B.C. to bear brunt of costs from growing wildfire and flood risks, finds report. - By Stefan Labbé
06 OPENING REMARKS Whistler invested countless hours updating its OCP over the last 15 years, writes editor Braden Dupuis—but does new provincial legislation make it irrelevant?
08 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR This week’s letter writers weigh in on housing in Whistler and government spending, and call on Canadians to stand strong.
18 RANGE ROVER The U.S. attack on science is an attack on everyone and everything, writes Leslie Anthony—and one that will take a generation to reverse.
42 MAXED OUT The inimitable G.D. Maxwell returns to the back page, just in time for Tariff Tuesday in Canada.
10 DRIVING DENSITY The Resort Municipality of Whistler is still grappling with the finer points of new provincial housing legislation.
11 BUILD IT Another 125 new rental homes are on the way after Whistler council endorsed a new build in Cheakamus Crossing.
26 BOYS WILL BE BOYS International riding group the Downhill Derelicts has raised more than $340,000 for the Whistler Adaptive Sports Program since 2017.
30 VOCALS ONLY Catch a cappella group Countermeasure March 7 at the Maury Young Arts Centre.
COVER So glad I finally splurged on earthquake insurance this year. - By Jon Parris // @jon.parris.art
Publisher SARAH STROTHER - sstrother@piquenewsmagazine.com
Founding Publishers KATHY & BOB BARNETT www.piquenewsmagazine.com
The best laid plans…
FOR MANY YEARS, Whistler’s fabled “bed cap” has been held up as a sort of fail-safe—the measure of capacity (vague though it may be) that will keep the resort in check, safe from greedy builders and runaway development in a constrained valley.
Similarly, the local Official Community Plan (OCP)—required for all municipalities
BY BRADEN DUPUIS
in B.C.—has served as a guiding document working within the constraints of said
It sets out Whistler’s intentions and restrictions around local development, and states our guiding vision: “A place where our community thrives, nature is protected and guests are inspired.”
Countless hours have been invested in Whistler’s OCP over the last decade and a half, spread across three different municipal councils.
In 2014, the document was notoriously quashed by the Supreme Court of B.C., which ruled the provincial government did not properly consult with local First Nations in the process. That sent local officials back to the drawing board for another round of community consultation.
Following several more surveys and open houses, the updated OCP was adopted at long last in June 2020, nearly a decade after officials set out to renew it.
Now, much of that hard work could be for naught as the provincial government’s Bill 44 comes into play.
Also referred to as the Small-Scale MultiUnit Housing bylaw—or the delightfully mush-mouthed acronym SSMUH—Bill 44 still seems to carry more questions than answers.
Whistler council officially adopted a bylaw to comply with Bill 44’s legislative requirements in June 2024, and the matter was back at the council table Feb. 25 for some minor amendments and more discussion (see related story on page 10).
“This is really confusing for a lot of people. Everyone thought that there was a bed cap, and what has happened is that the province has removed that bed cap, and so now we’ve
Whistler has already hit the capacity “ceiling” in several areas, whether it be highway congestion, water/sewer infrastructure, the guest experience, or the experience of locals in the community.
“Others with far, far more expertise than I, world-renowned mountain-resort planners, have said that to me: don’t kill the goose. You guys have a very close balance now,” De Jong said, adding Bill 44 feels like it’s throwing Whistler’s OCP “into the trash can.”
Staff’s efforts to squeeze as much employee housing out of the bill as possible are commendable, but “I’m very troubled by Bill 44,” De Jong added.
“It goes against the grain of what I learned in decades of planning. And I don’t
Whistler to adapt with the rest of the province. No sense playing the victim, or fretting over our suddenly outdated OCP.
“I think it’s really important to recognize that this bill and the benefits of this bill are going to happen in places like Squamish, and they’re going to happen in North Vancouver, and they’re going to happen all over the province,” said Coun. Jen Ford.
“So this is not happening to Whistler, this is happening for British Columbia, and I think that our staff have done a tremendous job of responding and really being creative … on the heels of Whistler Housing Authority and all of the benefits that we already reap as a community,” she added.
“I know it’s challenging because we want
“It goes against the grain of what I learned in decades of planning. And I don’t think our provincial government has really thought it out.
- ARTHUR DE JONG
got to put some rules in place,” said Councillor Cathy Jewett, who commended staff for their work on the file—though she wasn’t convinced uptake will happen right away.
“We’ll see how things go. But it’s very expensive to redevelop a single-family home in Whistler so it’s going to take time before I think we really see the numbers,” Jewett said.
In the opinion of Coun. Arthur De Jong,
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think our provincial government has really thought it out.”
It could be argued Whistler, and other resort communities in B.C., should be afforded an exemption to Bill 44—especially in Whistler’s case, given its extensive and ongoing efforts around employee housing through the Whistler Housing Authority.
But no exemptions are coming, leaving
this place to stay as it always was, but that’s just not reality anymore.”
Wherever you stand on development in Whistler—bed-cap protectionism, build, baby, build, or somewhere in between—the rules have changed in 2025.
Whistler’s best laid plans have officially gone awry, through no fault of its own, and now we’re just waiting on the fallout. n
Seeking housing solutions in Whistler
Last week’s Pique had a centralized theme that I picked up on. Housing, or lack thereof in our beautiful mountain town. Reading through the magazine I enjoyed the piece about Whistler in the ’90s and how squatting in homes was popular, especially along the Green River.
I found it ironic as I continued reading to see a piece regarding “illegal vehicle camping” near Whistler. A local resident calls for more enforcement of popular areas where this is happening. However, after learning about Whistler’s history and seeing the housing market matched with the median income of jobs in the village I am perplexed as to how the local resident thinks kicking out unhoused locals is a solution. Who will work in the restaurants you dine in, or stock the groceries at your local grocery store when even sleeping in a vehicle is no longer an option?
To me, more enforcement feels like a waste of taxpayers’ money. I understand the ecological concern over SOME van-lifers leaving trash outside and that it can be an eyesore. But isn’t the destruction of forests to build mansions and condos in Whistler also an ecological concern and an eyesore? There are already only so few places in the Sea to Sky corridor that one could sleep in their vehicle. Attempting to remove the last free camping in Whistler only further segregates the income gap.
I thank the editor of Pique Newsmagazine for placing the piece on federal housing beside this article. This is a step in the right direction. I don’t know what the solution is here with the housing crisis, but I do know that polarization and enforcement will only bring us further apart.
Chad Green // Whistler
Canada needs ideological shift in government spending
It remains to be seen how tariffs will impact Canada in the long run, but no matter what, we are already dealing with massive inflation at the grocery stores.
It was recently reported that grocery
Write to us! Letters to the editor must contain the writer’s name, address
expenses for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau topped an average of $1,515 per week billed to taxpayers. At more than $200 a day for a family with three children, one has to wonder what they eat. Caviar for breakfast? Foie gras for lunch? Wagyu beef sliders every night? Let’s also remember that our PM eats out a lot while working and travelling, so this amount per day doesn’t reflect what must be hundreds of thousands of dollars in meals.
In November 2024, our Whistler Community Services Society saw the food bank’s busiest month on record in its 35-year history, with 2,262 visits. That month also saw the highestever use in a single day: 273 people came through the food bank in four hours.
We need a transgression of ideology when it comes to government spending. At all levels.
Patrick Smyth // Whistler
Stand strong, Canada
Thank you, Creekside Market, for strongly promoting B.C. and Canadian products in your Pique ad in the Feb. 28 issue. Excellent! Also a big thank you for whoever put the Canadian flags on the overpass at Nordic, and all other Whistlerites who have hung Canadian flags.
We must be strong and stand together as Canadians of all backgrounds. Do not be complacent. What is evolving here in Canada (Whistler, you are included) is a foreign
interference to break down this country. Let us never forget what happened in Germany in the late 1920s and through the 1930s. No
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
one ever thought one man would bring the world to war.
Ann and Ian Johnson // Whistler n
Backcountry Update
AS OF WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5
With uncertainty around both the current snowpack structure and the amount of new snow expected, mountain travellers need to stay aware of ongoing avalanche risks. The weak layers buried in January and February that we keep writing about were highly reactive last week during periods of heavy snow and warming. Since then, temperatures have cooled to more seasonable levels, forming a widespread crust in all but north-facing, high-alpine terrain. This has stabilized the snowpack to some extent, and the crust currently prevents deeper layers from being easily triggered. However, should the weak layer fail, the consequences could be severe, with large, destructive avalanches likely to occur.
A key factor to monitor over the weekend is the potential for new snow accumulation between Friday and Sunday. Currently, weather models vary greatly in the amount and distribution of new snow forecast for the
Sea to Sky region. Depending on how much snow falls and how it bonds to the underlying crust, the avalanche hazard could increase as new storm and wind slabs form atop an ideal sliding layer—the existing crust. Rapid loading from snow and wind could potentially cause the buried weak layers to become more reactive, further raising the hazard. This makes it crucial for backcountry travellers to stay informed on current conditions.
Checking the daily avalanche forecast at avalanche.ca will be important this weekend. The forecast provides daily updates on snowpack conditions, new snow accumulation, and how these factors will influence avalanche danger. Avalanche conditions can change quickly, so understanding these changes is essential for a safe outing. Make a habit of checking the public forecast in the evening before heading out and then again that morning to ensure you’re making the most informed decisions possible. n
CONDITIONS MAY VARY AND CAN CHANGE RAPIDLY Check for the most current conditions before heading out into the backcountry. Daily updates for the areas adjacent to Whistler Blackcomb are available at 604-938-7676, or surf to www.whistlerblackcomb.com/mountain-info/ snow-report#backcountry or go to www.avalanche.ca.
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Whistler council looks to amend multi-unit housing bylaw
WHILE WHISTLER IS REQUIRED TO REZONE FOR DENSITY, NOT EVERYONE ON COUNCIL IS CONFIDENT REMOVING THE BED CAP IS RIGHT FOR WHISTLER
BY LIZ MCDONALD
THE RESORT MUNICIPALITY of Whistler (RMOW) is still grappling with the finer points of new provincial housing legislation.
At its Feb. 25 meeting, Whistler council gave first three readings to bylaw amendments related to the provincial Small Scale MultiUnit Housing (SSMUH) initiative.
The amendments are intended to “provide clarification and address items not fully considered,” according to a staff report.
In case you missed it, SSMUH is being enacted across the province in response to Bill 44, which requires municipalities to update their zoning bylaws. The intent is to create additional housing opportunities in existing single-family neighbourhoods by allowing a wider range of housing types. The new zoning rules apply extensively across Whistler’s traditional single-family neighbourhoods to 3,470 properties.
The first bylaw amendment includes adding a minimum size for a dwelling unit (32.5 square metres), increasing floor area
exclusions for parking spots, requiring building permit applications designate which units are residential rental tenure, and allowing RI1 zoned property owners to develop under the same SSMUH regulations as RS1 zoned properties, or use existing RI1 zoning regulations.
