Bow Valley

Three Sisters Mountain Village

Three Sisters Mountain Village (TSMV) is an area of approximately 2000 acres within the Town of Canmore, on the south side of the Bow River.  This area was purchased by developers in the late 80’s and since that time, has been the subject of serious debate as it lies within a ecologically critical wildlife corridor in the Central Rockies Ecosystem.

In 1992, the Natural Resources Conservation Board (NRCB) made the decision that those wishing to develop on the Three Sisters lands could only proceed under certain conditions.

1. Residents of Canmore would be able to voice their opinions on development and the municipal right to control all developments should precede all others.



2. Best possible scientific criteria are developed to determine how to protect wildlife with this regional movement corridor, as corridors are vital to wildlife survival. From this, an environmental study group was formed to create guidelines for wildlife corridors, Bow Corridor Ecosystem Advisory Group (BCEAG).



3. Developers must meet conditions and legal undertakings before development could commence. These include air quality monitoring, water quality monitoring, ongoing public consultation and retention of corridors in as undeveloped state as possible in order to allow animal movements to continue…and to ensure the continuity of corridors through adjacent lands.
   (Section 10.4.5)

Since the 1992 NCRB decision, Canmore residents have turned down several flawed development plans. In 2000, a draft Conservation Easement Agreement was developed between TSMV and Alberta Sustainable Resource Development (ASRD). The wildlife corridor placement on TSMV land was not based on prior analysis of wildlife movement, thus guidelines from BCEAG were not met.

In 2002, Golder & Associates were contracted to perform an Environmental Impact Assessment on the TSMV proposed development. The results presented a compromise on the BCEAG guidelines and were less than perfect, but it gained public support as an acceptable middle ground. As a result, the “Golder Report” recommendations came to represent the absolute minimum for primary wildlife corridors, and their subsequent buffer zones, in addition to the necessary land use planning adjacent to the corridors.

A new Conservation Easement Agreement draft was produced in 2003, yet the proposed buffers by the Golder Report were not included and public input was not taken into account. In addition, the added sites in the Stewart Creek area were not part of this review process.

In September of 2004, an Area Structure Plan for the TSMV was approved by the Town of Canmore. Much diligence, on the part of conservation groups in the Bow Valley, has been needed to ensure that TSMV development plans are proceeding according to the Golder Report guidelines.

In early 2006, land use planning concerns were addressed by the Town of Canmore. Development of the Three Sisters Golf Course and a natural trail could proceed by following Golder Report’s minimum corridor requirements, placing the natural trail below the golf course, thus appeasing residents wish for recreational trails, as well as following land planning guidelines that will reduce human/wildlife disturbance.

CPAWS and our allies are continuing our active vigilance as the Three Sister’s development planning proceeds

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