We asked the questions, so you don’t have to.
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1.
What are your priorities from the town of Canmore's Climate Emergency Action Plan? Why did you choose those?
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2.
Do you think the Town is doing too little, enough, or too much with regards to climate action? Why?
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3.
What is the Town of Canmore's greatest challenge when it comes to reducing our emissions?
Click on a candidate’s name to jump directly to their answers.
We’ve tried to post their answers exactly as they were received. Our sincere thanks to all of the candidates who participated!
Sean Krausert
What are your priorities from the town of Canmore's Climate Emergency Action Plan? Why did you choose those?
Before noting my priorities from the Town of Canmore's Climate Emergency Action Plan ("CEAP"), I think it's important to acknowledge the accomplishments of the current Council's term in this regard. With CEAP being approved for planning purposes in July 2024, there has been significant progress even in that short time, including the following as reported to Council as part of the August 19, 2025, agenda package:- Switching to a landfill with methane capture, which resulted in cutting the Town of Canmore (corporation) GHG emissions in half.
- Servicing over 100 restaurants, cafes, and grocery stores as part of the Commercial Food Waste Collection Program, with 510 tonnes of commercial food waste picked up in 2024 compared to the 30 tonnes picked up when the program first launched in 2021.
- Increasing the available number of climate action incentives for residents by 400%, including introducing a new Climate Action Incentive Program, doubling the number of residential solar incentives, adding a commercial/multi-family solar incentive, and an incentive to make multifamily parking stalls Electric Vehicle (EV) charger ‘ready’.
- Completing the Bow Valley Trail separated cycling and walking path and the West Bow River Pathway.
- Continuing leak detection and repair of drinking water and sanitary lines.
- Obtaining funding to install ‘smart’ water metering systems at an accelerated rate.
- Approved a new all-year transit route, Route 12, servicing Palliser Trail, the hospital, and downtown in the winter months as well as some popular destinations in the summer months.
- Completed the Cougar Creek debris retention structure.
- Updated the Wildfire Preparedness Plan and began construction on the Bow Valley Community Fireguard.
- With organics going to landfill having large environmental impacts because it results in methane gas (28 times more potent of a GHG compared to CO2), we have to focus on diverting more organics from our residential stream while working to grow the commercial stream. This includes education, deploying more organics bins, and enforcement.
- Continuing to work with regional partners to come up with solutions to construction, renovation, and demolition waste.
- Hiring a zero waste coordinator.
- Work towards a carbon budget.
- Take opportunities to advocate to the Province for adoption of high-efficiency and net-zero building codes while continuing to incentivize developers and builders to net-zero buildings.
- Continue construction of the Bow Valley Community Fireguard, FireSmart activities, and updating our Land Use Bylaw and Engineering Construction & Design Guidelines to reflect fire resistant trees and building standards.
- Continue with Transportation Mode Shift initiatives including Complete Streets with additional safe walking and biking trails as well as seeking more public transit routes.
Do you think the Town is doing too little, enough, or too much with regards to climate action? Why?
A municipality could always do more; and, even though the Town of Canmore is a climate change leader, we could do more. Of course, there are practical limits as to what we can achieve due to finite financial resources. Therefore, we have to make choices based upon what we can control and choosing those initiatives that give us the greatest "bang for our buck".
What is the Town of Canmore's greatest challenge when it comes to reducing our emissions?
The Town of Canmore, like many municipalities, faces multiple challenges when it comes to reducing our emissions, including:
- lack of political will
- ack of resident buy-in
- limited financial resources
- only municipal infrastructure and actions being within the municipal control
- reliance on other levels of government to set the building code and other similar standards that impact the climate
Should Canmore continue to elect a Council that has the political will as it has done in the recent past, and given that resident buy-in grows over time with increased education, and given that we cannot control that which we cannot control, I would say the greatest challenge is limited financial resources. If we had more, we could do more. Of course, the same can be said for infrastructure maintenance, recreational opportunities, building housing, etc. Municipal governments only get about 3% of overall tax dollars collected, and we have to make difficult choices while trying to meet a wide variety of needs and priorities.