A second amendment harmonizes references to employee housing covenants, adds an enforcement clause, and permits duplexes in the RM70 zone to have an auxiliary residential dwelling unit (ARDU) in each half of the duplex.
Bylaw testing requested by council May 14, 2024 is also underway for SSMUH and should be presented to council by the second quarter of 2025.
Mike Kirkegaard, technical director of planning, presented the amendments.
“The proposed changes at this stage are essentially what could be called bug fixes and system upgrades or updates,” Kirkegaard said, noting the tight six-month timeline given by the province to adopt the legislation meant not all pieces of the puzzle were considered when developing the SSMUH bylaw.
The specific changes came from consultation with developers, applicants and from applying the new regulations to active permit applications.
Despite these “bug fixes,” councillors still had concerns related to the top-down
legislation and the impacts removing a bed cap will have on Whistler.
FEATURES OR BUGS?
Councillor Arthur De Jong brought forward concerns over densifying in areas that are already at risk for wildfires and floods and whether Bill 44 has opt-out opportunity in these instances.
While he could only speak in general terms, Kirkegaard said communities could identify potential hazards, but that Whistler did not have any submitted.
De Jong also pointed to difficulties in adhering to the legislation while lacking capacity to provide services for increasing population.
Kirkegaard stressed the municipality’s legal requirement to adhere to Bill 44, and staff said there is potential for the province to provide more funding in extreme circumstances, but it would require establishing the financial model included in the legislation wouldn’t effectively fund growth-related costs.
“Everyone thought that there was a bed cap, and what has happened is that the province has removed that bed cap,” said Coun. Cathy Jewett. “So now we’ve got to put some rules in place. And I have to say that our staff has done a very creative job of creating this residential rental tenancy. But it’s very
expensive to redevelop a single-family home in Whistler, so it’s going to take time before I think we really see the numbers.”
De Jong was less reserved in his criticism, saying he has stood by the bed cap and the Official Community Plan (OCP) for the last two elections. He noted they are important for the community to ensure growth doesn’t exceed the village’s carrying capacity.
“I feel like Bill 44 is throwing our OCP, which is a very good one, into the trash can, and I really feel it should be the other way around,” he said.
The OCP must adhere to Bill 44.
Coun. Jeff Murl argued the impact will be best understood through bylaw testing.
Mayor Jack Crompton was focused on the potential benefits of ensuring neighbourhoods house residents and not only empty houses, whereas Coun. Jen Ford stressed the legislation will benefit communities outside of Whistler, citing Squamish and North Vancouver.
“I find it troubling when we talk about these things as though it’s happening to us,” she said. “This is not happening to us. This is recognition that there is a short supply of housing for people that need to be treated with dignity in our community and every other community in British Columbia.”
All council members except for De Jong voted to pass the recommendations. n
SIZING UP Housing density in Whistler is set to increase in the years ahead thanks to provincial Bill 44.
PHOTO
Whistler council endorses next phase of Cheakamus Crossing employee housing
LOT 3 PROJECT ADDS 125 MORE RENTAL HOMES AS PART OF WHISTLER’S GROWING AFFORDABLE HOUSING STRATEGY
BY LIZ MCDONALD
WHISTLER COUNCIL has provisionally endorsed the next phase of employee housing in Cheakamus Crossing, advancing plans for 125 new rental homes aimed at providing local workers with secure, affordable housing.
At its Feb. 25 meeting, council reviewed the project plan for Lot 3 in Cheakamus Crossing Phase 2, which includes a fivestorey apartment building with 105 units and 20 three-bedroom townhomes. The development, located at 1600 Mount Fee Road, is part of the municipality’s broader strategy to expand affordable employee housing in Whistler, addressing the ongoing challenges of limited and costly rental options.
MEETING LOCAL DEMAND
The Lot 3 development is tailored to Whistler’s workforce, offering a range of unit sizes based on demand from the Whistler Housing Authority (WHA) waitlist and recent housing needs studies. Plans include a mix of studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments, as well as townhomes for families.
Rents in the apartment building are expected to follow rent-geared-to-income formulas, while the townhomes will use a different affordability model, set at 30 per cent of household income for families in the 75th percentile of B.C. incomes.
John Chapman, the Resort Municipality of Whistler’s (RMOW) manager of planning projects, said this approach aims to provide more affordable options compared to current market rates in Whistler, where similar homes have been advertised between $7,000 and $7,700 per month in recent years, according to WHA data.
Housing remains one of Whistler council’s top priorities, as outlined in its 2023-2026 Strategic Plan, which set a goal to complete three major employee housing projects—Lots 2, 3 and 5 in Cheakamus Crossing Phase 2—by 2026. With Lot 2 already finished and fully occupied, and Lot 5 under construction with
completion expected in early 2026, the Lot 3 project is the final piece of that commitment.
FUNDING THE GAP
The estimated cost of the Lot 3 project is $62 million, encompassing land and construction expenses. Funding this initiative will require about $16.1 million in equity: $3 million from WHA surplus funds; $5.9 million from RMOW reserves; and $7.2 million in anticipated grants from senior levels of government.
Staff have identified potential risks, including inflation, rising interest rates, level of demand for new housing, and supply chain disruptions, such as new tariffs on building materials.
“We’ve also added a recommendation to return to council to update on any cost inflation,” Chapman said, emphasizing that any cost increase of 10 per cent or more before construction starts will prompt another review.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
With council’s provisional endorsement, the next steps involve securing grant funding, finalizing the financing strategy, and updating the municipality’s K-01 employee housing policy to reflect the project’s rental framework. Staff also plan to introduce a housing agreement setting rental rates and eligibility criteria.
If all proceeds as planned, construction could begin as early as summer 2025, with the first residents moving in by early 2028.
Council members expressed optimism about the progress, highlighting the municipality’s substantial investment in employee housing.
“We’re looking at, in four years, over 400 units and $160 million invested in housing by three organizations in this community. I think that is something to celebrate,” said Councillor Jen Ford.
Coun. Ralph Forsyth agreed, adding, “I think it’s the essence of community building that is at the heart of the policy decisions we make. And I think we’re honouring our commitment to the community to build as much housing as we can, as affordably as we can, for the benefit of everyone.” n
RENTALS RISING An initial rendering of what 1600 Mount Fee Road will look like when finished. SCREENSHOT COURTESY OF THE RESORT MUNICIPALITY OF WHISTLER
IHIT investigating suspicious death of Pemberton woman
POLICE HAVE IDENTIFIED THE DECEASED WOMAN AS 22-YEAR-OLD TABITHA PETERS
BY LUKE FAULKS Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
THE RCMP’S Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) has taken the reins of an investigation into the sudden death of Tabitha Peters, a 22-year-old woman from Pemberton, after her death was deemed suspicious in consultation with the BC Coroners Service.
Officers were alerted to a report of an unconscious woman in a property on Prospect Street in Pemberton on Feb. 22 at about 10 a.m., IHIT said in a Feb. 27 release.
“First responders, including British Columbia Emergency Health Services, attended the location but the woman was declared deceased on scene,” the release said.
IHIT is investigating in partnership with the Integrated Forensic Identification Service, the BC Coroners Service and the Pemberton, Squamish, and Whistler detachments of the RCMP.
Initial evidence suggests the death is an isolated incident, with no ongoing risk to the public, the release said.
“We are in the beginning stages of our investigation,” said Cpl. Esther Tupper of IHIT in the release. “We’re asking anyone with information to please come forward.”
The investigation team is asking anyone with information about the incident to call the IHIT Information Line at 1-877-551-IHIT (4448) or email them at ihitinfo@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.
Over the weekend, Peters’ family held a celebration of life and burial. Family picked
her up at the Squamish Funeral Chapel on Friday, Feb. 28, before the procession went to Samahquam Multiplex on the Lillooet River.
The family then gathered the following day at Lil’wat Nation’s Ullus Community Complex for a celebration of life.
Peters was laid to rest Sunday morning in Lil’wat Nation Cemetery. The family asks for privacy, but donations can be sent to candice. wells0619@gmail.com.
Check back with Pique for more as this story develops… n
Trial for St’atl’imx Tribal cop set for Dec. 1
CST. MICHAEL ENGLISH FACES CHARGES FOR ALLEGEDLY FILMING SEXUAL ACTS WITHOUT CONSENT
THE VOIR DIRE for Michael English, Stl’atl’imx Tribal Police Service (STPS) officer charged with three counts of voyeurism for allegedly filming sexual acts without his partners’ consent, is set for Dec. 1.
A voir dire is a trial within a trial, where the court decides which evidence is admissible for use.
English was formally charged in September 2024. He faces three counts of voyeurism in connection with offences that allegedly took place while he was off-duty in Pemberton and Vancouver between 2020 and 2022. He was later placed on administrative leave during the investigation.
At the North Vancouver court on Jan. 8, English’s legal counsel said the officer plans to plead not guilty. He has requested trial by provincial judge. A pre-trial hearing was held
in Victoria Feb. 13 and adjourned to Feb. 26, when the trial date was expected to be set.
The Feb. 26 appearance was adjourned, and the voir dire date was set March 3 by a judicial case manager.
As the alleged offences happened outside of STPS jurisdiction, the case was assigned to the Sea to Sky RCMP’s General Investigative Section, with senior investigators from the Lower Mainland District RCMP providing additional oversight. It was also referred to the Office of Police Complaints Commission, B.C.’s independent, civilian oversight agency.
STPS is B.C.’s only self-administered First Nations Police Service and runs in 10 participating St’at’imc communities. STPS officers are designated provincial constables.
UNDER INVESTIGATION IHIT is investigating the sudden death of 22-year-old Tabitha Peters.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE RCMP
Outdoor Recreation Council of BC hosting Indigenous tourism webinar
THE UPCOMING EVENT WILL HELP OUTDOOR GROUPS UNDERSTAND HOW TO CREATE MEANINGFUL PARTNERSHIPS WITH FIRST NATIONS
BY LIZ MCDONALD
OUTDOOR RECREATION groups in B.C. looking to partner with First Nations are welcome to attend an upcoming event hosted by the Outdoor Recreation Council of BC (ORCBC).
March 11 at 1 p.m., ORCBC is hosting a webinar where outdoor groups can learn how Indigenous nature-based tourism and recreation initiatives align with the outdoor recreation community. Many projects have similar objectives, and by partnering with First Nations from the outset, outdoor groups can ensure they have meaningful engagement on Crown land, enhance reconciliation and target a rapidly growing tourism niche. The webinar is sponsored by the Real Estate Foundation of BC.
Four experts are on deck to discuss how to partner with First Nations and Indigenousowned businesses.
Shelley Witzky-Spemulecw is a member of the Secwépemc Nation and leads the Secwépemc Landmarks Project in collaboration with the Shuswap Trail Alliance.
