses in revenue
- Allow for scalability of operations post-pandemic
- Provide increased social and economic development supports for those individuals and businesses most impacted by the pandemic
- Maintain a strong balance in the Tax Stabilization Reserve to provide the flexibility needed to address future uncertainties as well as known future cost increases.
The following capital projects have been cancelled or reduced in scope, resulting in a reduced transfer to reserves of $1,225,000. It’s important to note that ultimately all of these projects will be required to proceed at some point in the future to achieve Council’s priorities and objectives of the strategic plan.
- Street Rehab Railway Avenue
- Town Centre Enhancement Plan
- Affordable Housing Land and Policies
- Land Use Bylaw Update
- Visitor Accommodation Review
- Light Fleet Replacement
- Roundhouse Solar System
We will keep grant-funded projects going – many of our infrastructure projects are grant funded by different levels of government. Delaying these projects typically means losing the funding. Proceeding has several benefits: we keep the funding, we keep people in our community working, and we can take advantage of quiet time in town to complete disruptive projects. However, not all spending is being reduced; we are investing in the community by providing increased social and economic development supports for those individuals and businesses most impacted by the pandemic. Council directed administration to find additional ways to support individuals and businesses that will not be assisted by a reduction in taxes. Since the Town of Canmore has been building our Tax Stabilization Reserve for many years, we are able to fund these unexpected initiatives.
|
Expense and Service Level Reductions |
$2.7 million |
|
Staff layoffs & hiring freezes |
$1.3 million |
|
Recreation and Facilities programs, services, expenses |
$300k |
|
Arts & Events programs, services, expenses |
$100k |
|
Bylaw programs, services, expenses |
$240k |
|
Streets & Parks programs, services, expenses |
$200k |
|
Carryover of projects from 2019, not being completed |
$320k |
|
Rest of the organization programs, service, expenses |
$240k |
State of Local Emergency
A summary of the powers that declaring a SOLE provide us as per the act is as follows:
- cause any emergency plan or program to be put into operation;
- acquire or utilize any real or personal property considered necessary to mitigate the emergency; (must pay compensation)
- authorize or require any qualified person to render aid of a type the person is qualified to provide;
- control or prohibit travel within the municipality; (not to the municipality)
- provide for the restoration of essential facilities and the distribution of essential supplies and provide,
- maintain and co-ordinate emergency medical, welfare and other essential services in any part of the municipality;
- order the evacuation from any area within the municipality and make arrangements for the adequate care and protection of those persons evacuated
- authorize the entry into any building or on any land, without a warrant, by any person in the course of implementing an emergency plan or program;
- cause the demolition or removal of any trees, structures or crops if the demolition or removal is necessary or appropriate in order to reach the scene of a disaster, or to attempt to forestall its occurrence or to combat its progress; (must pay compensation for damages)
- procure or fix prices for food, clothing, fuel, equipment, medical supplies, or other essential supplies and the use of any property, services, resources or equipment within the municipality for the duration of the state of local emergency;
- authorize the conscription of persons needed to meet an emergency.
Other Town of Canmore Services and Facilities
Events
Weddings
All weddings must follow the Government of Alberta's restriction on gatherings. Information about wedding bookings can be found here.
Please note that wedding photographers are still required to have a business license and can find more information about temporary licenses here.
Events
Town of Canmore events are currently planned to encourage individual participation and avoid large gatherings.
