Prepared and written by the: Biosphere Institute of the Bow Valley 201, 600a 9th Street Canmore, AB T1W 2T2 www.biosphereinstitute.org Canmore Community Monitoring Program 2010 Final Report April 22, 2011 Photo Credits: “Big Head” courtesy of the Town of Canmore Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS..............................................................................................................................I 2010 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................. 1 IDENTITY .................................................................................................................................................... 2 ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY ...................................................................................................................... 3 SOCIAL FABRIC .......................................................................................................................................... 5 ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP................................................................................................................ 7 CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP .................................................................................................... 10 PREFACE................................................................................................................................................... 12 IDENTITY .................................................................................................................................................. 16 1. PERMANENT POPULATION: LENGTH OF RESIDENCY, MIGRATION AND GROWTH RATE ........................ 19 2. PERMANENT POPULATION: AGE STRUCTURE........................................................................................ 22 3. NON-PERMANENT POPULATION ........................................................................................................... 24 3. NON-PERMANENT POPULATION ........................................................................................................... 25 4. FAMILY COMPOSITION.......................................................................................................................... 27 ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY ............................................................................................................ 28 1. EMPLOYMENT STATUS OF ADULTS....................................................................................................... 31 2. EMPLOYMENT BY INDUSTRY ................................................................................................................ 35 3. INCOME AND WAGES ............................................................................................................................ 38 4. MUNICIPAL TAX BASE RATIO............................................................................................................... 42 5. BUSINESS LICENSE REGISTRY............................................................................................................... 44 6. BUILDING PERMIT SUMMARY............................................................................................................... 46 7. TOURISM INDUSTRY ............................................................................................................................. 48 8. TOURIST ACCOMMODATIONS AND OCCUPANCY RATES ....................................................................... 51 9. PRICE OF GOODS AND SERVICES........................................................................................................... 53 SOCIAL FABRIC ...................................................................................................................................... 55 1. VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS .............................................................................................................. 59 2. LIBRARY FACILITIES AND USE.............................................................................................................. 61 3. EDUCATION OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH................................................................................................ 63 4. RESPONSES TO FOOD NEED .................................................................................................................. 67 5. SOCIAL ASSISTANCE – INCOME SUPPORT PROGRAMS........................................................................... 70 6. CRIMINAL CODE OFFENSES .................................................................................................................. 72 7. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ........................................................................................................................... 74 8. ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE .................................................................................................................... 76 9. HEALTH SERVICES................................................................................................................................78 10. DWELLING UNIT TYPES ...................................................................................................................... 81 11. TENANCY STATUS OF DWELLING UNITS............................................................................................. 82 12. OCCUPANCY RATES............................................................................................................................ 83 13. RENTAL HOUSING COSTS AND AVAILABILITY.................................................................................... 84 14. AVERAGE HOUSE AND CONDOMINIUM RESALE PRICES...................................................................... 86 15. HOUSING AFFORDABILITY.................................................................................................................. 88 ______________________________________________________________________________________ 2010 Canmore Community Monitoring Report I Table of Contents (Continued) ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP ................................................................................................... 92 1. WATER CONSUMPTION ......................................................................................................................... 99 2. DRINKING WATER QUALITY............................................................................................................... 102 3. WASTEWATER .................................................................................................................................... 104 4. AQUATIC HEALTH AND FISHERIES...................................................................................................... 107 5. RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND WASTE MANAGEMENT.................................................................... 110 6. ENERGY USE AND GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS............................................................................... 114 7. TRANSPORTATION .............................................................................................................................. 116 8. WILDLIFE MOVEMENT CORRIDORS AND HABITAT PATCHES.............................................................. 118 9. HUMAN/WILDLIFE CONFLICT ............................................................................................................. 126 10. BEAR ATTRACTANTS ........................................................................................................................ 130 11. WILDLAND/URBAN INTERFACE – WILDFIRE PROTECTION................................................................ 133 12. FOREST HEALTH ............................................................................................................................... 136 CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP...................................................................................... 140 1. CIVIC ENGAGEMENT........................................................................................................................... 142 2. VOTER PARTICIPATION....................................................................................................................... 145 3. MUNICIPAL SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES.......................................................................................... 146 4. REPORTING/MONITORING PROCESS.................................................................................................... 150 REFERENCES ......................................................................................................................................... 152 APPENDICES .......................................................................................................................................... 162 APPENDIX A: IDENTITY .......................................................................................................................... 163 APPENDIX B: ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY............................................................................................. 167 APPENDIX C: SOCIAL FABRIC................................................................................................................. 173 APPENDIX D: ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP...................................................................................... 185 APPENDIX E: PREVIOUS (2008) RECOMMENDATIONS............................................................................. 194 APPENDIX F: ARCHIVED/INACTIVE INDICATORS ...................................................................................