Community Social Assessments

$A squirrel holding an acorn with the text \"food for thought\"$

Update to the community — July 2025

What's happened since the release of the 2023 Community Social Assessment in February 2024

The 2023 Community Social Assessment revealed the aspects of life in Banff that residents cherish, as well as the concerns and challenges affecting their quality of life. The assessment team have committed to sharing bi annual updates of a selection of what has changed in the last six months. Below are examples of projects, programs, and services launched by community groups, organizations, and municipal departments in response to these findings.

Housing

At the June 2025 Council meeting, Council directed Administration to proceed with the proposed scope of work for the 50 Wolf Street Housing Project and to host a public open house to share concepts and designs for the 50 Wolf Street project.

The 50 Wolf Street Project unit mix will include:

43 one-bedroom rental units (4 accessible units )
32 studio rental units
15 two-bedroom units for sale

The Government of Alberta has awarded the Town of Banff $6.43 million for the project that will support the construction of 75 below-market, affordable rental units.

There will be 4 accessible one-bedroom units on the ground floor. All housing units will incorporate 85% of Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)’s recommended universal design elements making all units more accessible and adaptable for all residents.

Since the Land Use Bylaw change, there have been applications for 31 new accessory dwellings. Of those, 7 have been fully developed and have either been rented to new tenants or are available for rent.

Planning received 54 development permits for housing since the start of the Housing Accelerator Fund program, which includes a combined total of 319 net new homes.

Cost of Living

Banff Access Program
The provision of 90% transit discounts for all Banff Access members has been the driving force behind a significant upsurge in applications. 1934 passes have been sold from March 2024 to date. A new, one-year agreement was signed with the province to continue funding Banff’s Low Income Transit program from April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026.

Tax Filing Support
Introduction of a full day Canada Revenue Agency and Service Canada drop-in clinic provided 28 residents access to outreach staff. Results included on the spot tax rebates and access to benefits.

The Banff Childcare Needs Assessment was completed in April, 2025

Council passed the first reading of a bylaw in June 2025 to allow daycares as discretionary use in additional land use districts and set a public hearing for July 2025 to receive resident input.
Town of Banff staff have identified numerous facilities which could be used for childcare purposes.
Banff Rundle Playschool extended their hours to offer full-day pre-school from 8:45 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Affordable Food Access
The Bow Valley Food Alliance has introduced the Bow Valley Fresh Food Box to address accessibility to affordable fresh food across the Bow Valley, partnering with a supplier that supports local food producers and reduction of food waste.

Community Connection

Recreation

BanffLIFE has introduced a wider range of affordable arts and culture programming, along with alcohol-free social events to foster connection and a sense of belonging for young adults, with support of the Wim and Nancy Pauw Foundation.

April 2025 saw the grand opening of the Sundance Park Adventure & Nature Playground.

Introduction of new affordable and inclusive programs, including the Seniors+ walking program, which features Paratransit bus services for participants supported by Covenant Health volunteers.

Town of Banff renewed its commitment to Rotary Park, including maintaining the seasonal ice rink. June 2025 Rotary Park celebrated new amenities, including an accessible playground, a day shelter, a new washroom facility, PlayBox, and a picnic space with shaded areas. The sports court will offer outdoor skating in winter and a multi-use basketball/pickleball court in spring and summer.

Food Gatherings

2025 saw continued support by the Town of Banff and sponsorship from local ethnocultural, hospitality, food and arts groups for culturally led and organized community events including an Ethnocultural foodfest during Mental health week, plus Chilean and Filipino lunches.

Health & Safety

FireSmart planning in 2025 included more community-based FireSmart workshops and presentations, additional mitigation work around essential town assets, and participation by Town Administration in a regional fire safety collaboration team.

The Town of Banff has hired a FireSmart Coordinator to further the FireSmart Canada programming within the community to reduce wildfire risk.

Resident handbooks and checklists have been updated and distributed around town.

The introduction of combustible roof replacement and FiresmartFireSmart tree removal incentives.

Tourism Impacts

In Fall 2025, the Banff sign will be moved to the Banff train station to improve safety for drivers and pedestrians and enhance the visitor experience.

Roam Public Transit added more buses and increased stop frequency in its summer schedule.

Transit and local guide service companies to provide better access to the most popular visitor sites for both locals and visitors.

Data from the Mountain Avenue bus lane shows that travel times to the Rimrock have decreased by an average of five minutes, with 96% compliance to the new road system.

Community groups and organizations are seeing more sponsorship and support for local events and activities from a wider range of local businesses.

Mental Health Supports

The Bow Valley Primary Care Network created a new social worker position in response to the community’s need for greater access to support.

In May 2025, the second annual Banff Mental Health and Addiction Week (BMHAW) featured community-led activities and events promoting mental health supports and building resilience, with 61 partners, 55 programs, and 1,500 participants.

BMHAW launched an updated website and asset map highlighting local mental health supports.

2023 Community Social Assessment

The CSA is produced every five years, with Banff’s first being published in late 2006. This is the fourth version and the second iteration of the assessment timed to coincide with the release of the federal census data. Learn more >

Read the 2023 Community Social Assessment (CSA)
Read the Summary Report - published in June 2024

It is based on community engagement conducted across a wide spectrum of Banff residents and data compiled through 2023. It aims to capture a moment in time of a community’s social well-being; its strengths and opportunities, along with its issues and challenges.

The Community Social Assessment helps determine how best to direct support and close existing gaps. It serves as an incentive to encourage new thinking and action to respond to opportunities and issues alike. To support community well-being, it is crucial to have a detailed understanding of the social picture of one's community.

