Council Clips – April 20, 2021
As part of the process of renewing the lease with Alpine Helicopters, stakeholder groups provided their feedback on Schedule D of the Lease. The feedback received was as diverse as the stakeholder groups, and was used to propose updates to the lease, including reducing the number of daily flights by 25%, wildlife and recreational user disturbance guidelines, and a focus on noise reduction strategies. There will also be requirements to report on GHGs and air quality. All the proposed lease amendments can be read in the staff report here: https://canmore.ca/documents/4527-2021-04-20-cow-agenda and town hall is scheduled for May 4 at 6 p.m. to hear public feedback on the recommended terms of renewal for the new schedule.
Main Street Pedestrian and Cycle Zone
To increase mobility and safe physical distancing for residents and visitors accessing local businesses, we are returning Main Street to a pedestrian and cyclist-only space in summer 2021. Cars will be detoured from Main Street between 6 Avenue to 8 Avenue as of Wednesday, May 5 (weather dependent) until Oct. 15. New this year is 100 stalls of intercept parking near Home Hardware. Visit Pedestrian and Cyclist Only Main Street for details.
Disaster Recovery Program (DRP) Changes
The DRP provides financial assistance to qualifying applicants to help restore uninsurable property lost or damaged by a disaster to its basic, pre-disaster functional condition. As part of their 2021 budget, the Government of Alberta made several significant changes to the DRP including a new 90:10 cost-sharing arrangement, a $500,000 funding cap per homeowner application, and a one-time limit on disaster financial assistance per property. Administration is providing Council and the community with an update to these changes so that we can begin to understand the potential implications to property owners and the municipality. For details and links to information on the DRP, as well as emergency preparedness tips, visit Emergency Preparedness
Climate Action Plan Update
Council was provided with an update on climate action efforts undertaken to date. Notable initiatives include solar incentives, the new Clean Energy Improvement Program to help Canmore residents make energy efficiency improvements to their homes, introducing residential (10 more bins coming later this year!) and commercial food waste collection, providing free local transit, improving cycling and walking infrastructure, and installing the largest rooftop solar photovoltaic arrays in the Bow Valley. Watch the webcast of today’s presentation which will be posted on Council Agendas, Minutes, and Videos
Rooftop Solar Update
There is tremendous potential for rooftop solar production throughout the community and on municipal structures. By the end of this year, six municipal buildings will have rooftop solar installations on them, reducing electricity consumption and GHG emissions. Approximately 40% of the Town of Canmore’s municipal structures have rooftop solar potential, which could result in an approximately 30% annual reduction in municipal electricity consumption. To learn more about solar potential in your neighbourhood or the existing solar installations, watch the webcast of today’s presentation which will be posted on Council Agendas, Minutes, and Videos
Youth Council Program
A Youth Council is being created to connect youth, aged 15 to 18 years old, and support them in engaging in their community. Participants will engage with community by volunteering and creating youth events/programs and raise awareness of youth issues and learn to participant in existing engagement processes. The council is hoping to attract members, including those who may be marginalized such as English as a second language learners, new Canadians, LGBTQ2+, and youth who may not be enrolled in a private or public school. For information how to get involved, visit Youth Programs and Opportunities
Update on Support for Non-Profit Groups
In collaboration with the Town of Banff, a Bow Valley non-profit website was launched to support local non-profit groups. Whether these organizations need print resources, are looking for local contractors who give non-profit rates, the website forum and newsletter connects non-profit groups to the information they need. As well, a speaker series with monthly learning sessions will be hosted throughout 2021. Visit https://bowvalleynonprofits.ca/ to learn more. In addition, Moving Mountains in the Bow Valley is a new project that just received $400,000 through a grant and partnership with the Town of Banff FCSS, Town of Canmore FCSS, and the Banff Canmore Community Foundation to further this important work with local non-profit groups.
2020 Financial Statements
At the Finance Committee meeting today, the auditor reviewed the 2020 financial statements which were accepted for the year ending December 31, 2020. Statements are available at Budget & Financial Information
