Environment a key issue in Canmore election
Three Sisters development the priority
CANMORE — At a recent environmental forum in Canmore, municipal election candidates were asked: Will the next town council be a careful steward of the Bow Valley’s natural resources?
There’s no question the environment is a major issue in the mountain town, crossed by key wildlife corridors through the Bow Valley and surrounded by the white-capped Rockies.
Indeed, the issue has been front and centre in the past year — particularly in June when massive rainfall and mountain runoff turned the town’s small creeks into raging torrents and damaged dozens of homes.
The after-effects of the flood are expected to be a priority for the town’s council in the next term.
But even before the natural disaster hit, the environment was a hot topic after council opened the door for Three Sisters Mountain Village to get out of receivership and start development.
The 600-hectare property, which represents about 80 per cent of the remaining developable land in Canmore, was purchased by private owners in the summer after the receiver walked away from the project and put the land up for sale.
“It is a fresh start, a fresh slate,” says Chris Ollenberger, a spokesman for Three Sisters Mountain Village.
Conservationists and residents are hopeful, but maintain that the development will continue to be one of the most important issues facing the town.
“It’s been an issue that’s been around since 1992,” says Karsten Heuer, a Canmore resident who’s also the president of the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative.
Originally approved in 1992, the upscale Canmore resort specializing in high-end properties was partially developed when it went into receivership in February 2009.
The town approved a framework agreement almost a year ago to pave the way for the sale of the property and its continued development, but it immediately created a rift in the town due to several environmental concerns.
“Over 1,400 acres of land left to be developed, which is a pretty big swath, and it represents 80 per cent of the remaining developable land in the town and ... it’s a well-recognized and continentally important wildlife corridor,” says Heuer. “So you stick those three things together and mash them in a blender and you’re sure to have some fireworks fly.”
In the past, proposals have contemplated as many as 10,000 additional residents in the area.
“There’s the question: How much more people can you cram into a valley that is already restricted by its extreme topography?” says Heuer, noting there are also questions about the type of development. “Are we going to go with the second home, weekender effect or are there ways to diversify the economy so we don’t have all of these vacant neighbourhoods and exorbitant property prices?
“Are there things we can do on that property that will meet the needs of wildlife and meet the needs of a healthy, diverse community?”
During the environmental forum, residents in attendance placed a similar priority on Three Sisters.
Candidates — including three for mayor and nine for councillor — had varying responses, but most acknowledged the importance of balancing the environment, economy and social issues.
John Borrowman, who’s running for re-election as mayor, says Three Sisters is an important development on many fronts.
“We’re talking about building a community,” he says. “The environmental protection is one important aspect of approvals going forward. I want to make sure the community is working with the owners and the owners are working with the community to build a shared vision.
“We have to get it right on the Three Sisters land, because if we don’t, we can’t go back and remove things we’ve built.”
His main challenger, Hans Helder, says he believes the town’s biggest issue is leadership.
“It’s in the context of environment, economics and social issues,” he says, noting council needs to take a stronger leadership role. “One of the things I’ve noticed on my time on council, with two mayors, is that it’s not everybody who believes mayor and councillors are elected to be leaders in their community.”
Helder, who has been a town councillor for three years, says Three Sisters is a major part of Canmore’s future.
“It’s a very, very positive thing that it’s out of receivership,” he says, noting it will be up to the mayor and council to establish the right kind of relationship with the new owners.
During the forum, candidates were asked about the priority they place on the wildlife corridors throughout the town.
Helder says they’re important, but not the only consideration.
“We spend way too much time talking about wildlife corridors and not enough time talking about economic issues, not enough time talking about economic development, not enough time talking about jobs and not enough time talking about the social implications about leaving this land undeveloped.”
Most other council candidates, however, say the wildlife corridors are the utmost priority.
Ollenberger says they will be revisiting all the issues.
“Unfortunately, communication really broke down between the receiver and the town and the town’s citizens,” he says, noting the new owners are looking to fit with the community’s vision and deal with the environmental concerns.
“Overall, it has to make economic sense as well,” says Ollenberger. “It’s going to be a blend of all those three things.
“So I think it’s going to be a different conversation.”