Nov 21, 2019 8:10 AM By: Alana MacLeod

BOW VALLEY – Paid parking proposals are on the table for downtown Banff and Canmore as both communities continue to grapple with parking pressures and traffic troubles in the face of growing visitation.

Town of Canmore administration is recommending moving forward with paid parking in the town centre in June 2020 to manage traffic congestion and fund free public transit, while the Town of Banff is kicking off its public engagement process this week on its paid parking proposals.

Under the proposals, both communities have come up with a residential parking permit system.

“It’s not intended to be onerous on the residents. We’re actually trying to come up with solutions that make residential life easier,” said Banff Mayor Karen Sorensen.

“Traffic congestion and the impact of having four million visitors each year – with many driving around Banff looking for parking – continues to affect us all.”

Paid parking was pitched in Canmore’s 2018 integrated parking management plan and has been a controversial topic in Banff for the better part of the last two decades.

Banff’s proposal includes user-pay parking in the downtown core, maintaining free parking on the periphery of downtown, and adding a resident parking permit system to protect spaces in front of homes.

Canmore’s paid parking proposal also calls for a residential permit system. Tourists could still park there for a fee, but residents would be able to register two vehicles to a property in the town centre for free, while any additional permits would be available for $100 for two years.

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