DECEMBER DECEMBER 9, 9, 2021 2021 ISSUE ISSUE 28.49 28.49
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RATE TO TO REFLECT REFLECT INCREASE
AFTER THE
S TORM
14
CANNABIS COMING The RMOW is planning for weed retail outlets in Whistler
16
ELIGIBILITY EXPANDING
COVID-19 vaccines available to Whistler kids
46
SEQUENCING Whistler author releases thriller about dangers of genetic manipulation
604 932 5538 WHISTLERREALESTATE.CA *Personal Real Estate Corporation
CHRISTMAS TREES HAVE ARRIVED! 6 ft to 8 ft trees.
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THIS WEEK IN PIQUE
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38
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After the storm A photo essay of the recent flooding in Whistler and Pemberton. - Photos by David Buzzard / davidbuzzard.com
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SEEING GREEN
The Resort Municipality of
26
GEOTHERMAL FUTURE
The Meager Creek
Whistler is finally moving ahead with a cannabis retail strategy, with
Development Corporation is inching closer to breaking ground on a new
hundreds expressing interest in opening up shop.
geothermal power plant in the Pemberton area.
16
42
COVID CASES UP
Sea to Sky kids are now
eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, as Howe Sound cases are on the rise.
DREAM COME TRUE
Whistler native
Broderick Thompson took home a bronze medal in the first podium finish of his World Cup career last week.
18
CUB CARE
Conservation groups are warning that an
46
SEQUENCING
Whistler author Lucien Telford’s new
orphaned black bear cub likely won’t survive the Whistler winter without
book, The Sequence, is a fast-paced, futuristic thriller that serves as a
intervention, but a lack of clear provincial policy is holding up the process.
cautionary tale about the dangers of genetic manipulation.
COVER Flooding near the Pemberton Regional Airport. - Photo by David Buzzard // davidbuzzard.com 4 DECEMBER 9, 2021
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PRICES IN EFFECT FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10 - FRIDAY, DECEMBER 24
* Promotional voucher must be presented at time of
purchase. Excludes applicable taxes, bottle deposits, tobacco, eco–fees & gift cards. This voucher has no cash value so we cannot give cash back. One voucher per person, per household, per purchase, per day. promotional voucher valid for in–store purchases only. This voucher is only valid at Fresh St. Market in Whistler.
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THIS WEEK IN PIQUE
Opinion & Columns 08 OPENING REMARKS It’s tough right now to find the holiday spirit, but one way you can is to
#202 -1390 ALPHA LAKE RD., FUNCTION JUNCTION, WHISTLER, B.C. V8E 0H9. PH: (604) 938-0202 FAX: (604) 938-0201 www.piquenewsmagazine.com
reach out and help those around you, including by shopping locally.
Founding Publishers KATHY & BOB BARNETT
10 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letter writers this week are still calling on the province to change
Publisher SARAH STROTHER - sstrother@wplpmedia.com Editor CLARE OGILVIE - edit@piquenewsmagazine.com Assistant Editor BRADEN DUPUIS - bdupuis@piquenewsmagazine.com Sales Manager SUSAN HUTCHINSON - shutchinson@wplpmedia.com Production Manager AMIR SHAHRESTANI - ashahrestani@wplpmedia.com Art Director JON PARRIS - jparris@wplpmedia.com Advertising Representatives TESSA SWEENEY - tsweeney@wplpmedia.com GEORGIA BUTLER - gbutler@wplpmedia.com Digital/Sales Coordinator AMELA DIZDARIC - traffic@wplpmedia.com Production production@piquenewsmagazine.com
health mandates to make vaccines mandatory to ride ski gondolas.
13 PIQUE’N YER INTEREST For better or worse, COVID-19 is exposing people’s true nature, writes Harrison Brooks.
66 MAXED OUT Max runs into his muse J.J. and they ponder if it is really worth the hassle of opening a cannabis shop in Whistler when you can sell weed in other ways.
Environment & Adventure
Arts & Entertainment/Features Editor BRANDON BARRETT - bbarrett@piquenewsmagazine.com
37 THE OUTSIDER Why not give the gift of experiences to those backcountry enthusiasts on your
Social Media Editor MEGAN LALONDE - mlalonde@piquenewsmagazine.com
Christmas list this year, writes Vince Shuley.
Reporters BRADEN DUPUIS - bdupuis@piquenewsmagazine.com BRANDON BARRETT - bbarrett@piquenewsmagazine.com MEGAN LALONDE - mlalonde@piquenewsmagazine.com ALYSSA NOEL arts@piquenewsmagazine.com HARRISON BROOKS - sports@piquenewsmagazine.com Classifieds and Reception mail@piquenewsmagazine.com Office and Accounts Manager HEIDI RODE - hrode@wplpmedia.com Contributors G.D. MAXWELL, GLENDA BARTOSH, FEET BANKS, LESLIE ANTHONY, ANDREW MITCHELL, ALISON TAYLOR, VINCE SHULEY, LISA RICHARDSON
Lifestyle & Arts
44 EPICURIOUS They say cooking is an art, but the secret behind our favourite dishes actually lies in the science.
48 MUSEUM MUSINGS Karen Gow had always dreamed of owning a horse, but she got a donkey instead. Adeline the donkey became pretty famous as it was ridden around the base of Whistler Blackomb.
President, Whistler Publishing LP SARAH STROTHER - sstrother@wplpmedia.com Pique Newsmagazine (a publication of Whistler Publishing Limited Partnership, a division of Glacier Media) distributed to over 130 locations in Whistler and to over 200 locations from Vancouver to D’Arcy. The entire contents of Pique Newsmagazine are copyright 2021 by Pique Newsmagazine (a publication of WPLP, a division of Glacier Media). No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, without the express written permission of the Publisher. In no event shall unsolicited material subject this publication to any claim or fees. Copyright in letters and other (unsolicited) materials submitted and accepted for publication remains with the author but the publisher and its licensees may freely reproduce them in print, electronic or other forms. Letters to the Editor must contain the author’s name, address and daytime telephone number. Maximum length is 250 words. We reserve the right to edit, condense or reject any contribution. Letters reflect the opinion of the writer and not that of Pique Newsmagazine. Pique Newsmagazine is a member of the National Newsmedia Council, which is an independent organization established to deal with acceptable journalistic practices and ethical behaviour. If you have concerns about editorial content, please contact (edit@ piquenewsmagazine.com). If you are not satisfied with the response and wish to file a formal complaint, visit the web site at mediacouncil. ca or call toll-free 1-844-877-1163 for additional information. This organization replaces the BC Press council (and any mention of it).
ISSN #1206-2022
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OPENING REMARKS
We got you… I THINK WE HAD all hoped to be planning big family Christmases or celebrations this year, with presents to share and hugs all around. Most of us are double vaccinated and were aiming for a return to (almost) normal. But now we are not only dealing with a new variant of the coronavirus, Omicron, but B.C. has also spent the last three weeks dealing with floods and landslides unlike anything we have seen for decades, putting 17,000 people out of their homes. At least four people lost their lives in the extreme weather events.
BY CLARE OGILVIE edit@piquenewsmagazine.com
The storms devastated highway and rail routes from the West Coast to the rest of Canada, disrupting our supply chains and, of course, our delivery services at a time when many are taking to their devices to shop online for Christmas. So maybe we need to take a deep breath, stop for just a moment and consider what the holiday season is actually all about.
Some people are now facing Christmastime without loved ones. I was thinking about all of this, and the weight everyone seems to be carrying right now, and I was wondering where I was going to find the Christmas spirit in the coming days as I prepare to welcome home my kids from university and try and see other family and friends in small gatherings. And as I huddled down deeper into my coat on my chilly, dusk walk, I rounded a corner of the Valley Trail and in front of me towering up into the cobalt-blue sky were fir trees adorned with lights, sparkling off the icy ground below. I had to stop. And in that moment I realized that, just as everyone has been doing since the pandemic began, all we can do is just reach out to each other and support our families, friends, neighbours, community and those in need as best we can. Maybe that is lighting up trees in your garden to brighten up a passersby’s day. Maybe it is giving to the food bank or a Christmas hamper program or volunteering. Maybe it is giving yourself the gift of saying, “You are doing the best you can and that is enough.” There are so many people thinking of
There are so many people thinking of others right now that I can’t help but feel that this is what will make this pandemic- and weather-ravaged Christmas season survivable. For most of us it is about being with those we love, thinking about the year that was and also thinking about the year to come. This, despite the fact the holidays have been made into a mad shopping event. But that is not what the holidays are about at their heart. Thousands of people will not be in their homes for the holidays due to the flooding—in fact they may never be in their homes again as some of the structures are so badly damaged.
others right now that I can’t help but feel that this is what will make this pandemicand weather-ravaged Christmas season survivable. I love, for example, that Santa Claus has an elf working in Creekside who has put out a special mailbox for kids to send their letters to the jolly old guy (Yes, the “elf” is answering them all!). And in a strange twist, the fact that mail is being disrupted by all the highway
closures has made it even easier to decide to shop locally for everything and support our own local community and businesses. (Check out this week’s Outsider column on pg. 37 for more ideas on local gifts.) B.C. just marked its annual Buy Local week, which ended Dec. 5, but I think we should just keep focusing on buying local all month. Amy Robinson, founder and executive director of LOCO BC, tells us that, “By making just 10 per cent of our annual purchases with local businesses, it would help create more than 14,000 jobs and retain $4.3 billion in the local economy.” (Sadly, it can’t create the workers themselves to fill the jobs!) LOCO BC is a local business alliance working to create a diverse, vibrant local economy by strengthening small and midsized businesses, and which organizes Buy Local Week. We know from previous research done by Robinson’s group that for every $100 spent with a B.C. local business, $63 is re-circulated back into our economy (versus $14 for multinational corporations). For restaurants, it’s $68. And with the climate crisis top of mind right now, LOCO BC in partnership with Vancity has looked into how purchasing locally can help on that front, too. Turns out that buying local products reduces greenhouse gases from five to 66 per cent compared to shopping for imported products. Let’s not forget that local businesses shop locally too, employ locals, live in the community and support so many good causes, events and sports teams that they are in the hero category these days. According to Coast Capital, which polled B.C. residents, spending is expected to return to some pre-pandemic levels with a third of British Columbians getting ready to spend above what they did in 2020. And nearly twothirds of the people polled said that they are going to shop at stores more this year. So, let’s keep focused on sharing the love this holiday season, on accepting that everyone is doing the best they can under the circumstances, and if we are shopping, let’s keep it local. n
Open House Sat, Dec 11th from 1 pm to 3 pm
Congratulations to my clients on the purchase of an ocean front property in Campbell River
Sitting on a large flat 13,369 sq foot flat lot, you can enjoy the existing 3 bed/2 bath house, build a 3500 sq foot house or subdivide the property. Take a virtual tour: https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=3kjhS2Zf5Rj
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Dave Brown
Personal Real Estate Corporation
davebrown@wrec.com www.davesellswhistler.com Cell: 604 905 8438 / Toll Free: 1 800 667 2993 ext. 805
8 DECEMBER 9, 2021
Steve Shuster
t: 604.698.7347 | e: steve@steveshusterrealestate.com www.steveshusterrealestate.com
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR If Dr. Bonnie Henry wants us to listen to her, she should listen to us Imagine my incredulous expression and the rolling of eyes when I watched the good Dr. B. Henry, on the evening news, tell the good people of British Columbia that we should all have that conversation with loved ones about vaccination status before gathering for the holidays. I’m all for it! What made me riled up is that this very stance flies in the face of NOT requiring vaccination to access the ski hill via enclosed, cramped and full-capacity gondolas. Not to mention the unenforceable mask policy while doing so. Vail Corp.’s cowardly following of said health edict is not going to change unless the good Dr. B. makes them. Until she changes the requirements for ski hills she has no right to ask us to do her policing of gatherings... she won’t do it for us. Keith Auchinachie // Whistler
It’s a game of COVID-19 Russian roulette The Omicron variant is now circulating in Canada—how dangerous this new variant is and how immune to our vaccines is under debate—what is known is that it migrates
the director of the World Health Organization and adjunct professor of medicine at the University of Toronto, tells us: “Avoid crowded and poorly ventilated indoor spots as much as you can.” The most respected American doctor—Dr. Anthony Fauci—basically says the same thing. Why do our health authorities send us on to the unchartered territory of crowded gondolas without any scientific proof that this is safe? I believe they are playing Russian roulette with our health and that includes the children that are also riding in these Petri dishes of potential disease. Children, while generally not apparently subject to as severe illness from COVID-19 as adults, are in danger of the long-haulers syndrome. Israel and the U.K. have determined that between 10 and 11 per cent of Children who carry the COVID-19 infection can have their brain, lungs, nervous system, kidneys, liver and other organs compromised. It will be over two months before B.C. children are even receiving two vaccines— basically half way through the ski season. For the sake of our children’s health, let’s do the right thing Vail Resorts and Dr. Bonnie Henry (B.C. Public Health Officer) and restrict the gondolas to the fully vaccinated adults. I have a bet with Pique columnist GD Maxwell that we won’t get Dr. Henry to board a gondola for several rides and reverse her faulty mandate—my $10,000 for the Whistler Health Care Centre against his hosting a dinner at the Alpine Cafe. Lennox McNeeley // Whistler n
Children, while generally not apparently subject to as severe illness from COVID-19 as adults, are in danger of the long-haulers syndrome. - LENNOX MCNEELEY
from person to person at a rapid rate. Barriers and new restrictions are going up by the day—except on our gondolas— our health “authorities” inexplicably have not reined in Vail Resorts’ policy is letting everyone board
their gondolas without requiring vaccinations. A petition signed by more than 11,000 calls for vaccinations while a large number of ski areas (excepting the U.S.) require those on gondolas to be vaccinated. Dr. Peter Springer, the Special Advisor to
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Backcountry Advisory AS OF WEDNESDAY, DEC. 8 After a wet November, it seems like we’re finally into winter! We are now in a period of northwest flow, which is bringing more seasonal (cooler) temperatures and (solid) precipitation. This is great news for snow travellers! Of course, this comes with one caveat: the crust left behind in the wake of last week’s warm and wet atmospheric river (AR) looks to be setting up a potentially complex snowpack situation as it becomes buried. Of course, if you remember back a few weeks, we already had a fairly challenging buried crust/facet situation prior to it getting drenched and reset by the ARs. We can’t be too upset, since we’ve essentially swapped one problematic structure for another fairly similar one. Weak crystals like feathery surface hoar were observed growing between
dustings of snow over the crust. Once buried, these types of crystals can become a weak layer and potential slab avalanche failure plane. Additionally, facets, another type of weak crystal, have been observed forming between the underside of the crust and the moist snow trapped underneath. This kind of setup can have long lasting implications reaching all the way into spring, when they will be deeply buried and potentially capable of producing very large, destructive avalanches. Needless to say, this crust is likely going to be a player for the next few storms, at least. In the near future, the supporting details in the forecasts will become invaluable as you manage the potentially complex upper snowpack. As time passes and more observations come in, we’ll learn more about the nature of the problem and how best to manage it. ■
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/mountaininfo/snow-report#backcountry or go to www.avalanche.ca.
Write to us! Letters to the editor must contain the writer’s name, address and a daytime telephone number. Maximum length is 450 words. Pique Newsmagazine reserves the right to edit, condense or refrain from publishing any contribution. Letters reflect the opinion of the writer and not that of Pique Newsmagazine.
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12 DECEMBER 9, 2021
PIQUE N’ YER INTEREST
For better or worse, COVID-19 is exposing people’s true nature WHEN THE COVID-19 pandemic hit, we were told that if we adhered to the lockdown rules everything would be back to normal in a matter of months. But whether it was government impatience or the unwillingness of the population to follow the orders, months turned into years, and we now must get used to the fact that we are living in a “new normal.”
BY HARRISON BROOKS On top of that new normal, one other unfortunate side effect of the pandemic has been realizing just how many people you know who hold views opposite of your own. And while opposing views aren’t a bad thing in most cases, there is seriously nothing worse than finding out a friend, co-worker or God-forbid a family member is an antivaccine conspiracist. That same phenomenon of the pandemic showing people close to you in a new light extends to professional athletes as well. COVID-19 has opened the door for countless examples of once-loved or admired athletes showing their true colours, whether it is Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving making Instagram posts
alluding to his freedoms being infringed upon or Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Brown allegedly using a fake vaccine card to skirt the NFL’s COVID19 regulations and rules. When it comes to Brown, and a lesser extent Irving, based on their past drama, their actions and opinions surrounding the pandemic aren’t exactly a shocking revelation. But of all the athletes who have spoken or acted out against the vaccine and COVID-19 protocols in their respective sports, the one that caused the biggest stir among sports fans was finding out Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers had failed to follow the NFL’s COVID-19 protocols and would end up missing a game because of it. While it sounds like a pretty regular occurrence, this was shocking for two reasons. The first was the announcement that he would miss their Week 9 game was made five days before the game, which for someone who is vaccinated, shouldn’t be an issue because they only need to have two negative tests within 24-hours to be eligible to play. Which brings us to Reason 2. Everybody thought Aaron Rodgers was already vaccinated, but the fact he was ruled out of the game that early meant he never was. Making the situation worse was the fact that, not only did Rodgers straight up lie when asked if he was vaccinated by saying “yeah, I’m immunized,” when in reality he
actually only took an alternative treatment to “stimulate [his] immune system to create a defence against COVID.” He also acted as if he was vaccinated. He addressed the media and attended team meetings without a mask, and he even attended a team Halloween party, all of which are strictly against the rules for unvaccinated players. After the news broke about Rodgers’ vaccine status, things got even weirder. While already having a reputation of being conceited and a bit of a prima donna, Rodgers decided his best course of action was to go on The Pat McAfee Show to share his side of the issue and defend himself from the “woke mob.” At first, Rodgers acknowledged how difficult the pandemic has been on people before admitting that he realizes he may have misled people with his comments. Despite starting the interview in a way that made it look like he regretted his actions, it soon became clear he was only looking to shift the negative spotlight off himself and on to “cancel culture.” He started his counterattack by asking the question, “if the vaccine is so great, then how come people are still getting COVID, spreading COVID and unfortunately dying from COVID?” And much like most people who take antivaccine standpoints, he too missed the point. The vaccine isn’t a COVID-19 cure,
it’s one part of a defence against the virus aimed at slowing the spread and protecting other people. A concept lost on many. At the end of the interview, Rodgers even went so far as to compare himself to Martin Luther King Jr. and paraphrase his famous Letter from a Birmingham Jail by saying, “you have a moral obligation to object to unjust rules and rules that make no sense. In my opinion it makes no sense for me, I test every single day.” The difference is MLK made that comment while fighting for equal rights, while Rodgers was fighting for his own self-interest to not have to follow simple guidelines. The two are not equal, and Rodgers showed just how selfish, privileged and out-of-touch he is by comparing his struggles to those of MLK. Unfortunately, even after this pandemic is finally over, or at least as over as it will ever be, things will never be “normal” again because whether it is a friend, family member or once-admired professional athlete or celebrity, we are going to have to deal with the fact that some people we know and love only acted out of their own self-interest. However, I suppose, in a way it will be good to know who in our lives won’t put others before themselves when the going gets tough, even if that realization can be a tough pill to swallow right now. ■
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Whistler unveils cannabis retail strategy at long last MUNICIPAL HALL HAS RECEIVED MORE THAN 200 CANNABIS INQUIRIES SINCE 2018
BY BRADEN DUPUIS AS THE RESORT Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) is finally moving ahead with a strategy for cannabis retail, storefronts could be open for business by mid-to-late 2022—and there is no shortage of interest at municipal hall. Since Canada officially legalized cannabis in October 2018, the RMOW has received more than 200 inquiries from potential retailers to a dedicated email account set up for cannabis. With its approximately 3 million annual visitors (pre-pandemic), it’s easy to see the appeal. Vancouver-based cannabis company Eden Empire is among the hundreds who have expressed interest, and the company even held a pair of information sessions in the resort in January 2020. One of the main comments they heard from local residents through that process was a concern that larger companies would take opportunities away from locals, said president Kolt Taekema. “It’s an opportunity for regular people to get a foot up, so I think the position that we would look at entertaining moving forward is building relationships with the local people who want to get into the industry,” he said.
