Four to five million people per year visit the Bow Valley. Come stay a while in your own home!

With stunning natural beauty and a robust tourism industry, the Bow Valley makes for a solid investment, full-time residence, or perfect spot for a pied-à-terre. We’re here to help you navigate
the options.

Banff and Canmore are two of the most stunning tourism destinations in North America. While Banff is a bit complicated (though I’d love to chat about the Right to Reside if you’re curious!), Canmore offers an amazing opportunity just a few minutes from the park gates (making it that much closer to Calgary) with a vibrant town centre and gorgeous views of its own. The hamlets of Dead Man’s Flats, Harvie Heights, and Exshaw are all located in the Bow Valley and are worth exploring when you are next in the area.

Buying in Canmore: 3 Zoning Options

  • Residential zoning is the most common type in Canmore, and allows for the year-round occupation of a home, either by the owner or a tenant. The minimum duration of a rental contract with this zoning is one month.

    You’ll find this zoning in most neighbourhoods of Canmore.

  • Visitor accommodation, which is designed entirely for short term rental, is often found in hotel condos or similar developments. In this case, home owners are welcome (and encouraged) to use their properties to short term rentals, but are unable to occupy them on a full time basis.

    In fact, the longest an owner may stay on the property at any one time is 30 days. While you aren’t required to rent your unit while empty, it may make sense to do so. Several management companies in Canmore can facilitate this if the property itself doesn’t already have management.

    Properties with this zoning generally fall in the Bow Valley Trail neighbourhood.

  • The most flexible type of zoning in Canmore is also the rarest and most valuable. Tourist zoning allows homeowners to occupy the home as much as they wish, as well as to list them for either short or long term rental, with contracts as short as one month.

    These properties are taxed at a higher rate compared to others in Canmore, but can be taxed at the residential rate if it is your primary residence.

    Some neighbourhoods which have this zoning include: Bow Valley Trail, Spring Creek, Town Centre/Railway, and the Silvertip planned community.

    Note: this type of zoning is being phased out.

What if I’m a foreign buyer?

You may have heard that Canada has rules about foreign buyers (in place through at least 2027). That’s true, and does mean you have to be more careful about where you buy. It doesn’t, however, mean you can’t buy in the Bow Valley.

Of course, you’ll need to talk to both your REALTOR® and a lawyer before you make any final decisions, but in general, the rules state that foreign buyers are free to purchase properties outside Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) and Census Agglomerations (CAs).

That means that you are welcome to purchase a home in one of the cozier areas of the Bow Valley that fall outside the CA or CMA regions. For example, the uniquely named but absolutely lovely Dead Mans Flats, which is just a few minutes from Canmore (in the desirable direction of Calgary), has a variety of condo developments zoned for short term rental and open to foreign buyers. As an added bonus, your strong currency is added to slightly lower property values to create truly incredible opportunities in this area!