Banff-Kananaskis

Banff-Kananaskis encompasses the Alberta Rockies and their eastern foothills, a riding of striking natural beauty and distinctive economic pressures. The communities of Banff, Lake Louise, and Canmore sit within or adjacent to the mountain parks, while the Springbank area and portions of Rocky View County extend into the foothills east of the ranges. Kananaskis Country, the Stoney Nakoda First Nation, and the Municipal District of Bighorn round out a geographically vast district. The riding's economy runs on tourism and outdoor recreation, industries that were devastated by the pandemic's travel restrictions before roaring back with a vengeance. Incumbent UCP MLA Miranda Rosin sought re-election in what became one of the closest races in the province.

Candidates

Sarah Elmeligi (NDP) — A wildlife biologist and conservation planner who had lived in Canmore for 15 years, Elmeligi held a PhD and worked with environmental non-profit organizations, Alberta Parks, and her own environmental consulting company before entering politics. Her academic research focused on bear ecology and land-use planning. She sought the NDP nomination as early as 2021, giving her a long runway to build support in the riding.

Miranda Rosin (United Conservative)* — First elected in 2019, Rosin held a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Regina and Shanghai Lixin University of Commerce. She was appointed to Premier Kenney's Fair Deal Panel in 2019 and named Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism in 2022. Rosin introduced Bill 208 in the legislature, which would have created a special municipal designation for tourism-dependent communities to address infrastructure and housing pressures. She was among 18 UCP MLAs who signed a letter opposing COVID-19 restrictions in April 2021.

Regan Boychuk (Green Party) — Born and raised in Grande Prairie, Boychuk held a BA in international relations from the University of Calgary and an MA in political science from York University. An independent public interest researcher focused on Alberta's oil and gas sector, he was appointed to the province's 2015 Royalty Review Panel's oil sands expert group and published peer-reviewed research on royalties through the University of Alberta's Parkland Institute.

Local Issues

The housing affordability crisis in the Bow Valley reached a breaking point between 2019 and 2023. Canmore had the highest cost of living of any municipality in Alberta, with a living wage calculated at $32.75 per hour by December 2022. Tourism operators struggled to recruit and retain workers because staff simply could not afford to live in the communities where they worked. Banff faced an estimated shortfall of 700 to 1,000 housing units, and Canmore council approved a major area structure plan at Palliser Trail forecasting over 1,300 new homes, including roughly 1,000 designated for affordable housing.

The UCP government introduced the Kananaskis Conservation Pass in June 2021, requiring a $15 daily or $90 annual vehicle pass for entry to Kananaskis Country. The pass generated over $12 million in revenue for trail maintenance and conservation, but drew mixed reactions from residents who had previously accessed the area without charge. The proposed Grassy Mountain coal mine on the eastern slopes stirred significant opposition in the riding, as did the UCP's initial 2020 rescission of the 1976 Coal Policy that had protected the Rocky Mountain foothills from open-pit mining. The government reversed course and reinstated protections after widespread public backlash. Environmental management, trail overuse, and the burden that millions of annual visitors placed on local emergency services and infrastructure remained persistent concerns throughout the term.