Evangeline Clifton is the economic development officer and councillor with Heiltsuk Tribal Council in Bella Bella, and she is partnering with First Journey Trails creating the Waglisla Trails initiative.
Adrian Lewis handles tourism development at the McAbee Fossil Beds near Cache Creek, which includes the Bonapart First Nation. The area encompasses 10 kilometres of trails and plans to expand ATV trails, create an interpretive and meeting centre and enhance visitor experience.
Last but not least, Chatman Shaw is the corporate services manager at Indigenous Tourism BC. He was born and raised in Prince Rupert, and is a member of the Nisga’a Nation community of Gitlaxt’aamiks.
RESPECTFUL ENGAGEMENT
Witzky-Spemulecw said she understands the misunderstandings that can take place when Western mindsets and Indigenous groups come together, and she hopes to help attendees learn from her own experience. Despite being Secwépemc, she worked in Western environments for her first 20 years of employment.
“The status quo is we come to a meeting, start on time, get the agenda items banged out and go our separate ways to carry out the action items. It is meant for efficiency and expediting the process … When I started working on the Secwépemc Landmarks Project on a grassroots level, I had to relearn a whole process I had forgotten from my childhood,” she said.
“Indigenous protocol speaks more to the human side of any issue, it’s more important for us to reconnect and bond, have a good understanding of why we’re at a meeting and the purpose, socialization is a key part. When everyone feels settled, connected and safe, the meeting can start, and the information can flow.”
She will go into detail about the engagement process, building relationships with First Nations, meaningful Indigenous engagement and what that means in tangible terms, the process of decolonization Nations are embarking upon, and the Secwépemc Landmarks Project.
COMMUNITY BENEFITS
Ryan Stuart, community engagement lead for ORCBC, said many members of ORCBC recreate on First Nations traditional territory and there is strong interest in learning more about Indigenous partnership.
“Anytime we cover topics related to reconciliation or recreating on Indigenous land, it’s been well received. There’s lots of First Nations working on tourism recreation so it’s a good fit,” Stuart said.
ON THE TRAIL Youth building the Scatchard Trail near Chase.
PHOTO COURTESY OF SHELLEY WITZKY-SPEMULECW
Celebrate International Women’s Day in Whistler
A ROUNDUP OF EVENTS TO CELEBRATE WOMEN ON MARCH 8
BY LIZ MCDONALD
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY (IWD)
2025 offers a moment to spotlight the achievements and stories of women in Whistler and globally.
This year’s theme, “strength in every story,” emphasizes the importance of amplifying women’s voices, especially those facing ongoing challenges. As noted on the Government of Canada’s website, “creating opportunities for women and girls unlocks their potential and drives innovation, supports Canada’s economy, and helps ensure a sustainable future for all.”
The inaugural IWD took place on March 19, 1911, in Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, and Germany, driven by the pursuit of equal societal participation for women.
So, how can you join in the celebrations in Whistler this year?
WHISTLER INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY EVENTS
DAWN PATROL – WOMEN’S-ONLY EDITION
Presented by Mt. Waddington, this event kicks off with an evening social and gear session on Friday, March 7, at 7:30 p.m. at Mt. Waddington
Outdoors in Whistler.
The following morning, March 8, participants will meet at the Blackcomb Gondola at 7 a.m. for an invigorating ascent, followed by a ski descent. An optional coffee gathering is scheduled from 9 to 9:30 a.m. at Portobello. This free event is organized by Mt. Waddington staff members Lauren, Laken, and Zo.
FUNDRAISER AT DUSTY’S BAR & BBQ
On March 8, Dusty’s Bar & BBQ is hosting a fundraiser with proceeds benefiting PearlSpace, a non-profit dedicated to preventing genderbased violence and supporting survivors.
“[C]reating opportunities for women and girls unlocks their potential and drives innovation...”
- GOVERNMENT OF CANADA
INDIGENOUS TOURISM FROM PAGE 13
According to a 2025 report from the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada, Indigenous tourism in Canada includes 2,750 businesses, and in 2023, “Indigenous tourism contributed $3.7 billion to Canada’s GDP.”
Panellist Clifton said attendees will learn how outdoor projects enhance reconciliation through community building, become economic drivers and enhance
appreciation for the natural environment. She spearheaded trail-building at marshy Martins Lake in Bella Bella.
“Our community has always been about fishing and logging. Both industries have declined over the years, and we’re filling in the gaps through seasonal jobs with trailbuilding and maintenance. It helps community members who want to work outside,” she said.
Tickets sold out swiftly, with local talents such as Jeanette Bruce, Laura Nedelak, Robyn Forsyth, Izumi Inoue, Rachel Lewis, Mom Jeans, and Steph Lundy set to perform. The lineup also includes the Handsome Men, Soul Club, DJ Lon, and DJ Foxy Moron.
CURVE! WOMEN CARVERS ON THE NORTHWEST COAST AT THE AUDAIN ART MUSEUM
While not exclusively an IWD event, this exhibition aligns with the day’s theme. Featuring 14 female artists and 127 works, CURVE! sheds light on women’s contributions to the rich tradition of carving wood and argillite on the Northwest Coast. Co-curated by Dana Claxton and Curtis Collins, the exhibition offers a fresh perspective on this art form. n
While building trails is fulfilling, Clifton said more funding needs to be made available for these projects.
“It’s extremely hard to fund trailbuilding—$10,000 doesn’t make a big impact,” she said. “Material costs, shipping costs are heightened here. We can’t just drive down a street, we need to factor in freight and travel.” n
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Village of Pemberton considers new infrastructure, higher taxes in five-year financial plan
THE DRAFT PLAN ADDRESSES A NEW FIRE HALL AND WATER TREATMENT FACILITY, AND COVERS THE COST OF THE VILLAGE ASSUMING MANAGEMENT AND FUNDING OF RECREATION SERVICES IN THE VALLEY
BY LUKE FAULKS
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
IT’S BUDGET SEASON in Pemberton.
At a committee of the whole (COW) meeting on March 4, Pemberton’s mayor and council heard from staff on the village’s budget, as well as a draft five-year financial plan that would see a sharp increase in tax revenue, which is set to climb from $3,833,810 in the 2025 budget to $5,844,202 in 2026— offset by a decrease in requisitions from other local governments.
“[The five-year financial plan] takes a long-term view of a significant capital plan and infrastructure planning into the future, and notably some major projects in the fiveyear horizon,” Pemberton finance manager Thomas Sikora told the COW.
Per the Local Government Act, municipalities must have a financial plan adopted annually by March 31. That plan takes into account the current year, as well as the following four years. Pemberton’s plan, like other municipalities, addresses operating and capital budgets for the following five years, including changes in service and new infrastructure projects.
The five-year budget includes key upgrades to the village’s infrastructure, namely a new fire hall and water treatment facility.
Sikora noted fire halls are “increasingly more expensive facilities,” but future upgrades
to service might require the purchase of equipment that just wouldn’t fit into the current building. He also pointed to a plan addressing aging infrastructure associated with Pemberton Fire Rescue, some of which is approaching the 30-year mark of its life cycle.
“Certain specs of fire trucks, as an example, don’t fit in our current hall,” Sikora told the COW. “Sometimes it’s more expensive to buy one that fits in shorter doors of the hall, and that’s not necessarily a good long-term decision.”
Another major capital expenditure, the
with $8.1 million in federal, provincial and local funding, according to officials. The facility will also “support future growth and increased water capacity” to meet a growing population.
A new municipal hall is on the docket too, with the Village of Pemberton (VOP) having outgrown its existing space. Pique previously reported that the municipality has made use of hotdesking and remote work for employees to address some of the challenges with space constraints. Sikora noted “it’s trickier to find grants for a new municipal hall” compared to
“There’s ways to be creative and look for other sources or partnerships or different avenues.”
- THOMAS SIKORA
water treatment facility, was spurred by a 2020 annual water system report that revealed elevated levels of manganese and iron in two crucial Pemberton wells. While those levels were within Health Canada’s maximum acceptable concentration limits for drinking water, they exceeded aesthetic objectives that address taste, odour and colour. The report confirmed the elevated levels did not pose a health risk to residents.
After drilling two test wells in the Pemberton aquifer that showed insufficient yield and similarly poor water quality, the village opted to develop a new water treatment facility. The facility will be built
those for the wastewater and fire hall.
“There’s ways to be creative and look for other sources or partnerships or different avenues,” he told the COW. “I don’t think we’ve got the robust or concrete plan for that yet.”
A key expense driving the projected increase in tax revenue is the transfer of recreation service management and funding from the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) to the VOP. In 2021, the SLRD and VOP took first steps “for the Village to undertake the operation and management of the Pemberton and District Recreation Service.” Sikora noted the increase in taxation “is offset equally by
collection for other governments,” referring to a decrease in funds collected to pay for the SLRD’s administration of recreation services in the Valley.
“[We’re] not proposing any material changes to service levels in that five-year plan,” said Sikora.
Councillor Ted Craddock raised the possibility of reconsidering some of the expenditures in the budget in the years ahead, out of concern for getting the funding required for the new fire and municipal halls.
“Some items, depending on need determined from council today, can no longer be bumped,” Mayor Mike Richman told the COW. “This is our way of identifying projects and being ready for them, planning for costs and also recognizing that we’re going to have to go out and look for the funds.”
Council is also preparing to finalize its budget for the year ahead. The draft budget for 2025 includes about $3.8 million in capital projects. That includes the water treatment facility, a universal water metering program, an engine 10 fire truck replacement, a signage update to reflect that the village is situated on the unceded territory of the Lil’wat Nation, a new amenity building at Den Duyf Park and a raised crosswalk across Cottonwood Street.
Residents will also see a tax increase in 2025. While the final tax rate for the year is yet to be finalized, the VOP is aiming to generate $392,117 from tax revenue for the year.
Following a March 4 budget open house, council is preparing a final version of the 2025 budget and five-year financial plan for the end of March. n
Village, child care society release statement on Pemberton daycare expansion delay
THE STATEMENT ATTRIBUTED
THE DELAYS TO ‘THE HVAC SYSTEM, A ROOF LEAK AND THE NEED FOR FUTURE ASSESSMENT OF AREAS IMPACTED BY PREVIOUS WATER EXPOSURE’
BY LUKE FAULKS
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
THE VILLAGE OF PEMBERTON (VOP) and Pemberton Child Care Society board of directors have released a joint statement addressing ongoing delays in the daycare expansion’s opening, citing structural issues.
“While significant progress has been made, unforeseen challenges have delayed the full opening of the facility,” read the release. “A warranty inspection identified concerns related to the HVAC system, a roof leak and the need for further assessment of areas impacted by previous water exposure.
“While initial mitigation efforts were completed, recent testing indicated that further work is required to ensure the facility meets the highest standards for a safe operating environment.”