LIGHT IT UP Whistler will see its first cannabis retail stores next year after a new cannabis retail strategy was presented to council on Dec. 7. PHOTO BY HEATH KORVOLA GETTY IMAGES.
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Eden operates cannabis stores in B.C. and Manitoba, and is going to be expanding into Michigan, Taekema said, adding that the company would like to lend its expertise to local entrepreneurs in Whistler. Taekema likened the approach to a franchise model, “but more on the side of a partnership relationship—so we would do all the training, we would help with curation, we would help with branding, applications, all that sort of stuff,” he said. “We would essentially back them up in whatever way they needed so that they could stay involved and stay relevant within the industry, and not just get swallowed up by the bigger players right away due to lack of experience.” With so much interest from near and far, the RMOW has its work cut out for it in deciding who actually gets to open up shop in Whistler. “The RMOW is creating a consideration framework that enables fair evaluation of all applications received,” a municipal spokesperson said. “The guidance of the Official Community Plan will be the starting point for this framework.” Taekema said he hopes the municipality leans more toward local operators and small businesses than big companies. “The best case for smaller towns like this is where they invest in their local people, and then make sure that they have the right experience to see this business model through properly, and run effectively,” he said. Whistler’s mayor and council heard a presentation from staff outlining the proposed regulatory approach at the Dec. 7
council meeting. RMOW staff is recommending a Temporary Use Permit (TUP) approach, which could be implemented faster than a rezoning while allowing municipal discretion over where and when shops open up in the resort. “The TUP approach retains that discretionary approval of each retail location on a case-by-case basis, and that’s balanced with a reasonable or lighter burden on the applicant and potential for a relatively quicker processing and approval timeline,” said manager of planning John Chapman in a presentation to council. The TUPs would authorize cannabis stores for an initial three-year period, with an option to be renewed for another three years. After six years, the RMOW could consider site-specific zoning to authorize the use permanently. At that point, the change in land use would be tied to the location rather than the operator, Chapman noted. The proposed framework would require an amendment to the RMOW’s zoning bylaw to create designated areas for the cannabis TUPs. Staff is proposing to allow one cannabis retail location in each of Function Junction and Creekside, and two locations in Whistler Village. Nesters Plaza may also be considered. “We see this as allowing a distribution across the community to facilitate access, but it will also limit proliferation,” Chapman said. “[We want to] get enough stores, but we want to maintain that really vibrant and diverse commercial sector.” Aside from the municipal level of
approval, all retail stores would also be subject to the provincial licencing process through the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch, Chapman noted. Staff will undertake a two-step public engagement process in early 2022 prior to presenting the proposed framework to council later in the year. Councillor John Grills wondered what role stratas would play in the approval process, to which Chapman noted part of the provincial process would include approval of the building owner. “This may be a good time to have another [commercial landlords meeting] … It will be interesting to make them aware of all these details,” Grills said. “It’s a little more complicated than having a retail store open up.” Whistler passed a zoning amendment bylaw in early 2018 prohibiting the retail sale of cannabis, allowing local officials to control where and when pot shops are introduced to the resort. Part of the reasoning for the delay was to allow RMOW staff time to see how the rollout worked in other locations. Communities that have taken a TUP approach include Tofino, Cumberland, Duncan, White Rock, Langford and West Vancouver, Chapman said. “We’ve spoken, in some cases, to staff, certainly reviewed their materials and so on,” he said. “We are in a fortunate position of being able to learn from what other municipalities have done.” Find more info at whistler.ca/cannabis. n
NEWS WHISTLER
Whistler council opts for more student scholarships COUNCIL BRIEFS: CHARGING FEES COMING TO DAY LOT EV STATIONS; RMOW LAUNCHES SAMPLE WATER BILLING PILOT PROGRAM
BY BRADEN DUPUIS WITH AN AMENDMENT
to its Community Enrichment Program (CEP) policy, Whistler’s mayor and council voted on Dec. 7 to increase the amount of funding dedicated to Whistler Secondary School scholarships each year. Since 2004, the program has awarded $1,000 scholarships to two members of the Whistler Secondary School (WSS) graduating class each year. Last year, due to COVID-19 and other factors, council awarded seven students with $1,000 scholarships (the additional funding coming from the council operating budget). On Dec. 7, council voted to change the CEP policy permanently, and award $1,000 scholarships to six members of the WSS graduating class each year moving forward. Council will choose recipients each year from a list provided by WSS’ scholarship committee. Recipients must achieve a B average or higher, and preference will be given to those identifying financial need. The recipients will be chosen each May, and the scholarships will be awarded in June. Whistler’s CEP provides annual funding to not-for-profit organizations or societies that contribute to the resort. The amendment to the CEP policy also included some technical changes to clear up “common questions and misunderstandings” encountered by Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) staff. The changes clarify that funding is issued on an annual basis, subject to availability in the current year’s budget, and that approval in one year doesn’t guarantee approval the next; one-time events will not approved; and no late submissions will be considered after the Feb. 15 deadline. Eligible applicants must operate under certain categories, including: environment, social services, community service, recreation and sport, or arts and culture.
CHARGING FEES COMING TO DAY LOT EV CHARGING STATIONS Starting December 15, EV drivers will have to pay to use charging stations in Whistler’s Day Lots. The fees are set at $1 an hour, with a maximum cost of $5 a day, and will be charged in addition to regular Day Lot parking fees. Rates at other RMOW-operated EV stations will remain at $1 an hour. The fees are an “important step” in EV adoption in Whistler and beyond, said Mayor Jack Crompton in a release. “I look forward to seeing people continue to choose EVs and am hopeful that by 2030 half of all car trips in Whistler will be with EVs,” he said.
The RMOW’s EV fee strategy was first presented to council in March, and consists of three phases. Phases one and two introduced fees at RMOW charging stations outside of the Day Lots, then in the Day Lots, respectively. A third phase proposes to use usage data gleaned from the first two phases to build a long-term strategy around fees, primarily with a goal of keeping EV commuting more cost-effective than driving a traditional car. The strategy “has been carefully considered to support EV adoption while incentivizing home charging, increasing turnover at charging stations, and recovering municipal operating costs,” according to the RMOW, which noted similar fees are in place in other communities. One of the goals in the RMOW’s Climate Action Big Moves Strategy is to have 50 per cent of all vehicle trips in Whistler be by zero-emission vehicle by 2030. To that end, the RMOW is partnering with the Community Energy Association to develop an electric vehicle strategy for the resort, which is expected to be shared publicly in spring 2022. The RMOW currently operates 19 Level 2 vehicle-charging stations at the Day Lots, Whistler Conference Centre, Municipal Hall, Meadow Park Sports Centre and Public Works Yard, and is exploring installing additional chargers. Questions or comments about the fees can be sent to climatechange@whistler.ca, and more info can be found at whistler.ca/climate.
SOLD
762 - 4090 Whistler Way Westin Resort
We are pleased to have helped another client achieve their goals for a Whistler sale. If you are considering selling or have questions about the Whistler market, let’s connect today.
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FIND THE S PA C E T O B R E AT H E . . . W H I S T L E R ’ S L E A D I N G R E A LT O R
RMOW LAUNCHES SAMPLE WATER BILLING PILOT PROGRAM Work on water metering for Industrial, Commercial and Institutional (ICI) buildings in Whistler continues, with the launch of a new pilot project to help water users understand costs. The project involves installing or upgrading water meters for ICI users and providing sample billing to help users get a handle on what potential costs could be should the municipality move ahead with water metering. The project focuses on ICI properties outside of Whistler Village, including Alpine, Cheakamus, Creekside, Mons, Nesters, Nicklaus North, Nordic, Rainbow, Spring Creek, Spruce Grove and Whistler Cay. ICI buildings, generally some of the largest water users in the municipality, are currently billed a flat fee, with the rate varying depending on the type of business. The RMOW hopes water metering will encourage conservation, improve leak detection and ensure rate equitability. Data collected from the pilot project will be presented to council in 2022, after which council will determine if volumetric billing will proceed. n
3 1 3 7 H AW T H O R N E P L AC E $ 4 , 9 4 9, 0 0 0
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Sea to Sky kids now eligible for COVID-19 vaccine, as Howe Sound cases spike HEALTH CANADA APPROVED THE PFIZER-BIONTECH MRNA VACCINE FOR CHILDREN AGED FIVE TO 11 ON NOV. 19.
BY MEGAN LALONDE WHISTLER’S HEALTH area experienced an uptick in COVID-19 cases during the last full week of November, pushing its weekly case count to a sevenmonth high. Between Nov. 21 to 27, the Howe Sound Local Health Area (LHA)—which includes Whistler, Pemberton, Squamish and parts of the southern Stl’atl’mx Nation—logged a total of 74 new cases of the virus. That’s up from the 28 new cases recorded from Nov. 14 to 20, and the 27 new cases identified the week prior. The 74 new cases verified between Nov. 21 and 27 is the highest weekly caseload for the LHA since April 11 to 17, 2021, when the area saw 131 new cases of the virus. B.C’s COVID19 map is updated weekly, on Wednesday afternoons, after Pique’s print deadline. Asked what the rise could be attributed to, a spokesperson for Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) explained that “cases of COVID-19 can fluctuate over time based on a range of factors,” at both the community
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and LHA level. “Most importantly, despite fluctuations, the overall trend in all HAs is a trending down of case numbers at this time,” the statement added. “COVID-19 is transitioning into an endemic virus. It is not possible to completely eradicate the virus and we must adapt and learn to live with COVID-19.” Major events affecting B.C. in midNovember include the catastrophic flooding that closed all major highways in and out of the Lower Mainland, except for the Sea to Sky Highway connecting Vancouver to Whistler and the corridor. Dr. Devon Greyson, an assistant professor at the University of British Columbia’s school of population and public health, said case counts can fluctuate in a community like Whistler, where occupancy can vary greatly by season. “If there’s a lot of tourist activity in a region during a particular season, we might expect to see cases going up in that season,” said Greyson. “We haven’t done all the analysis yet to know exactly what happened in the past week in Whistler and what all the transmission lines have been, but it would not be surprising at all to see cases rise
during the ski season.” Coinciding with this local rise in cases is Health Canada’s Nov. 19 approval of the first COVID-19 vaccine for children aged five to 11. After a thorough review of available data, the department found the benefits of the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine for children in that age group outweigh the risks. The paediatric vaccine was 90.7 per cent effective at preventing COVID-19 in children and no serious side effects were identified, according to Health Canada. B.C. children between five to 11 became eligible to receive their first dose on Nov. 29. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) said children getting a COVID-19 vaccine should receive two doses, and recommends the second dose be given at least eight weeks after the first dose. The Pfizer vaccine for kids under 12 uses a smaller dosage of the same vaccine used for adults and older children. There are approximately 700 children within this age group in Whistler. That includes Amanda Wilson’s two kids, eightyear-old Zadie and five-year-old Tristan, who each received their first COVID-19 shot
at a Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) clinic held in the Millar Room at Myrtle Philip Community School on Friday, Dec. 3. “My eight-year-old daughter was just fine,” said Wilson. “She had really been wanting to get it for a while. My son screamed down the place, but he’s only five so they said that’s kind of normal—it’ll be a two-parent job next time.” Otherwise, the process was “no problem,” she added. The clinic “had kids’ stickers, there was candy. They try and make it easy, they try and distract the kids with some puzzles.” As of Dec. 6, a total of 21 per cent of children aged five to 11 within the VCH authority have received their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, including nine per cent of Howe Sound LHA residents within that age group. Out of all Howe Sound residents aged 12 and older, 98 per cent have received at least one dose, and 93 per cent have received at least two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. Wilson described the general support she’s observed for kids’ vaccines as “5050” among Whistler parents. Greyson said it’s understandable that
NEWS WHISTLER some parents are questioning whether to vaccinate their younger children, considering’s COVID-19’s typically mild effects on kids in that age group. That said, the virus “can cause hospitalizations, and we’re seeing that about two per cent of cases,” they explained. And in the U.S., where COVID-19 has been more widespread than in B.C., “one in three children who’ve been hospitalized for COVID had no underlying conditions at all—not even very common ones such as asthma,” said Greyson. Plus, they added, the long-term effect of the virus on children remains unknown. “The other reason that we’re encouraging people to vaccinate children is to help end the pandemic,” Greyson said. “While most children have fared well medically, the costs of the pandemic have been many, from worrying about bringing an infection home to grandma to having school and activity closures to, sometimes, families’ social or financial hardship. “The sooner we can end this pandemic, the better it will be for all our kids.” As Greyson explained, data shows the risk for children aged five to 11 suffering adverse effects from a COVID-19 vaccine is not only lower than the risk of those children suffering severe complications from the virus itself, but is also lower than the risk of adverse effects from the vaccine faced by adults and even teenagers. “While adverse events following immunization do occur, these events are
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5694 Alta Lake Road, Whistler FOR SALE
$7,400,000 5
doses administered for 12-17-year-olds. In contrast, the rate of being hospitalized for COVID-19 among unvaccinated youth is 37.3 per 100,000 population. There have been no hospitalizations for their vaccinated counterparts. For context, the risk of dying from a motor vehicle crash is 7.3 per 100,000 population for those aged 15 to 24, according to 2019 data from B.C.’s Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General. COVID-19 has not resulted in any deaths among 12- to 17-year-olds in B.C. to date, regardless of vaccination status. There have
very uncommon and are vastly outweighed by the risks associated with COVID-19,” noted the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) in last month’s B.C. COVID-19 Situation Report for K-12 schools. The BCCDC defines adverse events following immunization (AEFI) as “any untoward medical occurrence which follows immunization and which does not necessarily have a causal relationship with the use of a vaccine.” According to the BC CDC, there have been 133 AEFI reports linked to COVID19 vaccines among 12 to 17 year-olds in
“The sooner we can end this pandemic, the better it will be for all our kids.” - DEVON GREYSON
been two deaths linked to COVID-19 in children under 10. Adverse effects tend to occur in the six weeks following vaccination, said Greyson. “While this is the first mRNA vaccine to be approved for use in the general population, [researchers have] been studying them in clinical trials for decades, and haven’t seen any long-term effects from any of those at this point,” they said. The biggest risk posed by mRNA
B.C., for a reporting rate of 26.1 reports per 100,000 doses administered. Fourteen of those adverse events were considered serious enough to warrant hospitalization. All teenagers have since been discharged. Provincial data suggest that the risk of catching COVID-19 is 13 times higher for unvaccinated 12 to17 year-olds compared to their vaccinated counterparts, according to the BC CDC. The risk of being hospitalized due to a serious AEFI is 2.7 per 100,000
SQUAMISH
NORTH SHORE 9480 Emerald Drive, Whistler
4864 Casabella Cresent, Montebello
SOLD
$2,998,000
$2,800,000
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2
3.5
38221 Hemlock Avenue, Squamish FOR SALE
SOLD
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vaccines is myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart. “So far, about 5 million children aged five to 11 in the U.S.—which is more than our total number of eligible children in Canada—have been vaccinated and we don’t yet have any reports of vaccineassociated myocarditis,” said Greyson, “which is amazing news and should be very reassuring.” To book an appointment for their child’s COVID-19 vaccine, parents must first register online at getvaccinated.gov.bc.ca or by calling 1-833-838-2323 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week. Afterwards, they will be invited to book an appointment to receive the vaccine via email or text. VCH’s Whistler immunization clinics take place on Mondays and Fridays at Myrtle Philip Community School until Dec. 20. Vaccination clinics are also available at the Pemberton Health Centre Vaccine Kiosk on Tuesdays and Thursdays until Dec. 21 and on Saturday, Dec. 18 at Pemberton Secondary School. The clinics accommodate eligible children and adults. Drop-in appointments are now welcome for those aged 12 and older in need of a first or second dose, but those in the 5- to 11-year-old group must make an appointment. The vaccines are free and children do not need a health care card to receive their shot. One parent, legal guardian or custodial caregiver is required to provide consent at the clinic location. n
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VANCOUVER
#219 - 1336 Main Street, Squamish SOLD
$1,680,000
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$689,000 3
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2
3,634 sqft
1,585 sqft
3,800 sqft
2,356 sqft
872 sqft
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Direct access to Alta Lake with
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Luxury property
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Beautiful, lush 13,000 sf lot
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Substantially rebuilt home
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Downtown shopping and amenities
private dock
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Village location
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Picturesque 3,800 sf gothic-arch
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1 bedroom suite
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Two wood fireplaces
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Proven revenue producer
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Gorgeous views of Wedge &
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Stunning views
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Mountain views
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Gorgeous lake and mountain views
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Envious mountain views
Spearhead
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Large upstairs kitchen
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In-suite storage
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Private ensuite for each bedroom
DANA FRIESEN SMITH
JOSH CRANE
JEREMY FAIRLEY
604 902 3878
604 902 6106
604 935 9150
all within steps from front door
LINDSAY MCIVOR
KRISTEN DILLON
com
dana@seatoskydreamteam.com
josh@joshcrane.ca
jeremy@stilhavn.com
604 612 1484 lindsay@lindsaymcivorrealestate.com
778 266 0150 kristen@seatoskydreamteam.com
Stilhavn Real Estate Services | 208 - 1420 Alpha Lake Road, Whistler | stilhavn.com This communication is not intended to cause or induce the break of an existing agency relationship.
