Heliport Lease Renewal

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Consultation has concluded and the lease has been renewed through to 2031.

On July 6, 2021, Council approved a 10-year lease (effective Dec. 1, 2021) with Alpine Helicopters with a further reduction of the maximum number of sightseeing flights from 60/day in the current lease to 35/day (42% reduction). The minimum sightseeing flight duration was reduced to 25 minutes, and a reduced rent was negotiated to reflect the increased restrictions applied to the heliport operations. A copy of the full lease details can be found at www.canmore.ca/heliport

Council directed administration to report at the Sept. 7, 2021 meeting with a project description and budget to work with Alpine Helicopters to review possible locations in or near the municipality to locate a staging helipad for operating sightseeing flights or relocate the heliport.

A recording of the May 4, 2021 Town Hall is posted at www.canmore.ca/heliport.

On April 20, 2021 the draft recommendations on lease renewal were presented to Council, along with the What We Heard Report (summary of stakeholder groups' feedback). You can read the reports by clicking on the Important Links on the right hand side of the screen. The full report and recommendations can be found in Council's agenda package.

Role of Heliport Monitoring Committee: Each year, the Town of Canmore’s Heliport Monitoring Committee (HMC) reviews Alpine Helicopter’s operation report to ensure they are operating in accordance with Schedule D of their lease. The committee also reviews any heliport complaints. The HMC's role in the heliport lease renewal process was to hear from the stakeholder groups and report to Council. Administration has a non-voting position on the HMC, and reported the stakeholder groups’ feedback to Council on behalf of the HMC. The consolidation of the stakeholder groups' feedback into the “What We Heard” report was done by the Communications department. HMC did not provide recommendations on the lease renewal.

Background: The heliport was constructed by the Province of Alberta in the mid-1980s. The land is now owned by the Town of Canmore and is leased to Alpine Helicopters. Examples of services provided at the heliport include: landing and fueling services for any helicopter company in the Bow Valley, sightseeing flights, heli-hiking, filming, forest fire suppression, mountain rescue, avalanche control, TransAlta power line inspection, and back country lodge support. The current lease allows a maximum of 60 flights per day to be flown for sightseeing purposes.



On July 6, 2021, Council approved a 10-year lease (effective Dec. 1, 2021) with Alpine Helicopters with a further reduction of the maximum number of sightseeing flights from 60/day in the current lease to 35/day (42% reduction). The minimum sightseeing flight duration was reduced to 25 minutes, and a reduced rent was negotiated to reflect the increased restrictions applied to the heliport operations. A copy of the full lease details can be found at www.canmore.ca/heliport

Council directed administration to report at the Sept. 7, 2021 meeting with a project description and budget to work with Alpine Helicopters to review possible locations in or near the municipality to locate a staging helipad for operating sightseeing flights or relocate the heliport.

A recording of the May 4, 2021 Town Hall is posted at www.canmore.ca/heliport.

On April 20, 2021 the draft recommendations on lease renewal were presented to Council, along with the What We Heard Report (summary of stakeholder groups' feedback). You can read the reports by clicking on the Important Links on the right hand side of the screen. The full report and recommendations can be found in Council's agenda package.

Role of Heliport Monitoring Committee: Each year, the Town of Canmore’s Heliport Monitoring Committee (HMC) reviews Alpine Helicopter’s operation report to ensure they are operating in accordance with Schedule D of their lease. The committee also reviews any heliport complaints. The HMC's role in the heliport lease renewal process was to hear from the stakeholder groups and report to Council. Administration has a non-voting position on the HMC, and reported the stakeholder groups’ feedback to Council on behalf of the HMC. The consolidation of the stakeholder groups' feedback into the “What We Heard” report was done by the Communications department. HMC did not provide recommendations on the lease renewal.

Background: The heliport was constructed by the Province of Alberta in the mid-1980s. The land is now owned by the Town of Canmore and is leased to Alpine Helicopters. Examples of services provided at the heliport include: landing and fueling services for any helicopter company in the Bow Valley, sightseeing flights, heli-hiking, filming, forest fire suppression, mountain rescue, avalanche control, TransAlta power line inspection, and back country lodge support. The current lease allows a maximum of 60 flights per day to be flown for sightseeing purposes.



Consultation has concluded and the lease has been renewed through to 2031.

Do you have questions about the Heliport Lease Renewal? Get started by registering here so that you can be notified when your question is answered. Then ask your question below.

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    Hello. Matt Stokes writing to you from Canmore. I live at 94 Moraine Road. I am concerned about the transparency of the lease renewal process for the heliport. I support the presence of the heliport in the community. However it seems quite disingenuous for Alpine Helicopters to state that they cannot maintain their helicopter services in Canmore unless they are allowed to do the current level of tourism flights. Tourism flights can take place from the Casino by the Highway 40 interchange. There absolutely is sufficient essential helicopter business in the Bow Valley for Alpine Helicopters to maintain their facility here without the current level of tourist flights. They do SAR operations, medical evacuations, service back country lodges etc. Do you understand that Alpine Helicopters is owned by a public company that prioritizes profits above all else? Please limit the current level of tourist flights from the Canmore heliport. They are not essential and there is sufficient business in the Bow Valley for Alpine Helicopters to be here and reduce their tourist flights. Matt Stokes

    stokes_will asked over 3 years ago

    Thank you for your question. The heliport lease renewal process is following a clear and transparent process which was requested by Council earlier this year. The process includes collecting feedback from stakeholder groups, reporting back to Council with some preliminary recommendations for the terms of renewal (based on what we heard from stakeholders). Then the general public will be able to provide their feedback on the preliminary recommendations. Once that public feedback is received, the final lease negotiations will occur. 