Ed Russell
We haven’t heard back Ed Russell
Laura Finlay
We haven’t heard back Laura Finlay
Tanya Foubert
Responses coming on or before October 11. Please check back.
Wade Graham
What are your priorities from the town of Canmore's Climate Emergency Action Plan? Why did you choose those?
We have the most opportunities in the development industry to address climate initiatives. Canmore will double in size in the next 30 years. The homes we build will have an impact for the next 100 years. Net zero building also addresses equity and affordability by being cheaper to operate on a daily basis. Also, retrofitting existing buildings to help their efficiency is a big opportunity for our town. Partnering with the dev community will be key. I’m encouraged by Biosphere and BOWDA’s collaboration on this front.
Do you think the Town is doing too little, enough, or too much with regards to climate action? Why?
As a whole, we have a lot of room for improvement to hit our goals as a corporation. However, we are certainly trending in the right direction. We need to keep focusing on high impact and high return initiatives. The low hanging fruit, so to speak. In the last term we made some incredible strides forward including the adoption of the CEAP which will guide the way for future councils.
What is the Town of Canmore's greatest challenge when it comes to reducing our emissions?
If we are talking about the town as a whole, then I believe it is actually the tourism industry. The emissions from this sector are significant and ongoing. Addressing it will take creativity and collaboration with industry leaders including TCK. I’m encouraged by their commitment to regenerative tourism, but to date we have not seen much in the way of concrete solutions to the challenges faced here. There is an incredible opportunity for us to be global leaders here and I want to see that come to reality.
Jonathan Hazzard
We haven’t heard back from Jonathan Hazzard
Jeff Hilstad
What are your priorities from the town of Canmore's Climate Emergency Action Plan? Why did you choose those?
Council’s role is to develop and evaluate the policies and programs of the municipality. In that capacity, Council approved the Climate Emergency Action Plan (CEAP), which outlines a path forward for reducing emissions and building climate resilience. Implementation now lies primarily with Administration, which brings forward the most feasible priorities—typically through the budget process— for Council's consideration.
That said, some of the most important priorities in the CEAP are:- Energy-efficient and resilient buildings
- Sustainable transportation
- Renewable and clean energy supply
Buildings are a significant source of emissions, both in how they’re constructed and operated. That’s why it's essential to build municipal buildings to net-zero or near net-zero standards and to retrofit existing facilities for greater energy efficiency.
Transportation is the largest source of emissions in Canmore, accounting for nearly two-thirds of local GHGs. Expanding active transportation options and electrifying the Town’s vehicle fleet not only reduces emissions but also helps alleviate congestion and free up parking—particularly in the downtown core.Finally, transitioning to renewable energy and expanding solar generation—both on municipal buildings and through community incentive programs—will help Canmore lower its carbon footprint while building local energy resilience.
Do you think the Town is doing too little, enough, or too much with regards to climate action? Why?
The Town of Canmore is doing more than most municipalities and has set ambitious climate targets. Importantly, the Town is addressing both mitigation (reducing emissions) and adaptation (resilience to climate-related risks), rather than treating them as separate issues.
There are already several strong initiatives underway:
- Solar installations and building retrofits (e.g., the new net-zero fire hall)
- Electrification of the municipal fleet
- Clean Energy Improvement Program
- Mandatory Commercial food waste diversion
- Incentives for solar and energy efficiency upgrades—including fully funded home energy retrofits for seven Affordable Services Program members through the Home Upgrades Program, in partnership with Kambo Energy Group and Alberta Ecotrust
Of course, more can always be done—but as a Council, we must balance ambition with affordability. Every new initiative has a cost, and the municipal budget can only stretch so far. Education also plays a critical role. Residents can make choices that reduce emissions and save money: walking or cycling instead of driving, using Roam Transit, disposing of food waste in neighbourhood food waste bins, or reducing waste by sharing, repairing, and reusing.
