The growing concerns surrounding the impact of increasing tourism on the environment remain a key focus as Banff’s primary planning document, outlining the community’s vision for the upcoming years, nears finalization.
The contentious Banff Community Plan, intended to serve as a roadmap for the town’s offerings to residents and visitors by 2040, is set for potential approval as early as next week.
Residents have highlighted the significant rise in tourism and its environmental repercussions, along with potential revisions to the Canada National Parks Act, as reasons to pause the approval process and scrutinize the plan further.
These concerns have been consistently raised since the inception of the plan in 2023, with some residents expressing a decline in their quality of life.
Banff Mayor Corrie DiManno stated, “We will discuss and work through this together. I believe that desire is being effectively addressed.”
Banff’s Continued High Activity
With over four million annual visitors to Banff National Park from around the globe, a significant number inevitably visit the townsite.
Banff experienced record-breaking traffic volumes this past summer, with 1.76 million vehicles passing through the town in July and August.
Covering just under four square kilometers, the challenges of navigating crowds and finding parking have left some residents feeling marginalized.
Numerous calls have been made to explore ways to cap tourism and enhance the management of visitor numbers in Banff.
Leslie Taylor, Banff’s inaugural mayor, emphasized, “While we cannot control demand, we can and eventually must regulate visitation.”
In 2024, a referendum was held in Banff regarding the seasonal pedestrian zone, resulting in the highest voter turnout in the town’s history. Ultimately, voters chose to eliminate the concept, with some viewing it as a referendum on tourism itself.
Harvey Locke, a conservationist and long-time resident, described Banff as consistently bustling with visitation on the rise each year.
July 2025 saw 729,000 visitors to Banff National Park, compared to 684,000 in July 2024.
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