Parks Canada Forum in Banff looks to address increasing visitation numbers

Banff considering how to accommodate visitors coming to the mountain town as visits increase with Canada Strong pass.

Parks Canada held its Annual Planning Forum at the Banff Park Lodge on Wednesday with stakeholders in Banff National Park.

Among the issues discussed, managing increased visitation numbers were top of mind.

“Visitation and managing visitation continue to be a priority for us,” said acting Banff Field Unit Superintendent Daniella Rubeling. “It’s not going to go away. People will continue to want to visit Banff National Park.”

With over 4 million people visiting Banff National Park every year, managing traffic congestion through the town and around tourist hot spots have become major issues for officials.

“The last few years, and in particular summers, we’ve seen record vehicle counts into the Town of Banff,” said the town’s Mayor Corrie DiManno.

“One of the top priorities as it relates to working with Parks Canada is coming up with a more comprehensive and cohesive transportation plan of how to move people sustainably through the park.”

One area in particular that creates issues is the Sulfur Mountain Gondola, DiManno said. The attraction is across town from both entrances of the community.

DiManno praised Parks Canada recent move to implementing paid parking at the base of gondola.

Announced earlier this month, Parks Canada said the aim of the parking pilot was to manage “significant traffic congestion and parking challenges during peak periods.”

“We think that that will be a good disincentive to folks driving across our only vehicle bridge and up to those Sulfur Mountain lots, so we’re really keen to see if that helps to shift visitor behavior on to transit instead of driving their personal vehicles,” DiManno said.

Back in February, Parks Canada began seeking public feedback to ease crowding in Lake Louise.

“We have a very broad variety of potential uses in a very high demand spot, and when we develop solutions, our challenge is to find a solution that’s going to work for as many of those people as possible,” said François Masse, Lake Louise field unit superintendent.

Masse said 2.6 million people visit the Lake Louise area annually.

“We really have to adapt our management tactics to get to people where they’re at, offer them a good experience, but also be able to manage the park in a way that works,” he said.