Undermining

Canmore’s history as a mining town is integral to its identity. For more than a century, extensive underground and surface coal mining shaped the landscape beneath what is now Three Sisters Mountain Village and other areas of Canmore. While mining activities ceased in 1979, their legacy continues to influence how development is managed today.

TSMV is one of Alberta’s largest brownfield redevelopment projects. Recognizing the potential challenges associated with historical undermining the Province of Alberta and Three Sisters Mountain Village have implemented some of the most rigorous undermining regulations in North America.

Key facts about undermining at TSMV:

• Development is governed by the 2020 Canmore Undermining Review Regulation (AR34/2020), ensuring all projects meet stringent safety and engineering standards.
• Extensive geotechnical investigations — including drilling, mapping, and modeling — have been conducted for over two decades to locate, assess, and characterize underground and surface mine workings.
• Areas identified with higher impacts have been carefully planned to avoid development or require mitigation strategies, such as ground reinforcement or special construction techniques.
• Over 1,000 homes, numerous businesses and a school have already been safely built in previously undermined areas of Canmore, demonstrating the success of these standards.
• All information about potential undermining assessments and mitigation completed is fully disclosed to all property owners via covenants registered on title.
• In the Smith Creek Plan Area, there are no known underground coal operations

At TSMV, redevelopment is more than revitalizing land; it’s about transforming a historical heavy industrial site into a vibrant, resilient mountain community — safely and sustainably.

Residents can be confident that every step of the planning and construction process prioritizes long-term safety, ensuring that the legacy of Canmore’s mining era is respected while enabling a secure future.