DECEMBER 9, 2021
17
NEWS WHISTLER
Conservationists warn orphaned cub likely won’t survive Whistler winter without intervention LACK OF CLEAR POLICY AT PROVINCIAL LEVEL HAS PREVENTED CUB FROM BEING PICKED UP, SAY ADVOCATES
BY BRANDON BARRETT CONSERVATION GROUPS are warning that what appears to be an orphaned black bear cub won’t survive the cold Whistler winter on its own without intervention, but a lack of clarity from the province on trapping and transporting orphaned bears is preventing it from being picked up. The Conservation Officer Service (COS) confirmed that a young bear that appeared to be separated from its mother was reported on Nov. 18, three days after it was spotted in the Wedge Woods area. Sgt. Simon Gravel said it was the only sighting he was aware of, although WildSafe B.C.’s Wildlife Alert Reporting Program, which collates reports to the COS, indicated that reports of a cub were also made in Whistler on Oct. 16 and 29. (WildSafe notes that “very few” of the data points it collects from a variety of sources have been officially confirmed.) “In this particular case, we didn’t receive any information that this bear was in distress,” said Gravel, who added that the
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COS attended the scene after the Nov. 18 report and was unable to track down the bear. “We asked the public to report it to the RAPP line. We liaised with the [provincial] biologist … and if there are further sightings and there’s an obvious bear cub in distress, then our job is to assist and be instrumental to its capture.”
time of year. He’s maybe 20, 30 [pounds], based on the pictures,” said Nathan Luke Wagstaffe, senior wildlife technician at Critter Care. There has been some mixed messaging as to the policy around rearing and releasing orphaned bear cubs. According to an emailed statement from the Ministry
“When it comes to orphaned bear cubs, there is no clear policy and there never was.” - LESLEY FOX
But conservation groups argue the cub isn’t likely to survive the winter on its own and should be trapped and transported as soon as possible to Langley’s Critter Care Wildlife Society, one of only three bear rehabilitation facilities in the province. “It’s too small for this time of year. They should up upwards of 80 pounds for this
of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations (FLNRO), which declined an interview, organizations like the COS and Critter Care have authority to capture and transport cubs on their own. Wagstaffe, meanwhile, said Critter Care is “more than happy” to assist in the capture and transit of the cub, but “we just need to
be given permission to do so, which can take a while.” When asked what was holding up the process, Wagstaffe declined comment, noting that the organization is not permitted to speak on political issues. Lesley Fox, executive director of wildlife advocacy charity The Fur-Bearers, said the confusion speaks to a lack of clear direction from Victoria. “When it comes to orphaned bear cubs, there is no clear policy and there never was,” she said. “The very first problem when talking about orphaned bear cubs is that the government, and that’s all levels of government, including the B.C. COS, does not value individual animals. They view animals as a commodity, as a resource, as a population or as a species, and so individuals pose no financial benefit.” Adding to the complication is the provincial legislation dictating that only orphaned black bears of the year shown to be of good size and health are eligible for rearing and release, which would necessitate a physical assessment of the bear. In its statement, FLNRO said, as it is not the field response agency for wildlife in distress, “we did not attend on scene nor
NEWS WHISTLER
CUB CARE An orphaned black cub (not the one pictured), likely won’t survive the Whistler winter without being taken to a rehabilitation centre, argue local conservation groups. PHOTO BY MANUEL ROMARIS / GETTY IMAGES
did we make arrangements to make a field assessment on the situation.” Muddying the waters further, Gravel from the COS, said that whenever reports of an orphaned cub come in, the agency “immediately” involves a provincial biologist “because it’s their mandate at that point—it’s not a COS
mandate.” Ellie Lamb, director of Get Bear Smart Whistler, argued that field assessments should be done away with entirely and that orphaned cubs should be taken directly to rehab centres like Critter Care. “The cub should go to a rehab centre
and then their vet assesses the cub there … and that’s the only way you know it’s been a thorough assessment, not just a field observation,” she said. Clarifying both the COS and FLNRO’s respective mandates when it comes to wildlife would go a long way towards shoring up the confusion amongst the public, said Fox, who argued that, as a policing agency, the COS should fall under the umbrella of B.C.’s Solicitor General, not the Ministry of Environment, as it currently stands. “When you come across an orphan bear cub, the question of, ‘This bear needs help, who do I call?’ should be a very straightforward answer and the truth is it’s not. The answer to that scenario is, ‘Well, it depends,’” she said. “It depends if the COS shot the mom, in which case there’s a duty of care to bring the cub to rehab. But if it’s not clear or if the mom was hit by a car, killed by a hunter or the mom just didn’t show up, then technically it is FLNRO’s responsibility.” Fox, whose Fur-Bearers challenged the COS’ power to destroy wild animals at its own discretion in a case that was ultimately thrown out in 2019 by Canada’s Supreme Court, believes the agency needs to stick to enforcing wildlife laws and public safety. “They have one foot in the world of wildlife management and one foot in the world of policing and enforcement. It’s not working,” she said. “They are police officers, so the only thing they should be providing commentary
on is if there was an offence and is there a public safety issue? Anything outside of those two parameters is editorializing. It’s not up to them to have any opinion on anything that can be perceived to be animal health, wildlife management or behaviour.” The B.C. COS has come under fire before for its decision-making around killing wildlife. The most high-profile incident came in 2015 when conservation officer Bryce Casavant was fired for refusing to kill two orphaned cubs after their mother was shot for raiding an outdoor freezer near Port Hardy. In Whistler, that sentiment has taken the form of a general reluctance among some residents to report wildlife sightings and encounters to the COS over fear that the animal will inevitably be killed, something that was clearly evident in the recent provincial court case of Zuzana Stevikova. In September, the Whistler woman received a combined $60,000 fine for feeding a sow and two cubs from the backyard of her Kadenwood home during the summer of 2018, leading to the COS killing the food-conditioned bears. Stevikova, who purchased up to 10 cases of apples, 50 pounds of carrots and 15 dozen eggs on a weekly basis, told the court that she noticed the bears “looked skinny” and, by feeding them, believed she was preventing the public from calling the COS. “Bears are tolerated by the community, much more than in other locations,” said Judge Lyndsay Smith in her Sept. 29 decision. n
DECEMBER 9, 2021
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NEWS WHISTLER
Recent weather around Whistler could be perfect storm for avalanches THE NEXT SNOWFALL WILL DETERMINE WHETHER THE AVALANCHE RISK IS SEVERE OR MINIMAL
BY HARRISON BROOKS THE WET and relatively warm conditions of the atmospheric river that rolled through the Sea to Sky corridor last week resulted in a widespread avalanche cycle, which released many large scale avalanches in the Coast Mountains during the height of the storm, according to Avalanche Canada forecaster Colin Garrity. And despite current conditions not showing much risk of more avalanche activity, Whistler, and the Sea to Sky corridor, aren’t out of the woods just yet. The heavy rain that hit a large portion of Whistler Blackcomb earlier in the week, created a hard-packed, icy surface called a “capping crust.” And according to Garritty, as long as that crust is strong enough to support a person’s weight without them breaking through, there is no real chance of triggering an avalanche. “That crust isn’t the kind of snow that can produce an avalanche itself, so basically if you cap the snow pack then you’ve capped all the problems under the snow by doing that,” he said. “Where that crust doesn’t exist or it’s really too thin to support your weight, there are still some layers in the snowpack that are
concerning, and these are the same layers that would have been producing large avalanches during the storm.” Despite the recent avalanche cycle clearing out many of the problem spots, areas where the crust is weaker, as well as wind slabs created by the redistribution of snow, still represent risks for more potential avalanche problem spots. However, the biggest question mark as to what the avalanche situation looks like going forward comes down to what the next bit of precipitation looks like. The best-case scenario, according to Garritty, would be for the next snowfall to start warm and wet before cooling off, as this would allow the new snow to form a strong bond with the current snow crust. But, if the snow comes in cold and dry and builds up on top of the crust without a chance to properly bond, it could create perfect conditions for that new snow to slide and more avalanches to occur. “So when we get new snow that piles up above that crust, that hard-bed surface does contribute to the likelihood of avalanches. It will be a great sliding surface for avalanches in the future, but not only that, this dry period that we are heading into right now, we are very likely to see weak, new-surface grains forming on the
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surface of the snowpack between now and the next snowfall,” said Garritty. “So in the meantime, during this little drought period, the snow surface is going to be developing this weak stuff that is going to get snowed on, there is going to be a really nice bed surface under it, and it’s very likely going to create quite active avalanche conditions.” As predicted by Environment Canada warning preparedness meteorologist Armel Castellan, the most recent atmospheric river to roll through Whistler last week unfortunately didn’t bring with it the wet snow needed to bond to the already-present crust. Instead weak crystals “like a feathery surface hoar were observed growing between dustings of snow” before being buried by a new layer of snow creating what could potentially lead to more avalanche issues in the future, according to the latest Avalanche Canada update. “This kind of setup can have long lasting implications reaching all the way into spring, when they will be deeply buried and potentially capable of producing very large, destructive avalanches,” read the emailed statement. “Needless to say, this crust is likely going to be a player for the next few storms, at least. In the near future, the supporting details
in the forecasts will become invaluable as you manage the potentially complex upper snowpack. As time passes and more observations come in, we’ll learn more about the nature of the problem and how best to manage it.” With the strong chance for avalanchefriendly conditions this year, Whistler Search and Rescue (WSAR) recommends anyone planning a trip into the backcountry or outside of the controlled areas of the mountains make sure they have the proper equipment and education necessary for survival in an avalanche scenario. “We certainly recommend that anybody that is considering leaving the controlled recreation area take an avalanche safety training level one course as a beginner,” said WSAR president Brad Sills. “Also, there is mandatory equipment if you are going to leave the ski area and that consists of a transceiver, a shovel and a probe. But it’s not sufficient enough to just acquire these, you need to learn how to use them and to train with them regularly.” WSAR responded to approximately 12 avalanche-related calls last winter, three of which resulted in fatalities. For more resources and information on what to do in the case of an avalanche, Sills recommends visiting adventuresmart.ca. n
NEWS WHISTLER
Whistler kids still have time to get their letters in to Santa EACH LETTER DROPPED OFF AT CREEKSIDE STORE WILL GET A PERSONALIZED REPLY
BY BRANDON BARRETT IF EVER THERE WAS a natural multitasker, it’s Santa Claus. Between checking his list, then checking it twice, and making and delivering millions of toys each Christmas, he still, somehow, has time to personally respond to each hopeful letter from children around the world. For kids in Whistler, that means dropping off their letter to an oldfashioned, cherry-red postal box at Get the Goods giftshop in Creekside, where each letter delivered will get back a personalized response from jolly ole’ St. Nick himself. “I’m the Santa Claus,” says Get the Goods’ social media manager Jessica Chambers, a U.K. native who began the Letters to Santa program last Christmas. “I used to work in schools so it was something I used to do with the children, responding to each individual letter.” The response last year was much bigger than she anticipated. “I didn’t think we would get as many letters as we did. I think it was around 200,” she said. “I did not expect to write that many letters.” Launched at the tail end of a year many
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of us would like to throw on the trash heap of history, Chambers said the letter-writing gave kids a much needed chance to escape from the stress around them. “Last year was really sad. Quite a few children wrote on their Santa list about wanting COVID to go away,” she recalled. “So it’s just nice for them to believe in something that’s not bad. They may hear so many bad things at the moment just listening to their parents talking in the kitchen, so it’s nice they can have some innocence.” So how does one intimate the festive tone and jolly demeanour of Kris Kringle for dozens of local kids? According to Chambers, it’s all about the personal touch. “I try to find something that’s personal to them,” she said. “A lot of times they’ll mention their dog or their cat or something. Or if I notice that two letters came in from the same household, I’ll mention their sibling in my letter.” Take one letter from a creative young girl that included a fully sketched out comic strip along with a string of silly jokes. “I thought that was really cute because she put a lot of effort in trying to make Santa laugh. So I sent her back some jokes,” Chambers said. Sometimes the letters hold an even
CHRISTMAS WISHLIST Kids can drop off their letters to Santa in a cherry-red postbox at Get the Goods in Creekside until Dec. 14. PHOTO SUBMITTED
deeper significance to the kids and their families, especially after what was a tough year for many. “A couple of the parents messaged me to say they were really grateful to get a reply because they had a terrible year last year and it was something that was easy and happy for their kids,” Chambers said. “To little kids, I forget that it does mean a lot to
them when they get that personal reply.” Of course, Santa’s yuletide obligations extend beyond the mere literary; he is also tasked with the immense responsibility of fulfilling children’s holiday wishlists. So how does Chambers approach kids’ requests delicately when she’s not sure that Xbox they asked for is going to wind up under the tree on Christmas morning? Well, in true Whistler fashion, you blame it on the labour crisis. “Because I don’t know whether or not the parents will actually get them those gifts, I normally just say, ‘We’ll see if the elves can make you that,’” she relayed. “One little girl had asked for a 3D printing pen and I wasn’t sure if she would actually get that since they’re pretty expensive, so I was like, ‘Oh, we’ll see if the elves can actually make that. Sometimes they struggle making things.’ So I normally just put it down to what the elves can and cannot make, because sometimes they can’t make the latest Xbox. They don’t have the capacity.” The deadline to get letters into Santa is Dec. 14, with responses anticipated by Christmas, depending on the volume. Get the Goods is open Monday to Thursday in Creekside from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. n
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+1-778-907-2071 +1-647-374-4685 • The Webinar ID is: 640 3091 9387 Instructions for Participating via Zoom Online Video or Phone Conferencing • Online video: It is possible NOTICE to access OF thePUBLIC Public Hearing on a computer, tablet or smartphone using HEARING the web link above. Your camera will DECEMBER not be available, butP.M.your microphone will need to be enabled. TUESDAY, 14, 2021 – 6:30 Public Hearing be held electronically pursuant to s.465 of the Local Government Council Procedure No. 2207, ToThisindicate thatwillyou wish to make an oral representation, clickActonandthe ‘raise hand’Bylaw feature. The2018.moderator will COMMUNITY PLAN AMENDMENT BYLAW allow each person to (2077 speakGARIBALDI inOFFICIAL turn.WAY) When it is your turn to speak, your microphone will be unmuted and you NO. 2290, 2021 and ZONING AMENDMENT BYLAW will be asked to provide your name(2077 andGARIBALDI address for record. Please be patient as there may be others WAY)the NO. public 2291, 2021 SUBJECT LANDS: Thequeue parcel thatbefore is the subject in the you.of the proposed Bylaw is 2077 Garibaldi Way, Whistler, described as Lot 3 District Lot 5412 Plan16634. The parcel is identified as “subject property” on the map attached to this notice. • In Phone conferencing: Toproposed accessOfficial the Community Public Hearing by phone, onetheoflandtheusephone numbers above along with PURPOSE: general terms, the purpose of the Plan Amendment Bylaw is use to change designation of the subject lands from RESIDENTIALthe - VERY LOW (DETACHED) to RESIDENTIALTo - LOW TO MEDIUM Webinar ID as prompted. indicate that(DETACHED/MULTIPLE). you wish to make an oral representation, use the ‘raise hand’ In general terms, the purpose the proposed Amendment Bylawturn is to rezone the subject from Residential Estate Onethe (RS-E1) to RM74 feature by ofdialing [*9].Zoning When it is your to speak, thelands moderator willSingle announce lastZone three digits of your (Residential Multiple Seventy-Four) Zone to provide for 20 townhouse dwelling units, provided that the first 14 townhouse dwelling units must be for phone employee housing only. number, and your line will be unmuted. You will be asked to provide your name and address for the INSPECTION OF DOCUMENTS: public record. Please be patient as there may be others in the queue before you. A copy of the proposed Bylaws and relevant background documentation along with written submissions received may be inspected at the Reception Desk of Municipal Hall at 4325the Blackcomb Way, Whistler, BC, during office hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30receive p.m., Monday to Friday (statutory holidays excluded) fromon December 3, 2021 to andBylaw. After conclusion of this Publicregular Hearing, Council cannot representations from the public the proposed including December 14, 2021. General information onandparticipating in the RMOW’along s electronic public hearings isalso available A copy of the proposed Bylaws relevant background documentation with written submissions received may be viewedhere: online on the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) website at: whistler.ca/2077GaribaldiWay https://www.whistler.ca/municipal-gov/council/public-hearings PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: All persons who that their can interest in property affected the proposed will be afforded a reasonable Members ofbelieve the public also view isthe LivebyStream ofBylaws the Public Hearing at: opportunity to be heard by Council at the Public Hearing. All persons can: 1) submit written comments to Council; and/or 2) make oral representations LIVE via online video or phone conferencing. (Your image will not be https://www.whistler.ca/municipal-gov/council/watch-council-meetings broadcast to Council or the public.) ZONING AMENDMENT BYLAW (8104 MCKEEVERS PLACE) NO. 2292, 2020 Map showing Subject Lands
1. Submit Written Comments to Council Written comments must be addressed to “Mayor and Council”, and include your name and mailing address. Until 3:30 p.m. on December 14, 2021, written submissions will be received at the following: Email: corporate@whistler.ca Fax: 604-935-8109 Hard Copy: Resort Municipality of Whistler Legislative Services Department 4325 Blackcomb Way Whistler BC V8E 0X5 Written submissions will also be accepted on December 14, 2021 between 3:30 p.m. and the time when the motion to close the Public Hearing is made. During this timeframe, written comments must be submitted by email to: corporate@whistler.ca All submissions will form part of the Public Hearing record and will be added to the Public Hearing Package as they are received. The Public Hearing Package will be available on the RMOW website at: whistler.ca/2077GaribaldiWay 2. Participate LIVE via Online Video or Phone Conferencing The live Public Hearing will take place December 14, 2021 at 6:30 p.m. via online video and phone conferencing. The Public Hearing will be conducted using Zoom and can be accessed via either online video or phone conferencing. No registration is required. If you wish to make oral representations to Council on the proposed Bylaw by online video or by phone, please use the Public Hearing web link or one of the phone numbers (including Webinar ID) provided below. • The web link for the Public Hearing online video option is: https://whistler.zoom.us/j/64366007157 • The phone numbers to access the Public Hearing phone conferencing option are as follows: +1-778-907-2071 +1-647-374-4685 • The Webinar ID is: 643 6600 7157 Instructions for Participating via Zoom Online Video or Phone Conferencing • Online video: It is possible to access the Public Hearing on a computer, tablet or smartphone using the web link above. Your camera will not be available, but your microphone will need to be enabled. To indicate that you wish to make an oral representation, click on the ‘raise hand’ feature. The moderator will allow each person to speak in turn. When it is your turn to speak, your microphone will be unmuted and you will be asked to provide your name and address for the public record. Please be patient as there may be others in the queue before you. • Phone conferencing: To access the Public Hearing by phone, use one of the phone numbers above along with the Webinar ID as prompted. To indicate that you wish to make an oral representation, use the ‘raise hand’ feature by dialing [*9]. When it is your turn to speak, the moderator will announce the last three digits of your phone number, and your line will be unmuted. You will be asked to provide your name and address for the public record. Please be patient as there may be others in the queue before you. After the conclusion of this Public Hearing, Council cannot receive representations from the public on the proposed Bylaw. General information on participating in the RMOW’s electronic public hearings is available here: https://www.whistler.ca/municipal-gov/council/public-hearings Members of the public can also view the Live Stream of the Public Hearing at: https://www.whistler.ca/municipal-gov/council/watch-council-meetings Map showing Subject Lands
Resort Municipality of Whistler whistler.ca
NEWS WHISTLER
Naturespeak: Whistler’s wild birding year BY KARL RICKER FOR WHISTLER BIRDERS it was a year of seasonal contrasts. The winter count was average at 62 species; spring saw a second-highest recorded species diversity of 158 species with the emerging hotspot being Cheakamus Crossing. The summer heat dome didn’t impact a higher species diversity than usual at 132, and thanks to an unusually wet weather cycle, autumn saw a gigantic lull where it became an all-out struggle to near the average count of 105.5 species (it reached 106). But wait! Some typical autumn migrants actually came through in August— especially mallard ducks and Canada geese, adding to summer totals but robbing the autumn of a few typical migrant sightings. Yes, many migrants bailed ahead of time, but let’s shift the discussion to the bigger annual picture. The average species count over a 17-year period in Whistler is 174 (range 148 to 188). This past year tallied 183, fourth highest. Thus, despite anomalous climate events spread over two seasons, annual biodiversity was well above average. We can thank an ever-increasing cadre of keeners in the Whistler Naturalists Society for that puffed up number. These folks nabbed many of the tough
24 DECEMBER 9, 2021
CHRISTMAS COUNT A short-eared owl was a rare sighting this year in Whistler. PHOTO BY LIZ BARRETT
species to find, including a lazuli bunting at Cheakamus Crossing and the second-ever short-eared owl, at Nicklaus North. Ellen, Liz, Nicole, Dea and Heather also nabbed the hard-to-find Eurasian wigeon, spruce
grouse, northern saw-whet owl, pacificsloped flycatcher, gray catbird, Nashville warbler, snow bunting, brewer’s blackbird and Bullocks oriole. It’s hard to believe that there’s now 13
species of owl on the Whistler checklist, but the only ones regularly heard are the great horned, barred and northern pygmy-owl. The checklist officially “lost” one species to taxonomy when the northwestern crow was downgraded to a variant of the American crow courtesy of DNA analysis. On the other hand, we also gained a couple of species in stilt and white-rumped sandpiper, the latter seen at the outlet dam of Alpha Lake of all places. So, Whistler’s all-time checklist now stands at 270 species. Swans were also in irregular motion. About 400 were counted going north in the spring, but the reverse southbound migration has so far yet to see 50 on our lakes. And what exactly did the summer heat dome do to our migratory counts? The data is yet to be summarized but one effect is that it appears to have disturbed our nesting osprey at Green Lake. The chick(s) did not survive though it remains to be seen if this is an isolated case. The Christmas Bird Count for Whistler is on Dec. 14 this year. If you’re willing to help out, please email whistlernaturalists@ gmail.com. Realistically we’re looking for 40 or so of the regular winter residents, but maybe you’ll be the lucky one to spot Species No. 271 for our list? Naturespeak is prepared by the Whistler Naturalists. To learn more about Whistler’s natural world, go to whistlernaturalists.ca. n
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2021 – 5:30 P.M.
