Overview
- Banff and Lake Louise Tourism announced Thursday that it will remove skijoring from future SnowDays festivals after completing a five-month review of the event.
- Organizers said a January demonstration drew record crowds that clogged streets and forced Parks Canada to temporarily close vehicle access over concerns about emergency vehicle movement.
- The review tested alternatives such as different sites, ticketing and stricter crowd and vehicle controls but concluded those measures would not adequately protect athlete, horse and public safety or justify the cost.
- Skijor Canada issued a statement thanking partners, athletes and fans and acknowledged Banff’s decision while stressing the memories created by past events.
- Local leaders said the choice balances short-term winter tourism gains against long-term capacity limits and public-order problems like public drinking, litter and parking in private driveways, and town officials are adjusting other event plans to reduce crowding risks.