ALL ABOARD:
BANFF NATIONAL PARK NET-ZERO 2035

Banff is Canada’s first national park. The nature of its existence is to show us all—the country, the world—what is possible. BANFF NATIONAL PARK NET ZERO 2035 is a grassroots, bottoms-up initiative helping to transform Banff into North America’s first net-zero emissions community by 2035.

LEARNING FROM WORLD-LEADERS
TO LEAPFROG TO NET-ZERO

From Zion to Zermatt, we are drawing on best practices from global leaders in mountain town and national park sustainability and low carbon technology solutions to help Banff National Park take a leadership role in the transition to net-zero. Leapfrog to First: BANFF NATIONAL PARK NET ZERO 2035 will accelerate a shift from the status quo to top of class.

READ THE LATEST NEWS

Banff Town Council hears discussion about gondola to Mount Norquay

Jan Waterous appeared in front of Banff Town Council on behalf of Liricon to address the Notice of Motion that was brought forward by a Banff Town Councillor. The motion was to amend the Railway Lands Area Development Plan (ARP) by removing the reference to the Mount Norquay gondola base station in the ARP Terms of Reference.

As highlighted in the submission that was put forward by Liricon to accompany Jan’s time in front of Council. A key element of the ARP is to incorporate and develop an integrated gondola terminus connecting the townsite to the Norquay Ski and Sightseeing Resort by an aerial transit system. The purpose of a Town to Norquay Base Gondola as specified in Norquay’s Site Guidelines (2011) is to enhance the ecological integrity of the Cascade Wildlife Corridor and improve the visitor experience.

Parks Canada turned down Norquay’s first proposal, a large, 4-station gondola to Norquay’s summit in December 2019. However, Parks Canada did convey that they remain open to approving a smaller, 2-station gondola from the Town to Norquay’s base. Importantly, both Parks Canada and the Town must review and approve the ARP.

Amongst the benefits to the Town of Banff, a Town to Norquay Base gondola generates a revenue stream that allows for providing 600+ stalls of free intercept parking and a 5.2-hectare nature reserve, to be economically sustainable for decades to come. An ARP that includes a gondola terminus is necessary but not sufficient for an approved gondola. Following a Town of Banff approved ARP with a gondola terminus, a Town to Norquay Base Gondola will require a separate Parks Canada approval process which will include extensive public consultation.

With this background, Norquay and Town Administration have been working together in good faith and transparently since January 2020 on the ARP which includes a potential gondola terminus.

READ MORE

Liricon puts forward highlights of Banff railway lands redevelopment

The return of passenger rail from Calgary to Banff is part of a vision for a car-free Banff and redevelopment of the dilapidated train station lands.

READ MORE

Plans for passenger train linking Calgary airport and Banff come into sharper focus

Invest Alberta, the provincial government’s investment attraction Crown corporation, announced it had reached a detailed memorandum of understanding (MOU) regarding the rail passenger project alongside Alberta Transportation and the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB), a federal Crown corporation.

READ MORE

Canada Infrastructure Bank to consider investing in $1-billion Calgary-Banff rail plan

The Canada Infrastructure Bank will consider financing up to half of a $1-billion project to create a passenger train service between the Calgary airport and Banff, with a start date as early as 2025.

READ MORE

Calgary-Banff Rail Passenger Project Enters Development Phase

Calgary – Invest Alberta Corporation (Invest Alberta), the Government of Alberta’s Ministry of Transportation (Alberta Transportation) and the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) are pleased to announce a detailed MOU to continue to advance the project. The CIB has reaffirmed support for the project and will continue to consider a long-term investment.

READ MORE

New study shows Banff National Park has highest transportation greenhouse gas emissions of any National Park in North America

A new research report shows that Banff National Park, the 6th most visited National Park in North America, has transportation greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions five times higher than the Grand Canyon, the National Park in the U.S. with the highest transportation-based emissions. The report also highlights that Banff National Park has per visitor transportation GHGs that are 63 times higher than Zion National Park.

READ MORE

Meet our Working Group

Insights from Banff’s biggest employers, the Town and its Federal and Provincial government counterparts, leading academics and more will help us better understand actions that can help this tourist town transition to net-zero and create transformational solutions valuable to communities across Canada.

READ MORE

Transforming Banff into North America’s first net-zero emissions community

Discover how initiatives such as a shuttle only service to points of interest, passenger rail and aerial transit has the potential to significantly decrease transportation and overall GHG emissions within a National Park system. Download a summary of a recently published report on solutions that can be applied to Banff National Park. 

READ MORE

Read BANFF NATIONAL PARK NET-ZERO 2035 coverage in The Globe and Mail

Reporter Kelly Cryderman spoke with BANFF NATIONAL PARK NET ZERO 2035 Working Group members Jan Waterous, Managing Partner for Liricon Capital, and David Knight Legg, CEO of Invest Alberta, about a range of proposed public transportation initiatives for Banff National Park.

READ MORE

CBC covers BANFF NATIONAL PARK NET-ZERO 2035’s bold plan

Jan Waterous, Managing Partner for Liricon Capital, spoke with CBC‘s senior business reporter, Don Pittis, about how BANFF NATIONAL PARK NET ZERO 2035’s approach can both cut GHG emissions and improve the visitor experience. Click below to read an excerpt from the larger article.

READ MORE

We are not a think tank,
We are a do tank.