Alberta Health Services (AHS) has issued an enforcement order against a Banff home after an inspection found 42 people were staying inside the property.
AHS posted details of the home, located at 321 Squirrel St., on its public website and said the facility’s maximum occupancy “has been exceeded.”
“The maximum of 16 people has been exceeded. A total of 42 beds and/or mattresses have been reported in the facility,” the order reads.
In addition, the health inspector found numerous other problems such as holes in the walls of the home, leaking and dirty faucets in need of maintenance, and a basement apartment with no window.
The enforcement order says the living situation at the home is in violation of Alberta’s minimum housing and health standards.
As a result, AHS ordered the property owners to make changes inside the home, specifically to address the extreme number of beds.
“Remove bed in windowless basement,” AHS said.
“Remove extra beds/mattresses so that no more than 16 tenants are accommodated and maintain a maximum of no more than 16 tenants thereafter.”
BANFF’S STRUGGLE WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING
According to city of Banff officials, the mountain community has faced housing challenges for decades, fueled in part by a near-zero rental vacancy rate.
The affordable housing complex, located on Coyote Lane, opened in 2018 and was jointly funded by the city and the provincial government.
Karen Sorensen, who was Banff’s mayor at the time, said much of the community’s population is under 35, while its median income is below the Alberta average.
“We have a great need to accommodate people in an affordable way. We depend a lot on the younger generation to run the city,” she said during the grand opening of this facility.
“They are the people who work in the tourism industry. We have to make sure everyone is seated comfortably.”
CTV News has reached out to Banff’s current mayor for comment on the situation and will update this story when those details are available.
(With files from Kevin Fleming)
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