This Public Hearing will be held electronically pursuant to s.465 of the Local Government Act and Council Procedure Bylaw No. 2207, 2018. LAND USE CONTRACT TERMINATION BYLAW (4644 BLACKCOMB WAY) NO. 2299, 2021 SUBJECT LANDS: The lands that are the subject of the proposed Bylaw are shown on the map attached to this notice. The civic address is 4644 Blackcomb Way, which is known as Blackcomb Greens. PURPOSE: In general terms, the purpose of the proposed Bylaw is to: 1) terminate the Blackcomb Land Use Contract where it applies within the subject lands; 2) amend the RTA18 Zone under “Zoning and Parking Bylaw No. 303, 2015” with respect to permitted uses, density, site coverage and parking to reflect the existing development at the subject lands; and 3) apply the amended RTA18 Zone to the subject lands. If the Bylaw is adopted, it will take effect one year after from the date of adoption. INSPECTION OF DOCUMENTS: A copy of the proposed Bylaw and relevant background documentation along with written submissions received may be inspected at the Reception Desk of Municipal Hall at 4325 Blackcomb Way, Whistler, BC, during regular office hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday (statutory holidays excluded) from December 2, 2021 to and including December 14, 2021. A copy of the proposed Bylaw and relevant background documentation along with written submissions received may also be viewed online on the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) website at: whistler.ca/LUC00020 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: All persons who believe that their interest in property is affected by the proposed Bylaw will be afforded a reasonable opportunity to be heard by Council at the Public Hearing. All persons can: 1) submit written comments to Council; and/or 2) make oral representations LIVE via online video or phone conferencing. (Your image will not be broadcast to Council or the public.) 1.Submit Written Comments to Council Written comments must be addressed to “Mayor and Council”, and include your name and mailing address. Until 3:30 p.m. on December 14, 2021, written submissions will be received at the following: Email: Fax: Hard Copy:
corporate@whistler.ca 604-935-8109 Resort Municipality of Whistler Legislative Services Department 4325 Blackcomb Way Whistler BC V8E 0X5
Written submissions will also be accepted on December 14, 2021 between 3:30 p.m. and the time when the motion to close the Public Hearing is made. During this timeframe, written comments must be submitted by email to: corporate@whistler.ca All submissions will form part of the Public Hearing record and will be added to the Public Hearing Package as they are received. The Public Hearing Package will be available on the RMOW website at: whistler.ca/LUC00020 2.Participate LIVE via Online Video or Phone Conferencing The live Public Hearing will take place December 14, 2021 at 5:30 p.m. via online video and phone conferencing. The Public Hearing will be conducted using Zoom and can be accessed via either online video or phone conferencing. No registration is required. If you wish to make oral representations to Council on the proposed Bylaw by online video or by phone, please use the Public Hearing web link or one of the phone numbers (including Webinar ID) provided below. • The web link for the Public Hearing online video option is: https://whistler.zoom.us/j/64366007157 • The phone numbers to access the Public Hearing phone conferencing option are as follows: +1-778-907-2071 +1-647-374-4685 • The Webinar ID is: 643 6600 7157 Instructions for Participating via Zoom Online Video or Phone Conferencing • Online video: It is possible to access the Public Hearing on a computer, tablet or smartphone using the web link above. Your camera will not be available, but your microphone will need to be enabled. To indicate that you wish to make an oral representation, click on the ‘raise hand’ feature. The moderator will allow each person to speak in turn. When it is your turn to speak, your microphone will be unmuted and you will be asked to provide your name and address for the public record. Please be patient as there may be others in the queue before you. • Phone conferencing: To access the Public Hearing by phone, use one of the phone numbers above along with the Webinar ID as prompted. To indicate that you wish to make an oral representation, use the ‘raise hand’ feature by dialing [*9]. When it is your turn to speak, the moderator will announce the last three digits of your phone number, and your line will be unmuted. You will be asked to provide your name and address for the public record. Please be patient as there may be others in the queue before you. After the conclusion of this Public Hearing, Council cannot receive representations from the public on the proposed Bylaw. General information on participating in the RMOW’s electronic public hearings is available here: https://www.whistler.ca/municipal-gov/council/public-hearings Members of the public can also view the Live Stream of the Public Hearing at: https://www.whistler.ca/municipal-gov/council/watch-council-meetings
Get noticed!
LAND USE CONTRACT TERMINATION BYLAW (4644 BLACKCOMB WAY) NO. 2299, 2021 Map showing Subject Lands
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NEWS PEMBERTON & THE VALLEY
Proposed Mt. Meager geothermal plant takes another step towards operating THE MEAGER CREEK DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IS INCHING CLOSER TO BREAKING GROUND ON A NEW GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANT IN THE PEMBERTON AREA
BY HARRISON BROOKS THE MEAGER CREEK Development Corporation’s (MCDC) managing director Craig Dunn was on hand at the Village of Pemberton’s (VOP) Committee of the Whole (COW) meeting on Dec. 7 to present and discuss the company’s plan to build a geothermal power plant at Mt. Meager with VOP mayor and council. The plan to build a plant to utilize the potential geothermal energy of the Mt. Meager volcano—one of Canada’s most promising geothermal areas—is not a new one. Companies have been looking at the geothermal potential of that area for years with research being done as far back as the 1980s. But if all goes according to plan, MCDC will be the first to make meaningful progress toward a renewable geothermal energy source near Pemberton, something no one else has been able to do due to an array of different issues that may no longer be a factor, according to Dunn. “The fundamental issue of Meager hasn’t necessarily been that there wasn’t enough heat or enough permeability or enough opportunity for a geothermal power
GEOTHERMAL ENERGY Mt. Meager will soon be the home of the MCDC’s geothermal power plant. The energy produced here will be used to run an electrolyser, which separates hydrogen from water to be used as fuel. PHOTO COURTESY OF MCDC
26 DECEMBER 9, 2021
project,” he said. “The real fundamental issue was that it was kind of a lost asset because it was so challenging to sell power into the B.C. market at this scale.” But in spring of 2020, due to the decreased demand for electricity that coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, BC Hydro cancelled the Independent Power Producers program that bought energy from private companies like Innergex Renewables Inc., which operates
cheapest power sources in North America. If you are making power at a very good rate, what other products can you make from it that provides value to the market?” said Dunn. “We can actually make a product out of the electricity that has a much better return on investment. When you break hydrogen and oxygen apart as water it takes an exorbitant amount of energy, but you’re left with clean hydrogen and basically
“So if you have cost effective electricity, you have cost effective hydrogen.” - CRAIG DUNN
17 hydroelectric power stations in the province, but left room open for baseload renewables, like geothermal energy. However, since then, there hasn’t been much progress on the IPP program for those baseload renewables. Despite the ongoing complications that come with selling power to the province, MCDC decided to go ahead with the project. But instead of selling the energy it produces, it will instead be using that energy to create and then sell hydrogen through the use of an electrolyser that separates water into hydrogen and liquid oxygen. “The geothermal resource at Meager Creek is probably going to be one of the
liquid oxygen is the other option. So if you have cost effective electricity, you have cost effective hydrogen.” Another benefit of the plant, according to an MCDC release, the power plant’s hydrogen production would offset diesel and natural gas by an estimated 99,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. The carbon credit revenue of offsetting that amount of greenhouse gases could reach over $16.5 million per year by 2030. The prospect of bringing this geothermal power plant to the Pemberton area proved to be an exciting one for mayor and council although they did have some questions about what exactly the plant
would mean for the community and the area surrounding it. Specifically, Mayor Mike Richman asked about the direct benefits that the community would see from the building and operating of the plant to which Dunn replied that in the short term, there would be a large number of people coming through the village and spending time and money at the local businesses. In the long term, according to Dunn, the expectation is for the plant to be able to assist with the hydrogen market, provide marketing opportunities as well as potentially some heating opportunities for the community, said Dunn, adding that MCDC wants to hear from Pemberton about, “what would the town like to see or what would the town not like to see along those lines and the ability for some of that resource to stay in the valley.” With the Village’s water use being a constant topic of conversation, especially after a summer that saw record-breaking water use during June’s heat dome, councillor Amica Antonelli asked about how much water the plant and the electrolyser would end up using. “The comments about geothermal is that it uses a massive amount of water and that’s actually true,” Dunn responded, explaining that in this process the water is re-injected back into the system so, “the only water that is used … is in some of the air cooling. And ideally, we would have an air-cooled system, so little to no water used at all.” Dunn’s expectation is for the plant to be built by the end of 2024 and to be operating by 2025. n
NEWS PEMBERTON & THE VALLEY
SLRD resident’s quest for documents continues RELEASING CONFIDENTIAL ACCOUNTING INFO IS A PRIVACY ISSUE, LAWYER SAYS
BY BRADEN DUPUIS A FORMER RESIDENT of Bralorne’s quest for transparency at the Bridge River Valley Community Association (BRVCA) continues, even after a Civil Resolution Tribunal decision in his favour. On Sept. 15, the BC Civil Resolutions Tribunal ordered BRVCA, located in Gold Bridge, north of Pemberton in the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District’s Area A, to provide resident Steve Oakley with unredacted copies of its financial and accounting statements, Oakley said in a press release. Following the decision, Oakley
of anonymous donors, she said. Rans pointed to a similar case in the Okanagan in 2016, in which a director publicized the accounting records of a society, “and it was very destructive … There’s the privacy issues, but it’s also incredibly intrusive and destructive,” she said. A long-time advocate for B.C.’s nonprofit sector, Rans said the issue of access to records arose with an amendment to the Societies Act in 2016. “One of the concerns that I had was the idea that accounting records, as opposed to financial statements, would also be subject to disclosure to a member, upon request … unless the bylaws of the society restricted access,” Rans said.
“Why does any society exist? It exists because we’re trying to do community good, right? And you don’t really think too hard about what happens when there’s a dispute amongst your members.” - MARTHA RANS
received 72 pages of a general financial ledger from BRVCA. But after speaking with accountants, Oakley (who has owned a home in Bralorne for more than 20 years, but now lives in Kamloops) doesn’t believe the documents are sufficient, he said on Nov. 29. “In speaking with some other professional accountants, they’re suggesting that things such as profit/loss statements, balance sheets, statement of cash flow, trial balances, and detailed ledgers are some of the things that … should be included,” Oakley said. While he’s not suggesting foul play at the BRVCA board, “I think there’s still some questions that need to be answered,” he said, noting that the documents he received don’t include info about BRVCA’s subcommittees. “We haven’t seen any specific financials for the economic development committee, for example. And so that’s a real big thing that’s missing,” he said. The BRVCA board declined comment. But lawyer Martha Rans (Q.C.), founder and legal director of the Pacific Legal Education and Outreach Society, said disclosing full accounting records of a non-profit organization can lead to privacy issues. The unredacted records would include confidential info like the names
The problem with that, she added, is that most societies—run by volunteers in most cases—incorporate using the model bylaws attached to the act, and may not think to change them. “Why does any society exist? It exists because we’re trying to do community good, right? And you don’t really think too hard about what happens when there’s a dispute amongst your members,” Rans said. “What purpose can possibly be served by somebody getting a copy of the general ledger? I just don’t know the answer.” At its Annual General Meeting on Sept. 27, the BRVCA board passed a bylaw restricting access to accounting records to the directors of the society, and another stating that “a person other than a member or director may not inspect a record a society is required to keep under [Section 20 of the BC Societies Act] except those explicitly stated to be made available to the public by the Societies Act.” Oakley said he intends to register the tribunal decision with the B.C. Supreme Court, and submit a chambers application to have the case heard by a judge. “The hope is that a judge will hear our explanation as to why we don’t feel they were adequate documents provided, and have an order that they provide them,” he said. n
DECEMBER 9, 2021
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Remember, you truly spread the love when you eat local, shop local and spend local.
28 DECEMBER 9, 2021
Whistler’s Candy Shop Stocking Stuffer Central! Great Secret Santa Gifts! Gift Certificates & Christmas Cards too
SKI THE SUREFOOT DIFFERENCE In Whistler’s Marketplace
COMFORT + PERFORMANCE NEVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE IN SKI BOOTS
(604) 935-1076
GreatGlassElevatorCandyShop.com THE COMFORT IS IMMEDIATE. THE PERFORMANCE MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN EVERY TURN.
Surefoot’s proprietary fitting process fits you into the most comfortable and best performing boot you could imagine, immediately. With 3D imaging, custom fit insoles, memory foam injected liners, and an integrated heating system, you’re ready for the best skiing of your life– in just over an hour. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned expert, Surefoot has the right boot for you. Come in and experience the Surefoot difference today.
SKIER: Camilla Fraschini, Surefoot buyer (6 yr.)
DECEMBER 9, 2021
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Find Holiday cheer here!
Christmas trees, Wreaths and wreath making supplies, Poinsettias, Holiday arrangements, Christmas decorations, Gift ideas galore!
Open Daily from 10am - 5pm 1100 Millar Creek Road, Function Junction - Whistler
GEAR AND GIFTS FOR EVERYONE ON YOUR LIST
HELLY HANSEN WESTIN RESORT 4090 WHISTLER WAY UNIT 115 ��04� 932�0142
30 DECEMBER 9, 2021
HELLY HANSEN WHISTLER VILLAGE
4295 BLACKCOMB WAY ��04� 932�0143
FOR ALL OF YOUR CHRISTMAS NEEDS Just 5 minutes South of Creekside in Function Junction.
www.homehardware.ca Open 7 days a week 9-5:30 • Closed Dec 25 1005 ALPHA LAKE RD, FUNCTION JUNCTION •
604.932.1903
Timeless toys for Visit us for a beautiful curated collection of
endless memories.
CHRISTMAS
Gifts for ages 0-100
Visit us for a beautiful curated collection of
CHRISTMAS and everyday goods
and everyday goods
Check out our new on-line store! smallpotatoesbazaar.ca 7445 Frontier St #104, Pemberton, BC V0N 2L1 • (604) 894-6002
217-2063 Lake Placid Rd, Whistler, V8E 0B6 604-935-7878
Check out our new on-line store! smallpotatoesbazaar.ca Pemberton, BC • 604-894-6002
shop.getthegoods.ca @get_the_goods_whistler
Hours: Sun - Tues 9-5, Wed - Thurs 9-6, Fri - Sat 9-7
DECEMBER 9, 2021
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Dedicated to helping people feel confident and great in their clothes. SERVICES Closet Cleanses, Personal Styling, Wardrobe Organisation, Special Event Styling, Personal Shopping, Photo Shoot Styling, Virtual Styling.
HOLIDAY GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE Visit bestcoaststyling.ca to schedule a consultation
12 DAYS of HARMONY GIVEAWAY The holidays can be a tough time for some, and we want to bring a smile to those who deserve it most! In partnership with local businesses to give back to the local community, we will be giving away 12 days of prizes from Dec.12-24 to both individuals that enter the contest on Instagram @harmonywhistler, as well as individuals that have been nominated!
Located at the base of the Whistler Village Gondol a | 604.932.4100
OPEN LATE
Take a memory of the forest home with you and learn to speak tree Inspired by the majestic forests, our luxurious handmade candles are handcrafted within the coastal rainforests of Whistler
Available in Whistler at 3 Singing Birds 122 West | Audain Museum | Patina
www.hollowtree.ca Photo credit Christian Watson
32 DECEMBER 9, 2021
Nominate a friend that lives locally at info@harmonywhistler.com and tell us why they deserve to win.
4599 Chateau Blvd, Whistler 604 938 9266
Great Gift Ideas for Everyone this Holiday Season KABN Quality Mountain Style (formerly Open Country) located on the lobby level of the Fairmont KABN Quality Mountain Footwear located across from Portobello in the Fairmont Hotel
Give the Gift of Art This Holiday Season The Museum Shop exclusively features creators from BC shop.audainartmuseum.com
Open Thursday – Sunday 11am – 6pm
DECEMBER 9, 2021
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APPRECIATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENT COOKIES HOT CHOCOLATE WINE CHEESE CRACKERS PUPPY
‘Tis the Season! and we’re celebrating at the Oracle
Get great
HOLIDAY GIFTS while they last!
Place your order NOW for Christmas Gift Baskets BASKETS
Across from the Olympic Plaza
604-905-0084 oraclewhistler.com
online whistlerbaskets.com or call 604-905-9221
We wish you all a safe and Happy Holiday! Thank you to our loyal local customers for your patronage throughout the years
ur pics o y e r a h S with us
e #mypiqu
F SALES • REPAIR • SERVICE
3-1030, Millar Creek Rd. Function Junction • 604-905-3426
34 DECEMBER 9, 2021
S @M Y O L LO W U
PIQUE
Whistler Village Stroll Squamish - Chieftain Centre
604.932.2944 www.keirfinejewellery.com 1066 Millar Creek Road, Whistler BC camplifestyle.ca
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING SHOP LOCAL GIVE LOCAL
Whistler Community Foundation sends a heartfelt thank you to businesses who kindly donated 5% of gross sales from December 4th to the Community Fund and to the community members out in full force dining and shopping throughout the day.
IN CREEKSIDE MEN, WOMEN & LIFESTYLE
221-2063 Lake Placid Road, Whistler, BC
whistlerfoundation.com/give DECEMBER 9, 2021
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Snowflake reflectors have arrived in Whistler.
Raise the Roof Online Auction
$18,000 The Delta Whistler Village Suites recognizes this has been a challenging year for many. We are so fortunate to live in a generous community and have our tourism partners pull together to help raise funds for two meaningful charities. We would like to thank everyone who supported the event and our sponsors who helped make it possible, namely: 21 steps Alpine Canada Aquilini Group Audain Art Museum BC Ferries Black Rock Oceanfront Resort Canucks Sports & Entertainment Caramba! Restaurant Coast Mountain Brewing Cool as a Moose Corporate Electric Crystal Lodge Delta Burnaby Resort and Conference Centre Delta Hotels by Marriott Grand Okanagan Resort Delta Hotels by Marriott Vancouver Downtown Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Fairmont Chateau Whistler Fathom Stone Art Gallery Gibbons Group Haakon HVAC Services Hat Store Whistler Hatley Hilton Whistler Resort & Spa Hunter Gather Hy’s Steakhouse JW Marriott Edmonton ICE District JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa K-Bro Linen Systems Long Beach Lodge Resort Mountain FM - Your Adventure Station Nesters Market
Nicklaus North Whistler Nonna Pia’s Pan Pacific Whistler Village Centre Quattro at Whistler Resort Municipality of Whistler Rope Runner Scandinave Spa, Whistler Sea to Sky Gondola Simmons Canada Slope Side Supply Snowboard Canada Sun Peaks Grand Hotel The Adventure Group The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe The Ritz-Carlton, Marina Del Rey The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco The Westin Bayshore, Vancouver The Westin Resort & Spa, Whistler The Whistler Plant Store Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle Downtown Vail Resorts Epic Promise Whistler Chocolate Whistler Cooks Whistler Eco -Tours Whistler Film Festival Whistler Golf Club Whistler Half Marathon Whistler Olympic Park Whistler Wine Merchant Whistler.com Ziptrek Eco Tours
Ask your driver for a snowflake. Extra buses for Early Winter starting November 20 Full Winter Service starts December 18 Find your bus using
Resort Municipality of Whistler Whistler.ca/transit
Ruby Tuesday accessories ltd
Winter boots have arrived
Located in the Town Plaza next to The Beach 36 DECEMBER 9, 2021
Leather Waterproof wool lining Ice traction
www.rubytuesdayaccessories.com 604-905-6290
We’ve got you covered. Pick up the latest issue of your favourite read in Whistler.
