'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
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Here's how much more Canadian landlords are asking for now, according to a just-released report
A new report says the average asking rent for a home in Canada in April was up 9.3 per cent compared with a year ago, while a slight month-over-month increase was also recorded for the first time since January.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A man was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'I may have some nightmares:' Man survives being bitten by 2 sharks in Bahamas
A man who was bitten by two sharks in the Bahamas said Thursday he's 'thankful that I'm here' while sharing his story of survival.
What is basic income, and how would it impact me?
Parliamentarians are considering a pair of bills aiming to lift people out of poverty through a basic income program, but some fear these types of systems could result in more taxes for Canadians who are already financially struggling.