Closing Doors for the Environment
Council amended the Community Standards Bylaw to include an Open Doors section to save energy and reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced in the community. Many businesses are still keeping their doors open even after an education push to inform them of the importance of keeping their doors closed in the fall and early spring. The new bylaw applies to commercial premises and requires outside doors be closed between the Tuesday after Thanksgiving Day and until the last Friday in April except when temperatures rise above +10°C. While making amendments to the Community Standards Bylaw, an exemption for air conditioning units under the noise section was added to allow residents and businesses to have cool and clean air.

Railway Avenue Design Approved
The concept design for Railway Avenue Central was updated to incorporate many of the public’s comments to improve the design including better accesses to businesses, a permeable median, and realigned intersections. Council approved the design and a new capital project for the water line design (to be funded by the Utility Water Reserve).

Cougar Creek Update

The estimated costs to complete the Cougar Creek long-term mitigation project have increased. The additional budget approval in the amount of $29,100,000 will allow for full completion in 2024. Grant funding has not yet been fully secured, and administration’s ability to move the project forward is contingent on securing the future grant funding. Council approved a budget increase for Cougar Creek Long-Term Mitigation from $49,072,620 to $78,172,620 for project completion with the increase of $29,100,000 funded by a future grant of $25,000,000, and Provincial Flood Recovery Erosion Control (FREC) and Alberta Community Resilience Program (ACRP) grants interest accrual of $4,100,000.

Employee Housing and Commercial Land Review
A Retail Gap Analysis and Light Industrial and Commercial Land Review recommended against repurposing light industrial space and land for employee housing. This recommendation, combined with an increasing number of development permit applications related to the provision of employee housing in light industrial districts, and the applicable language in the Land Use Bylaw, informed administration’s recommended motion to return with proposed amendments to the Land Use Bylaw and Municipal Development Plan to discourage the provision of employee housing in industrial districts. However, Council postponed the decision on this item to Sept. 5 to have all Councillors present for this important vote.

Council also:

• Accepted the Reconciliation and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Final Report for planning purposes and Mayor Krausert will sign the Declaration to Join the Coalition of Inclusive Municipalities.
• Heard the Q2 update on Council’s Strategic Plan and approved key results as a tool to measure future progress on this plan.
• Approved a Development Permit for a portable classroom at Canmore Collegiate High School.
• Established a Bow Valley Regional Emergency Management Bylaw to create a Regional Emergency Advisory Committee and Regional Emergency Management Agency. This formalized structure will benefit the community by increasing preparedness and response in both Banff and Canmore.
• Increased a capital project for a fleet vehicle replacement from $120,000 to $125,000 and amended the funding source to accommodate a $14,000 grant from the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre’s Electric Vehicles for Municipalities program.
• Approved an increase to the scope and budget for the 2023 Climate Emergency Action Plan – Development from $150,000 to $211,000, with $80,000 funded from the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre’s Climate Resilience Capacity Building Program and the remaining $131,000 from the Sustainability Reserve. The new plan will combine the Town of Canmore’s multiple environmental guiding documents into a single ten-year guiding document.
• Approved minor amendments to the Land Use Bylaw to improve the clarity of regulations and definitions, resolve clerical errors, and delete redundant and/or irrelevant regulations.
• Heard an update from the Homelessness Society of the Bow Valley (HSBV). The HSBV served 30 guests for a total of 263 shelter bed nights and submitted a request to use municipal space for the upcoming winter. This request will be considered at the next council meeting in August. The HSBV is exploring shelter pods as a long-term solution.

To watch the presentations or read any of the reports, visit https://canmore.ca/town-hall/town-council/council-minutes-agendas