THE OUTSIDER
The Outsider’s holiday gift guide BY THE TIME the holidays come around, we’ve already been battered with two consumption-heavy events in our calendars. The first is our locally sourced, free-range Turkey Sale Weekend (a.k.a. Turkey Sale Week), a spending spree many of us indulge in guilt-free because it’s mostly about outdoor gear. And when is spending money on outdoor gear not justified? As long as I
BY VINCE SHULEY first ask myself the question “does my old thing actually NEED replacing?” I’ll happily take advantage to save some money in the pre-season. But it can be a slippery slope of consumption that one needs to maintain traction on, so better pick up some Vibramsoled boots while we’re at it. The next sales extravaganza to come around is the true celebration of overconsumption; Black Friday-Cyber Monday. This event coincides with U.S. Thanksgiving and has earned a reputation for bargain-hungry mobs tearing each other apart to nab a flatscreen TV at the heaviest discount of the year. Not that we’d stoop to such devolved behaviour in Canada,
GIVE KNOWLEDGE These holidays, consider giving the gift of knowledge on how to safely enjoy areas like this. PHOTO BY VINCE SHULEY
right? In any case, the surge in consumer spending during this November weekend has led businesses of every size to jump on the bandwagon in order to get their share of the pie. I commend the businesses and companies that were able stand their ground against Black Friday consumerism, even if it meant a lower bottom line. Then you have industry disruptors like Patagonia, who achieved $10 million in sales during Black Friday and donated it all as grants towards environmental activism (on top of their usual 1% For the Planet initiatives). Bravo for trying their best to beat rabid consumerism at its own game. And that’s an effort we can all participate in. We can buy stuff to get the most enjoyment out of our time while not over consuming, it’s just about buying smart. That applies to when you’re purchasing gifts for others, too. Spend the extra bucks for quality that lasts longer. Replace stuff when it doesn’t function properly anymore, not before. Consider giving the gift of an experience in lieu of a material item—it will likely create a more meaningful memory. And above all, support local small businesses as much as possible. They need it now more than ever. If you’re still struggling to think of the best thing to place under the tree for your loved ones, take a look at some of these outdoor-themed gift ideas.
ATHLETIC BREWING NONALCOHOLIC BREWS Those that follow this column know of my
obsession with craft beer, so to no one’s surprise I approached the new wave of non-alcoholic craft with a healthy dose of skepticism. But in our very healthconscious outdoor community, more and more people are seeking alternatives to gutexpanding stouts and stomach-churning IPAs. We’re finally at a point where the tricky production of non-alcoholic craft beer is getting taken seriously, and the taste shows. Case in point, Athletic Brewing’s Run Wild IPA. A true IPA hop character lets you forget about the ABV and simply enjoy the IBUS. Available by mail order to Canada.
BUFF NECK TUBES While the outdoor lift lines are now free to express yourself the way your creator intended, masking up for the gondola is still mandatory and a service to your fellow skier or snowboarder crammed in there with you. Buff is the most popular term for neck tubes but there are plenty of other stylish and warmer options on the shelf at every ski shop in town. A great gift for your friends fumbling with surgical masks under their helmet and goggles.
A TAB AT RMU BLACKCOMB There are plenty of pubs in town. There are plenty of ski shops in town. But there’s only one venue that combines the two, and with style to boot. A tab at RMU can be used for a post-Blackcomb après
session, backcountry essentials or towards a new pair of skis. I’m very excited to be rocking the Apostle 3.0 this year, a return to the ski I fell in love with years ago when RMU was still pressing skis out of Colorado and taking their first baby steps into Canada. An awesome company owned by its employees and the venue is an atmosphere that’s taken the Upper Village by storm.
EDUCATION FROM AN OUTFITTER Of course the best gift any of us can impart is knowledge. And for venturing into the mountains, knowledge and experience is what will keep you having maximum fun with minimum risk. You can’t give experience, but knowledge through education is readily available from our local outfitters. Remember, Avalanche Skills Training is not a one and done; there are courses on reading mountain weather, navigation, crevasse rescue, first aid, and all sorts of other useful tools. Hit up Mountain Skills Academy & Adventures, Extremely Canadian, Altus or any of the other reputable outfitters for gift certs. Best of luck with your holiday shopping. And remember, overconsumers ski in jeans. Vince Shuley tries to shop local as much as possible. For questions, comments or suggestions for The Outsider email vince. shuley@gmail.com or Instagram @whis_ vince. ■
DECEMBER 9, 2021
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FEATURE STORY
AFTER THE
STORM
A PHOTO ESSAY OF THE RECENT FLOODING IN WHISTLER AND PEMBERTON PHOTOS BY DAVID BUZZARD DAVIDBUZZARD.COM
38 DECEMBER 9, 2021
SWATHS OF B.C. HAVE BEEN HIT BY BIBLICAL AMOUNTS OF RAIN in the past several weeks, and while the Sea to Sky has avoided the same level of devastation that has hit areas in and around Abbotsford, Whistler and Pemberton have still had to contend with a series of storms that closed sections of Highway 99, left rivers at historic highs and farmers’ fields awash in knee-high water. While it’s still early to gauge exactly what the cost of the recent deluge will be on the region, no dollar amount can sufficiently encapsulate its true toll, and with the runaway freight
FEATURE STORY
DECEMBER 9, 2021
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FEATURE STORY train that is climate change still chugging along, it’s a price that we will inevitably have to continue to pay well into the future. The endless stream of news articles and scientific research papers sounding the alarm can have the unintended effect of dulling us to the true impacts of climate change, which is why there is value in seeing the effects with our own eyes. That’s why Pique asked long-time resort photographer David Buzzard to capture the aftermath of the recent rainfall in both Whistler and Pemberton. The following photo essay was captured in the span of just a few days last week. -BRANDON BARRETT
40 DECEMBER 9, 2021
FEATURE STORY
DECEMBER 9, 2021
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SPORTS THE SCORE
Canadian skiers off to hot start, led by Broderick Thompson’s podium finish WHISTLER’S THOMPSON GETS FIRST WORLD CUP PODIUM OF HIS CAREER IN BEAVER CREEK
BY HARRISON BROOKS WHISTLER NATIVE Broderick Thompson took home a bronze medal in the Super G event at the World Cup stop in Beaver Creek, Colo. on Dec. 2—the first podium finish of his World Cup career. Thompson’s goal before the race was simply to “punch in to the top 30” from his start position of 35. However, everything came together perfectly for the 27-year-old skier, and he was able to edge out Germany’s Andrea Sander by just three hundredths of a second to claim his spot on the podium. Despite being happy with his run, upon crossing the finish line, Thompson still had no idea that a podium was in the cards and assumed the cheers he heard were just due to being one of the North American skiers, who usually get a bigger applause from the crowds in Canada and the U.S. “It felt like a good run. The way I have been skiing and training has been fast, and I knew that if I skied the way I can ski that the results would come,” he told Pique this week. “And about halfway down things were going well, but you are always pushing the next turn and the next turn, and until you reach that finish line you are not really thinking about the results as much as the technical focus and pushing the limits.” “I didn’t really accept it until I crossed the finish line. I looked at the crowd and
BRONZE FINISH Broderick Thompson shows off his medal and plaque after landing on the podium at the World Cup stop in Beaver Creek, Colorado. PHOTO COURTESY OF ALPINE CANADA/FACEBOOK
42 DECEMBER 9, 2021
thought, ‘That was fun, what a run’ and then I saw the time and I was just blown away, honestly. It’s really a dream come true to get on the podium of a World Cup.” This podium came in Thompson’s 48th World Cup start and represents the first top-three finish for a Canadian in a men’s speed race since 2017. It also comes in his first fully healthy season since suffering a traumatic knee injury that kept him out of competition for nearly two years. “In November of 2018 that [injury] took me out for two years. So I was rehabbing and getting back to snow for two years and
the 2022 Beijing Olympics in February, almost guaranteeing the born-and-raised Whistlerite will be heading to his second straight Winter Games. And with the pressure of qualifying now off him, Broderick said moving forward this season he can ski the way he wants, while working hard to build off this finish without having to deal with the pressure that comes with trying to qualify for the Games. Currently, Thompson is back home in Whistler for a few days before flying out to Val Gardena, Italy for the next stop on the World Cup circuit from Dec. 15 to 18.
“I saw the time and I was just blown away, honestly. It’s really a dream come true...” - BRODERICK THOMPSON
then last year I raced World Cup again kind of easing into it,” said Thompson, who was finally able to ski without his knee brace again this season. “So I was skiing fast before that injury and then I got hurt so this result means all that much more to show that I can be there again and be competitive and get the ultimate goal of landing in the World Cup podium. I think even as an athlete you always have a slight bit of doubt and I think this will be a big confidence boost just to show that our team can do it and I can do it.” For Thompson, this podium finish fulfills his requirements for a berth to
With his Downhill start position being lower than the 35th position he started his Super G podium run in, Thompson said his focus is now on getting himself into the points and a better start position before the big events in Kitzbuehel, Austria and Wengen, Switzerland in the new year.
STRONG START TO THE SEASON FOR THE CANADIAN TEAM Thompson’s third-place finish—followed by a 20th-place the next day, also in Super G—may be the high mark for the Canadian
team so far this season, but it wasn’t the only notable finish early in the season. On the women’s side, Canada’s MarieMichele Gagnon took home a pair of ninth-place finishes in Super G followed by a 16th-place in Downhill at the Lake Louise World Cup. Also in Beaver Creek this past week, Trevor Philp and James Crawford both cracked the top 20 with 18th- and 12th-place finishes in Super G, respectively. Crawford also added a couple top 30 finishes, coming 29th in another Super G as well as a 30th-place finish in Downhill in Beaver Creek, and a 24th-place finish in Downhill in Lake Louise. The Seger brothers also cracked the top 30 of a Beaver Creek Super G race, with Riley taking 22nd and Brodie finishing 26th. Jumping over to freestyle skiing, Canada’s Mikaël Kingsbury won the first event of the season on Saturday in Ruka, Finland, followed by Kerrian Chunland, Brendan Kelly (Pemberton) and Gabriel Dufresne who landed in 17th, 18th and 25th, respectively, but missed the cut for the finals. On the women’s side, Chloe DufourLapointe was the leading lady with her 12th-place finish, while Whistler’s Sofiane Gagnon was close behind in 16th. Meanwhile, in the first para-alpine races in nearly two years, Mollie Jepsen, Kurt Oatway and Alexis Guimond all found the podium, combining for a total five medals in the two days of men’s and women’s Super G races in Austria. Jepsen finished with back-to-back bronze medals, while Guimond and Oatway each had a thirdplace finish, with Guimond adding a silver medal to his haul. n
SPUD VALLEY NORDICS Spud Valley Nordics ski club
would like to say THANK YOU to the Village of Pemberton & Squamish Lillooet Regional District
for the PVUS grant which made it possible for our club to purchase warm-up tops and pants plus Team jackets for our Junior Race Team
Naturopathic Doctor
DR. JILL SCOTT Now accepting new patients at Connections Wellness Studio (604) 894-1223 drjscottnd@gmail.com drjillscottnd.com therapypemberton.com 1384 Portage Road, Pemberton (next to the Pony Restaurant)
Truth be told. Our communities are powered by local newspapers. Celebrate how trusted journalism sparks important conversations at nationalnewspaperweek.ca.
WHISTLER TESTING COVID19 SCREENING TESTS FOR TRAVEL & EMPLOYMENT
News Media Canada Médias d’Info Canada
Opening November 15th Located in the Hilton Whistler Resort & Spa www.whistlertesting.com DECEMBER 9, 2021
43
EPICURIOUS
Chef Secrets explores the science behind what we cook CBC DOC DELVES INTO SCIENCE OF ICE CREAM, SOURDOUGH, SMOKED SALMON AND FLUFFY MASHED POTATOES
BY BRANDON BARRETT VISIT ANY HIGH-END restaurant worth its salt and you won’t need much convincing that cooking is indeed an art form. But the not-so-secret secret behind our favourite dishes lies in science, not creativity. That’s the revelation Toronto filmmaker Leora Eisen came to early in the pandemic when her daughter jumped headlong into the sourdough craze like so many other homebound home cooks. “The whole sourdough thing just mystified me. Why are people obsessed with this mix of flour and water? It didn’t make sense,” said Eisen. “I did see this dough sort of magically grow after a couple of days of TLC. She was obsessed, like every sourdough baker has to be. I thought, ‘Why is it growing? What’s going on in there?’” Eisen’s curiosity was piqued by something that had previously seemed so quotidian to her. But it spoke to something a lot of us can relate to when it comes to cooking: we may understand how a dish gets made, but haven’t the faintest idea why we’re doing what we do to get there. A documentarian who is no stranger to the culinary world, Eisen was surprised at the dearth of films that delved into the science behind the things we cook. So she pitched her idea to CBC’s long-running series, The Nature of Things, and her new film, Chef Secrets: The Science of Cooking was born. “I first thought of this at the beginning of the first lockdown. It has forced us to think more about cooking because we’ve been home and some of us have slowed down our busy lives,” she relayed. “I’m starting to appreciate more that you don’t have to be a culinary artist to be a good cook. If you actually think about what you’re doing, you’ll enjoy it more.” Chef Secrets features a diverse lineup of chefs and culinary scientists breaking down some of our favourite dishes. There’s ice cream
NO SMALL POTATOES Culinary scientist, author and educator Ali Bouzari shows how to make the perfect, creamy mashed potatoes in Chef Secrets: The Science of Food. PHOTO SUBMITTED
scientist Maya Warren; Vanessa Kimbell, Britain’s proclaimed “Queen of Sourdough”; Rice University professor Lesa Tran Lu, who teaches chemistry through cooking; and Ali
understand the chemistry of the potato when it interacts with heat. So now I know, ‘OK, I’m better off using some kind of a sieve or a mesh strainer.’ It takes longer but your potatoes will
“I’m starting to appreciate more that you don’t have to be a culinary artist to be a good cook.” - LEORA EISEN
Bouzari, a culinary consultant with “a PhD in mashed potatoes.” “My mashed potatoes, frankly, suck,” Eisen admitted. “I now know that pounding with a hand masher is not the secret to creamier potatoes, but neither is sticking them in a Cuisinart. Because I now
be better if you like them creamy.” Filmed primarily in Toronto, Chef Secrets includes a segment from B.C. with Wet’suwet’en Nation chef Andrew George as he connects with his mom and son and they smoke salmon the traditional way. “It’s all based on sustainability, reading
the season, and the science of smoke,” Eisen said. “Now when I eat smoked salmon, I think about it very differently.” For the less scientifically inclined among us, the thought of having to actually beef up on the subject in the kitchen may induce traumatic flashbacks to Grade 10 chemistry class. But Eisen is clear Chef Secrets is designed for the amateur cook, with practical tips for anyone to make use of. (One she was eager to share that will completely transform your next batch of caramelized onions: add a pinch of baking soda to alter the pH level and your onions will brown much faster.) “Cooking is all about experimentation and then trying something different, changing the variable, and seeing the outcome,” she said. “So is science.” Chef Secrets premieres on Jan. 7 as part of CBC’s The Nature of Things. It will be available to stream after that on CBC Gem. n
Seasons Greetings gershoncpa.com 44 DECEMBER 9, 2021
MEADOW PARK SPORTS CENTRE SWIM • SKATE • SWEAT • SQUASH OPEN DAILY: 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Proof of vaccination and government photo ID required for entry
FITNESS CLASS SCHEDULE DEC 9 THURSDAY
DEC 10 FRIDAY
DEC 11 SATURDAY
I Full Body HIIT 7:45-8:45 a.m. Carly
I Low Impact Strength 7:45-8:45 a.m. Carly *NEW TIME*
I Strong Glutes & Core 7:45-8:45 a.m. Jess
I Aqua Fit Shallow 8:30-9:30 a.m. Marie-Anne
I Full Body HIIT 9-10 a.m. Carly *NEW*
I Low Impact Strength 9-10 a.m. Jess
DEC 12 SUNDAY
DEC 13 MONDAY
I Yin & Yang Yoga 8:45-9:45 a.m. Heidi
I Zumba 10:30-11:30 a.m. Susie
I Low Impact Strength & Stretch 9-10 a.m. Carly
DEC 14 TUESDAY
DEC 15 WEDNESDAY
I Full Body HIIT 7:45-8:45 a.m. Carly
I Dumbbells and Down Dogs 7:45-8:45 a.m. Laura
I Aqua Fit Deep 8:30-9:30 a.m. Marie-Anne
I Sweat Effect 9-10 a.m. Beth
I Low Impact Strength 9-10 a.m. Carly
I Zumba 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Susie
Non-resident online registration Saturday, December 11 at 11 a.m.
I Zumba 12:15-1:15 p.m. Carmen
Non-resident phone/in-person registration Sunday, December 12 at 9 a.m.
F FLEXIBLE REGISTRATION Flex-reg’ classes have a separate fee and allow you to register for classes on the days that fit your schedule. R REGISTERED
FITNESS Registered fitness classes have a separate fee and a defined start and end date. Pre-registration is required for the entire set of classes.
R Prenatal Fitness 6-7 p.m. Sara
I Slow Flow Yoga 7:30-8:30 p.m. Laura
I Gentle Fit for Seniors 1:30-2:30 p.m. Diana I Zumba 5:45-6:45 p.m. Carmen
I Mountain Ready Conditioning 5:45-6:45 p.m. Steve
I Functional Conditioning 5-6 p.m. Garret
F Spin 5:45-6:45 p.m. Courtney
F Beginner Spin 6-6:45 p.m. Courtney
I HIIT 6:15-7:15 p.m. Alex
I Slow Flow Yoga 7:30-8:30 p.m. Laura
F Spin 7:30-8:30 p.m. Courtney
I INCLUDED FITNESS These classes are included with your price of admission for no extra charge.
ARENA SCHEDULE THU 9
FRI 10
SAT 11
SUN 12
Drop-In Hockey 8:15-9:45 a.m.
Drop-In Hockey 8:15-9:45 a.m.
MON 13
Public Skate 12-3 p.m.
TUE 14
WED 15
Women’s & Oldtimers DIH 8:15-9:45 a.m.
Women & 50+ Drop-In Hockey 10-11:30 a.m. Public Skate 12-2 p.m.
NON-RESIDENT WINTER PROGRAM REGISTRATION
Public Skate Public Skate 12-3 p.m. 12-3 p.m.
Public Skate 12-3 p.m.
Public Skate 6:30-8 p.m.
Drop-In Hockey 10-11:30 a.m.
Drop-In Hockey 10-11:30 a.m.
Public Skate 12-2 p.m.
Public Skate 12-3 p.m.
Public Skate 6:30-8 p.m.
POOL SCHEDULE
Please see whistler.ca/recreation for daily pool hours
whistler.ca/recreation | whistler.ca | 604-935-7529 @RMWhistler |
@rmwhistler |
@rmowhistler
Whistler.ca/register
When the puck drops, chase it as a family. Family Stick and Puck is on at Meadow Park Sports Centre. December 20 | December 22 December 23 | December 27 December 29 | December 30
12:45 - 1:45 p.m.