The long-awaited daycare expansion in Pemberton was originally slated to open on Sept. 3, 2024, after being in the works for about five years.
In 2019, the VOP made daycare expansion a strategic priority. The Village then received $2,771,000 for 50 child care spaces through the ChildCare BC New Spaces Fund for the expansion in April 2022, and site prep work began later that year; however, after a funding shortfall emerged, the VOP applied for supplementary funding. A further $800,000 was awarded as a result in early 2023.
The expansion’s construction required relocating the Nature Play Park and Playscape next to the Pemberton & District Community Centre, sparking concern
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over a reduction in green space in the village.
A week out from the opening, the centre posted that the timeline would be pushed back and that parents on the waitlist had yet to be contacted. The post confirmed the facility would only open once it receives a license under the Community Care and Assisted Living Act, the facility is safely operational, and has a confirmed opening date.
The daycare received its Community Care and Assisted Living Act license on Jan. 2 for an initial capacity of 25 students, with an expansion to the full 50-student capacity once additional staff are secured.
The VOP is working with the Pemberton Child Care Society board to put together a remediation plan, with the work on the centre expected to begin in the upcoming weeks, according to the statement.
Housing for future employees remains a challenge. In 2024, the centre asked for the community’s help finding affordable housing for its staff. It renewed that call for support in its most recent statement.
“If community members are aware of any opportunities that could help support housing for daycare educators and staff, please reach out to the Pemberton Children’s Centre management via email at manager@ pembykids.com,” the statement said.
Future updates will be published “as more information becomes available,” according to the release.
“We appreciate the community’s patience and understanding as we work toward the successful opening of this much-needed facility and expansion of services of the Pemberton Children’s Centre,” it said. n
DAYCARE DELAY Pemberton’s daycare expansion was originally set to open in September 2024.
FILE PHOTO BY RÓISÍN CULLEN
The Conservative War on Science
IN CASE YOU SLEEP under a rock (can’t blame you) or eschew social media (good on ya), tariffs aren’t the only lunacy being promulgated by the chaotic grifter in Washington. Trump 2.0 is also taking a wrecking ball to science and international institutions.
BY LESLIE ANTHONY
Everything from the world-leading medical research of the NIH and CDC to the life-saving work of USAID and the EPA, from the education-funding of NSF to the interpretive work of the NPS, and from the critical weather and ocean data of NOAA to the natural disaster relief provided by FEMA. Orwellian restrictions on research, tens of thousands—many early career scientists trained specifically for these jobs—out of work under demonstrably false pretenses for the most craven of political reasons. Thousands of eager graduate students left out in the cold. All perpetrated by the most callous, unqualified individual to ever wield a literal and figurative chainsaw.
An assault on science anywhere is an assault on science everywhere, as the venerable British journal Nature put it.
Whether science-aware or not, we benefit from it every minute. The table I’m writing at? An early scientific trope of physics + materials. As a practice so ubiquitous to both
human progress and everyday life, gov’t’s only role here should be to enthusiastically support and fund the greater quest for understanding in all areas and get TF out of the way. Until theocratic conservatives waded in under Ronald Reagan, it had mostly managed to stay this way.
Science requires independence to work best. I’d no sooner suggest defunding the engineering advancements of bitumen extraction or fracking—both of which are impressive but underlie industries I don’t happen to support—than I would new methods for ageing fossils or calculating long-term temperature anomalies in the Arctic. Science doesn’t work on the “preferred outcome” model theo-cons have shown themselves ready to adopt; it works on discovery, understanding through experimentation and study, and knowledge sharing. Neither gov’t nor the public should choose the direction of science, which remains society’s only true peer-regulating institution.
But now America’s vaunted science sector is under unparalleled attack. Not piecemeal incursions, but a siege of the entire institution by the country’s most powerful—and ignorant—individuals. An attack on science of this scale is indeed an attack on everyone and everything, on both future and present, and one that will already take a generation to fully reverse. Clearly something this ham-fisted was never about efficiency but ideology, the predicted, full-on Christo-fascist politicization of science following the odious Project 25 blueprint.
Though terrifying to watch this happen to friends and neighbours, we can’t be smug. Canada’s own scientists once told politicians that data they were paid to collect indicated the Atlantic cod quota should be severely reduced, not increased. No one listened, cod crashed, moratorium was declared, thousands were out of work overnight, and
mass emigration from Newfoundland ensued. Yet, despite such costly errors, conservatives have become more and more ideologically entrenched against sciencebased policymaking, opting instead for policy-based science making that won’t tell them things they (and industry) don’t want to hear. Former PM Stephen Harper’s own attempt involved scrubbing federal websites, emptying libraries and archives into dumpsters, hobbling key data organizations like StatsCan, preventing scientists from public comment or attending conferences (this affected me personally), and inviting the criminal oil and gas industry to rewrite environmental laws they saw as problematic (for which we should never, ever forgive either).
This sorry chapter of Canadian history is summed in Chris Turner’s well-researched 2013 book The War on Science: Muzzled Scientists and Wilful Blindness in Stephen Harper’s Canada . We were fortunate the HarperCons couldn’t go as far as they wanted, that institutions withstood the onslaught, and that public outcry was widespread, visible—including a labcoatclad-pall-bearer Death of Science march on Parliament Hill—and birthed lasting science-advocacy groups like Evidence for Democracy.
We shouldn’t forget this because when it comes to science, Canada’s current conservative louts are far worse, courting the anti-vax trucker convoy and climatedenying shills like Jordan Peterson, being endorsed by the absolute worst-of-the-worst Trumpsters while eager to enact much of his agenda, including the dismantling of Canadian science, conservation and environmental law. Taking the “we-can’thandle-paper-straws” rhetoric of Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and B.C. Con-man John Rustad as trial balloons, a vote for the
federal CPC would be a vote to send us back to the scientific Stone Age. Meanwhile, pushback is coming in the U.S., albeit hampered by the speed and savageness of the attack. Many who may have spoken out from within the scientific establishment have either been fired or put on notice to keep silent. This isn’t speculation; email receipts are all over the Internet. Though more than 100 court cases have been filed against the administration, it’s a glacial process in a time of urgency. So, once again, the energy of youth must carry the torch. Launched by five earlycareer scientists, Stand Up for Science has quickly transformed into a national movement to defend science as a public good and central pillar of social progress. On March 7 it will host official protests in Washington, D.C. and 31 other U.S. cities; those unable to attend can participate in nationwide campusand-workplace noon walkouts. Long-term science-policy goals include restoration of federal funding, reinstatement of wrongfully terminated employees, an end to interference and censorship, and a renewed commitment to DEIA.
The success of this endeavour, unfortunately, lies in the shadow of an ominous March 4 tweet from the President Rapist in Chief, an attempt to cow any potential uprising: “All Federal Funding will STOP for any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests. Agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came. American students will be permanently expelled or, depending on the crime, arrested. NO MASKS! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
Like I said, this is war
Leslie Anthony is a science/environment writer and author who holds a doctorate in reversing political spin. n
HAZARD PAY
B.C. TO BEAR BRUNT OF COSTS FROM GROWING WILDFIRE AND FLOOD RISKS, FINDS REPORT
By Stefan Labbé
National targets to build millions of new homes over the next five years risk putting hundreds of thousands of structures in the path of wildfire and floods, according to a new report.
The resulting surge in damages is forecast to balloon costs by more than $3 billion across Canada, with more than half the destruction occurring in British Columbia.
Published by the Canadian Climate Institute this week, the landmark study combined normally private models projecting wildfire and flood risk with forecasts on where Canadian towns and cities are likely to build new homes.
Co-author Sarah Miller said her team wanted to see what would happen if the country followed through on building the 5.8 million new homes the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation says are necessary to alleviate the housing affordability crisis.
“This problem is already really bad across the country, and we’re looking at potentially building a lot more housing,” said Miller.
By 2030, an estimated 760,000 new Canadian homes could face damage from wildfires and flooding, the report found.
About three per cent of new builds (150,000) could be situated in zones of very high flood hazard. Another four per cent (220,000) could be built in municipalities with significant wildfire risk, it found.
Most of that risk was found to be in B.C. In the worst-case scenario, building new homes in dangerous places could result in the province absorbing 95 per cent of Canada’s increased damages from wildfires and half of the spike in the country’s flood bill.
The financial risk from new housing in flood and wildfire hazard zones could surpass $2.2 billion per year in Canada’s westernmost province. By comparison, the next-highest damages are expected in Manitoba ($360 million), Alberta ($220 million) and Quebec ($214 million).
“Such large and unpredictable disaster costs would put enormous strain on municipal budgets, likely requiring funds to be diverted from other essential public services or leading to unsustainable reliance on provincial and federal assistance,” the authors write.
In an emailed statement, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness Kelly Greene said her ministry was reviewing and considering the report’s recommendations.
As wildfire damages surge, highest risk concentrated in 20 communities
B.C.’s current wildfire risk sits at roughly $400 million a year in damages, but by 2030, new builds could see annual damages spike to $1.5 billion.
“We’re looking at wildfire damages almost tripling,” said Miller, who is based in Victoria. “In the rest of the country, the increases are relatively marginal.”
Confidentiality agreements with insurance companies and private flood modellers prevented Miller and her colleagues from releasing the names of specific towns.
A level of uncertainty at a local level also pushed the group to carry out a risk analysis at a regional level. Still, the numbers offer a striking portrait of potential disaster.
An estimated 92 per cent of potential wildfire-related financial losses will be concentrated in just 20 municipalities across Canada. Of those, 16 are in B.C., with most spanning the Thompson-Okanagan, the Kootenays and the province’s northeast.
Flooding could cost B.C. more
than $3 billion a
year by 2030
The highest costs from floods, meanwhile, were concentrated in Canada’s urban centres, across southern Quebec and Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, and B.C., with the latter once again expected to absorb a majority of damages.
In the worst-case scenario, 61,000 new homes in B.C. will fall in the highest flood-hazard zones, double the number of homes in that situation in Ontario.
The province’s outsized exposure to flood risk is even more stark when it comes to the cost of
damages, estimated to rise to $1.1 billion by 2030. That’s more than eight times the flood bill forecast for Quebec, the province expected to see the second-highest flood costs.
Together with risk to existing homes, the added flood damage in B.C. could lead to more than $3 billion in annual losses by the end of the decade, more than the combined losses across the rest of Canada.
Most of the new damage is expected to come from inland flooding, though new homes built near the ocean are also expected to present an “acute risk,” the study says.
In the best-case scenario, B.C. is expected to account for 35 per cent of the national spike in coastal flooding costs; in the worst case, B.C. absorbs 85 per cent of those costs.
Miller said there is significant uncertainty around the costs of flooding, because local jurisdictions across the country have been notoriously bad at reporting the quality of flood defences.
In the best-case scenario, there are top-quality flood defences that are up-to-date and working properly. In a worst-case scenario, flood defences are failing or not working as they are supposed to.
