CANMORE – The polarizing issue of the future of employee housing in Canmore’s light industrial area is returning to council Tuesday (June 4).
Originally schedule for council’s May meeting, the discussion was postponed but is returning with Town staff recommending amendments to the land use bylaw and Municipal Development Plan to “discourage the provision of employee housing in industrial districts.”
The staff recommendation comes with the completion of the retail gap analysis and light industrial and commercial land review study, asking council to stop the growing trend of employee housing in light industrial areas, specifically in the Bow Meadows Crescent region.
“While housing was not the primary area of focus for the study, the authors did recommend against repurposing light industrial space and land for employee housing,” a staff report stated. “This recommendation, combined with an increasing number of development permit applications related to the provision of employee housing in light industrial districts, and the applicable language in the land use bylaw, has informed administration’s recommended motion.”
The staff report emphasized the study provides to give “the Town the tools to sustain and enhance the economic health and diversity of the community.” The study estimated 20,553 square metres of gross retail floor area, 4,782 square metres of gross office floor area and 9,144 of new gross industrial floor space will be needed by 2032.
The study further stresses the need to collaborate with businesses on shared priorities, continue to bring livability to the community and address housing issues and retain the use of industrial lands.
But while the staff report pushes for the need to maintain industrial space for only industrial use rather than housing, the business community has equally emphasized the potential second floor space has for housing, specifically for employees.
A contentious May 18 Subdivision and Development Appeal Board (SDAB) hearing had 16 businesses speak in favour of employee housing in the Bow Meadows Crescent area at 100 Alpine Meadows. There were 13 letters of support and more than 30 people in attendance to offer support.
The proposed 12 second floor employee units that would’ve added 34 bedrooms at 100 Alpine Meadows were denied by SDAB, but comes after the board approved employee units at 127 Bow Meadows Crescent. CPC approved 12 employee units in May 2022 at 121 Bow Meadows Crescent.
Though the employee housing issue in the light industrial area has been ongoing for more than a year, Canmore Mayor Sean Krausert previously said council was waiting on the retail gap analysis and light industrial and commercial land review study before providing additional direction.
However, while council has waited, development applications have continued to be made and ultimately decided by council-appointed committees at the Canmore Planning Commission (CPC) and SDAB.
Despite the growing high nature discussion on employee housing in the community, council has been silent on the topic.
In the CPC and SDAB hearings, the MDP, land use bylaw, Indian Flats ASP and council’s strategic plan were used by both the applicant and Town staff to request the application move ahead or be denied.
In a letter to the editor in the June 1 edition of the Outlook, the Bow Valley Builders and Developers Association (BOWDA) raised concerns about the lack of direction and guidance being given by council to Town staff.
“We urge council to promptly review the Canmore land use bylaw in relation to housing such as that proposed in the Bow Meadows area and render guidance to administration,” wrote BOWDA Chair Brian Talbot on behalf of the board of directors. “The interpretation of the Municipal Development Plan regarding both industrial and housing is in conflict and this needs to be rectified.”
“We implore council to act and provide explicit, consistent, and effective guidance to the administration to solve this problem. This should include setting realistic goals and implementing strategies to achieve those objectives. Although it may not be an easy task, it is crucial to ensure that all employees in need of housing eventually have access to adequate and affordable housing.”
The Town of Banff went through its own issues with employee housing in its industrial compound in the mid-2000s. The municipality found employee housing to be an opportunity and permitted it in 2002.
Rather than simply say yes or no to employee housing, the Town worked on establishing regulations in the area for employee housing and its 2014 housing strategy finetuned the regulations to develop housing in the area.
The greatest barrier, however, was found to be its isolation from the townsite. With an area redevelopment plan to take place in the coming years and a Roam transit route launched in the area last year, it’s expected greater connectivity will be established.
Banff’s 2014 Housing Strategy identified “housing in the industrial compound it makes sense for people to live near their work, and it makes sense for the town to maximize residential opportunities.”
The retail and light industrial study was part of the 2021 budget and a recommendation of economic development strategy and the Business Recovery Taskforce. It began in February 2022 and originally began solely as looking at the retail gap, but expanded to include light industrial and commercial.
The retail gap looks at the retail profile in the community, consumer demands, gaps and opportunities. The commercial and industrial land supply and demand inventory analyzed the approach for industrial and commercial lands.
Despite the study recommending the need to maintain the second floor light industrial space, businesses have repeatedly said the space is rarely, if ever, used for anything but storage and that employee housing addresses the desperate need for housing and short staffing.
Though the study didn’t specifically look at housing, it recommended against such use in light industrial space. However, throughout the staff report housing in light industrial areas was continually raised as not being appropriate.
“This recommendation, combined with an increasing number of development permit applications related to the provision of employee housing in light industrial districts, and the applicable language in the land use bylaw, has informed administration’s recommended motion,” stated the report.
It noted the area isn’t best suited for residential as well as it is precarious for people since it’s controlled by the employer.
“The authors of the study recommend against allocating any of Canmore’s limited supply of light industrial land for residential use,” a staff report stated. “While there may be short-term benefits in terms of easing housing constraints to allow residential use in these areas, administration is concerned with potential unintended consequences on community equity.”
The study found a retail trade area population of 34,551 and about 216,464 square metres of ground floor business space in addition to having “a very low commercial vacancy rate” of less than one per cent.
The study recommends the Town work with the business community on shared priorities, address housing challenges, encourage commercial nodes and retain and use industrial lands efficiently.
The Gateway at Three Sisters has been under development since being approved in late-2021, but faced numerous delays in planning matters as well as a Subdivision and Development Appeal Board hearing that delayed the removal and storage of topsoil and fill.
The Smith Creek area structure plan, which is waiting for a decision from the Court of Appeal, also has a commercial and light industrial component meant for Smith Creek and Dead Man’s Flats residents and is along the Trans-Canada Highway.
The commercial district, according to the ASP but not mentioned in the retail and light industrial gap study, would be between three and five hectares.
CPC also approved 12 employee housing units in May 2022 for 121 Bow Meadows Crescent, though the project returned to CPC July 5 with the applicant asking for an increase to 15 employee housing units. The design has also slightly changed with the common laundry room being removed for in-suite laundry, lounge room and common entrance being removed and an additional two-bedroom and three-bedroom unit being added.
SDAB allowed two employee housing units at 127 Bow Meadows Crescent earlier in the year.
The staff report, however, notes “Industrial lands should focus on intensification and densifying of under-utilized lands through infill and redevelopment with an eye towards finding synergies between industries and supporting local employment opportunities.”
It further adds that while there may be short-term benefits, Town staff see issues with the long-term consequences of losing light industrial space and the potential impact on community equity.
The report additional highlights there’s no guarantee of employee housing remaining as such due to the limited enforcement options by the municipality.
“Primary concerns are around the livability of the spaces and neighbourhoods for residents, the potential for precarious housing circumstances to exist for employees whose shelter is controlled their employer, and the possibility that inequitable neighbourhoods will be created,” stated the staff report.
“In addition, the Town has such limited industrial lands that the potential for long-term negative consequences for small business owners to open and run businesses here could be significant. This will severely limit the Town’s ability to advance economic development growth and diversification.”
