Heavy rainfall has pushed Canmore, Alberta, into a local state of emergency, leaving mountain creeks swollen and parts of the community under evacuation alert. The Town of Canmore declared the emergency on Sunday, June 28, 2026, at 9:45 p.m., as a stalled weather system dropped 50 to 100 millimetres of rain through the weekend and into Monday. Flood watches are in effect for all steep creeks, including Cougar Creek, Stoneworks Creek, XYZ, and Three Sisters Creek. Residents in the Palliser area, which includes Palliser Trail, Stonecreek Road, and Eagle Landing, have been told to be ready to leave on short notice.
The rainfall has also stranded approximately 1,500 campers in Kananaskis Country. Alberta Parks declared its own local state of emergency after dangerous road conditions and washouts made highways impassable. Highway 40 is closed southbound from Kananaskis Country Street to Range Road 90A, and all lanes are closed on Kananaskis Village Street, with multiple washouts reported. Campers trapped in the backcountry are being urged to shelter in place until roads can be made safe.
The Town of Canmore warned residents to be prepared for sudden evacuation. “Pack personal items so that you can be away from your home for 72 hours if needed, including medications, important documentation, and pet food,” the town said in a statement. The flood watches on steep creeks reflect high runoff from the mountain slopes, where saturated ground is channelling water into already fast-moving streams. While the rain has eased, the risk of flash flooding remains.
Monday morning brought a first-time activation of the province’s Springbank Off-Stream Reservoir, commonly known as SR-1. The nearly $1 billion project was completed in 2025 and is designed to divert floodwaters from the Elbow River before they reach Calgary neighbourhoods. Alberta officials activated the reservoir early Monday, marking a milestone for post-2013 flood infrastructure. Meanwhile, the current weather warning for Canmore shifted on June 29. As of 2:31 p.m., Environment Canada replaced the rainfall alert with a Yellow Warning for air quality, citing wildfire smoke drifting from northern Saskatchewan. Residents are warned of reduced visibility and poor air.
The flooding has drawn comparisons to the devastating June 2013 event that dropped more than 220 millimetres of rain in just 36 hours and caused an estimated $6 billion in damage across Alberta. Haylie Guinn, manager of Boundary Ranch near Kananaskis Village, told reporters the current conditions are a “blast from the past.” She added, “It’s not quite what the flood was in 2013, but definitely a lot of water all at once.” Town officials are monitoring creek levels and urge everyone to stay away from fast-moving water and riverbanks as conditions stabilize through Tuesday, June 30.
