Timeline: Ownership and development at Silvertip Resort

 

Brush up on your knowledge of the Silvertip story.

  • 1877 - Treaty 7 is signed. This agreement between the Crown and First Nations pertains to the entire Bow Valley, which is part of the traditional territories and home of the Stoney Nakoda, Blackfoot and Tsuut’ina Nations, as well as Zone 3 Metis.

  • Late 1980’s - A "remarkable piece of land was discovered" on the slopes of Mount Lady MacDonald in Canmore. Canmore Alpine Development Company Ltd (CADCO) purchases the land from the province and the AMHC.

  • 1990 - CADCO and the Town develop plans for the property, a process referred to as the Hyatt Regency Canmore Master Plan (aka the Master Plan).

  • 1993 - Based on ungulate (elk, deer, sheep only - not grizzly, wolf or cougar) movement patterns on the land and along the eastern slopes of the valley, Canmore's first 'wildlife corridors' are identified and delineated next to the property.

    • Adjustments are made to the Hyatt Regency Canmore Master Plan to realign some roadways, redesign the golf course, eliminate building sites within the new corridor, and reduce the amount of highway commercial land.

    • Adjusted for the above, the following development was approved by Council: 1,290 hotel and condo units, recreation facilities, a convention facility, 750 residential housing units, 850 staff housing/rental units, 10.6 acres of highway commercial land, an 18 hole golf course and 6km of public use trails.

  • 1993 - NEW OWNERS: Stone Creek Properties Inc (four partners — including Guy Turcotte, the current owner) becomes the new owner of these 600 acres at Silvertip, and begin to develop based on current approvals. "We may never find another site of this scale, this magnitude, this beauty, anywhere in the world again," Terry O'Grady (2002 President of Stone Creek Properties) said in reference to the land the company acquired.

  • 1998 - Through prior development approvals gained by CADCO, Stone Creek launches the opening of Silvertip Golf Course.

  • 2001 - Silvertip makes an economic decision to give up its option to develop 400 acres along the benchlands (an important part of the puzzle for remaining habitat and wildlife movement in the valley). This ends a long-running disagreement with conservationists over future use of the land (Canmore Leader, January 2001). The land is now owned by the province of Alberta.

  • 2001 - New plans are brought forth by Stone Creek Properties Inc for a European-style resort that included four or five hotels totalling 800-900 rooms, 80-100 commercial store fronts, a conference centre and a spa. A socio-economic impact analysis is undertaken and BCEAG Guidelines are incorporated in design to provide connectivity between corridors. Approval is granted by council.

  • 2007 - Adjusting for market trends, a revised ASP for the resort is submitted and is approved by Council. Timelines estimate buildout of entire resort by 2017, which doesn't appear likely. Further residential development is halted by council until commercial development of the resort village commences.

  • The 2008 economic downturn slows plans, but development is expected to be back on the table in a revised form in Spring 2017.

  • In February 2017, Stone Creek Properties Inc requested community feedback on a proposed update to the Silvertip ASP. The new ASP proposed a gondola that would run from the base of the mountain, through the resort, up to the top of Mount Lady MacDonald (requiring a lodge to be built at the top); a gaming facility (casino), extensive development underground below the resort village, and more. The draft proposal was never brought forward to council for consideration.

  • 2019 - Developers of Silvertip Resort take Town of Canmore to court after appeal to build more residential housing is denied.

  • 2020 - Silvertip commercial development commences with new approval

  • 2022 - April: RMO: Silvertip gondola project to enter public engagement phase



 
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