Learn more at whistler.ca/stickandpuck
ARTS SCENE
Whistler author’s new book warns of dangers of genetic manipulation LUCIEN TELFORD’S THE SEQUENCE WEAVES THREE STORIES INTO ‘NEAR-FUTURE TECHNO THRILLER’
BY BRANDON BARRETT INCISIVE BRITISH writer and satirist Charlie Brooker has described his dystopian Netflix series Black Mirror as being set in “the future 10 minutes from now,” a show that, like most worthwhile science fiction, seems to live on the outer edge of our technological capabilities. After all, science fiction has predicted—and in some cases, inspired—a slew of innovations: everything from the moon landing to credit cards, antidepressants and mobile phones were first dreamed up by some prescient writer. But more than just forecasting emerging technologies, sci-fi has also sounded the alarm over the potential dangers of unfettered progress. So when Whistler writer and admitted techno wonk Lucien Telford was researching his debut novel, The Sequence, he was surprised to find a relative lack of science fiction that dealt with an emerging
SEQUENCING Whistler author Lucien Telford’s new book, The Sequence, is a cautionary tale about the dangers of genetic manipulation. PHOTO SUBMITTED
46 DECEMBER 9, 2021
technology that he is deeply fascinated— and unnerved—by. “I’m very interested in science technology … and I found a space in science fiction that I wanted to read that wasn’t there, and it was genetics,” he says. In an era when anyone with a credit card and internet connection can have a DNA editing kit show up on their doorstep in mere hours, Telford didn’t see many
that stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats] or whatever the future genetic scissoring method is, you could do anything with it. You could put Ebola in that virus and spread it. So it is a terrifying prospect and nobody is talking about it.” Weaving three stories together into “a fast-paced, near-future techno thriller,” The Sequence follows Kit McKee, the
“I’m very interested in science technology ... and I found a space in science fiction that I wanted to read that wasn’t there, and it was genetics.” - LUCIEN TELFORD
books asking the question: can we go too far in playing God? “At its core, the book addresses the ethics of human genetic manipulation, which is just around the corner for us in what will very soon not be science fiction at all,” he says. “Imagine if you wanted to develop a biological weapon—airborne is a good way to go—and if you could genetically modify it using CRISPR [a genetic editing technique
world’s leading genetic editor, who is working on a secret side project from her lab in northern China. Then there’s Dallas Ward, a former civilian pilot who now transports contraband for a Hong Kong crime syndicate and has been tasked with a special delivery. Meanwhile, Fong and Woo are two Hong Kong detectives who begin investigating a series of homicides that mysteriously appear to only take place during typhoons. When genetically edited
bodies start turning up, the trail leads them to Kit, who has suddenly gone missing. “I thought I’d tell that story through an intriguing thriller about a pilot who is smuggling contraband from Aus and a couple Hong Kong police detectives,” Telford explains. “Thematically it asks of the reader quite an ethical question: should we be messing around with human DNA?” An airline pilot by trade who spent seven years living in Hong Kong at the turn of the millennium, the 49-year-old Telford drew on his own life in formulating some of the story and character elements of The Sequence, a process that began in an online writing course several years ago. Not only his first book, The Sequence is Telford’s first ever piece of published writing—and he has no plans of slowing down anytime soon. “People have asked about that in the past and I needed a creative outlet at the end of the day,” he says. “I do not have a background in genetics. But I have a very, very curious mind, an intelligent father and I think maybe the two of those came together in my research into genetics.” The Sequence is available at Armchair Books in the village, at both the Whistler and Pemberton libraries, and wherever books are sold online. Learn more at lucientelfordbooks.com. n
ARTS SCENE
STRING THEORY The Sea to Sky String Orchestra will be playing Christmas classics at a concert on Dec. 22 at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler. PHOTO SUBMITTED
Calling all violinists: The Sea to Sky String Orchestra wants you GROUP PERFORMS HOLIDAY CLASSICS AT FAIRMONT CONCERT ON DEC. 22
BY BRANDON BARRETT VIOLINISTS IN THE corridor, now is your time to shine. The Sea to Sky String Orchestra is looking to add classically trained violinists to the group after the recent departure of two members. “It’s kind of hard to find players in the Sea to Sky corridor,” says director Yuko Iwanaga. Iwanaga notes that qualified candidates will be considered with a minimum Royal Conservatory of Music Level 6 certification or a Suzuki Method Level 6. And although the dozen-strong orchestra’s bread and butter lies in the classical realm, the players regularly tackle more contemporary music as well, explains orchestra member and viola player Charlotte Jacklein. “We play a mix of music. A lot of it is classical and baroque. We’ve played Vivaldi and Bach, and we’ve also played music from movies and TV,” she says. That’s meant, alongside classical staples, the group also performs pop culture hits like the soaring score from Star Wars, Game of Thrones and a fun medley from Pirates of the Caribbean, joining duelling piano players in an orchestral rendition of “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and even a jaunty number by famed Argentine tango composer Astor Piazzolla. “For me, the orchestra is one of my favourite parts of the week because there’s no feeling like working together with a whole group of your best friends towards a common goal,” says Jacklein. “It’s so much fun to create something larger than yourself and hear how all the different parts fit
together, and ideally get better each week.” For years now, the orchestra has been an integral part of Whistlerites’ holiday festivities, and that continues on Dec. 22 with a Christmas concert at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler. Beginning at 8 p.m., the show is free to attend and will feature a range of seasonal music, including excerpts from Handel’s “Messiah” as well as a “very special talented guest star who I’m not actually allowed to reveal,” Jacklein says.
“It’s so much fun to create something larger than yourself...” - CHARLOTTE JACKLEIN
The Whistler Waldorf School teacher says just getting the chance to share what they’ve been working on with an eager audience is what keeps her coming back. “We love playing music together and we love sharing it with the community,” she adds. “We have certain traditions, like the concert at the Fairmont, which is for a lot of us just a part of the holiday season now. The same with the [Whistler] Writers Festival. That’s something we’ve done for quite a few years now and it’s fun to connect with a broader community through these different events.” For any violinists interested in joining the group, email Iwanaga at dreamthedream15@gmail.com. n
DECEMBER 9, 2021
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GETTING HER KICKS Karen Gow and Adeline the donkey in front of the Gondola Barn. PHOTO COURTESY OF KAREN WALKER.
Adeline the Alta Lake donkey BY ALLYN PRINGLE THE COVER of the February 1969 edition
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of Garibaldi’s Whistler News featured a photo of Tex Rodgers guiding cars through the parking lot for Whistler Mountain on horseback. Over the years that Tex worked for the lift company, it was not uncommon for skiers to see him astride his horse directing traffic, but his was not the only four-legged mount that could be found in the area. Also glimpsed around Alta Lake and, at times, at Whistler Mountain was Karen Gow’s donkey Adeline. The Gows first moved to Alta Lake in 1955, when Don Gow began working as the station agent at the Alta Lake Station. He had previously worked for the Pacific Great Eastern Railway (PGE) as a relief agent, travelling with his family from station to station to provide relief for agents going on holidays. Alta Lake was the family’s first permanent station and Don and Joyce moved into the “PGE green” station agent house with their two young daughters, Connie and Karen. When the Alta Lake Station closed around 1959 and became a flag stop, the Gows moved first to the station at Shalalth and then further along the tracks to the station in Clinton. However, they had fallen in love with the Alta Lake area and built a cabin on a lot leased from the PGE with their friend Bill Russell. They continued to visit Alta Lake on weekends and holidays. In 1965, Don was given the choice of bidding on a station even further north or leaving the PGE. He contacted Laurence Valleau and was offered a position as the bookkeeper for Valleau Logging and so the Gows moved back to Alta Lake. Connie took Grade 9 by correspondence while Karen attended the Alta Lake School for Grade 7 and Joyce began working at the post office at Mons.
While living in Clinton, Karen had desperately wanted a horse. In a 2015 oral history interview, she recalled that she had spent many of her weekends with her friends in Clinton, who mostly lived on ranches and all had horses. Karen began saving up for a horse of her own, saving both her allowance and that of her sister, who generously contributed her 25 cents/ week to the cause. When they moved back to Alta Lake, however, her parents didn’t think it was the best place to have a horse. Around the same time that Karen was saving up for a horse, Tex Rodgers was opening a stable called Buckhorn Ranch in the area now known as Nicklaus North. He was arranging to bring his horses from California and, unbeknownst to Karen, Don arranged for Tex to bring a donkey along as well. Karen was told there was something for her to collect at Mons and so she and her friend Renate Ples walked down the tracks from the Gow house. There, they found a donkey tied up outside the post office. As Karen recalled, “I was excited—excited and disappointed all at once… I wanted a horse, and it wasn’t really a horse, but, oh, we had so much fun.” The donkey was given the name Adeline by Myrtle Philip, who thought she was sweet like the song “Sweet Adeline,” and lived in the barn at the back of the cabin that had belonged to Bill Bailiff before his death. According to Karen, Adeline’s braying could be heard all around the lake. Don and Joyce continued to live at Alta Lake until 1975, when they both retired and bought a sailboat to live on, which Karen said had long been a dream of her dad’s. Karen did eventually get her horse, and even got her coaching certifications and taught horseback riding. As far as we know, however, her donkey Adeline is the only donkey to have been photographed hanging around the base of Whistler Mountain. n
PARTIAL RECALL
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1 OPENING NIGHT A full house of happy film fans packed into the Rainbow Theatre for the Whistler Film Festival’s 2021 opening night screening, the Canadian premiere of Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Lost Daughter. PHOTO BY KIM EIJDENBERG. 2 MOUNTAIN CULTURE Jared Drake and Steven Siig—the directors of BURIED, a film exploring the 1982 Alpine Meadows avalanche in California—hit the Whistler Film Festival red carpet for a Q&A ahead of a screening of their film on Friday, Dec. 3. PHOTO BY PETER BAILEY. 3 WELCOME TO WHISTLER Whistler Film Festival executive director Angela Heck addresses the crowd on opening night. This marked Heck’s first festival as executive director, after taking over the role in July of this year. PHOTO BY KIM EIJDENBER. 4 TRAILBLAZERS TALK Emmy Award-winning actor Eric McCormack was honoured with WFF21’s Trailblazer Award during this year’s festival. He’s pictured here in conversation with George Stroumboulopoulos, prior to a Dec. 3 screening of McCormack’s latest film, Drinkwater. PHOTO BY KIM EIJDENBERG. 5 FILM FANS Ticketholders lined up outside the Rainbow Theatre in Whistler Village, with masks and vaccine cards in hand, on WFF’s opening night. PHOTO BY KIM EIJDENBERG. 6 LEADER WOMEN Filmmaker Cassie De Colling and pro snowboarder Spencer O’Brien, the subject of De Colling’s latest film, Precious Leader Woman, are pictured at a screening of the documentary on Thursday, Dec. 2. PHOTO BY KIM EIJDENBERG.
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ASTROLOGY
Free Will Astrology WEEK OF DECEMBER 9 BY ROB BREZSNY
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Aries filmmaker Andrei
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Charging fees are being introduced to all EV stations in the Day Lots this December 15. Fees will be $1 an hour with a ceiling cost of $5 a day. Rates at other RMOW-operated EV stations in Whistler will remain at $1 a day. The new fees mark the second phase of the RMOW’s Whistler EV Charger User Fee Strategy. Learn more: Whistler.ca/EV
Tarkovsky (1932–1986) was experimental and innovative and influential. His imagery was often dreamlike, and his themes were metaphysical. He felt that the most crucial aspect of his creative process was his faith. If he could genuinely believe in the work he was doing, he was sure he’d succeed at even the most improbable projects. But that was a challenge for him. “There is nothing more difficult to achieve than a passionate, sincere, quiet faith,” he said. In accordance with your astrological omens during the next 12 months, Aries, I suggest you draw inspiration from his approach. Cultivating a passionate, sincere, quiet faith will be more attainable than it has ever been. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): “All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveller is unaware,” said philosopher Martin Buber. How true! I would add that the traveller is wise to prepare for the challenges and opportunities of those secret destinations... and be alert for them if they appear... and treat them with welcome and respect, not resistance and avoidance. When travellers follow those protocols, they are far more likely to be delightfully surprised than disappointingly surprised. Everything I just said will apply to you in the coming weeks, Taurus. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Gemini sleight-of-hand artist Apollo Robinson may be the best and most famous pickpocket in the world. Fortunately, he uses his skill for entertainment purposes only. He doesn’t steal strangers’ money and valuables from their pockets and purses and jackets. On one occasion, while in the company of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, he pilfered multiple items from a secret service agent assigned to protect Carter. He gave the items back, of course. It was an amusing and humbling lesson that inspired many law-enforcement officials to seek him out as a consultant. I suspect that in the coming weeks, you may have comparable abilities to trick, fool, beguile, and enchant. I hope you will use your superpowers exclusively to carry out good deeds and attract inviting possibilities. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Many sportswriters regard Michael Jordan as the greatest basketball player ever. He was the Most Valuable Player five times and had a higher scoring average than anyone else that has ever played. And yet he confesses, “I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. And I have failed over and over and over again in my life.” He says the keys to his success are his familiarity with bungles and his determination to keep going despite his bungles. I invite you to meditate on Jordan’s example in the coming days. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In his poem “Song of Poplars,” Leo author Aldous Huxley speaks to a stand of poplar trees. He asks them if they are an “agony of undefined desires.” Now I will pose the same question to you, Leo. Are you an agony of undefined desires? Or are you a treasury of well-defined desires? I hope it’s the latter. But if it’s not, the coming weeks will be an excellent time to fix the problem. Learning to be precise about the nature of your longings is your growing edge, your frontier. Find out more about what you want, please. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Black is your lucky colour for the foreseeable future. I invite you to delve further than ever before into its mysteries and meanings and powers. I encourage you to celebrate blackness and honour blackness and nurture blackness in every way you can imagine. For inspiration, meditate on how, in art, black is the presence of all colours. In printing, black is a colour needed to produce other colours. In mythology, blackness is the primal source of all life and possibility. In psychology, blackness symbolizes the rich unconscious core from which all vitality emerges. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In the 10th season of the animated TV series South Park, its two creators produced
an episode called “Make Love, Not Warcraft.” The story lovingly mocked nerds and the culture of online gaming. Soon after sending his handiwork to executive producers, Libran co-creator Trey Parker decided it was a terrible episode that would wreck his career. He begged for it to be withheld from broadcast. But the producers ignored his pleas. That turned out to be a lucky break. The episode ultimately won an Emmy Award and became popular with fans. I foresee the possibility of comparable events in your life, Libra. Don’t be too sure you know which of your efforts will work best. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Nobel Prize-winning Scorpio author André Gide (1869–1951) had an unusual relationship with his wife Madeline Rondeaux. Although married for 43 years, they never had sex. As long as she was alive, he never mentioned her in his extensive writings. But after she died, he wrote a book about their complex relationship. Here’s the best thing he ever said about her: “I believe it was through her that I drew the need for truthfulness and sincerity.” I’d love for you to be lit up by an influence like Madeline Rondeaux, Scorpio. I’d be excited for you to cultivate a bond with a person who will inspire your longing to be disarmingly candid and refreshingly genuine. If there are no such characters in your life, go looking for them. If there are, deepen your connection. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): A fashion company called Tibi sells a silver mini dress that features thousands of sequins. It’s also available in gold. I wonder if the designers were inspired by poet Mark Doty’s line: “No such thing, the queen said, as too many sequins.” In my astrological estimation, the coming weeks will be a fun time to make this one of your mottos. You will have a poetic licence to be flashy, shiny, bold, swanky, glittery, splashy, sparkling, and extravagant. If expressing such themes in the way you dress isn’t appealing, embody more metaphorical versions. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): “I have pasts inside me I did not bury properly,” writes Nigerian poet Ijeoma Umebinyuo. Isn’t that true for each of us? Don’t we all carry around painful memories as if they were still fresh and current? With a little work, we could depotentize at least some of them and consign them to a final resting place where they wouldn’t nag and sting us anymore. The good news, Capricorn, is that the coming weeks will be an excellent time to do just that: bury any pasts that you have not properly buried before now. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In February 1967, the Beatles recorded their album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band in London. A man claiming to be Jesus Christ convinced Paul McCartney to let him weasel his way into the studio. McCartney later said that he was pretty sure it wasn’t the real Jesus. But if by some remote chance it was, he said, he didn’t want to make a big mistake. I bring this to your attention, Aquarius, because I suspect that comparable events may be brewing in your vicinity. My advice: Don’t assume you already know who your teachers and helpers are. Here’s the relevant verse from the Bible: “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): According to Professor of Classics Anne Carson, Ancient Greek author Homer “suggested we stand in time with our backs to the future, face to the past.” And why would we do that? To “search for the meaning of the present—scanning history and myth for a precedent.” I bring this to your attention, Pisces, because I think you should avoid such an approach in the coming months. In my view, the next chapter of your life story will be so new, so unpredicted, that it will have no antecedents, no precursory roots that might illuminate its plot and meaning. Your future is unprecedented. Homework: Send your predictions for the new year—both for yourself and the world. Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com.
In addition to this column, Rob Brezsny creates
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NOTICES GENERAL NOTICES
The Rotary Clubs of Whistler are now meeting virtually. The Whistler Club Tuesdays at 3. The Millennium Club Thursdays at 12:15. Contact us at info@Whistler-rotary.org for log in info. All welcome.
MEETING PLACE Welcome Centre at Whistler Public Library Information, support, community connections and ESL practice groups for newcomers and immigrants. Meet people, make connections, volunteer, build your communication skills in English. Multicultural Meet Up every Friday 9.30-12pm.604-698-5960 info@welcomewhistler.com FB: WhistlerWelcomeCentre
(Nordic Skiing, Snowshoeing & Outdoor Activities) Nordic Sport Instructor Maintenance & Operations Worker Guest Service Rep Snow Clearing Operator
Whistler Sliding Centre (Bobsleigh, Luge & Skeleton) Track Worker Control & Timing Operator Lead, Sport and Guest Services Medical Responder
paul.globisch@vacasa.com We thank all applicants for their interest but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
Thursdays – Zumba @ 11:15-12:15 pm w Susie Tuesdays – Full Body HIIT @ 745:-8:45 am w Carly Tuesdays – Spin Beginner @ 6-6:45 pm w Courtney Wednesdays – Gentle Fit @ 1:30-2:30pm @ w Diana Thursdays – HIIT @ 6:15- 7:15 pm w Alex
ROTARY CLUBS OF WHISTLER
Event Audio Visual Technician Part and Full Time
For more information, please search our Encore Job Opportunities page at the below link. https://jobs.encoreglobal.com/search-jobs/Whistler
Group Fitness Classes
Visit our website to view current postings and to apply: www.whistlersportlegacies.com/careers
VOLUNTEERS Big Brothers, Big Sisters Sea to Sky - Volunteer to Mentor- just 1hr/week and make a difference in a child's life. Call 604-892-3125.
EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES ***Local Automotive*** Automotive technician for year round position in Whistler. 604-905-9109 steve@localautomotive.com
WHISTLER TRANSIT LTD JOURNEYMAN MECHANIC FULL TIME POSITION WITH BENEFITS 604-938-0388 recruitment@whistlertransit.ca https://www.pwtransit.ca/ WHISTLER TRANSIT LTD WASH BAY ATTENDANT WASH BAY ATTENDANTS REQUIRED FOR WHISTLER & SQUAMISH BC TRANSIT LOCATIONS 604-938-0388 recruitment@whistlertransit.ca https://www.pwtransit.ca/
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OCTOBER 14, 2021 ISSUE 28.41 WWW.PIQ UENEWS MAGAZIN
E.COM
FRE E ANALYSIS
We are the Spa for you
One Year Ou t
WWW.PIQUE NEWSMAGA ZINE.COM
28.42 OCTOBER 21, 2021 ISSUE
FREE
THE SQUEEZE
With 12 months to
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the next municipal
CHEAK
UP A look at the new affordable housing for locals in Cheakamus Crossing
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election, Pique checks in
PANDEMIC PROTECTIO ongoing to protect students
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SILVER
SCREEN STOKE Maury Young Arts Centre to screen two new ski films
House Sales Are Booming in Rural B.C.
