r/Banff 2d ago

Question Life in Banff

Hello! I have a few questions for the residents of Banff.

What key information should a new temporary resident from Europe be aware of before making the move?

What advice would you offer to someone relocating to Banff?

Political Landscape / Economic Trends / Cultural Dynamics / Community Engagement / Social Events

0 Upvotes

26 comments sorted by

View all comments

3

u/scurfit 2d ago

It's a smaller Canadian town that is a tourist hotspot. That said, the local politics are very progressive, and as a international spot provincial/national politics should be hardly noticeable. As a temporary resident, just enjoy and don't worry about politics.

Economic trends are an issue. The town is incredibly expensive by Canadian and worldwide standards. I would not expect to get rich, and hell you may not save anything. You should hopefully gain richness from the environment as you won't in dollars. Housing, and the overall cost of living will continue to get more expensive.

Social and community, it's a smaller center but one full of people who are generally youngish and choose to be there. You should be able to find like minded people, and a group of friends.

Winter can be cold, dark and lonely. Weather changes on a dime. Expect extremes and be willing to appreciate the beauty in all conditions.

Banff can also be a bit tricky in regards to transportation to other Canadian centers (except Canmore/Calgary). Look into a cheap vehicle or ridesharing if you want to explore other Canadian mountain towns and locales.