The newest Minister of Municipal Affairs, Ken Hughes, is keen to learn more about the challenges tourist communities face when providing services and infrastructure for more than their residents.
To that end, Hughes was in Canmore last week to meet with Canmore Mayor John Borrowman, Banff Mayor Karen Sorensen and Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland.
Sorensen credited Banff-Cochrane MLA Ron Casey with setting the important meeting up to discuss the issue, especially since Hughes only came into the cabinet position at the beginning of December.
“I think it was an opportunity to introduce ourselves and educate him on the history of this issue and update him on the progress made with Minister Griffiths,” she said.
During a budget meeting at Banff council on Wednesday (Jan. 15), council considered the final year of a five-year project to install wayfinding signage throughout the community. Sorensen said when the $2.2 million project first came forward she was surprised at the number of signs needed, about 140 in total, but it is one example of how the needs of a tourist town differ from other communities of a similar size. This year will see installation of larger entry signs at both entrances of town.
In fact, $29.3 million of the $37.9 million in new projects being considered in Banff’s 2014-23 capital budget are considered to be related to visitation.
The issue of added signage needs for tourist towns is also front and central in Canmore, which approved year one of a three-year $1.2 million project in its 2014 capital budget. Borrowman noted not many towns of $12,000 people need to spend that kind of money on signs.
He added Hughes had a very good handle on the issue, as he is familiar with both Banff and Canmore.
“He was very receptive and very encouraging in his response to the discussion the mayors of Jasper, Banff and myself brought forward,” Borrowman said. “We were just trying to give an overview of specific aspects of operating a municipality in a tourist-based economy that are complicated.”
Hughes told the Outlook it is important for him to understand the unique situation tourist communities face when it comes to providing infrastructure and services to a population greater than just those that live in the community.
He added it is also critical for him to understand the types of tools and options available to address those concerns and he looks forward to working with the three communities on a solution.
Canmore, Banff and Jasper have also applied for a grant for a Competitive Tourism Communities Project under the province’s regional collaboration program.
The three municipalities want to build an evidence-based case on why tourist destinations have unique challenges to traditional towns. The $71,000 grant would fund a study to look at what these types of communities pay for in terms of infrastructure to meet the needs of visitors.
It is not a new issue; for some time Banff has been seeking recognition that could lead to alternative and diverse revenue sources and financing tools to help it achieve financial sustainability.
In British Columbia, the government set up a revenue sharing agreement in 2006 to allow resorts to share a portion of the province’s hotel tax to invest in local projects and programs.
B.C. resort communities can only spend the revenues on certain tourism-related infrastructure, programs or marketing. It can’t be used on general municipal services for residents and taxpayers.