Climate action is a shared responsibility—and the more individuals and organizations engage, the more progress we can make as a community.
What is the Town of Canmore's greatest challenge when it comes to reducing our emissions?
The biggest challenge is that many key factors lie outside the Town’s direct control. For example:
- Provincial building codes, which determine construction standards
- The carbon intensity of Alberta’s electricity grid, which affects the emissions profile of local energy use
If other levels of government don’t move quickly—for example, by delaying stronger building codes or keeping fossil-heavy electricity generation—it limits how far Canmore can go, no matter how ambitious our local policies are.
The second major challenge is financial capacity. Many climate actions—like building retrofits, electrifying the fleet, or expanding transit—require significant upfront investment. Ensuring that the Town, residents, and businesses can access funding or incentives is critical. There are also equity concerns: not everyone can afford to act, even when long-term savings are possible.
Overcoming these challenges will require collaboration, creativity, and continued advocacy to provincial and federal governments. With the right partnerships and community engagement, Canmore can continue to lead by example.
Jeff Mah
What are your priorities from the town of Canmore's Climate Emergency Action Plan? Why did you choose those?
Create Resilient Efficient Buildings. Because our built structures have such a significant useful life span, it's important that we get new buildings done in the most green manner possible. Town of Canmore is leading the way via CCH and our high standard for the Palliser Lands and we will continue to follow this for the rest of that region.
With regards to older, existing housing stock - finding ways to encourage deep retrofits would be excellent. Tearing down an existing home often isn't the most environmental solution, however retrofits are expensive. It would be great to see the CEIP program expanded. Additionally, if there were ways to piggyback onto other levels of government for programs to increase heat pump usage, that would be very helpful. Not only are heat pumps more efficient, they help protect occupants during extended heat episodes which will only become more common as the effects of climate change continue.
My second priority would be to continue to optimize our transportation system so that alternate modes of transport are efficient and safe. By continuing to subsidize ROAM via paid parking fees and steadily improving our bike paths, residents and visitors are beginning to see the financial and time advantage. In particular, in times of heavy traffic, it's not abnormal to see a trip done by e-bike to be significantly quicker than using a car. And of course, the health and social benefits are a wonderful bonus.
Do you think the Town is doing too little, enough, or too much with regards to climate action? Why?
I think the town could do more, however there is complexity in balancing the vast needs of the entire community in the context of budget. Many of these challenges are non-negotiable services and infrastructure upgrades. For example, our wastewater treatment plant is slated for significant updates and is an incredibly expensive project. In a post-covid world, inflation and labour shortages have seen the price tags on projects skyrocket while at the same time our town reserves are being depleted. However, it is vitally important for TOC to continue to make all decisions through the lens of climate action. This way when additional opportunities and funding arises, we can pursue them.
What is the Town of Canmore's greatest challenge when it comes to reducing our emissions?
If I were to look at this problem at a system level, our greatest challenge is the current provincial government. They do not support higher-standard building codes and all municipalities have seen funding reduced despite the looming infrastructure crisis. In addition, other responsibilities have been downloaded onto the town to provide.
This is further compounded by the challenge we face as a tourist community. Given our vast population swings due to visitation, our infrastructure must be outsized which adds to further cost.
From an actual action standpoint, retrofitting existing building stock is our biggest challenge. Homes have a significant life span, and given the cost of living, it can be cost-prohibitive for residents to fund deep retrofits.
Karen Marra
What are your priorities from the town of Canmore's Climate Emergency Action Plan? Why did you choose those?
Emergency preparedness - The threat of Wildfire has been an ongoing concern for Canmore and surrounding areas and communities. Wildfire remains a hazard to life property and critical infrastructure. Continuing programs for assessment of properties for Wildsmart
Transportation - Continued investment into Roam transit and active trail systems for pedestrians and bikers. Fare free local transit moves residents and visitors throughout our community reducing congestion and GHG emissions.
Incentive Programs - Continue supporting programs that offer incentives to have energy assessments on homes, so residents can address where they can be more energy efficient.
