Crowsnest Pass residents to vote on coal mine [Video]

Mountains and dense forests surround the pocket of former mining communities in the Crowsnest Pass.

Streams trickle from the mountains, forming waterfalls that bring tourists to the quiet mountain oasis not far from the bustling communities of Canmore and Banff.

Despite the area’s beauty and quaint charm, the five communities that make up the municipality of Crowsnest Pass — Bellevue, Blairmore, Coleman, Frank and Hillcrest — are lacking in opportunities due to the fading of forestry and mining industries that they were founded on.

But a proposed mining project might alleviate those worries, an Australian mining company claims.