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    Why does the list of stakeholders with the exception of the BVHNA and perhaps the Canmore Hotel Association look like a list of past present and potential helicopter customers and partners? What about the many environmental associations in town? or tenant associations e.g. Lincoln Park? community or resident associations e.g. Grotto Mountain Village Resident Association or the residents of Cougar Creek, South Canmore and Three Sisters? Surely these voices also need to be heard before lease negotiations are discussed? Why is public feed back only considered after the "recommended terms of renewal for the revised schedule D" have been decided? Would it not be better to gather ALL information and do it right the first time? Twiddling with the "recommended terms" after agreement does not inspire any faith that what the public have to say will be listened to or can be acted upon.

    Me asked over 3 years ago

    The initial list of stakeholder groups was proposed at the Feb. 4, 2020 Council meeting, but has since expanded. Currently, we are inviting other two other environmental stakeholder groups and are open to other community groups contacting us with their request to participate (stakeholder groups can contact heliport@canmore.ca for more information).

    At the same meeting, Council expressed their desire to schedule a Town Hall to hear public feedback after the recommended terms of renewal for Schedule D of the heliport lease has been presented. At this stage, the recommended terms are still in a preliminary draft form, and public feedback received at the Town Hall will be considered in finalizing the lease negotiations with Alpine Helicopters.   

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    Canmore has a noise bylaw...has the heli operation been given special dispensation to either ignore or not comply with the bylaw? is the town "selective" as to what Bylaws will be enforced i.e a barking dog, a noise radio or stereo vs noise emitting from helicopters? If I call Bylaw to request enforcement of the Noise Bylaw in relation to the Heli Business can I expect such enforcement will be conducted or will my request for remedy be ignored? How does the Town arbitrarily decide what provisions of its own statute respecting Noise Bylaw will be enforced and what complaints will be ignored? If the heli was located in Silvertip vs near my residence in Grotto would complaints be given more consideration (hypothetical question) Thanks in advance

    rick Dionne asked over 3 years ago

    The noise generated by the heliport is within the parameters of the Noise Control Bylaw and the Land Use Bylaw regulates the use of the land within proximity to the heliport, and contains Noise Exposure Forecast Zones. You can read more about it in section 7.5 Airport Vicinity Protection Area Overlay 

    Apologies for the delay in responding to your question.

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    Is there a possibility that the heliport could be moved outside of town boundaries- especially/ or maybe just the site seeing? A handful of flights a day are okay - but flights every 15 min (seems like this sometimes) is pretty intense on the noise pollution scale for the Cougar Creek neighbourhood.

    Deb asked over 3 years ago

    A change in heliport location is not being considered by Council at this time, as there is not another suitable location within Canmore. The Province of Alberta or another municipality would have to step forward with a new location. What is being considered at this time is the terms of renewal of the heliport lease. 

    In 2021, Alpine Helicopters has stated they will no longer offer their 12 minute flight tour from Canmore.

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    Who are the stakeholder groups that will be consulted?

    nonaligned asked over 3 years ago

    At the Feb. 4, 2020 meeting, Council directed the Heliport Monitoring Committee to meet with stakeholder groups. An initial group of stakeholders groups were proposed, and has since been finalized, with the following invitations sent to: 

    • Provincial Agencies
      • Alberta Agriculture and Forestry
      • Alberta Health Services
      • Kananaskis Public Safety
      • Alberta Environment and Parks
    • Federal Agencies
      • Parks Canada Public Safety
      • Transportation Canada  
    • Destination Marketing Organizations
      • Tourism Canmore Kananaskis
      • Banff Lake Louise Tourism
    • M.D. of Bighorn
    • Bow Valley Heliport Noise Alliance (BVHNA) 
    • Canmore Hotel and Lodging Association
    • Canmore Fire-Rescue
    • RCMP
    • STARS
    • Backcountry Commercial Operators
      • Canadian Mountain Holidays
      • Alpine Club of Canada
      • Talus Lodge
      • Assiniboine Lodge
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    I want to ensure that I am consulted for the Stakeholder Engagement

    nonaligned asked over 3 years ago

    Thank you for your interest in providing feedback on the Heliport Lease Renewal. 

    Council provided direction to hear stakeholder groups' feedback, and the preliminary list of groups was discussed at the Feb. 5, 2020 council meeting. Those groups will be contacted shortly. Members of the public wishing to express their views are invited to speak at a town hall in March or April. To ensure you get notified of the town hall date, click on the "Stay Informed" button on the bottom right hand side of the webpage (if you haven't already done so).