Do you think the Town is doing too little, enough, or too much with regards to climate action? Why?
The Town of Canmore has been actively moving forward on many initiatives that are in the Climate Action Plan. Limits of human capacity and budget affect how fast things move. By moving forward with several initiatives that seem small can cumulatively make a substantial difference. The Town continues to apply for grant funding and developing plans like the Canmore Climate Emergency Action Plan. For an up-to-date report to see how we are doing please visit the town website or report in the August 19th meeting package. (Info gram)
What is the Town of Canmore's greatest challenge when it comes to reducing our emissions?
Rapid growth and Tourism pressures place a high demand for increased energy consumption and transportation emissions.
Tourism is an important economic driver for the community, planning education and providing services like transit and trail systems will help with reducing emissions.
Overcoming obstacles with involve strategic investments in sustainable infrastructure, working with industry interest holders and education for travelers.
Jen Marran
What are your priorities from the town of Canmore's Climate Emergency Action Plan? Why did you choose those?
This prioritization needs to be a collective decision by the new council to benefit the entire Canmore community. Canmore’s Climate Emergency Action Plan has more than 90 actions, so there is an opportunity for the new council to review the actions and assess where these actions are at. In particular, the actions with an immediate, ongoing, and 2-5 year timeline should receive primary focus. The new council needs to determine, together, which items may be behind schedule and/or require prioritized focus in the first year of the new council’s term.
Do you think the Town is doing too little, enough, or too much with regards to climate action? Why?
By completing the suggested review/audit of the listed action items, the new council will have a good direction of where the Town of Canmore is doing too little, enough, or too much. They also need to assess whether some items, such as wildfire mitigation, need to have an expedited timeline based on events that have occurred since the plan was created. The new council needs to ensure they are aligning with the first theme of the action plan which emphasizes the importance of Municipal Leadership and that they are, and continue to be, “a hub of learning and sharing, and a catalyst for change.”
What is the Town of Canmore's greatest challenge when it comes to reducing our emissions?
As the action plan states, one of the largest sources of emissions is from the transportation section. Our challenge is that people will continue to drive personal vehicles to, and within, Canmore. Although we can facilitate safe infrastructure to accommodate biking and walking, there will still be a significant number of people who choose to drive. We need to work on ensuring we have a proactive plan to keep traffic flowing instead of creating situations where vehicles are stopped on our roadways and spending more time idling and producing emissions.
Javan Mukhtarov
What are your priorities from the town of Canmore's Climate Emergency Action Plan? Why did you choose those?
My top priorities are reducing emissions from buildings and transportation, while ensuring our climate actions are affordable, inclusive, and practical for residents and local businesses.
Buildings are one of Canmore’s largest sources of emissions. While the Town currently requires new homes to be at least 10% more energy efficient than the EnerGuide reference house, I believe we can go further. I would advocate for gradually increasing these standards and expanding retrofit programs to help residents and small businesses install heat pumps, solar panels, and other clean technologies. Heat pumps are one of the most effective ways to lower emissions and heating costs in our mountain climate. I would also work to secure more funding from other levels of government to make these upgrades more affordable and accessible to everyone.
On transportation, I would support expanding Roam Transit to more neighbourhoods and trailheads, building multiple intercept parking areas outside the downtown core, and improving active transportation connections across town. With more homes being built in the Moustache Lands, the underpass linking Palliser to Canmore’s main routes will be essential infrastructure to encourage safe active travel, reduce short car trips, and ease congestion.
Do you think the Town is doing too little, enough, or too much with regards to climate action? Why?
The Town has made important progress, but I believe we can do more and do it faster to meet our Climate Emergency goals.
Canmore has installed solar panels on municipal buildings, electrified parts of its fleet, and offered incentives through the Clean Energy Improvement Program to help residents upgrade their homes. The Green Building Regulations also set higher efficiency standards than the provincial baseline. These are strong steps, but most rely on voluntary participation and moderate targets.