The reality is likely to lie somewhere in the middle, though events like the 2021 atmospheric river—which knocked out roads and bridges, breached dikes in several B.C. communities, and caused billions of dollars in damage—raise concerns that other flood defences aren’t up to standard, said Miller.
In 2016, the Fraser Basin Council reported two-thirds of the assessed dikes in the Lower Mainland scored as poor to fair, while 18 per cent were classified as unacceptable to poor.
“Few of the dike segments assessed meet current provincial standards, and no dikes fully meet provincial standards,” says the report.
Five years later, and just months before catastrophic flooding hit much of B.C. in 2021, the council released a commissioned report warning that there are “no guidelines” and “limited information” when it comes to channel maintenance. And when it came to dikes, the report found “many known gaps” remain.
“The current model for flood risk governance in B.C. is broken,” it concluded.
Dikes would later fail across several B.C. communities, including Abbotsford, Princeton and Merritt.
The latest report lists the Lower Mainland, Thompson-Okanagan and the southern end of Vancouver Island among the top-10 riskiest regions in Canada for flood damage.
More transparency and better landuse planning
The wildfire and flood risk data used for the report was almost all privately held, either by insurance companies or private firms. Government and the public rarely have access to that information, in what Miller described as anything but a level playing field.
The report calls on local and regional governments to prioritize wildlife and flood-risk modelling, and for provincial regulators to mandate disclosure of that data to the public so people know the risk they face when buying or renting a home.
“It’s extremely important for people in communities to know the level of their risk,” Miller said. “People need to push their governments to do this work. It’s feasible to do. It just takes investment and it takes prioritization.”
Avoiding the costs of disaster in new homes requires action from all levels of government, the study found.
Part of the outsized risk B.C. is facing is due to its vast forests, mountains and coastline that can restrict where communities can build, said Miller. But the projected losses also reflect that B.C. has weaker land-use policy than some other provinces, the report found.
Unlike Ontario or Quebec, B.C. only offers guidelines on where to build, and does not restrict municipalities from building homes in high-hazard areas, said Miller.
Tamsin Mills, a former planner with the District of Squamish and the City of Vancouver who wasn’t involved in the report, said B.C. does have some land-use regulations to direct development away from the highest-hazard areas and manage risk in hazard-prone areas.
As an example, she pointed to floodmanagement bylaws and FireSmart principles contained in municipal wildfire development permit areas.
To improve those measures, Mills said the province would first need to create a standard for risk tolerance—such as risk to life—that would guide land-use planning.
Mills added B.C. would also need a standard approach that incorporates the influence of climate change on future risk. Currently, each local government or First Nation is developing its own approach separately, she said.
However B.C.’s local and provincial government choose to respond to the threats in the report, the good news is that most of the projected losses are expected to occur in only a small number of new builds. The study found six per cent of new homes make up 90 per cent of B.C.’s projected losses.
“Even in these riskiest areas, there is still room to build elsewhere within these communities,” Miller said. “The most affordable home is the one you don’t need to keep building.” n
BREAKING GROUND:
Stephanie Battiston’s journey in a male-dominated industry
First solo project for young female entrepreneur
Jennifer Thuncher jthuncher@squamishchief.com
It is Stephanie Battiston’s baby, if buildings can be babies.
Battiston is the head of Lucina Enterprises, which has just completed the Mid-Way project, in the Squamish industrial park.
According to Battiston, the project at 38924 Mid Way is designed to fill a critical gap in Squamish’s booming business sector, which has seen increased demand and below-average vacancy rates.
“This project stands out not only for its modern, tenant-focused approach but also for its women-led team breaking barriers in the traditionally male-dominated construction and industrial real estate industries,” reads a news release about the project.
For Battiston, who is also the managing director of Westrock Property’s leasing company, this is her first big solo build.
She is a young woman succeeding in a male-dominated business—industrial real estate and construction.
Even in her family legacy, Battiston
Enterprises Ltd, she is following in the footsteps of her father and grandfather.
The leadership team at Lucina Enterprises is also primarily made up of women.
Taresse Christie is the development project manager, Victoria Gidziski is the senior commercial property manager.
This female leadership is still rare. In 2023, approximately 18.4% of all businesses were majority-owned by women in Canada, according to federal government stats.
When Battiston was younger, she wanted to branch out and go to school, rather than rest on her family’s laurels. She got a Bachelor of Business Administration at Capilano University and a Master’s of International Business from the University of Hertfordshire in England.
She has also had her trading services real estate license since 2013.
She was born and raised in Vancouver, and currently lives in Whistler.
She said her personality brings a different perspective to the business.
“I have a little bit more of a creative side,” she said.
And she guesses being a woman
sometimes means you have a different approach.
“I like to be proactive and collaborate and talk to my team and see [their] ideas.”
While this is her first solo project, she is no newbie.
“I started managing more renovations, so buying big buildings, splitting them up,” she said.
While she has gotten plenty of respect and support from men in her family and in the industry, she has had to deal with situations where she is overlooked, literally, because of her gender.
She recalls showing up at a project with her boyfriend and having him be addressed as the authority when he isn’t even in the business, she said, with a laugh.
“It’s me. I’m the owner. Talk to me.”
She said people’s ideas should be listened to, regardless of their gender.
“Maybe this person, regardless of their gender, has a good idea. Maybe you should approach it with more curiosity and can we listen to them?”
On the positive side, she has seen strides being made in the construction industry from the times when her grandfather and father got their starts.
“They’re trying to just be a little bit kinder and more supportive because mental health is such a big thing.”
In addition to coming up in the family company under her dad, grandfather, brother and aunt, Battiston said her mom has been a role model.
“Mom’s not involved in this business, but she’s very entrepreneurial, and she’s very similar to me. She’s quite friendly and warm,
and just—what you see is what you get,” Battiston said, adding her mom owns a fitness studio.
“She’s just so good at figuring things out and finding a way that she can do things in her own way, and she’s always trying to grow. I think that’s something that I’ve found—if I don’t know something, I try to find a way that I can understand it and make it work for me.”
HER ADVICE FOR YOUNG GIRLS
Battiston knows that representation matters. Her advice for young women coming up behind her is to know your worth.
“I would just say try not to let people put you down and deter you. It’s hard, but it’s so important to just kind of find what works for you. And your own unique style and perspective can come in handy,” she said.
“I was always told I’m too sensitive or I’m too nice or you’re being too friendly, and I always thought that was a negative thing, and so it took a long time for me to realize that it’s actually a benefit. By being friendly, I create relationships, and I’m able to find different ways of approaching things that are actually beneficial to the end result.” Her other advice is not to be afraid to make mistakes and ask questions.
“Try to step outside of your comfort zone,” she added.
“[But] don’t just try to be someone you’re not, just to fit in. There’s probably strengths that you have that you just can bring in in a different way.”
This story is written in honour of International Women’s Day, coming up March 8.
Stephanie Battiston in one of the units in her Mid Way project
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Downhill Derelicts fundraising tops $340K for WASP
INTERNATIONAL RIDING GROUP HITS WHISTLER FOR 23RD-ANNUAL SKI TRIP
BY BRADEN DUPUIS
WHEN THE DOWNHILL Derelicts gather in Whistler each year, there’s always a healthy competitive aspect among the evergrowing group—ski racing, sled racing, poker tournaments, drinking games, and even a pursuit for the most vertical skied.
Launched in 2003 by friends DJ Taylor and Jeremy Town, the group’s annual excursion to Whistler has burgeoned from two members to more than 100, hailing from five different countries.
But it’s not just a boys’ trip—since adding a fundraising element back in 2017, the Derelicts have raised more than $340,000 for the Whistler Adaptive Sports Program (WASP).
Not bad for a couple ski buddies from Vermont.
With multiple servicemembers now counted among its ranks, when the group heard about WASP, choosing it as their beneficiary was a no-brainer, Taylor said.
“That’s us … we want to figure out, how do we get access to people to enjoy the exact same things that we’re doing every single day? I will tell you, skiing is probably my favourite thing in the world to do. I’ve got an 11-year-old little girl that I’ve taught to ski. She races. And we talk about how it’s probably the closest
thing to flying that you can do,” he said.
“And I’m like, how do how do we give that experience to people who otherwise would never imagine that they would have it? So that became the focus for us.”
The Downhill Derelicts make their return to Whistler this week, with a private opening ceremonies kick-off party planned for March 9 at the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre.
Forty-two Derelicts will hit the slopes of Whistler Blackcomb during their five-day trip, raising more funds for WASP with every turn.
bent on trying to figure out how to help an organization that truly needed help at the time.”
To that point, more than 90 per cent of the money raised by the Downhill Derelicts comes from outside Whistler.
“It’s less about the money now and more about how do we create awareness—for me, how do we create awareness of these crazy, amazing guys that are coming here and just ripping up the ski hill for five days, and then also writing a big, goofy check at the Longhorn for $80,000,” Potter said, referencing the
“The guys work really hard to be able to get here, but also to represent and be thoughtful of the culture...”
- DEIDRE POTTER
Whistlerite Deidre Potter was managing retail for Whistler Blackcomb in 2017 when one of her bootfitters clued her in to the Derelicts and their charitable mission. When they returned the following March, she helped organize a silent auction to boost their efforts.
“I think that I was just taken aback. I live my life through kindness, and I think that giving back to the community has always been my priority, and figuring out ways to connect with people, to help them feel included,” Potter said. “And it was just insane to me that there was a group of guys that weren’t from Whistler, weren’t from the country, and were so hell-
group’s 2024 donation.
For many non-profits, raising money is serious business, devoid of fun. Not so for the Derelicts.
“I think that what’s so inspiring about the guys coming up here is that they absolutely have not removed any fun from their trip,” Potter said. “But year on year, they’re increasing their ability to be able to provide these insane cheques to Whistler Adaptive, and yeah, it’s really cool. It’s really neat to see the progression over the years.”
While fun is still at the core of the trip, the fundraising is not taking a backseat—in 2024,
the Derelicts created their own non-profit, and even launched an endowment fund to ensure a lasting legacy.
“One of the things that I do let the guys know at our opening ceremonies, because I think we’ve got like 10 new people this year, is I try to explain to them, you’re joining a group that has built a brand here in town. So all of their behaviour is reflective of us. Don’t mess it up, right?” Taylor said.
“I mean, have a good time … we’re all grown men. We’re up there, we’re on vacation, having fun, but just understand that bad behaviour won’t be tolerated.”
Though shenanigans naturally occur (boys will be boys, after all), the Derelicts are always respectful of Whistler, Potter added.
“The guys work really hard to be able to get here, but also to represent and be thoughtful of the culture, and what they’re doing,” she said. “And even though they have those shenanigans that happen, they’re very respectful of the environment.”
Anyone interested in learning more can chat up the Derelicts on the hill—you’ll know them for their distinct badges and branded ski-wear.
Raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for a Whistler charity wasn’t the plan when Taylor and Town first ventured to the resort together in 2003, and Taylor is hopeful others will take inspiration from the Derelicts’ story.
“The trajectory I want this to go on is sending out a message to people,” he said.
“Hey, anyone can do this, right?”
Read more at facebook.com/ DownhillDerelicts. n
Fundraiser launched for Whistler icon Skate Leigh
SPORTS BRIEFS: WMSC HOSTS INAUGURAL ROB BOYD CUP; LAFERRIERE TRIUMPHS
BY DAVID SONG
THE MAN KNOWN locally as “Skate Leigh” has been gracing Meadow Park Sports Centre with his presence for more than 20 years, but an injury has sidelined him for the time being.
On Feb. 22, Leigh fell and broke his hip while skating. He underwent a successful surgery, but now faces costs of up to $10,000 associated with mobility assistance, food, rent and regularly-scheduled physiotherapy for six to 12 months.
A GoFundMe has been established to help Leigh with these expenses.
The fundraising page reads: “[Leigh began] his figure skating journey in his mid-40s (after retiring from being local legend ‘Ski Leigh’ through the ’70s and ’80s). Over the years, he’s shared many nuggets of wisdom about skating, health and life with everyone he’s met, on and off the ice. If you’ve ever been to Meadow Park, you’ve probably met Leigh and likely felt his endless positive energy and love of life ... whether on the rink, at the gym, or sweating it out in the sauna.
“If Leigh has ever impacted you or your friends and family in positive ways, please consider donating what you can to help us ensure he gets the best professional help for a swift and healthy recovery! No donation is too small!”
Find the fundraiser at gofundme.com/f/ skate-leighs-hip-surgery-recovery-fund.
WHISTLER MOUNTAIN SKI CLUB HOSTS INAUGURAL ROB BOYD CUP
From Feb. 21 to 23, the Whistler Mountain Ski Club (WMSC) hosted its first U16 Teck Open Rob Boyd Cup. Heavy rain and stormy weather forced organizers to cancel the super-G races in favour of two-run slalom events throughout the weekend.
Athletes from across British Columbia showed up to brave the conditions, and the WMSC’s Declan Kirker, Maggie Cormack and Sasha Cromwell all earned a spot on the podium.
Grouse Mountain’s Eric Krastev and Leah Evans from the Apex Ski Club were named overall Rob Boyd Cup winners.
Three-time Canadian Olympian Boyd was on hand to distribute awards.
“If the inaugural Rob Boyd Cup can teach us anything, it is that we need to be able to pivot the plans to work with the weather,” Boyd said in a release. “In the words of the late, great Dave Murray: ‘anyone can race well on a sunny day’ ... meaning the ones with mettle and a positive mindset will succeed when the weather and conditions become challenging.”
The release also states: “Volunteer course workers were kept very busy maintaining a safe race environment in the changing weather conditions. Sunday provided terrific conditions for the final race day.”
Find full results at bcalpine.com.
LEO LAFERRIERE TRIUMPHS
Chalk up another impressive victory for Leo Laferriere in the ring.
The Whistler Boxing Club member soldiered on through first-round adversity to overcome Arjun Mangat by unanimous decision on Feb. 21 at Griffins Boxing in North Vancouver. Both fighters were coming off Bronze Gloves titles from last year and faced each other at catchweight (63 kilograms).
Laferriere admitted to feeling off before the bout and remarked: “Still gave my best and happy with the outcome. Would like to thank my coaches and team members for helping to prepare me for this fight, [and] would like to thank my opponent for putting on a good fight. Maybe we can have a rematch in the future. Also, I would like to thank my family for their support.”
Mangat represents Ocean City Boxing Club in Surrey and exploded into action at the opening bell, forcing Laferriere onto the ropes with powerful blows. The Sea to Sky combatant responded with heart and defensive acumen, mitigating damage until he escaped the jaws of danger.
Whistler assistant coach Dan Ross then got to work on the stool, outlining a few tactical adjustments that Laferriere executed. The Pembertonian was able to
“If Leigh has ever impacted you ... please consider donating...”
- GOFUNDME
avoid or block most of Mangat’s aggressive combinations in Round 2, moving smoothly around the ring and catching his foe off guard with sharp left hooks.
Laferriere entered the third round strong, heeding Ross’ advice to go for the knockout. He took control of the ensuing firefight, and his clean punches forced Mangat to take a standing eight count. Although the outcome ultimately went to the judges, they acknowledged Laferriere’s poise and high work rate by naming him the victor.
“As his coach, I can confidently say that Mangat was the toughest opponent Leo has faced so far,” commented Whistler head coach Sasha Gier. “We are pleased with the outcome of the fight and want to commend Arjun Mangat for being a formidable opponent and a true sportsman.
“Special thanks also go to Coach Dan Ross for his excellent work in the corner, as well as to [Whistler] club fighters Geoff Bates, Devyn Frame, and Owen Leno whose sparring sessions helped prepare Leo for this challenge. Looking ahead, we are excited to see Leo back in the ring, with plans for another fight in March.” n
FUNDING APPLICATIONS
Applications are now being accepted for our April 1st, 2025 Spring Funding Deadline.
The Whistler Blackcomb Foundation is dedicated to providing financial support to community groups and charities whose activities provide benefit to residents of the Sea to Sky Corridor in the areas of health, human services, education, recreation, arts & culture and the environment. Special emphasis is placed on children, youth and family programs. For more information, eligibility requirements and to complete an application, please visit our website at whistlerblackcombfoundation.com, or contact Mei Madden, Executive Director at mmadden@whistlerblackcombfoundation.com
Unpeeling the myth and the legend of Whistler’s beloved baked potato
FOR YEARS, THE MARKETPLACE
BY BRANDON BARRETT
IGA SERVED AN IMPOSSIBLY CHEAP, FULLY LOADED BAKED POTATO; NOW LOCALS ARE CALLING FOR ITS GLORIOUS RETURN
“Maybe I needed to make like a potato, winnow myself down, be part of something that was not easy, just simple.”
- Julie Powell
EVERY SO OFTEN, a post will pop up on the Whistler Winter or Summer Facebook group, where much of the community’s watercooler talk takes place these days, to lament the loss of a local icon: the fully loaded baked potato from the Marketplace IGA, which has since rebranded to Fresh St. Market.
One such post caught my eye a few weeks back. It read, simply: Bring back IGA baked potatoes. Like clockwork, I watched as the likes piled up and the comments waxed poetic about this starchy stand-by that fed many a broke Whistlerite over the years. Seeing the outpouring of appreciation, I decided it was high time I dug a bit deeper into why this humble meal has seemed to gain such reverent status among local ski bums. So I posted to the same Facebook group, asking for potato proselytizers to share their opinions, and lo and behold, 250 likes, dozens of comments, and even a few heartfelt DMs later, and I can tell you that what started out as a fun, quirky story about a succulently prepared
and impossibly cheap baked potato turned into something altogether more profound.
For the unfamiliar, let’s get you up to speed. For years, the IGA deli counter offered a baked potato with all the fixings you might expect: a healthy sprinkling of cheddar cheese, baked to gooey goodness, offset by a dollop of sour cream, garnished with crunchy bacon bits and sharp green onion. There was also an option to get a ladle of piping hot chili poured over top instead of the classic sour cream-bacon-green-onion combo.
“It was just all the ingredients, in the right quantities. Specifically, you’ve got to get enough cheese. Somehow they found a way to combine each ingredient to exactly the right amount,” said local musician Helen Hamilton, who was inspired recently to recreate the IGA baked potato at home. It didn’t quite come out as planned. “I tried to recreate it, but I didn’t bake the potato for long enough,” she said. “It was kinda soggy. The IGA potato was somehow perfectly crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside.”
It’s hard to know how much of the baked potato’s near-mythic status is due to some sort of culinary wizardry on behalf of the hardworking folks behind the IGA deli counter—I mean, it’s a baked potato, how hard could it be?—or if it’s the sheer fact that it was a hearty, filling meal you could still get for under $5 in a town where bargains are rare and ample kitchen space even rarer.
“This meal was the meal of Gods back when it was $3.50 and you could load it up yourself!” wrote one tater nostalgist on Facebook. (Here’s where I have to admit I haven’t been able to pin down the exact price
of this thrifty meal deal. What seems obvious is it went up over time. I have heard it go for as low as $2 back in the early ’00s, all the way up to $5.99 before it was discontinued a few years ago. Most consistently, I heard it was $4.20, which is the price tag I remember most vividly, and clearly the most Whistlerappropriate. #LegalizeIt. Oh wait.)
These potatoes were such hot items that even a bargain couldn’t keep the ski bums from pilfering them. Danielle Phelan remembers when the price went over $4 for the first time, and soon after IGA began requiring customers pre-pay at the counter because too many folks would get their precious potato, load it up at the self-serve topping bar, and then bounce. (IGA eventually stopped allowing customers load up their own potato.)
“You had to pre-pay at the till, then go to the deli and show your receipt to receive the sacred potato,” recalled Phelan, who is such a fan of IGA’s meal deal that she cabbed herself to and from the Marketplace store the morning after her 21st birthday just to get one.
“It nourished my soul.”
This is something I was somewhat taken aback by in the flurry of responses I got from spud aficionados. Many talked about the baked potato in almost religious tones, which, initially, I took for the kind of wink-wink irony that usually accompanies these kinds of innocuous food stories. And certainly, many of the responses were just that: a bit of harmless online fun. (I personally liked the guy who called on Whistler’s election candidates to make the baked potato “a keystone municipal election issue.” I did reach out to a contact at Fresh St. to inquire about the possibility of
bringing the baked potato back, but sadly, did not get a response by press time. The dream lives on.)
But, at a certain point, all the jokes and hyperbole circle back around into something more genuine. The lowly potato has for generations been a symbol of resilience, resourcefulness, humility and comfort. And in a town that is not only just down the road from one of the most productive patches of potato-growing land on the continent, but is also filled to the brim with overworked, underpaid front-line staff who barely have two nickels to rub together on a good day, it’s no wonder that IGA’s fully loaded baked potato has fully loaded itself into Whistlerites’ hearts.
But don’t take it from me. Avowed local “potato connoisseur” Robbie Stewart said it better than I ever could, so I’ll leave you with some of the inspired potato prose he generously shared with Pique.
“No matter how hard your day was, or what Whistler could throw at you, the loaded baked potato at IGA was there for you. It was there for you when landlords and friends were not. It was there for you when the snow and sunshine were not. It was there when everything around you was falling to pieces. It was there,” he wrote. “Many a time after being screamed at by guests through work, for things that were not my fault, the potato would cure my woes and soothe my soul. I miss them so much and I am sure so many others do too.”
This article originally appeared in the Sept. 15, 2022 edition of Pique. n
LOAD ME UP Whistlerites demand the glorious return of IGA’s fully loaded baked potato.
