Does the Bow Valley need another helicopter business? Some community groups say no

A proposal to build a new helicopter site near Canmore is facing pushback from some community groups concerned about the potential noise and environmental impacts of adding another helicopter operation to the Bow Valley. 

Rimrock Holdings, which owns Rockies Heli Canada, has applied to lease public land for a new helicopter site near the eastern edge of the community, south of the CP rail tracks and across the highway from Elk Run Boulevard. 

The proposed operation would cover about 3.3 hectares, including two helipads, an access road, parking and a small passenger building. It would be aimed at the tourist market with seats starting at $99, according to a business plan seen by CBC Calgary. The company already offers heli tours out of its base off Highway 11, near Abraham Lake, about 200 kilometres northwest of Calgary.

"We're right across the street from what is potentially a majorly disruptive operation," said Mayor Sean Krausert during a recent council meeting, adding that he'd heard concerns from a number of residents about the plan. 

At that meeting, Krausert put forward a motion to raise concerns about the helicopter project with the province, the federal government and the Municipal District of Bighorn. It passed unanimously. 

Concerns about noise, environment

Canmore already has a municipal heliport, owned by the town and leased by Alpine Helicopters, which also performs mountain rescues. Sightseeing flights out of that heliport have been capped at 35 a day, as of its latest lease renewal. 

Adding a second helicopter operation nearby, unrestricted by a municipal contract, would mean more air traffic and a lot more noise, said Frank Liszczak, with the town's heliport monitoring committee. 

"It would be just crazy to have the whole valley covered with helicopter noise," he said. 

The Alpine Club of Canada and the Bow Valley Riding Association shared his concern. Both groups lease land near the proposed site — the alpine club for a hostel, the riding association for its horses — and say an increase in helicopter noise would hurt their operations.  

The impact on local wildlife is another potential issue. In a recent letter to the province, the conservation group Bow Valley Naturalists said the proposed site is surrounded by wildlife habitat and "sensitive and important" wetlands. 

Noise and air traffic would disturb wild animals and migrating birds, the letter said, and further compromise local air quality. 

"The valley is already sensitive. We've got risks of wildfires and train incidents and car incidents already," said Colleen Campbell, a board member and past president of the Bow Valley Naturalists. 

"Adding a whole lot more air traffic seems to be throwing the dice a little bit too often."

Application still under review

CBC News requested an interview with Rockies Heli Canada for this story, but was declined. 

In its business plan, the company said it prides itself on "offering products that preserve the capacity and integrity of our natural surroundings and take every opportunity to mitigate any concerns by working alongside groups to preserve the habitats."

In response to an inquiry from CBC News, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Forestry, Parks and Tourism said the lease application is still under review, a process that involves seeking feedback from local authorities and subject matter experts, such as wildlife biologists. 

The department has until January 2024 to make its final decision, she said.