Town of Banff

Claire Wilkinson

Claire Wilkinson works to preserve Banff's heritage Photo: Kenny Lozowski

Planner

Claire arrived at the Town of Banff for a summer intern position back in 2007 from Australia via Vancouver. She came to Banff with a multitude of international experiences in urban planning in her background, ranging from a seven month internship with United Nations offices in New York City and Nairobi, Kenya, to working as a planner in alpine Australia’s Kosciuszko National Park.

Claire brings a unique and creative perspective to our planning department, as well as a passion for heritage preservation. 

She administers and supports the board of the Banff Heritage Corporation in their mandate of identifying, protecting, preserving and commemorating Banff’s historic resources.

Claire also employs her passion for heritage by writing profiles celebrating some of Banff's landmark buildings and locations, as well as the legendary individuals that are part of local history. She also collaborates to host popular community events as such as Doors Open Banff, and The Banff Heritage Awards.

When she’s not working in her office or performing site inspections for current planning initiatives, Claire will likely be on the summit of one of the various local mountain peaks, running the trails or training for half marathons – sometimes all in the same weekend!

Claire has recently completed her Master’s Degree from the University of British Columbia School of Community and Regional Planning, and plans on continuing to further her education through ongoing global pursuits and creative endeavours.

What it’s like at work?

•    You help to make decisions that effect Banff’s natural, historical and architectural integrity.  As a      Town Planner, you need to consider issues such as sustainable development, traffic flow,                 visibility, legislation and zoning codes
•    You provide reports, recommendations, policy proposals and related by-laws to Council and the      Municipal Planning Commission (MPC).  This involves extensive research and analyzing of                social, economic, physical and other data
•    You process development permits, rezoning and subdivision applications; and make          presentations to the MPC and the Development Appeal Board
•    Working with the public is a big part of this role, as you need to attend internal and external               meetings to receive public input, explain policy, and provide professional planning expertise
•    When builders, developers, consultants and the public have a question regarding planning, you      are the person they contact.  So during the day you may have a few meetings explaining land           use and zoning, and providing solutions

What are the role requirements?

•    A university degree in Planning or a related discipline, supplemented by some professional           experience; OR, an equivalent combination of training and experience
•    Considerable knowledge of the practices, principles, techniques, methods, and
     procedures applicable to municipal planning operations
•    Sound knowledge of standard research methods and techniques, current trends and
     developments in community planning
•    Ability to perform professional planning work under limited supervision
•    Ability to perform planning research, apply standard statistical techniques, and prepare planning      reports and land use bylaws in draft form
•    Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff, internal and external          contacts and authorities
•    Ability to exercise consistent judgement and creativity in dealing with the public in              
     relation to a variety of planning matters, problems, and projects
•    Demonstrated verbal, written, and graphic presentation and communication skills
•    Experience in both the private and public sectors is considered an asset
•    Computer familiarity, particularly with GIS systems, is considered an asset

Required Memberships and Licenses

•    Membership or eligibility for membership in the Canadian Institute of Planners (C.I.P.)
•    Driver’s license for the province of Alberta

Want more information?

Learn about town planning as a career from the Canadian Institute of Planners. Or talk to Randall, Darren, or Keith about what they love about being involved in the evolution of Banff's land use and the Town's development process.