Banff Carbon Reduction Fund
The Banff Carbon Reduction Fund offers visitors the opportunity to leave a positive impact when visiting Canada’s first National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Every dollar contributed helps directly reduce Banff’s emissions.
Be part of the solution
It’s easy to make a positive impact in a place that’s this important - contribute to a low-carbon future for Banff. Everyone has a role to play in stewarding this place.
Rooted in local partnerships and driven by local solutions, the Banff Carbon Reduction Fund offers an easy pathway for direct impact. Unlike complex carbon offsetting programs, this Fund stays in the community. It’s tangible, credible, measurable and important.
The Challenge
Banff emits about 400,000 tonnes of GHG emissions every year. This is a community of about 10,000 permanent residents that receives over 4 million visitors annually - tourism is a significant source of Banff’s emissions. And they’re wildly disproportionate for a community of its size. As a visitor, you can be part of the solution. If we all do a little, together we can accomplish a lot.
The Opportunity
Banff has committed to ambitious emissions reductions targets and is striving to become a model environmental community. By 2030, Banff aims to have installed 4.0 megawatts of solar PV generation in our community. Solar PV generation has been identified as a key action to achieve this target, by replacing current unsustainable energy sources in many residential homes. While solar installation will ultimately also support affordability and reduce energy bills, many residents face financial barriers to getting started. A significant amount of funding is needed to make solar more accessible to all in Banff. The Banff Carbon Reduction Fund offers a win-win for both emissions reduction and affordability.
What does it look like for Banff
If less than 5% of Banff’s 4 million annual visitors gave $15 each, Banff would achieve its goal of installing 4.0 megawatts of solar by 2030. Not only would this result in a significant reduction in community-wide emissions, but it would also empower residents and businesses alike to take tangible environmental actions. This collective action, rooted in the local community, will foster a sense of stewardship in Banff’s national park community so that it can be enjoyed for many generations to come.
Who is involved?
The Banff Carbon Reduction Fund is a partnership between the Town of Banff, Banff & Lake Louise Tourism, Banff Canmore Foundation, and several Banff businesses. Collectively, we aim to create opportunities for visitors to contribute to Banff’s low-carbon future, so that our National Park Community can be enjoyed for many generations to come. This supports Banff’s vision to Lead Tourism for Good and its goal to become a model environmental community.