— and Renters Are Getting Slammed
WWW.PIQUENEWSMA GAZINE.COM
OCTOBER 28, 2021 ISSUE 28.43
FREE CANDY CORN
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Whistler’s pandemic shifting focus recovery working group is
IN SESSION
23
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a real RECORD SALE An empty lot sets $9 million estate record by selling for
SPOOKTACULAR
Tapley’s neighbourhood
welcomes back trick or treaters
If you are looking for a new place to call home: • We manifest positive energy • We have a long term and loyal team • We treat you fairly and look out for your wellness • You are listened to • We give you proper breaks and time to set up between services • We offer extended medical benefits • You can enjoy $5.00 cafeteria meals • You have the opportunity to work for other Vida locations in slow season We are here for you. Vida Spa at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler is currently recruiting:
NOVEMBER 4, 2021 ISSUE 28.44
WWW.PIQUENEWSM AGAZINE.COM
FREE
14
BOUNCING BACK
Tourism in Whistler shows signs of a bounce back year
15
WATCHDOG REPORTS
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RCMP did not
use excessive force in fatal incident
REGISTERED MASSAGE THERAPIST (signing bonus applicable) ESTHETICIAN GUEST SERVICE AGENT SPA PRACTITIONER SPA SUPERVISOR ASSISTANT
JOB APPLICATIONS RIOPELLE RETRO Audain Art Museum’s new special exhibit opens
To join our unique Vida family, email Bonnie@vidaspas.com
TEN JOBS FOR GETTIN G TO WORK ON A
Vida Spas - Vancouver & Whistler Live well. Live long. vidaspas.com
ZERO-EMISSIONS FUTU RE A climate-fixing economy will mean new livelihoods like these in B.C. and across Cascadia
Thank You for applying Only those considered will be contacted.
NOVEMBER 11, 2021 ISSUE 28.45
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REMOTE RENAISSANCE Shift to remote work has had a profound effect on Whistler
WWW.PIQUENEWSMA GAZINE.COM
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LEST WE FORGET Whistler will host in-person and virtual Remembrance Day
FREE
FILMSTRAVAGANZA The Whistler Film Festival unveils its full lineup TO REFLECT
WE ARE LOOKING FOR: SPA EXPERIENCE SUPERVISOR
28.46 ISSUE health minister 2021 UP? Provincial NOVEMBER 18,GOING
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addresses vaccines on gondolas
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ZINE.COM WWW.PIQUE NEWSMAGA ANTIDOTE Climate
Program aims to give
deceased veterans proper resting place
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ACTION
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documentary to screen Nov. 19
MALWARE
Join a fun, locally owned and operated Lodge that puts people first and offers you the opportunity to thrive at work!
NOW HIRING:
14NOVEMBER 25, 2021 ISSUE 28.47 16 AFTER THE STORM
Record-breaking and death rainfall brings devastation
officer vaccines tries to calm community over
GONDOLA QUANDRY Medical health
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CHAINSAW LIVES ON Long Live Chainsaw pays tribute to downhill icon
WWW.PIQ UENEWSM
Stevie Smith
AGAZINE .COM
FRE E TURNS
BARISTAS GUEST EXPERIENCE AGENTS GUEST EXPERIENCE TEAM LEADS SPA EXPERIENCE ATTENDANT
• Human Resources Manager • Spa Therapist • First Cook • Stewarding • Bartender • Server To apply email your resume to: careers@nitalakelodge.com
RESERVATION AGENT
Scan Here to View Current Opportunities at Nita!
WHAT WE OFFER: BATH MEMBERSHIP FOR YOU AND A FRIEND STAFF HOUSING UPON AVAILABILITY FREE MASSAGE AFTER 3 MONTHS DISCOUNTED WB SPIRIT PASS AND MORE!
apply at hr.whistler@scandinave.com
DECEMBER 9, 2021
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7 2 8 3 Art Museum is currently seeking: 8 The Audain 3 4 5 5 7 Marketing Coordinator full-time, 6 7 permanent 5 3 Responsible for supporting administration 1 5 7 6 of marketing and communications efforts including advertising, digital 9 engagement, content marketing, social media, special 2 events, Museum tours, 1 and public relations. 6
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AVAILABLE ON STANDS IN THE SEA TO SKY
The Conference Services Coordinator supports the Conference Services department to ensure a smooth transition of a client’s experience from Sales to Operations; assisting in the delivery of exceptional customer service for all clients of the Whistler Conference Centre. What we offer: a flex schedule, excellent benefits package, and a great team environment.
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What we’re looking for: a team player who is highly service oriented, with exceptional attention to detail and time management skills, and flexibility with hours of work to ensure adequate support at meetings and events. We’re also recruiting for: Marketing Specialist, Visitor Centre Agent, Travel Consultant.
TO VIEW OUR CAREER OPPORTUNITIES, AND TO APPLY, VISIT US ONLINE AT WHISTLER.COM/CAREERS.
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Lil’wat Nation
Employment Opportunities • Administrative Assistant to Health Director • Cashier - Gas Station • Child and Youth Therapist - Xet’olacw Community School • Cultural Research Technician • Custodian - Xet’olacw Community School • Daycare Cook - Ullus Building & Upper Site • Early Childhood Educator and/or Assistant - Daycare • Early Childhood Educator Infant Toddler - Daycare • Education Assistant - Xet’olacw Community School • Education Assistant - Xet’olacw Community School FTE • Education Jurisdiction Coordinator - Xet’olacw Community School • Finance Manager - Ullus Building • Home Care Nurse - RN or LPN • Homemaker - Lil’wat Health and Healing • Indigenous Support Worker - Ts’zil Learning Centre • Kindergarten Teacher - Xet’olacw Community School • Land Use Manager - Ullus • Land Use Referral Research Assistant - Ullus • Program Coordinator - Ts’zil Learning Centre • Receptionist - Ts’zil Learning Centre
Benefits Pension Plan Employee Assistance Program Extended Health Benefits Professional Development Gym facility Please visit our career page for more information: lilwat.ca/careers/career-opportunities-2/
Domino’s Pizza in Whistler is
NOW HIRING: ALL POSITIONS
• Delivery Experts (Drivers) • Assistant Managers All positions can earn 25-30$/hour minimum Subsidized accommodations and profit sharing available Apply in store between 11am-4pm Monday thru Sunday at 4368 Main Street, Whistler
604-932-0410
MAEGAN@BCDOMINOS.COM
We’re Hiring!
Labourers, Carpenters, Foreman, Project Managers
$1000 SIGNING BONUS BENEFITS, FULL TIME WORK ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A NEW CAREER IN CONSTRUCTION? WANT TO COME AND WORK FOR A GREAT TEAM WITH LOTS OF ROOM FOR CAREER GROWTH? APPLY TO CONNECT@TMBUILDERS.CA
DECEMBER 9, 2021
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Whistler Mechanical Ltd. is hiring plumbers and gas fitters. Applicants must have completed 1st and 2nd year Canadian Red Seal training. Applications are also accepted if you have an out of country journeyman qualification.
Cooks • Housekeeping Coordinators Shipper/Receiver • Sous Chef Concierge • Server
Please e-mail your resume to whistlermech@hotmail.com or call the office (604)932-6219 and ask for Sandy.
• $1000 Winter Wellness Incentive • Travel Perks and Benefits • Recognition and Rewards • Growth Opportunities
• Complimentary meal at work • Subsidized Staff Accommodation • Flexible Schedules
Valid B.C. Drivers license is required. We offer competitive wages, use of company vehicle, gas, tools, phone, extended health benefits etc. We've Got You Covered VISITORS’ GUIDE 2017-2018 FREE
LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITY AT THE CRYSTAL Crystal Lodge is recruiting a General Manager to lead our fun and friendly team. As a newly renovated and busy hotel, with a strong management team in a bustling town, the Crystal Lodge is poised for an exceptional future; giving our new General Manager the opportunity to focus on driving exceptional guest service and employee satisfaction, while maximizing financial performance. PLEASE APPLY VIA OUR WEBSITE:
WWW.CRYSTAL-LODGE.COM/CAREERS
58 DECEMBER 9, 2021
NESTERS MARKET & WELLNESS CENTRE
NOW HIRING Deli, Bakery, Produce, Grocery and Meat Clerks Cashiers Full or Part Time E-mail or drop in your resume to: bruce_stewart@nestersmarket.com please cc ian_fairweather@nestersmarket.com or call us at 604-932-3545
PERKS • Competitive wage – Depending on experience • Access to medical and dental benefits for full time applicants • Percentage discount from store bought goods • Flexible and set schedule • Relative training
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BHLP Pemberton Base - 1850 Airport Road, Pemberton B.C. Full-Time Permanent Position
Status: ABOUT US
Blackcomb Helicopters is a well-established full service, multifleet helicopter company with rotary flight and maintenance services. We have bases in Squamish, Whistler, Pemberton, Sechelt, Lillooet and Vancouver. POSITION This position will be part of the Technical Records Team working in a variety of projects such as: organization of technical records information, data input, filing, assisting the Technical Records supervisor, updating all aviation relation databases, assistance in safety initiatives, and other office duties when required. QUALIFICATONS: • • • • • • • •
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Above average English skills, both verbal and written; Experience in the aviation industry or related work a definite asset; Good attitude and excellent work ethic. A self-starter. Detail driven – your attention to detail is a source of pride for you; Superior knowledge of Word and Excel and able to pick up new software quickly; Excellent organizational skills and ability to focus on repetitive tasks; Great sense of humour; Legally entitled to work in Canada.
This is a position working Monday to Friday of 40 hours per week, however, we will require flexibility in terms of days worked as occasional weekend work may be required due to the nature of our business. Minimum salary for this position is $41,600 per annum. We offer an excellent benefits program, RRSP, and an energetic and diverse work environment. This position does require working at our base, however, remote work from home is available on an occasional basis. Note: Blackcomb Helicopters is federally regulated, therefore, proof of double vaccination is a condition of employment. If you are interested in this position, please send your resume to attention to: Human Resources at mcleanhr@mcleangroup.com noting Technical Records Clerk Application in your subject header.
We have the perfect day job opportunity. Work for one of BC’s most acclaimed restaurants for the past 26 years. Bearfoot Bistro, Whistler’s premier fine dining restaurant is looking for an AM Catering Cook.
We offer seasonal employment, above industry leading wages, extended benefit packages, staff meals, staff discounts at Listel Hospitality Group’s restaurants & hotels in Whistler and Vancouver. The AM Catering Cook assists the Sous Chef and Executive Chef in the smooth and efficient operations of the kitchen and the catering department. Responsibilities: • • • • • • • • •
Maintain effective communication within the kitchen management Ensure highest quality and standard of food Maintain a clean and organized work area and ensure proper food safe procedures Show creative input Highly reliable and responsible with excellent organizational and time management skills Proven ability to work well under pressure in a fast-paced environment Professional demeanor and excellent communication skills Physical work may be required Available to work morning shifts from now to April 30th, 2022
• • • • •
Minimum experience in a similar role is an asset Food Safe Level 1 certification or higher is an asset Graduation from a recognized culinary program is an asset Ability to lift a minimum of 25 kg Ability to work 8-hour shift standing
Qualifications:
Job Type: Fixed Term Contract with potential to convert to Permanent Employment Salary: Starting at $28.00 per hour
Please send your resume to Simon Watkins at simon@bearfootbistro.com or come by between 3 pm and 5 pm. BEARFOOT BISTRO 4121 Village Green - Adjacent to Listel Hotel - (604) 932 3433 - bearfootbistro.com
Employment Opportunities: Currently seeking:
APPRENTICES AND JOURNEYWOMEN/JOURNEYMEN Come work with us! We value strong communication skills, ability to work independently, and motivation to learn and grow with our company. We offer benefits and a healthy work-life balance; we’re here for a good time and hopefully some powder days. Wages are negotiable, based on experience and knowledge of electrical code.
Email cover letters and resumes to:
SB@NOBLEELECTRIC.CA • WWW.NOBLEELECTRIC.CA
Guest Services Agents Apply to: jobs@pembertonvalleylodge.com
Competitive wages, health benefits, casual environment
DECEMBER 9, 2021
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BHLP Pemberton Base - 1850 Airport Road, Pemberton B.C. Temporary Position of 40 hours per week
ABOUT US Blackcomb Helicopters is a well-established full service, multifleet helicopter company with rotary flight and maintenance services. We have bases in Squamish, Whistler, Pemberton, Sechelt, Lillooet and Vancouver.
Be a part of an amazing team as our newest Digital Account Representative! We have a rare opportunity to work at one of Canada’s best-read online newsmedia companies, Glacier Media. You will be part of the Pique Newsmagazine team, a division of Glacier Media. In your role you will consult with local businesses to offer cutting edge marketing solutions: programmatic, social media, SEO, sponsored content and community display advertising on our website and yes, we still reach customers through our trusted newspaper as well. What we are looking for • • • • •
You are comfortable making cold calls and setting up/leading meetings with new and existing clients. A self-starter with a consultative selling approach working with clients planning both digital and print advertising campaigns. Building and maintaining client relationships with your exceptional communication skills comes easy to you. You are a goal orientated individual with a positive attitude and a willingness to learn. You possess strong organizational skills and have the ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment.
POSITION This position is part of the Aircraft Maintenance Department assisting in all areas that arise out of the day to day running of our helicopter operation. Duties include but are not limited to: assisting with inventory and counts, expediting parts for overhaul and repair, tracking incoming and outgoing freight, preparing reports on aircraft parts, organization and maintenance of stores rooms, input and transcription of technical records, maintenance of aviation software systems, and other duties as required. QUALIFICATIONS • • • • • • •
Excellent accuracy with data input and extremely detail-oriented; Previous experience in the aviation industry a definite asset; Firm knowledge of Microsoft Excel and Word programs, as well as ability to learn new computer systems quickly; Excellent interpersonal skills and superior customer service skills; Strong organizational and time management skills; Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment with a great sense of humour; Legally able to work within Canada.
This is a position of approximately 40 hours per week, however, we will require flexibility in terms of days worked as weekend work may be required due to the nature of our business. The hourly rate for this position is between $22.50 and $24.00 per hour depending on experience. This is currently a temporary position with possibility of permanent employment. Note: Blackcomb Helicopters is federally regulated, therefore, proof of double vaccination is a condition of employment. If you are interested in this position, please send your resume to attention to: Human Resources at mcleanhr@mcleangroup.com noting Stores Assistant Application in your subject header.
What we offer • • •
Competitive salary + uncapped commission package. Comprehensive / competitive group health and welfare benefits Extensive onboarding training and ongoing support.
Whistler has a worldwide reputation for outdoor recreation and boasts a vibrant village featuring restaurants, bars, retail and more. While this legendary resort is an international mountain sports mecca, it is also a down-to-earth mountain town, where community and culture have forged a unique environment. This opportunity offers you the chance to call a world-class ski hill you own—and if you are a local, well you know you’re in the right place to forge a career and lucky to call Whistler your home.
To apply, please submit your cover letter and resume in confidence to Susan Hutchinson, shutchinson@wplpmedia.com Closing date: December 17th, 2021
is now hiring for
Maintenance Person This dynamic role includes the following Perks and Benefits:
• Full-Time, Year-Round position • Competitive Wages and Health Benefits • Supportive Management Team • Wages Starting From $21 per hour Please reply with a cover letter and resume to hr@listelhotel.com
Thank you for your interest. Only those applicants being considered for an interview will be contacted.
60 DECEMBER 9, 2021
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RADIO & EQUIPMENT TECHNICIAN PERMANENT FULL-TIME POSITION Blackcomb Helicopters is the Pacific Northwest’s leading helicopter Company. We are a full-service helicopter company with bases in Vancouver, Squamish, Whistler, Pemberton, Sechelt, and Lillooet. BHLP offers the right candidate a unique opportunity to work with a diverse range of communications and IT services to equally diverse range of industries and customers. Unlike working for larger companies, our radio team enjoy dipping their feet in every part of the radio business, whether that is serving our customer with two-way radios and portable repeaters for a mountain-top film shoot, propagation work servicing our repeaters, or assisting in radio sales and service, you will enjoy a challenging and dynamic work environment. Working with really cool people and equipment in some pretty spectacular places, everyday you will strive your best to exceed customer and co-worker expectations. In cooperation with our sister company Signal Systems, you will maintain, repair, and improve a network of portable radio repeaters. You will also be responsible for base station, aircraft and vehicle radio systems, liaising and maintaining relationships with customers, vendors, and suppliers, and other ad hoc duties assisting our Fleet & Equipment department in all vehicles/fuel systems, repair, maintenenance and ground support equipment. This position will be primarily located at our Pemberton base but will require travel to any one of our bases or other remote locations as necessary. Qualifications & Skills Required: • Courses and/or complete education in Telecommunications System Technic (i.e. BCIT Radio Program or equivalent); • A valid B.C. Driver’s license and provide satisfactory N driver’s abstract; • Must be very detail oriented and organizational skills; • Experience in solar battery systems; • Competent computer skills; • Ability to shift tasks quickly and prioritize based on need and possesses situational awareness in anticipating needs; • Professional and calm always putting safety first; • Mechanical experience an asset, including general vehicle repair, electrical, fuel systems maintenance; • Legally entitled to work within Canada. Previous aviation experience is an asset though not required. This position reports to the Director of Fleet & Equipment Maintenance and is a permanent full-time position of 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday. BHLP offers an excellent benefits package including extended health and dental, disability, RRSP matching. Salary will commensurate with experience and education. Interested candidates are asked to send their cover letter and resume attention to Human Resources at mcleanhr@mcleangroup.com
Whistler’s award-winning publication is seeking a
Senior News/Political Reporter Pique Newsmagazine has a rare opportunity for an experienced and committed journalist to cover local news, politics and mountain culture in North America’s premier mountain resort. You are passionate about news and politics, and have a sense of what makes a compelling local news story. You seek to engage and inform your community in print and online platforms, and use social media effectively. You are selfmotivated, efficient and deadline driven, with a curious, critical mind and an acute attention to detail. You are able to work well both on your own and with a team. Ideally, you have experience in covering municipal council, elections, and governments at all levels. Other relevant skills include copy editing, long-form feature writing, Instagram posting and story creation, and newspaper layout using InDesign. Located in the mountain resort town of Whistler, British Columbia, Pique Newsmagazine is the unequivocal leader in reporting, interpreting and understanding the culture of the Coast Mountains and what it means to those who live, work and play in Whistler. At 27 years young, we’ve established ourselves as the locals’ publication that’s inquisitive and edgy, provoking conversation and building community. With our peers we’re acknowledged perennial winners at the BC & Yukon Community Newsmedia Awards (BCYCNA) and Canadian Community Newsmedia Awards (CCNA) for general excellence and reporting categories, as well as several Webster Awards honours over the years. We’re known for our unique artsy design, weekly long-form features and comprehensive news coverage, but of course our reach is global, with loyal readers from all over the world who come to piquenewsmagazine.com daily for the best Whistler storytelling and news source. To apply, send your resume, clippings, or other relevant materials, as well as a cover letter making the case for why we should hire you to Braden Dupuis, bdupuis@piquenewsmagazine.com Application deadline: 4 pm, December 15, 2021
WHISTLER PUBLISHING Limited Partnership
DECEMBER 9, 2021
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are hiring a
Youth Case Worker
Media Coordinator About You
About Us
You are curious, have a positive attitude, and a desire to learn.
Guru Communications is a Whistler-based company that provides media strategy and negotiations for national advertisers.
You are a team player. You pay close attention to detail, and you have strong communication skills – both verbal and written. You have a post-secondary degree. Ideally you have a marketing, advertising, or media background, and office experience.
We are expanding and looking for the right team member to grow with us. We have a full-time year-round Media Coordinator position available in our Whistler office.
DISTRICT OF SQUAMISH
to help us end youth homelessness
WE ARE
HIRING Chief Operator Waste Water Treatment Plant Regular Full-Time Director of Human Resources Regular Full-Time Financial Services Specialist Temporary Part-Time Utility Operator 2 Regular Full-Time
squamish.ca/careers
There is no limit to the long-term career advancement for the right candidate.
