Abstract Although they may have been studied less extensively than those in developing nations, mature mountain tourism communities such as Banff, Canada, potentially have useful insights to offer the international community regarding principles and practices for developing sustainable, community-based mountain tourism. Toward that end, this paper focuses on the Banff Community Plan in order to highlight ‘made-in-Banff’ solutions to issues of governance in sustainable mountain tourism. Banff's approach to balancing tourism development and environmental protection may be unique, given its complex 115-year history of association with Banff National Park. Nevertheless, the town now employs innovative principles such as ‘no net negative environmental impact’ and ‘appropriate development and use’ in its efforts to become a balanced and sustainable national park community. Such principles may contribute to implementation of Chapter 13 (the Mountain Agenda) of Agenda 21 and to resolution of governance issues in ...