If elected, I would focus on implementation and measurable outcomes by expanding public and active transportation, building the Palliser underpass, and adding intercept parking to reduce traffic and emissions. I would also advocate for more funding for heat pump and retrofit programs, and push for greater municipal authority from the Province to adopt higher building efficiency standards.
The Town has a solid foundation; now we need to accelerate the pace of action and make climate solutions a visible part of daily life for residents.
What is the Town of Canmore's greatest challenge when it comes to reducing our emissions?
Our biggest challenge is balancing growth, affordability, and environmental protection while operating within the limits of municipal authority.
Canmore is growing, and as new homes are built, especially in areas like the Moustache Lands we must ensure that infrastructure supports low-carbon and active transportation.
We also need to make climate solutions accessible to everyone, not just those who can afford upfront costs. That means securing more funding for home retrofits, heat pumps, and renewable energy incentives, while continuing to expand Roam Transit and safe trail connections.
Reducing emissions isn’t only about regulations. It’s about building smarter, supporting people, and making sustainable choices the easiest and most affordable options for everyone in our community.
Rob Murray
What are your priorities from the town of Canmore's Climate Emergency Action Plan? Why did you choose those?
Transportation is our biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions, but it’s also where we can make the most immediate difference. We’re a compact town, with many trips short enough to walk, bike, or Roam. We already have a blueprint for designing our road and pathway system to accommodate more than just vehicles, and our public transit system is pretty great for a town this size. Having a multi-modal and functional road and pathway system and ensuring our bus system reaches the few areas of Canmore that are underserviced are priorities.
Buildings are another major piece. We need to make sure new construction meets high efficiency standards, and we also need to support residents and businesses in retrofitting older buildings. I've been on the board for Canmore Community Housing for 6 years and I'm excited that we're building 100 Palliser targeting the Town's green building near-net-zero guidelines. It showcases that we don't have to sacrifice sustainability for affordability.
Finally, wildfire risk reduction. I recently spoke on my blog and podcast about this. It's about both the macro and micro efforts. While the municipality and province are already doing great work on our new fireguard system, we can do a lot as engaged citizens on an individual and small group scale. The Peaks of Grassi FireSmart Committee is an amazing example of this - a grassroots effort to protect a neighbourhood from fire through neighbourhood clean-up efforts and education. It inspired me to push for a free FireSmart assessment for my townhouse complex when I joined the board last year, which has given us a comprehensive list of items to action. I'm interested in fostering this kind of community-driven effort, and point to the Peaks of Grassi as a blueprint that can be used in other areas of town.
Do you think the Town is doing too little, enough, or too much with regards to climate action? Why?
The fact that Canmore has declared a climate emergency and actually has a comprehensive action plan to address it shows that we're taking it seriously, and I believe puts us ahead of the curve compared to many other municipalities of our size.
There's always room to do more within this framework. I'd love to see incentive programs for residents, like home energy retrofits an ebike purchasing assistance for those on the Affordable Services Program, funded and expanded. I'd also love to hear your ideas! Where are there gaps, from your perspective, and how can we address them?
What is the Town of Canmore's greatest challenge when it comes to reducing our emissions?
That wall of cars streaming towards Canmore on the highway on a Friday afternoon, then back to Calgary on a Sunday afternoon - transportation accounts for almost two-thirds of our community's greenhouse gas emissions. We can build an accessible road and path system for active transportation, but people are still coming to Canmore in their cars, in droves.
If there was an easy answer for this one we would have done it already! I think at least part of the answer lies in the existing framework of our Roam regional transit system. A person can already get from Canmore to Lake Louise fairly easily by bus, and it's more or less the same distance to Calgary in the other direction. Expanding this is not really up to Canmore, it involves outside jurisdictions interested in 'buying in' to what we're doing, so let's keep having those conversations with them. We already have the seeds of this with organizations like On-It and FlixBus and I hope to see this continue to grow to the point where people aren't driving here because it makes more sense to arrive a different way.