The Town of Banff, through the preparation of this Action Plan, is taking steps towards a safe, prosperous and resilient future. The Action Plan identifies a number of anticipatory measures to manage priority risks and opportunities anticipated to result from climate change in the area over the next several decades.
Scope
Spatial scope – Bow Valley Corridor, encompassing the Towns of Banff and Canmore, and potential actions within the municipal boundaries of the Town of Banff only. Consideration is also given to external effects that impact the Town, such as tourists originating from outside the region, and infrastructure that links the community to elsewhere (e.g. roads, power lines, etc.).
Operational scope – community-wide impacts.
Risks
9 risks – Flooding, Hail storm, Impact on aquatic species, Lightning, Reduction in glacier-based tourism, Reduced winter tourism, Stormwater infrastructure overwhelmed, Water supply shortage, Wildfire.
One risk judged to be a priority requiring immediate action, and is the focus of this action plan – Wildfire.
Opportunities
4 opportunities – Increase in winter tourism, Increase in shoulder season tourism, Increase in summer season tourism, New growing opportunities (increase in home gardening opportunities and increased local food availability).
Actions
Town of Banff already committed to numerous actions to manage wildfire risks. In addition to current actions, 8 additional or improved actions were identified. Recommended actions serve as a ‘shopping list’ for staff to establish priorities from the list and begin implementation.
Social Equity
Potential climate change impacts – Heat stress on vulnerable populations.
Community Engagement
One day workshop with local stakeholders.
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