PHOTO BY LAURIPATTERSON / E+ / GETTY IMAGES
MEADOW PARK SPORTS CENTRE
CLASS SCHEDULE
‘We are the realization of beautiful music as performed through the human body’
COUNTERMEASURE PERFORMS MARCH 7 IN WHISTLER
BY DAVID SONG
EVER HEARD OF Countermeasure? If not, you’re about to.
The acclaimed a cappella group is headed to Whistler on March 7. With decorated composer/producer Aaron Jensen at the helm, Countermeasure has elicited rousing ovations from fans around the globe.
They’ve recorded with Grammy and Juno winners like the Barenaked Ladies, Randy Brecker, Natalie MacMaster, Ron Sexsmith, Alan Doyle and Evelyn Glennie. They founded the Toronto International Vocal Arts Festival (SING!), Canada’s top a cappella fest, and often light up networks such as CBC Radio and TV, Global Television, Rogers Television, City TV, and CP24.
Countermeasure features 11 elite Canadian vocal talents outside of Jensen: Gianna Antonacci, Elora Burns, Arun Devdas, J-M Erlendson, Marla Kishimoto, Qwyn Alexis, Nina Brown, Tara Park, Hayley Preziosi, Daniel Boyle and Jeremy Voltz.
“We are the realization of beautiful music as performed through the human body alone … and yet it sounds like a full band, a full orchestra, a full jazz group,” Erlendson says. “On an intuitive level, you recognize the sound of the body and it makes you feel included, makes you want to join in. We get the same comment around the world as this
universal language: not just of music, but music from your body.”
UNDERSTANDING MUSIC
Most of the group’s members come from university a cappella backgrounds. That world is inherently constrained by rules, as are classical choral a cappella and barbershop vocal traditions.
When Jensen and company formed Countermeasure in 2010, they decided to go against the grain in every way. They asked:
“Similarly, we just finished recording an album, [Orchestral Sessions]. A cappella as a genre is meant to be without instruments, but we said, ‘what if we had 55 instrumentalists creating a soundscape, as if they were members of our 12-person vocal group?’ We think that human understanding of music [can be] so much greater than what people do in their day to day. You can challenge your own understanding of music.”
Countermeasure also reinterprets existing songs by way of live looping techniques, vocal percussion and dramatic choreography. For
“We believe that music, particularly vocal music, is universal.”
- J-M ERLENDSON
“what would happen if we eliminated all the boxes and forged beyond anything seen before?”
As a result, they’ve worked with various singers and instrumentalists to revolutionize how music is made.
“One of the classical choral songs we recorded was with an internationally renowned theremin player. You might know theremin as this electromagnetic instrument that allows you to control the pitch based on how far away you are,” recalls Erlendson. “It was literally a piece of music arranged for 12 voices and a theremin: something you wouldn’t have heard from any other vocal group. We certainly couldn’t have done it without breaking open the rules.
example, Preziosi is a pop superfan who tells her own life story through the music of Britney Spears… in the style of 1930s jazz. No genre is off-limits, and group members will convey their own experiences or beliefs on stage.
‘OUR MUSICAL FAMILY’
The word “family” has become a cliché in professional settings, but Erlendson genuinely views his Countermeasure peers in that light. A few people have come and gone over the past 15 years, but for the most part their roster stays constant.
“These are our closest friends, our
musical family,” says Erlendson. “One of the songs is called ‘Hold On,’ which is about the experience of becoming a mother and trying to teach your child the lessons of the world … how to be resilient in times of great disruption. It is sung by [Alexis] who’s a mother to four beautiful children, and we were all there as she went through those life phases. These kids are growing up with some of our other members’ kids [and have] become part of their lives.”
Meanwhile, Erlendson describes Jensen as “the artistic conduit through which everything flows”: a band leader, director and primary composer. Jensen’s roots are in jazz and musical theatre, and his impressive resume includes the CBC sitcom Schitt’s Creek and even a gig with Mariah Carey.
In Erlendson’s opinion, nice venues and crews are great to work with—but the audience makes the show. He and his peers are excited to perform in Whistler for the first time because they’ve heard many good things about the town’s artistic community. In turn, they hope Whistlerites show up in droves to see what Countermeasure has to offer.
“We believe that music, particularly vocal music, is universal,” Erlendson says. “We found ourselves in [a Japanese town] called Obama in 2018, where singing pieces of music that were original and in English somehow found hearts and minds. We would encourage people to bring their kids, their families, to make this a whole community affair because there’s nothing more powerful, nothing more beautiful, than engaging in music together.”
Countermeasure performs on March 7 at the Maury Young Arts Centre at 8 p.m. Tickets and details are available at showpass.com/ awl-countermeasure. n
PIQUE’S GUIDE TO LOCAL EVENTS & NIGHTLIFE
Here’s a quick look at some events happening in Whistler this week and beyond. FIND MORE LOCAL EVENT LISTINGS (and submit your own for free!) at piquenewsmagazine.com/local-events
FIRE & ICE
MOO LET’S TALK EVENT AT COWS
Mark your COWlendars for Cows’ 8th annual Moo Let’s Talk event in support of mental health initiatives. COWS Whistler will donate 100 per cent of ice cream sales from the day to the Whistler Community Services Society. Keep the COWversation going on March 7, and every day. Grab an ice cream and give back to the community!
> March 7, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
> COWS Whistler
DOG DAY AT WHISTLER OLYMPIC PARK
Dog Day is back at Whistler Olympic Park! Bring your dog, spend a day on the incredible dog-friendly trails and support a wonderful cause. All proceeds from Dog Day tickets will support the Whistler Animals Galore (WAG) Critical Care Fund.
> March 8, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
> Whistler Olympic Park
FIRE & ICE SHOW
Where else but Whistler would performers entertain you with an electric mix of music, dance and spinning fire? Watch world-class athletes flip and twist through a burning ring of fire, then finish the night off with a first-class fireworks display.
> March 9, 7:30 p.m.
> Skier’s Plaza
INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ELIMINATION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
This free event will feature a keynote presentation by Kasari Govender, BC’s Human Rights Commissioner,
who will share insights from her “Rights in Focus” report. The report examines systemic discrimination in employment, housing, public services, and more, offering a critical lens on the barriers faced by racialized communities and the steps needed to build a more equitable society.
> March 11, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
> Westin Resort & Spa
TRIVIA TUESDAYS
Question Everything Trivia in The Living Room is hosted by Ronald! First come, first served so get in early as there are prizes to be won and you don’t want to miss out on a seat. Enjoy the Daily Deal feature of a half bottle of wine and any flatbread for $34.90.
> March 11, 7 to 10 p.m.
> Pangea Pod Hotel
MAKING CONNECTIONS DEMENTIA FRIENDLY SOCIAL CLUB
Supported by a federal grant and organized by the Whistler Mature Action Community, a weekly program of 45 minutes of gentle fitness followed by stimulating activities such as card games and music therapy, and socializing over a light lunch. The program was designed to improve physical fitness, delay cognitive decline and build friendships and support networks. We provide a welcoming stress-free environment for those whose lives have become isolated by dementia. Join us for fun, fun, fun.
There is no fee but we require registration at whistlermac.org/making-connections. Donations welcome.
For additional information: whistlermac.org/makingconnections or enquire at mcp@whistlermac.org.
> March 12, 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
> Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church
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What’s in a (restaurant) name?
BY ALLYN PRINGLE
THERE HAVE been many restaurants in Whistler over the years named for individuals, whether they be the chef, the owner, or a notable valley personality (for a time there was a restaurant in Whistler Village named Myrtle’s after Myrtle Philip). Two such restaurants operating today are Black’s, which first opened as The Original Restaurante by Lawrence Black in 1985, and Araxi, which was opened by Jack and Araxi Evrensel in 1981. Other namesakes of Whistler Village eateries include Ingrid Morgan (Ingrid’s Village Cafe, 1986), Joel Thibault (Chez Joel, 1985), Umberto Menghi (Trattoria Di Umberto), Tom Akama (Tokyo Tom’s), and Isabelle Czerveniak (Isabelle’s, opened by her parents Curt and Monica in 1985). Travelling north of the village in the early 1980s, you would have come across a sign for another restaurant, this one located at the base of the Rainbow Ski Village and named Beau’s.
Capilano Highlands Ltd. opened a small ski area at Rainbow in the winter of 1969-70.
open daily throughout the ski season, even during the weeks when there wasn’t enough snow for the Rainbow Ski Village to be open for skiing.
Beau and his brother Quinn grew up in a much smaller Whistler than the one we know today. In an interview in 2024, he could name almost every student in his Myrtle Philip School kindergarten class taught by Jane Burrows (there were only five or six of them). With so few children, the school didn’t really have enough kids to form competitive sports teams and so individual sports, such as crosscountry (running and skiing), ski racing, and later skateboarding, were popular.
In the summers, Beau remembered he and his friends would head out for the day with a backpack and a towel each, often hanging out at the ski-jump ramp on Lost Lake or going to Alta Lake, where they would explore the empty cabins at Rainbow Lodge or use the beach at the Youth Hostel. As they got older, some of them began participating in the Dave Murray Summer Ski Camps on Whistler Mountain and joined the Blackcomb or Whistler Mountain Ski Clubs.
Operated by Vic Christiansen and his family, it had one 400-foot rope tow and a beginners’ slope. After that first season, another, longer rope tow was added and a day lodge with a café was constructed. During the 1970-71 season, Rainbow operated five days a week (Wednesday to Sunday) and offered night skiing and reasonable rates. Over time, a third rope-tow was added and a ski jump was built.
Tom and Betty Jarvis bought the Ski Rainbow area (including lifts, ski shop and cafeteria) as a going concern in the summer of 1979 and, after renovating and extending the existing restaurant facilities, they opened Beau’s in December of that year. The name came from the Jarvis’ eldest son, Beau Jarvis. Beau’s featured a “continental cuisine” prepared by chef Michel Bertholet and was
Beau also recalled lots of skiing at Rainbow. Though the ski jump was no longer in use and had started to deteriorate, a track through the trees between the two beginner runs led to a jump that young, adventurous skiers could launch themselves off of, which, according to Beau, led to an announcement over the loudspeaker where Betty would tell her sons and their friends to “stop jumping into the middle of the ski hill.”
