Employee housing has become one of the more polarizing topics in Canmore in recent months.
And it will have to wait at least another two months for further clarity after the matter was postponed in order for council to get more information, meaning discussions will remain in purgatory until at least Sept. 5.
Rather than simply saying yes or no, council has an option of exploring potential regulations that could benefit the community, residents and businesses all facing the housing crunch.
Though exploring options can make it look as if it is heading in that direction, it gives council additional information in making educated decisions that could potentially help the community. If at that time the information warrants council to back away, it’s better to have explored every possible option.
By not shutting the door on the potential for employee housing in industrial areas and exploring possible regulations, Canmore will make the right move to help existing and future residents succeed in the community.
Though employee housing is not a silver bullet, nor the sole answer to the community’s issues, it serves to help Canmore both today and tomorrow.
When there is a limited land base such as in Banff and Canmore, all potential options need to be explored. It doesn’t necessarily mean everything will help, but without looking at chances of what it could look like, it’s effectively trying to solve housing with an arm tied behind your back.
An Outlook editorial on June 8 emphasized the need for collaboration, communication and consultation being key for any dialogue.
The point was no one gets everything they want and if you set out to simply defeat the other side, the ultimate goal of helping the community is put on the back burner.
Town staff have voiced concerns about enforcing employee housing and that it could lead to a socio-economic issue for workers in the community. Businesses have emphasized the desperate need for housing in the community, with staff shortages heavily impacting their ability to run their operations.
While employee housing may be rarer in other parts of the country, the Bow Valley can often be considered its own ecosystem in more ways than one.
In Lake Louise, where there is already a lack of housing, the devastating fire that destroyed the Lake Louise ski resort's Charleston staff accommodation residence will be felt long-term until it can be rebuilt. It not only impacts the immediate needs of the roughly 200 residents, but also the long-term economic impacts of the entire community given it is home to up to 200 people in summer and many, many more in winter when the ski hill is open.
The upcoming Banff council meeting on July 10 will receive a report on Town of Banff-owned housing inventory – which is at 30 units – as waitlists only grow.
The Town of Canmore will also get involved in having its own employee housing as part of the Lawrence Grassi Middle School area redevelopment plan. There, Canadian Rockies Public Schools will also add 20 units for its own employee housing.
The reality is housing will always be an issue in the community, but when given the opportunity for businesses to create their own, it can solve an issue for all parties. Any way to incentivize or keep professionals in the community should be explored.
However, for it to succeed, businesses need to give and show long-term trust in ensuring those units are only for employees. If a bait-and-switch is simply pulled five years after the units are created and they’re suddenly for short-term rentals, the intent has failed.
For nearly 16 months, the employee housing in light industrial areas of Canmore has spun around in circles. Canmore Planning Commission and the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board have become involved, providing multiple decisions on both sides of the equation.
The Town of Banff, facing strict land borders through federal legislation, long ago looked at ways to maximize potential employee housing by using mixed-use buildings in the industrial compound.
Its 2014 housing strategy continued to emphasize the need of using all potential locations for housing to address what is the top need in the municipality with 700-1,000 residential units needed.
In Canmore, council’s strategic plan and its application for the federal government’s housing accelerator fund stress the need for creating housing.
The housing situation in the Bow Valley – and across all of Canada – necessitate that all sides work together and all options are explored.