The past three assessments have helped to guide decisions related to policy, programs and services in the municipality, and community at large and have created a baseline to analyze change in the community over time. It is anticipated that this report will initiate a series of actions that will benefit the community.

Highlights of the 2023 Community Social Assessment

Residents reported the same top three community strengths as seen in the 2018 Community Social Assessment:

Small Town Community Feel
Appreciation of Nature & Environmental Stewardship
Quality and Variety of Services, Amenities & Programs

Top community challenge themes reported by residents in the 2023 Community Social Assessment:

Housing
Tourism Impacts
Cost of Living
Community Connectedness

Notable Findings:

“Banffites” love the community

The majority of Banff residents have immense appreciation for the small-town feel, neighborliness, and spoke highly of the commitment to “taking care of each other” during difficult times. The unique characteristics of the community and its surrounding environment are of primary value and attraction for new and long term residents. However, the COVID- 19 pandemic also left some residents feeling isolated and out of touch and they are looking for opportunities to reconnect.

Newcomers are acclimatizing to the weather and living alongside wildlife

Longer term residents originally from Global South countries are among some of the proudest residents in Banff and are eager to share the outdoor experience with friends and family. This is in contrast to the 2018 Community Social Assessment, when this group shared they were not keen on outdoor winter activities and expressed fear of wildlife interactions.

The community has a greater understanding of the Town’s role to support tourism.

Though residents did not specifically mention the Banff’s Municipal Incorporation Agreement with the federal government, detailing its purpose in being a service centre for the visitors of Banff National Park, many acknowledged that without tourists the town of Banff would not exist. This is a significant change from the 2018 CSA where residents questioned why there was such a focus on tourism.

Banff’s population has increased between 2016 and 2021.

The Town of Banff had a population of 8,305 in 2021, representing an increase in population of 5.8% from the last federal census in 2016. Close to one third of Banff’s population has turned over in the last five years so while during the COVID-19 pandemic people did leave, they were replaced by others.

Banff continues to attract young adults.

At 13% of the total population, residents aged 25 – 29 are the largest five-year age cohort in Banff. At 33% of the population, Banff continues to have a greater percentage of residents aged 20-34 than the rest of the province. This trend dates back to 1991 and underscores the critical importance of young adult programming to community wellbeing as well as the need for regular and consistent community messaging for this demographic that continually arrives.

A rise in the proportion of Banff’s population aged 50 years and over

Individuals aged 50-64 constitute 18% of the population while those aged 65 and older make up 12%. It is worth noting that the number of seniors in Banff is lower than in other communities with the exception Whistler. The Age Friendly consultations held in 2022 provide evidence that the 50+ demographic is looking to age in place in Banff and hence the municipality’s commitment to supporting the Age Friendly Action Plan is in alignment with meeting the needs of older adults.

There are notably less families with children living in Banff

The federal census statistics show there has been a substantial decline in two parent families with children from 47% in 2016 to 39% in 2023. While families said Banff is a family friendly community, and children speak fondly of their schools and abundance of activities, the lack of appropriate, affordable housing and childcare challenges are reported as a barrier to staying in the community.

Tourism impacts in Banff

Residents expressed that without a sustainable tourism management plan they are concerned for the impact tourism has on their quality of life, health and overall community wellbeing. There is an expectation that all the National Park parties work together to create a plan that balances resident quality of life with the visitor experience.

Lower income residents earned more over the past five years however Banff has the lowest median income across comparable communities.

There was a significant decrease in the number of residents earning less than $20,000 per year dropping from 28% in 2016 to 17% in 2021. It appears that the provision of COVID-19 benefits may have contributed to these decreases. However, Banff ranks lowest in individual and family median incomes among comparable communities, at $40,950 and $99,750 per year respectively. Coupled with the increase in housing and food costs, challenges in finding affordable childcare and limited access to essential goods, the cost of living remains a struggle for many residents.

Housing affordability, availability and instability poses the greatest challenge for residents.

Even with the introduction of subsidized housing units, such as those at the YWCA and Ti’Nu, the vacancy rate remains close to zero and purchasing a home sits at the severally unaffordable metric requiring 8.2 times a household income. Residents reported housing insecurity as a leading cause of mental health stress and the lack of appropriate and affordable options as reasons for leaving the community.

Banff residents are moving towards “car free living”.

While driving to work is still the top method of commuting in 2021, walking is second, followed by Roam transit and biking. These encouraging trends support resident appeals for increased local and regional bus routes.

Individuals not born in Canada make up 37% of Banff’s population.

Multiculturalism is now considered mainstream in Banff unlike in 2013 when there was concern regarding whether the appropriate resources were in place and in 2018 when diversity was noted as an asset. Notably, approximately 40% of participants in the check in stage were permanent and non-permanent residents. More support for community wide ethnocultural gatherings and an increased need for access to culturally appropriate food were popular asks during the consultations.

Next Steps

Since publication in January 2024, the Community Social Assessment (CSA) team has presented the CSA findings to close to 300 people across a broad array of sectors and services including residents, grassroots and formalized groups and organizations and agencies serving Banff. If your group or organization would like a member of the Community Social Assessment team to present the report findings please email [email protected].

In addition, the Town of Banff Community Development team can provide support for groups and organizations who are working to address community needs, as identified in the 2023 CSA. Please email [email protected].

Efforts are being made to track and capture community impacts and changes related to CSA goals and are reported back to the community twice per year. See the current report at the top of this page.