Wildlife Corridor

Preserving Connections for Canmore’s Wildlife

The Bow Valley is a unique ecological region, home to a rich diversity of wildlife including black bears, grizzly bears, wolves, cougars, deer, elk, and bighorn sheep. Preserving their ability to move freely across the landscape is vital for their survival and health. At Three Sisters Mountain Village (TSMV), we have worked closely with provincial authorities to dedicate significant land areas to wildlife conservation. As a condition of the 1992 Natural Resources Conservation Board (NRCB) decision approving TSMV’s development, designated wildlife corridors were required to be integrated into the community design.

Today, more than 1,500 acres of privately owned land have been set aside to form part of a broader, regional wildlife movement network. Designed based on scientific studies and wildlife movement patterns, ensuring corridors are wide enough to facilitate safe, effective wildlife travel. These corridors allow animals to move between habitats, access seasonal food sources, and maintain healthy genetic diversity across populations and are connected to broader provincial conservation networks, helping sustain wildlife populations throughout Alberta’s Rocky Mountains.

Key facts about the Three Sisters Wildlife Corridor and the resulting community design:

• The wildlife corridor was approved in stages by the province starting in 1998, and completed in 2020, to include the Smith Creek Wildlife Corridor linking across the Bow Valley through Three Sisters Mountain Village.
• The wildlife corridor is located adjacent to existing and proposed development areas. Wildlife fencing decreases the opportunity for conflict between humans and wildlife and provides an instrument that allows people to recognise that when they enter the wildlife corridor, they are in a space where wildlife is the priority. The wildlife fence also cues people to enter only at approved provincial recreation trailheads and to ensure their dog is on a leash through the assistance of educational signs.
• Three Sisters Mountain Village provides amenities in their neighbourhoods designed to provide alternatives to people recreating in the wildlife corridor.

Residents and visitors of TSMV can expect to live next to these vital corridors, enjoying the proximity to nature while respecting boundaries aimed at minimizing human-wildlife conflicts. Signage, fencing, and community education initiatives further help protect these spaces.

Living next to designated corridors comes with a responsibility to make sure wildlife is given priority. When exploring residents and visitors should ensure they stay on designated trails, give wildlife a wide berth and are bear aware.

Wildlife corridors are lifelines that support a thriving, biodiverse Bow Valley ecosystem — a commitment TSMV is proud to uphold for future generations.