About Banff ski resorts | JENZA Canada work and travel

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Pretty as a picture

Banff

Chances are that if you’ve heard of Canada, you’ve heard of Banff. After all, the namesake Banff National Park was Canada’s first – and the world’s third – and is all about the superlatives. Think glistening lakes, imposing peaks, wildlife-filled forests, colourful flower meadows… and one heck of a ski resort.

While there are three ski areas easily accessible from Banff (the SkiBig3 pass covering Lake Louise, Mt Norquay and Banff Sunshine Village), the ski resort in question is Sunshine Village. In the heart of Banff National Park and a 20-minute shuttle from the chocolate box town of Banff, Sunshine Village is one of the most famous resorts in North America and is known for having some of the ‘best snow in Canada.’ Home to some of the most scenic skiing in the world, there’s 3,350 acres of terrain across three distinct peaks – Goat’s Eye, Lookout and Mount Standish. A stunner for all seasons, once the snow melts, Banff then blooms to become one of the prettiest places in Canada.

Access to the SkiBig3 resorts on your doorstep

Including Sunshine Village for ‘Canada’s best snow’

3,350 acres of skiable terrain, 137 runs + cosy après

Wildlife spotting including bears, elk and wolves

Year-round jobs with our Banff employers

Girls pose on main street with mountain in background

Why Banff?

For a town of just 10,000 inhabitants, beautiful Banff packs a punch. Surrounded by the beautiful environs of Canada’s first ever national park, it’s a picture-perfect kind of place. With turquoise lakes to kayak, alpine valleys to explore, hoodoos to hike, and foaming rapids to raft. Not to mention, the panoramic views from atop the 2,451-metre-tall Sulphur Mountain and a ton of native wildlife to spot – including bears, elk and wolves. The town itself is straight off a toffee tin with excellent restaurants, bars and pubs for snowy après or sunny Aperol's. And of course, the world-famous Banff Film Festival.

Girl jumping off table on snowy day with blue ski

Banff in winter

A mecca for skiers and boarders, at Banff Sunshine Village alone, you have three different mountains to play on, 137 runs, six different terrain parks and 12 lifts. Great for all abilities – there's a combination of easy-to-learn-on beginner slopes and extreme big mountain runs. Only a 15-min drive from the town of Banff, when you’re off piste, there’s heaps of other winter activities to get stuck into. Including skating across the frozen lake, ice walking, tobogganing, soaking yourself silly in hot springs, and heading an hour or so to Calgary to see the ice hockey players do their thing.

Guy and girl in kayak on lake with mountain in background

Banff in summer

Known for its pristine beauty and some of the best wildlife spotting in Canada, summer in Banff is hard to beat. You’ve got incredible hiking, plus a whole host of other activities including rafting Grade 5 rapids at Kicking Horse River, stand-up paddleboarding or canoeing at the spellbinding Vermillion Lakes – a great spot for sunset – and even heading into the national park on horseback. You also can’t miss a drive down the Icefields Parkway. Which, on top of knockout views, you’ll likely spot black bears, mountain goats, bighorn sheep and perhaps a grizzly.

#TeamTalk

What the squad say

Cat, our resident Canada expert, says about Banff: “It’s honestly like living in a postcard – so if you’re after that classic Canada experience with mountains, lakes and wildlife on your doorstep, Banff kills it. Sunshine Village has some of the best skiing in Canada, but accommodation is limited – so a season here is perhaps suited to someone who’s more independent and is okay with finding their own place and a daily shuttle to the mountain. Banff town nightlife is legendary – and the drinking age in Alberta is 18 years vs 19 years old in B.C. So, Banff is a good alternative to resorts like Whistler if you’re still 18 and wanting to drink responsibly!”

Work life

Just some of the jobs in Banff

Hiring closed

View of Banff Sunshine Village and ski slopes in winter

Banff, Alberta

Rental Attendant

Winter season (Nov-Apr)

CAD $15+/hour

Limited housing ($100-150/week), free lift pass

In the heart of the Rockies, Sunshine Village is one three ski resorts around Banff and is known for having some of the 'best snow in Canada.'

Cool things to do in Banff

Don’t miss this

2 girls smile with beer on sunny day in bar

Three Bears Brewery

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After a day on the slopes, then you really needn’t look further than this cool-as-a-cucumber spot. There’s a spacious beer garden and a retractable roof – ideal for stargazing when the weather’s playing ball! They’ve got a daily happy hour, live music five nights a week, and as the Three Bears Brewery name suggests – a great range of craft ales. (Fairytale bears and light-fingered blondes not included).

Icefields and Bow Valley Parkways

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Only open during the late spring and summer months because, well for the rest of the year, they’re under metres of snow... if you have a car, these two roads are a must. Icefields is all about the scenery – think epic vistas of mountainous peaks, glacier-fed lakes and fearsome icefields. Bow Valley on the other hand is probably the best chance of spotting grizzlies and wolves in the whole region.

The Beaver Bar

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Billed as ‘Banff’s best backpacker bar and hangout’, The Beaver (now, now) is the place to be if you’re looking for cheap drinks and a whole host of travellers to hang out with. They close at 2am on the weekends and have a daily happy hour, plus trivia nights, karaoke and ‘Taco Tuesdays’ with cheap tequila and margaritas. Their motto is ‘Eat. Drink. Play’ after all…

Johnston Canyon

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While Banff has more than its fair share of natural attractions, Johnston Canyon probably tops the lot. You can visit any time of year - with summer bringing beautiful colours and swims in nearby Johnston Creek, and winter bringing fairytale ice-queen vibes with frozen waterfalls and overhanging ice. Head on up to the ink pots for world-class views.

View of Vancouver across water with mountain background

Come snow or shine

When to apply for Canada jobs

Hiring for summer jobs with May/Jun start dates typically open in Dec/Jan, and hiring for ski jobs with Nov/Dec start dates typically open in May/Jun.

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