7 days ago
‘Not sustainable': Banff seeing more traffic amid Canada Strong Pass
Officials with The Town of Banff say the mountain community is experiencing an increase in visitation thanks to the Canada Strong Pass, which gives visitors the chance to access national parks for free.
'By the end of July, we are up six per cent vehicle volumes year to date,' said Mayor Corrie DiManno. 'We are definitely seeing an uptick in vehicle volumes.'
The Canada Strong Pass, announced by Prime Minister Mark Carney in the spring, effectively makes access to national parks and historic sites free until Sept. 2.
DiManno says free entry into Banff National Park has created some issues.
'We cannot handle that volume of vehicles into the long term,' she said. 'We need to continue to work with our provincial and federal partners to look at mass transit – whether it's bus or rail, now and later. We know that it is simply not sustainable.'
