Editor,
I believe the recent move of Canadian Tire to Canmore is an important one. It will enable us to compete with other rural areas through the expansion of the service sector and the commercialization of tourism.
Being located right next to Banff has been hard to local businesses. Most people I talk to have just “driven through” and have never actually stopped.
It is important that we are able to attract a larger demographic of people in order to sustain our businesses, including locally-owned ones.
Although many people were opposed to the entrance of a chain store, it has simply been a strategic business move to take advantage of a market whose needs were previously unmet. I for one am happy not to have to take an entire day off to go shopping in Calgary.
This will enable the residents to spend more time in Canmore, increase their productivity and continue to supplement the local economy.
Being a resort town since the closure of the mining industry, we have had no other alternative but to promote the tourism industry, and consumerism as a result.
The opening of Canadian Tire has provided more jobs and more affordable commodities for the ever increasingly expensive lifestyle that we desire.
Although people object, this is the inevitable fate of towns that were once resource-dependent. This increased urbanization will enable us to survive the volatility of the markets while taking into account the fact that we are playing into the uncertainty of the system.
Agathe Héry,
