BANFF – The Town of Banff worries about managing traffic congestion in the tourist town with the anticipated displacement of visitors from Kananaskis Country to Banff National Park due to the unprecedented security lockdown and no-go zone associated with the G7 Summit of world leaders.
Mayor Corrie DiManno said Banff is expected to be busier than usual this June because of the G7 Summit in neighbouring Kananaskis Country, where there is a public lockout as part of a large controlled access zone from June 10-18.
“With limited access to Kananaskis Country, some visitors are likely to redirect their plans to Banff,” she said.
“Additionally, as we approach the G7 Summit, we anticipate the large delegations arriving in Calgary may take the opportunity to visit our town.”
DiManno said the good news is Banff’s tourism and hospitality sectors are well prepared, noting businesses have been ramping up staffing for the busy summer season and are “ready to welcome the world.”
However, she said managing increased traffic will be challenging and visitors are encouraged to follow the recommendations of the Town of Banff to take transit, or if they must drive, to park at the free train station intercept lot.
In addition, DiManno said the Town of Banff will deploy traffic control flaggers at key intersections on weekends during the Kananaskis Country G7 closure and manage traffic signals to improve flow in congested areas.
“Despite these efforts, peak periods will inevitably bring delays,” she said.
“Our goal is to manage where those delays occur because we cannot eliminate them entirely.”
The G7 Summit of world leaders is June 15-17 in Kananaskis Country. A big chunk of Kananaskis Country will be shut down June 10-18 to public access because of the extraordinary security measures in place as part of a controlled access zone.
Banff typically sees more than four million visitors a year, with the majority of those coming in the peak season summer months. With exploding visitation in recent years, Banff’s streets get clogged with vehicles and traffic delays can be lengthy.
At a recent meeting, council asked questions of G7 organizers about the impact on Banff and the surrounding national park from all of the displaced visitors from K-Country when the controlled access zone is activated.
Ugo Therien, Global Affairs Canada director of general planning for the G7, didn’t have a clear answer or specific details on that, other than to say a G7 working group has been meeting with Parks Canada on a weekly basis.
“I think the main goal is the summit management office and Parks Canada are really working closely together in order to make sure that we’re providing best context to everyone,” he said.
“If a problem is being created, we fix the problem as soon as they come. We’ve been working with them since the fall.”
DiManno said the Town of Banff urges visitors to follow their guidance for getting to and around Banff during the G7 Summit in Kananaskis and continuing over the busy summer months.
For those flying into Calgary or living in the region, she said regional transit is the best option.
She said services such as Red Arrow, Banff Airporter, FlixBus, Vivo Green, Brewster Express and Rider Express offer convenient alternatives to driving and eliminate the need to find parking in Banff.
“If you do choose to drive, we implore you to park your vehicle once you arrive and to use public transit to explore the townsite and national park,” she said.
DiManno said Roam public transit is a vital part of the visitor experience.
“With nine new buses added to the fleet and additional shuttles redeployed on high-demand routes, Roam is better equipped than ever this summer,” she said.
“We're also pleased that several of the Proterra electric buses are back on the road after delays in obtaining replacement parts.”
DiManno said Banff anticipates a strong summer for visitation, driven by a favourable U.S. dollar and a growing number of Canadians opting to vacation closer to home.
She said with Calgary and surrounding areas among the fastest-growing regions in Canada – welcoming more than 100,000 new residents to Calgary alone last year – more people are taking advantage of quick trips to the mountains.
“This trend is already evident. Over Easter and the May long weekend, Banff recorded its highest vehicle counts for those holiday Fridays,” she said.
“We appreciate everyone’s patience as we work to keep Banff moving smoothly this summer.”
