says AHS an inspection at 321 Squirrel Street found situations that “are or may become harmful or dangerous to public health.” It also said the home’s maximum capacity of 16 people was exceeded – 42 beds and/or mattresses were found in the residence and one occupant was sleeping in a windowless basement room. The homeowner has been ordered to make several repairs, remove extra beds and mattresses, and accommodate no more than 16 residents. Darren Enns, director of planning and development for the Town of Banff, says the town has a large percentage of young service workers and their household populations tend to be higher than an average Alberta household. “However, I would say this example is on the extremes and not something we see very often.”
He said they received several complaints about the home, and a multi-agency team that includes city workers, the fire department and AHS had visited the home several times over three years. Cindy Heisler has been helping people find places to live in the Bow Valley for nine years through her prominent Facebook group, Bow Valley Home Finder, which has more than 25,000 members. He said the Squirrel Street property was listed on the page years ago but was removed after being tipped off by people who had lived there. CBC News previously reported that many longtime locals and new Banffites are struggling to find housing this year. (Radio-Canada) She said people living at the property told her they were yelled at by one of the listed owners for coming home too late or told they couldn’t watch TV because it was too loud. Heisler said many “ski bums” come to live in Banff for about six months and learn to deal with whatever accommodations they can afford. “And there’s no one watching over them to make sure they know their rights,” he said. “It’s not the only situation in Banff. I’ve come across at least half a dozen others like it.”

“Double the Numbers”

After the AHS mandate, there are now more people looking for housing, Heisler said, adding to the hundreds of people already looking. “I see the numbers doubling. Every time I check my phone, there are 15 more people who want to join the group. So I’m probably approving 50 people a day instead of 25 like I did last month,” he said. he said. He says that in addition to affordable housing, temporary housing should be created for those staying less than a year. CBC News mentioned earlier that many long-time locals and new Banffites are struggling to find housing this year. In a statement provided to CBC News, the City of Banff said more affordable housing is needed in the community, despite the addition of some affordable housing options in recent years, such as the Ti’nu apartment complex and Aster apartments, the which are under construction. Many private organizations continue to redevelop sites in the city to house their staff, according to the statement. The Banff YWCA is also building more units in its affordable housing complex. “We will continue to work with the provincial agency to monitor the condition of housing in Banff and ensure that landlords comply with strict occupancy and safety requirements,” the statement said.
The statement said the number of businesses requiring workers over the past decade has remained relatively stable. The town of Banff has not grown in size since its establishment in 1990 and all of the buildable land is being used. “As a result, it’s challenging to add housing to the city.” “The community is adjusting to the return of more tourism and the increase in workers needed to meet the demand.”