The Silvertip gondola Canmore proposal – first floated back in 2017 and occasionally assumed to have quietly died – is very much alive. On Monday, March 16, Stone Creek Resorts and the Alberta government confirmed that public engagement is now underway as the province considers whether to redesignate lands associated with the project under Alberta's All-Season Resorts Act.
In short: before a single gondola cable gets strung above Canmore, the province needs to decide whether it's willing to redraw a provincial park boundary and amend a regional land-use plan. That's not a small ask.
What the Silvertip Gondola Would Actually Look Like
The proposed aerial ropeway would run from a base station near Palliser Trail and the Trans-Canada Highway, up through a mid-station in the Silvertip Village area, and continue to the summit ridge of Mount Lady Macdonald. At the top: viewing platforms and a day lodge. At the bottom: a proposed transit hub and base area at Silvertip Resort, along with approximately 850 employee housing units accessible via the gondola's mid-station.
The project footprint covers 14.9 hectares in total. About 13.9 of those hectares sit within Bow Valley Wildland Provincial Park – which is precisely why this review exists.
The Park Boundary Problem Nobody Has Solved Yet
In 2021, Alberta Environment and Parks (now Alberta Environment and Protected Areas) told Stone Creek plainly that the proposal did not align with the land management direction for Bow Valley Wildland Provincial Park, nor with the South Saskatchewan Regional Plan. That letter didn't kill the project, but it did make clear that approval would require amendments to both the regional plan and the park's boundary.
That's where things stand in 2026. Guy Turcotte, president and CEO of Stone Creek Resorts – the person who has been shepherding this proposal through nearly a decade of regulatory terrain – confirmed that the project's design and scope have not changed since 2017. What has changed is the pathway to get there.
“Questions related to land designation, park boundaries and provincial land-use policy are being considered by the government of Alberta through this engagement process,” Turcotte said.
What Happens If the Land Gets Redesignated
If the province agrees to redesignate the relevant lands under the All-Season Resorts Act, the gondola proposal would then need to clear an environmental assessment, Indigenous consultation, and additional regulatory approvals before any development could proceed. In other words, a successful outcome at this stage would mark the beginning of the next stage – not the end of anything.
Stone Creek's role during the current phase, Turcotte noted, is to provide project information, complete required technical work, and demonstrate how environmental and community feedback is being incorporated.
How to Have Your Say
Public feedback is currently being gathered as part of the provincial engagement process. Details on how to participate are available through the Alberta government's engagement channels.
For ongoing coverage of the Silvertip gondola proposal and other Bow Valley planning stories, keep an eye on thebanffguide.com.
A gondola to the top of Mount Lady Macdonald has been nine years in the making. At this rate, the views from the summit ridge will feel very well earned.