Cathy Ellis

“Banff is a special place, and I don’t think Canmore sees this type of increase in their hotels and mainly because in Canmore there’s a different type, there’s the hotel condominium that you can buy, there’s more doors in Canmore than there are in Banff, “ said Frank Watson, the Town of Banff’s assessor.

“I can’t talk a lot about the security envelope, but we’re aiming for the least amount of impact on people,” said an Integrated Safety and Security Group spokesperson.

The animal care, health and welfare team has done a visual heath assessment of the two young cougars, which are in good body condition.

“They are the 6th and 7th cougars to be lost from our ecosystem since May 2024. I can’t even describe in words just how devastating this is.”

“The only really two reasons why a coyote would be in your neighbourhood or in and around town is for a place to sleep somewhere or where they’re finding food."

Provincial wildfire officials are investigating the circumstances that led to two cougar kittens orphaned and left to fend for themselves after their mother was killed earlier this week by hunters near Canmore.

Parks Canada is ramping up plans for logging and prescribed fire work to reduce the risk of a catastrophic wildfire to the Banff townsite following decades of fire suppression in surrounding forests throughout the national park.

A known female cougar has been killed by hunters near Gap Lake earlier this week, leaving the fate of her two orphaned kittens uncertain.

“There’s going to be a lot of people running around with guns, so is someone going to shoot a grizzly? Are they trained in wildlife aversion?”

A design competition is being launched to develop a conceptual design of new visitor information centre in the heart of downtown Banff that has been in the works for almost 30 years, which could include residential housing.