An application has been submitted to the Town of Canmore to develop a 74-site glamping campground on the Staircase Lands east of Quarry Lake.
The project, referred to as “Miners Camp” in the development permit application, would be located on a 9.7-hectare privately owned parcel within Canmore’s Future Development District, where campgrounds are a discretionary use. The application includes plans for a washroom building, an administration building, and a communal fire pit.
John (Jay) Third, a partner in the project with Summit Projects, described the concept as “an ecotourism business” focusing on glamping. “No RVs, no trailers, no bring your own tent. It’s all set up,” he told the Rocky Mountain Outlook.
The proposed campground would use wall tents on wooden platforms, which would be removed during the winter season. Some tents would include private bathroom facilities, while one communal fire pit would be located near the administration building.
Third confirmed that “there is going to be no open fires at any of the tent sites themselves,” and that no cooking facilities will be provided on-site, with all food and camp stoves required to be stored in guests’ vehicles.
The development is planned in phases. Phase 1 would include utilities, an access road, an administration building, and 25 tent sites. Phase 2 would add a washroom building and 22 additional sites, and Phase 3 would extend the sanitary line, complete access improvements, and add 27 more tents, reaching a total of 74 sites.
Full build-out could accommodate 150 to 200 guests. Tent placement may be adjusted during construction to reduce forest disturbance. Third said, “We’re going to start out with 25 to 30 tents for the first phase, and then expand it as it goes.”
The project team has initiated wildfire mitigation measures, including a FireSmart program covering approximately two-thirds of the property. Tent sites would be located within treed areas to preserve existing vegetation. Access to the campground would be from Peaks Drive, with a gated emergency route from Three Sister Parkway. Parking will be provided within the campground, with no off-site parking planned.
The Staircase Lands are owned by Prospector Canada LLC. Canmore staff confirmed the application was received on February 18, 2026, and is currently under review along with associated technical studies, including traffic, environmental, and geotechnical assessments.
Caroline Hedin, communications advisor for the Town, said the town has received approximately 50 inquiries regarding the proposal and is accepting written public feedback, encouraged by March 20, though submissions will be considered until a decision is made.
The property sits above historic coal mines, and Third noted an ongoing undermining assessment to address safety risks. “We’re doing an undermining assessment and remediating the property so that it’s safe for both our guests as well as any of the general public that may be traversing the property,” he said.
The Staircase Lands were previously tied to lands controlled by Three Sisters Mountain Village Properties Ltd. and were involved in a legal dispute over development planning.
Following court decisions in 2022 and 2023, Canmore council redesignated part of the Staircase Lands into the Future Development District, where campgrounds can be considered through the town’s development permit process.
For outdoor hospitality professionals, the project highlights considerations for phased glamping developments, site-specific wildfire mitigation, and regulatory compliance in areas with historical land-use constraints, providing an example of risk assessment and infrastructure planning in ecotourism projects.