FAQs

The heliport lease term ends November 30, 2021, and Section 403 of the  current lease (4.71 MB) between the Town of Canmore and Alpine Helicopters provides an option for renewal that reads “Either the Landlord or the Tenant shall have the option to request an extension of the initial Term for a mutually agreeable period to be no longer than an additional ten (10) years, by providing the opposing party at least eighteen (18) months advance written request prior to the end of the initial Term. In the event of the parties exercising this option, the parties shall enter into an Amending Agreement to reflect the renewal terms.” 

Alpine Helicopters have submitted their request for a 10-year lease renewal, and so the lease shall be renewed – although with terms such as details and duration to be negotiated.  

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 Fire-Rescue
• RCMP
• STARS
• Local Associations
  • Canmore Hotel and Lodging Association
  • Lincoln Park Condo Association
  • Grotto Mountain Village Residents Association
• Environmental Groups
  • Biosphere Institute
  • Yellowstone to Yukon
  • Bow Valley Climate Change Action
  • Bow Valley Clean Air Society
• Backcountry Commercial Operators
  • Canadian Mountain Holidays
  • Alpine Club of Canada
  • Talus Lodge
  • Assiniboine Lodge

In addition, a Town Hall will be scheduled to hear public feedback after the revised Schedule D of the heliport lease has been presented to the Committee of the Whole)    

A town hall to hear public feedback will be scheduled after the revised Schedule D of the heliport lease has been presented to the Committee of the Whole. This is tentatively scheduled to take place in March or April 2021.

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. Schedule D defines the business operations conducted by Alpine Helicopters, including regulations related to commercial and sightseeing operations and emergency services. The committee also reviews any heliport complaints which can be submitted to heliport@canmore.ca