The Town of Canmore is getting ready to once again try and stop the sewage smell that has plagued local areas for years.
Despite spending $2.6 million to try and get rid of the stinky situation coming from the wastewater plant since 2022, the lingering odour has continued to evade efforts.
Town staff will make their latest recommendations to council on Sept. 16 to try to stop the stench.
“It’s a very high priority,” said Canmore Mayor Sean Krausert. “The problem is it’s a complex issue.”
In the meantime, residents are being asked to file a complaint with the town if they smell sewage, in order to help track it.
Changing weather leads to issue
In the past, the smell would typically drift to unpopulated areas of the Bow Valley, but it has turned toward the townsite as wind direction has shifted.
Andreas Comeau, the town’s manager of public works, said the winds have historically been from the west. He said it’s a key reason the plant, which was built in the mid-1990s, is located at the southeastern edge of Canmore away from residential areas.
“We’re having winds coming from the east, heading west and not allowing the odours to leave the valley, but actually having them stay and pushing them into residential areas,” he said.
The town would typically get one or two bad, smelly days in the past, but it’s been more frequent since 2022, he said.
When temperatures become higher, such as in the summer months, the smell can also be more noticeable. Comeau said the town gets no complaints in the winter.
Krausert said “the predominant winds have changed” and the smells have been amplified by warmer weather.
“Whatever it is, the smells, and they are terrible, are now moving into the neighbouring residences and it’s terrible. It’s all fun and games until you smell it,” he said.
Though there have been concerns about the plant being overwhelmed due to the growing number of tourists in the area, Krausert said that’s not the issue.
“The odour problems are not due to capacity of the plant,” he said. “We have sufficient capacity for our current demand as well as forecasted demand.”
The Town of Canmore has spent about $2.6 million trying to combat the stench coming from the wastewater plant. (Greg Colgan/CBC)Past fixes unsuccessful
Canmore council approved $400,000 earlier in its term to use iron salt dousing to mitigate the stench.
Though it brought some relief, it fell short of eradicating the sewage scent.
Testing by the town found the majority of the smells were from the dewatering/solids handling building.
A carbon filter and photoionization unit was installed to further mitigate the smell for about $2.2 million, but missed the mark on solving the issue.
A third phase could have a building constructed over the two open air digesters that act as holding tanks before being treated.
The building would allow the air to be treated similar to a ventilation system.
Town staff previously told council in 2024 that it could cost between $1 to $2 million.
“By capping it, we’d effectively be putting a dome over top of it,” Comeau said.
Canmore might consider putting a building over the open-air digestors to act as a kind of ventilation system. (Greg Colgan/CBC)Residents express concern
For several years, residents have been vocal about the lingering sewage stench that refuses to leave the community.
Wendy Everett, a Canmore resident since 1998Â who lives near the treatment plant, said she walks with her service dog in the area.
“You can’t really walk there without holding your breath and your nose because you’re gagging, especially during the summer months,” she said.
Everett said fixing it should be at the top of the municipality’s priorities.
“If you have guests over, it’s extremely embarrassing. They want to know why anyone would pay so much to live in a place that smells like this. … You’re gagging. It’s awful.”
Valerie Mitrofanova has lived in Canmore for three years. She said she noticed it at that time, but it was not as significant. However, this past year the smell has grown to hit areas of Three Sisters residential area.
Mitrofanova said it hasn’t impacted her severely, but when she goes to certain areas the smell is noticeable.
“I’m sure it heavily impacted people living in the epicentre of the smell,” Mitrofanova said in a Facebook message.
Chris Foote, who lives in Banff and works in Canmore, said bad smells can be problematic. (Greg Colgan/CBC)
Chris Foote lives in Banff, but works in Canmore. He first noticed the smell earlier in August. He thought he had stepped in something, but as he moved it continued to follow him.
When he looked into the issue, Foote found the odours had been a longstanding problem in parts of Canmore.
“I feel bad for the town. They’ve been putting work into it and they still have to deal with it,” Foote said. “It’s a nasty problem to have.
“This kind of smell, it can exceptionally affect the quality of life.”