'It's critical': Town of Banff reopens to visitors after pandemic forces tourists to stay away
After months of telling visitors to stay home and stay away, officials and business owners in Banff are swinging open their doors and welcoming visitors back to the mountain town.
Mayor Karen Sorenson says Banff is now in a safe position to bring in tourists to its hotels, restaurants and streets.
"My message is that we are very pleased to be welcoming our neighbours back," Sorenson said.
It's a different message from Sorenson now than a month ago, when people were told to stay out of Banff as COVID-19 cases soared.
But the mayor says about 85 per cent of people in the Banff and Lake Louise area have received at least one dose of the vaccine and active cases in the townsite are down to just three.
Sorenson is hoping for a strong summer after many months of business closures.
"It's been devastating for our community, our economy depends on tourism. We are a municipality within a national park in order to serve our visitors," she said.
"That's our reason for being."
A busy summer for tourism in Banff "critical" in helping hurting businesses survive, she added.
The town is still enforcing all provincial public health measures and has its own bylaw that requires masks be worn in some outdoor areas and streets.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Ohio mom who left toddler alone 10 days when she went on vacation pleads guilty to aggravated murder
An Ohio mother whose 16-month-old daughter died after being left home alone in a playpen for 10 days last summer while she went on vacation was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
5 charged in Calgary kidnappings that targeted women
Calgary police have charged five men in a pair of kidnappings last year that targeted innocent victims.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Canadian commander of volunteer fighter group dies in Ukraine
A Canadian-born commander of the so-called Norman Brigade, a volunteer fighting group in Ukraine, has died.