A couple of bad snow years in the early 1980s meant the Rainbow Ski Village wasn’t always able to operate, but Tom and Betty continued to open Beau’s for a few seasons, even after shutting down the skiing side of the operations and selling the lifts and equipment to the Canadian Armed Forces. Beau’s closed for good in the mid-1980s. n
NAME GAME Beau’s Restaurant/Rainbow Ski Village. JARVIS COLLECTION
ARIES (March 21-April 19): The world’s darkest material is Vantablack. This super-black coating absorbs 99.96 per cent of visible light, creating a visual void. It has many practical applications, like improving the operation of telescopes, infrared cameras, and solar panels. I propose we make Vantablack your symbol of power in the coming weeks. It will signify that an apparent void or absence in your life might actually be a fertile opportunity. An ostensible emptiness may be full of potential.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Among their many sensational qualities, rivers have the power to create through demolition and revision. Over the centuries, they erode rock and earth, making canyons and valleys. Their slow and steady transformative energy can be an inspiration to you in the coming months, Taurus. You, too, will be able to accomplish wonders through the strength of your relentless persistence—and through your resolute insistence that some old approaches will need to be eliminated to make way for new dispensations.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Centuries before European sailors ventured across the seas, Polynesians were making wide-ranging voyages around the South Pacific. Their navigations didn’t use compasses or sextants, but relied on analyzing ocean swells, star configurations, cloud formations, bird movements, and wind patterns. I bring their genius to your attention, Gemini, because I believe you are gaining access to new ways to read and understand your environment. Subtleties that weren’t previously clear to you are becoming so. Your perceptual powers seem to be growing, and so is your sensitivity to clues from below the visible surface of things. Your intuition is synergizing with your logical mind.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): The Maeslant Barrier is a gigantic, movable barricade designed to prevent the flooding of the Dutch port of Rotterdam. It’s deployed when storms generate surges that need to be repelled. I think we all need metaphorical versions of this protective fortification, with its balance of unstinting vigilance and timely flexibility. Do you have such psychic structures in place, Cancerian? Now would be a good time to ensure that you have them and they’re working properly. A key factor, as you mull over the prospect I’m suggesting, is knowing that you don’t need to keep all your defenses raised to the max at all times. Rather, you need to sense when it’s crucial to assert limits and boundaries—and when it’s safe and right to allow the flow of connection and opportunity.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The authentic alchemists of medieval times were not foolishly hoping to transmute literal lead and other cheap metals into literal gold. In fact, their goal was to change the wounded, ignorant, unripe qualities of their psyches into beautiful, radiant aspects. The coming weeks will be an excellent time for you to do such magic. Life will provide you with help and inspiration as you try to brighten your shadows. We all need to do this challenging work, Leo! Now is one of your periodic chances to do it really well.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Cosmic rhythms are authorizing you to be extra demanding in the coming days—as long as you are not frivolous, rude, or unreasonable. You have permission to ask for bigger and better privileges that you have previously felt were beyond your grasp. You should assume you have finally earned rights you had not fully earned before now. My advice is to be discerning about how you wield this extra power. Don’t waste it on trivial or petty matters. Use it to generate significant adjustments that will change your life for the better.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In North America, starlings are an invasive species introduced from Europe in the 19th century. They are problematic, competing with native species for resources. They can damage crops and spread diseases that affect livestock. Yet starlings also create the
ROB BREZSNY
breathtakingly beautiful marvel known as a murmuration. They make mesmerizing, ever-shifting patterns in the sky while moving as one cohesive unit. We all have starlinglike phenomena in our lives—people, situations, and experiences that arouse deeply paradoxical responses, that we both enjoy and disapprove of. According to my analysis, the coming weeks will be prime time to transform and evolve your relationships with these things. It’s unwise to sustain the status quo. I’m not necessarily advising you to banish them—simply to change your connection.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Buildings and walls in the old Incan city of Machu Picchu feature monumental stone blocks that fit together precisely. You can’t slip a piece of paper between them. Most are irregularly shaped and weigh many tons. Whoever constructed these prodigious structures benefited from massive amounts of ingenuity and patience. I invite you to summon some of the same blend of diligence and brilliance as you work on your growing masterpiece in the coming weeks and months. My prediction: What you create in 2025 will last a very long time.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Bioluminescence is light emitted from living creatures. They don’t reflect the light of the sun or moon, but produce it themselves. Fireflies do it, and so do glow-worms and certain fungi. If you go to Puerto Rico’s Mosquito Bay, you may also spy the glimmer of marine plankton known as dinoflagellates. The best time to see them show what they can do is on a cloudy night during a new moon, when the deep murk reveals their full power. I believe their glory is a good metaphor for you in the coming days. Your beauty will be most visible and your illumination most valuable when the darkness is at a peak.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Capricorn-born Shah Jahan I was the Emperor of Hindustan from 1628 to 1658. During his reign, he commissioned the Taj Mahal, a magnificent garden and building complex to honour his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. This spectacular “jewel of Islamic art” is still a major tourist attraction. In the spirit of Shah Jahan’s adoration, I invite you to dream and scheme about expressing your devotion to what you love. What stirs your heart and nourishes your soul? Find tangible ways to celebrate and fortify your deepest passions.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) : More than 2,100 years ago, Greek scientists created an analog computer that could track astronomical movements and events decades in advance. Referred to now as the Antikythera mechanism, it was a unique, groundbreaking invention. Similar machines didn’t appear again until Europe in the 14th century. If it’s OK with you, I will compare you with the Antikythera mechanism. Why? You are often ahead of your time with your innovative approaches. People may regard you as complex, inscrutable, or unusual, when in fact you are simply alert for and homing in on future developments. These qualities of yours will be especially needed in the coming weeks and months.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): No cars drove through London’s streets in 1868. That invention was still years away. But the roads were crammed with pedestrians and horses. To improve safety amidst the heavy traffic, a mechanical traffic light was installed—the first in the world. But it had a breakdown a month later, injured a police officer, and was discontinued. Traffic lights didn’t become common for 50 years after that. I believe your imminent innovations will have better luck and good timing, Pisces. Unlike the premature traffic signal, your creations and improvements will have the right context to succeed. Don’t be shy about pushing your good ideas! They could revamp the daily routine.
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Fighting chaos with more chaos
I WARNED YOU I’D BE BACK occasionally, haunting the back page... while there’s still a back page to haunt. Forewarned is forearmed.
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank that abominable man just over half the U.S. voting population put back in the White House. No, seriously. I want to thank him for all the good things he’s done for Canada. This won’t take long.
His asinine palaver about making Canada the 51st state has sparked a nationalistic fervour usually reserved for a gold medal win in Olympic hockey. And unlike those events, it seems to have some traction and is growing by the day. Canadians in number are boycotting
BY G.D. MAXWELL
American goods, choosing not to travel to the land of intolerance and even burning their Costco cards, chanting, “Hell no, we won’t shop.” As an aside, Costco cards are really difficult to burn.
Because Canadians have that Oh, So Canada feeling again, flying the Maple Leaf has come back into vogue. This is good from a pride-of-country mindset but more importantly, it has elevated our national flag from the depths to which it sunk when hijacked by the Freedumb Convoy losers. You no longer have to feel like a redneck yabo flying the flag.
It has reminded the entire population of the United States, even those who didn’t vote for him, there remains life in the epithet Ugly American, that being a pretty accurate description of how the rest of the world—not led by dictators—feels about you. Apologies to those of you who didn’t vote for the mutt but that’s the nature of generalizations. You’re tarred with the same brush and you can stop
sewing Canadian flags on your knapsacks, we see right through you.
Finally, the example of what can happen when you let a deranged populist take the reins of power has made the upcoming Canadian federal election a horserace once again, with a very good chance it won’t be a cakewalk for Pierre Whatshisname.
Unfortunately, these four gifts to Canada have come at a steep price—global chaos, market turmoil, a sycophantic relationship between the U.S. and every right-wing dictator around the world, the de facto demise of NATO, the end of the world order put in place after the Second World War, and the universal gastric distress suffered every time Mr. Combover opens his mouth.
Oh, and Elon Musk. I don’t know about you but I can hardly pass a Tesla these days without wanting to key it or snap off a mirror.
But enough praise. What does this carpetbombing of tariffs mean for Canada? Your guess is as good as mine, but at a minimum it means everything will be more expensive
anything from the last time this loose cannon was president, we learned reason, facts, selfinterest and ridicule seem to have little or no effect on him. So why not chaos. Fire with fire.
Where better to start than that most Canadian of commodities, potash. Canada produces more potash than any other country in the world. Canada is the 800-pound gorilla of potash, producing nearly double the next largest producer, Russia. And unlike Russia, which uses almost all of its potash internally to grow the next crop of fodder, Canada
You can school him in the real art of the deal. Take off the gloves and come out swinging.
everywhere in the world, workers will be laid off, new cars will be out of the question again and the only growth notable in the market will come from an increased sale of antidepressants.
More importantly though, what can Canada do? Our Lame Duck government immediately announced retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods to the tune of $30 billion dollars, rising to $155 billion in 21 days. Which goods? Both God and the Devil are in the details and so far, those details aren’t known, or reported. But if you have a fresh orange addiction, you’re in for a bumpy ride.
Personally, I don’t think countervailing tariffs are enough. If the main tool of the White House is chaos, I believe we need to fight chaos with more chaos. If we learned
exports most of what it produces.
In case you’re completely unfamiliar with gardening or farming, potash is primarily potassium, chemical symbol K. It’s the third number on any fertilizer bag and, well, things just don’t grow without it.
After Russia, Belarus, China and Israel are the only major producers. Their numbers fall off dramatically.
Canada exports more than twice as much potash as Russia and Belarus, almost seven times more than Israel, and China doesn’t even make the list of exporters. China is the largest importer of potash, followed by Brazil and the U.S.
The U.S. produces a fraction of what they use, importing most of what they need from, yup, Canada.
Under the tariff war, that potash will be more expensive. Corn, soybean and other farmers in the Midwest U.S., are setting their hair on fire over what this price increase is likely to mean for them. They want potash to be un-tariffed. Canadian potash accounts for 80 per cent of all the potash used by U.S. farmers. But let’s not forget... those same Midwest farmers are the short-sighted populists who elected Trump.
So here’s the plan. Don’t send ‘em even a spoonful of Canadian potash. Nada. Zilch. Zip. Let the Magacites piss on their crops and see if that helps ‘em grow. High in nitrogen but no measurable potassium. They’re not going to get it anywhere else. They’ll be like junkies going cold turkey, breaking into peoples’ houses to steal potash. So will the whole of the U.S. market. Without corn there’s no methanol, no high-fructose corn syrup, no cattle feed, no popcorn.
The two punch of the one-two is canola. Guess who produces more canola oil than anyone else in the world? Stop blushing, of course it’s Canada. By a factor of three over the next largest producer.
Canada supplies the lion’s share of cooking oil used by the U.S. Without Canadian canola, the staple food of Americans—French fries, or is it Freedom Fries again?—would have to be cooked in palm oil or perhaps McDonald’s would go back to using beef tallow like it did in the early days. Of course, if they did that their largest consumer, Trump, would probably die of congestive heart failure in six months.
Canada, you’ve got the cards. You can outchaos the chaos maker. You can school him in the real art of the deal. Take off the gloves and come out swinging. n
Connie Spear connie.spear@evrealestate.com
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