Looking to adopt? If this sounds like a match, please send resume to careers@gurucom.ca
62 DECEMBER 9, 2021
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YOU’RE A KEGGER, YOU JUST DON’T KNOW IT YET!
NOW HIRING:
COOKS + KITCHEN STAFF UP TO $25/HR + GENEROUS TIPS ALSO HIRING HOSTS AND SERVER ASSISTANTS
To apply, email your resume to whistler@kegrestaurants.com or come in-person Sunday – Thursday from 4:00pm-5:30pm for an on-the-spot interview.
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BLINDS ETC.
BLINDS ETC.
PROFESSIONAL SEWING SERVICE
SUNCREST WINDOW COVERINGS
• Custom Garments • Curtains • Cushions • Upholstery • Sewing Classes
Custom Blinds • Shades • Draperies
Tel: 604-935-2101 Email: windowcov@shaw.ca www.whistlerwindowcoverings.ca
BLINDS ETC.
CARPET CLEANING
WINDOW COVERINGS
BLACK BEAR CARPET CLEANING LTD.
Whistler’s Source for Blinds since 1989
David Weldon
• SHUTTERS • DRAPERY
Connie Griffiths
604.967.2422 whistlersewing@gmail.com www.whistlersewing.com
david@summersnow.ca 604-938-3521
• BLINDS • SHADES
• • • •
Wood blinds Sunscreens Shades Motorization
• Carpets • Upholstery • Tiles • Car Interiors
Custom Window Treatments Contact us today for a free quote or consultation info@suncrestwindowcoverings.com
604.698.8406
CLEANING
• Furnace • Airducts • Dryer vents
Coast Mountain Cleaning • Full service cleaning • Residential & Commercial • Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning • Property Maintenance • Established 2011 We follow all VCH, Min of Health and WHO Covid 19 protocols
Insured & Bondable • Criminal background checks on all staff
www.summersnow.ca
100% ECO FRIENDLY CERTIFIED
Summer Snow Finishings Limited
www.blackbearcarpetcleaning.ca • 604 698 6610
CHIMNEY
FURNITURE
BLACKCOMB CHIMNEY PATROL LTD. Serving Whistler since 1986
604-966-1437
coastmountaincleaning@gmail.com
We use tea tree oil based cleaning products.
GLASS
Free delivery from Pemberton to vancouver
AUTO GLASS SPECIALISTS
Specialized in cleaning
· Frameless Shower Enclosures · Complete Window/Door Packages · Custom Railing Glass Systems · Fogged/Failed Window Replacements
Chimneys, Furnace & Airducts, Dryer vents.
mountainglass.ca | info@mountainglass.ca
604.932.1388 / 1.877.932.5775 blackcombchimney@yahoo.ca
604-932-7288
Available for private viewings. Tel: 604-868-0117 7322 Old Mill rd, Pemberton,bc
THE COMPLETE GLASS CENTRE
HEATING AND COOLING
PAINT
HOME SERVICES
Western Technical System Inc
HVAC/R
FOR ALL YOUR HOUSEHOLD & COMMERCIAL NEEDS
GENERAL MAINTENANCE
• Carpentry • Tiling • Drywall Repairs • Texture Finishing • Renovations • Installation • Painting • Plumbing • Snow Removal • Appliance Repairs Ask Us About • Mine Sweeping Your Home ROB PIDGEON • 604-932-7707 • Bonded & Insured
find us on
www.birdhouseservices.com BirdhouseServices@gmail.com
Our paint team has over 25 years combined paint sales experience, and we can help you get things right the first time. Now offering In Home Paint Consultations! Pemberton Valley Rona. Let us help you love where you live.
Residential/Commercial Heat Pumps Boilers-Furnaces-Chillers Design Build Call us today! 778-994-3159 www.westerntechnical.net
PROPERTY MAINTENANCE
604-894-6240 7426 Prospect St, Pemberton
SURVEYING
SURVEYING
BUNBURY & ASSOCIA BC LAND SURVEYORS
WHISTLER PROPERTY SERVICES
604-962-0050 info@50north.ca
Pressure Washing Window Cleaning Handyman Services
64 DECEMBER 9, 2021
Serving the Sea to Sky Corridor Since 1963 ▪ ▪ ▪
High Dusting Junk Removal
Phone: 604-932-3770
Surveys Surveys
▪ ▪ ▪
North Vancouver to Lillooet
Surveys Plans
Book your in-home leen Consultation with Col today!
Surveys
www.bunbury-surveys.com SQUAMISH OFFICE #207 - 38026 Second Avenue Phone: 604-892-3090 email: squamish@bunbury-surveys.com
DOUG BUSH SURVEY SERVICES LTD DOUGLAS J BUSH AScT, RSIS p: 604-932-3314 c: 604-935-9515 Engineering & construction layout Topographic & site improvement surveys Municipal, volumetric & hydrographic surveys GPS - global positioning systems www.dbss.ca // dougb@dbss.ca
PUZZLES ACROSS 1 6 10 15 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 32 34 36 37 40 41 42 44 48 49 50 53 55 56 58 59 61 63 64 65 66 67 69
Hair treatments Leg part Yoga type Mannerism Winter constellation Earlier Mix-up Excessive Ravioli or linguine Diameter halves It divides to multiply (var.) Ready to drop (2 wds.) Longhorn Pizzeria musts Noncompliant Turned pages Elbow opposites Inquire Slickers Unburden Passports, etc. Music collectibles Model -- Macpherson Not waste Cal Tech rival Fellow Uncertain NASA go-ahead (hyph.) Applied a layer of gold Hit dead center Insurance worker Weight unit Cloys Leap aside Behind time Some sculptures Hold dear Reminder
3
8
70 71 74 75 78 81 82 83 84 86 87 89 93 94 95 96 97 100 102 103 104 108 109 110 111 112 113 115 116 117 118 120 121 123 124 125 127 129
9
Crazed captain Athlete Guitarist -- Paul Black eyes Newspaper feature Corn serving Gigantic Switch positions Green Hornet’s assistant John Wayne’s “-- Lobo” Lab apparatus Effort to deceive with flattery (2 wds.) Actress -- MacGraw Little America founder Dole out Earthenware pot Embassy staffer Is frugal Let go Music genre Molecule components Krishna devotee Comedian’s specialty Fateful day Workable Collected sayings Roof supports Discard Pitcher -- Maglie Seine vista Liq. capacity units Compass dir. Half a bikini Trippet Overly submissive Alley of Moo Cancels Obey
131 136 138 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153
DOWN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 21 31
4
7 2 8 3 8 3 4 5 5 7 6 7 5 3 1 5 7 6 9 2 1 6 HARD
Notice of quitting a job Bob Hope specialty (2 wds.) Wide cravat In -- -- (briefly) Desires Small pansy Theater area Skirmish Quiz show host Fairy-tale characters Warning device Peacocks do it Swiftness Travel on snow Vocal group
Loud reports Latin 101 word Climb the ladder Travelers’ stops Trap Desired Came to the rescue Steak cut Check for weapons Chaired Rome’s legions Curly lock Itinerant Mosque frequenter Thigh muscles, in the gym Different On strike Decay Lois Lane’s coworker Benefit from Self-confidence
33 35 37 38 39 42 43 45 46 47 49 50 51 52 53 54 57 58 59 60 62 64 66 68 69 71 72 73 76 77 79 80 82 85 88 90 91 92 94
Moistureless Puppy bite Visages A continent Roman foe Finish a jacket Interest amt. Actress Angela -Crazy, to Pedro Makes do with Webbing Bounders Euphoric moments Pub pint Hinder “Anyone home?” (hyph.) Knock flat Clamors Maria Conchita -Concert proceeds Caspian Sea tributary Remnant Ploy Avoids capture Shogun’s warrior Deep black Dinghy’s need Convicted one Very funny thing Chases the puck Cosmonaut’s station Indication of assent Whirlpool (2 wds.) Sorrowful wail Await judgment Standards Mock butter Gets bare on top Frat letter
98 99 100 101 102 103 105 106 107 109 111 114 115 116 119 121
Work da. Icy precip Thick carpeting Magazine exec - Brown Do a slow burn Personal history Theater award Marseilles Ms. Be “it” Acquired Mae West persona “Monday Night Football” airer Modicum Dances from Brazil Evening party Crocheted item
122 123 124 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 137 139 140 141
Got the soap out Wound spirally Swami Nash of humorous poems Lombardi or Edwards Squirrels away Garlic section Rodeo gear Stadium walkway Basin companion Filleted fish Leaves breathless Pack down Kind of pickle Dessert trolley Curved molding Nomad’s dwelling
LAST WEEKS’ ANSWERS
# 58
Enter a digit from 1 through 9 in each cell, in such a way that: • Each horizontal row contains each digit exactly once • Each vertical column contains each digit exactly once • Each 3x3 box contains each digit exactly once Solving a sudoku puzzle does not require any mathematics; simple logic suffices.
LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: HARD
3
7
7
8
7 1 2 8 3 4 9 5
2
6 2 8 7 5 9 6 6 1
3
4
4
HARD Solution, tips and computer program at www.sudoku.com# 60
ANSWERS ON PAGE 56
DECEMBER 9, 2021
65
MAXED OUT
The grass is always greener… RIDING UP Blackcomb on the Excalibur Gondola was, admittedly, a deja vu experience. Arriving a few minutes past 8 a.m., the lineup was a few steps down the stairs leading to Lot 6 and not moving. A few minutes later, it was moving so fast people were breathing hard to keep up. I’m not sure whether there was no one waiting in the village or they were just letting the midload people up, but within one minute, I was about to get vertical. Clambering into a car with seven other people—all masked I’m happy to say—that sense of deja vu kicked in as I realized this
BY G.D. MAXWELL was what it’s like to load efficiently instead of that infuriating single-person-in-a-car thing. The mood inside was giddy. And unusually cosy. Everyone seemed to be a local, or at least an instant local, judging by one of them explaining to another how to ski back to the gondola. It was good to see the level of excitement. It being a powder morning notched that level up a few degrees. I was feeling pretty good about finally heading up with not a drop of rain in sight and everything right with the world. Until I felt a hand in my pocket. Old alarm bells rang as I thought my pocket was being picked. I grabbed the errant wrist and pinned the owner against the door. “What the….” “Just seein’ if you had a smoke in there, Dude.” J.J.! Caramba. Not the sense of deja vu I particularly wanted to experience just then. “You know I don’t smoke, J.J. And I can assure you there ain’t no beer in there either.” Generally, encounters with J.J. Geddyup only involved a metaphorical hand in my pocket. The cost of bumping into J.J. is always a couple of beers and not infrequently breakfast, lunch or dinner, depending on when he pops up during the course of an otherwise pleasant day. Whistler’s only private eye for years and, as he’s singularly proud of pointing out, the only one in town who fits the seedy picture movies paint of the profession, J.J. belongs to the genus Fringe Character. His ancient Re-Use-It, Descente coach’s overcoat, tattered and frayed, seems to stick out more than it used to when Whistler was still a town where hardcore skiers’ gear was held together with duct tape and ty-raps. He still puffs furiously on Gauloise Blues or whatever he can bum, infecting those around him with repeated, rasping coughs. And his voice still sounds like cement and gravel grinding in a mixer, awaiting water to calm things down. J.J. isn’t necessarily the worst person to bump into on a powder morning but coming up with a worse one
66 DECEMBER 9, 2021
GETTYIMAGES.CA
takes more thought than I was capable of indulging in at that moment. Resigned to fate, I tried to keep our banter to a minimum. Judging from the freshness of the others in the gondy, I wasn’t sure they were old enough to inflict J.J. on them. “So,” I asked, as quietly as possible, “You workin’ any these days?” “Matter of fact, yes I am,” he answered, digging a bent cigarette out of his pocket, along with a well-worn brass Zippo emblazoned with a paratroop crest and someone else’s initials. “You can’t smoke in here, dude,” one of the young ones said. “In fact, you can’t smoke anywhere on the mountain.”
actually getting a job?” “Not to state the obvious, but I don’t think I’d make a good employee. I’ve been my own boss for a long time.” “You’ve been largely unemployed for a long time, J.J. Let’s not kid each other. So what’s the plan?” “Goin’ into business. Totally legit.” “No offense, but define totally legit. I’m not sure you mean the same thing I mean by those words.” “Cannabis.” “Cannabis? I don’t know how to say this, J.J., but unless I’m wrong, you’ve kinda been in the pot-selling business for as long as I’ve known you. Hell, I’ve bought weed from you.”
Generally, encounters with J.J. Geddyup only involved a metaphorical hand in my pocket.
“Nazi,” J.J. muttered, sticking the cigarette between his lips, its bent end pointing down like an excited dousing stick, and pocketing the Zippo. “Kindness, J.J. Watcha sleuthing?” I asked. “Nothin’,” he replied. “Nothing? I thought you said you were working.” “I am. But there hasn’t been much demand for my PI skills so I’m movin’ on. Goin’ mainstream. Hitching a ride on the capitalist express.” “Sweet Jesus, don’t tell me you’re
“Truly true, dude. But that was illegal weed. I’m going legit. Now that the muni masters have finally decided to let people open legal pot shops, I’m goin’ into business. Licenced, legal, legit, upright citizen, small businessman, the whole middle-class works. Das Kapital!” “Cool,” one of the other people riding the gondola said. “You really a PI?” “Retired, thank you. But if you’d like to buy some weed... “ It was a fortunate turn of the card we slid into the terminal at that moment. None of the instant locals had any idea how close
they’d come to befriending J.J., which is to say being a mark for life. “Let’s continue this conversation on the chairlift,” I said, not actually believing I wanted to prolong what was certain to be, well, just weird. “You really think the muni is going to issue you a temporary operating permit for a pot shop, J.J.? I don’t mean to sound cruel, but you’ve got more baggage around town than a busload of skiers.” “What you say is true, if cruel. But what you don’t say is I’ve also got dirt on some of the people who’ll make the calls on issuing permits. Ain’t been pokin’ my nose into other peoples’ business in this town for 30 years for nothing, ya know, bro.” “Whatever. Don’t know; don’t care. But seriously, J.J., are you sure you want to take on a commercial lease, utilities, improvements, staff, payroll, withholding, paying taxes, regular operating hours, bookkeeping and all that?” “Ouch. You paint an ugly picture. I just want to sell weed.” “You already sell weed... with no overhead and none of that other stuff, especially the taxes part. I mean, you’ve been flying under the radar most of your life. When was the last time you filed taxes? Or even admitted being alive to any level of government?” “Hmm... that’s why I like talkin’ to you, dude. Sometimes you remind me of things that just slip my mind. You’re right. Screw it. You wanna buy some weed?” “You just sold me some last week? Let’s ski instead.” “How about a beer?” “It’s 8:30 a.m. J.J.” “It is?” “Yeah. Bar up.” ■
FOLLOW YOUR DREAM, HOME G L O B A L R E AC H , L O C A L K N O W L E D G E SOLD
VILLAGE 720-4320 Sundial Crescent Pan Pacific Mountainside is a superbly located full service hotel within the heart of Whistler Village. Enjoy being within close walking distance to many of the best attractions, shops & restaurants that Whistler has to offer. $499,000
Maggi Thornhill *PREC
WHISTLER CAY HEIGHTS 6400 St Andrews Way Great neighbourhood in Whistler! You’ll enjoy this 3 bedroom and large den, plus 2.5 bathroom Duplex spacious home. Just under 2,000 sq.ft. with large sunny patio, 2 car garage with guest parking & stroll to local trails, shops & Whistler Village. $2,580,000
604-905-8199 Kathy White
604-616-6933 Allyson Sutton
Sherry Boyd
604-932-7609
SOLD
SOLD
BAYSHORE Unit 4A or 6D-2561 Tricouni Place Seasons is the ideal property for those who want to enjoy a week every beautiful season in Whistler without having to commit to full ownership. Townhome with three bedrooms, two baths plus sauna for a fraction of the cost!. $49,000
BAYSHORE 2809 Clifftop All day sun with vaulted ceilings and huge windows. This home offers a spacious living room on the main floor and a large family room on the second floor. 4 bedrooms plus an office, pantry room & 1 bedroom suite makes this the perfect Whistler family home. $3,500,000
BAYSHORE 2347 Cheakamus Way Ski home to this well-kept family chalet, just a 2-min drive from Creekside lifts, shops and amenities. 2564sf, 4br, 3ba, flex room and ample storage for the toys. New zoning allows for a legal rental suite. $2,860,000
SQUAMISH 1005 Condor Place Your dream home awaits you in Squamish’s most desirable neighbourhood at Thunderbird Creek! Over 4100 sq ft, fenced yard, views of the Tantalus Range, gourmet kitchen, massive garage. $2,199,000
604-935-9172 Kerry Batt *PREC
604-902-7220 Rob Boyd
604-902-5422
NEW PRICE
SQUAMISH 3315 Descartes Place 5 Bed + 1 bed nanny suite, 4,293 sq.ft sophisticated living with the entire house being fully airconditioned for extra comfort. 4 jacuzzi’s/outdoor kitchen/3 add. kitchens/3 laundries. View today! $2,499,888
Angie Vazquez *PREC
SQUAMISH Lot 1 Britannia Beach 37 Acre of Land on Sea to Sky Corridor. Above other residential properties available and the new development. Breathtaking view of Howe Sound. $5,800,000
NORTH VANCOUVER 112-649 East 3rd Street This is 1405 sq.ft. of LEED Gold certified luxury living. Open concept design. Gourmet kitchen with high-end Bosch appliances. 2 BR, 1.5 bath, 3 decks, AC, UG parking, close to everything. $1,249,000
778-834-2002 Ken Achenbach
778-318-5900 Ruby Jiang
Whistler Village Shop
Whistler Creekside Shop
Squamish Station Shop
36-4314 Main Street · Whistler BC V8E 1A8 · Phone +1 604-932-1875
325-2063 Lake Placid Road · Whistler BC V8E 0B6 · Phone +1 604-932-1875
150-1200 Hunter Place · Squamish BC V8B 0G8 · Phone +1 778-733-0611
whistler.evrealestate.com
whistler.evrealestate.com
whistler.evrealestate.com
Engel & Völkers Whistler *PERSONAL REAL ESTATE CORPORATION ©2019 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage independently owned and operated. Engel & Völkers and its independent License Partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act.
604-966-7640
3D Tour - rem.ax/2038garibaldi
2038 Garibaldi Way
SOLD
$3,750,000
Situated midway between Village and Creekside, SE facing overlooking a quiet cul de sac Home has been lovingly built and renovated over the years. Total approximately 3100+ square feet on 3 floors - Main house 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms + 1 bedroom suite with bathroom - 1 double garage off Garibaldi Way, single garage off Helm Place.
Michael d’Artois
5
604.905.9337
#G2 412 - 4653 Blackcomb Way
$199,000
Available for your personal use this Christmas for 2 weeks! One bedroom quarter share in Horstman House on Blackcomb. Located on the top floor, enjoy a mix of personal use and rental income in this fully equipped 1 bedroom which sleeps 4. It features a full kitchen, in-suite laundry, gas fireplace, and private sundeck and views out across the valley.
Sally Warner*
1
604.905.6326
9202 Pinetree Lane
This spacious lot in Emerald has fantastic views of Arm Chair and Wedge Mountain. Take advantage of this wonderful elevated lot assuring privacy and mountain views. This serviced corner lot sides/backs onto parkland, is on the bus route, is a short walk to Emerald Park and the Green Lake boat launch.
Sherry Baker
3D Tour - rem.ax/14woodbridge
#14 - 7400 Arbutus Street
$699,000
2.5
604.932.8629
9329 Warbler Way
604.932.1315
3D Tour - rem.ax/1565khyber
This Spacious 2.5 bedroom, 2 bathroom floor plan with single car garage is located in the sought after development of Woodbridge in Pemberton. Perfect for a growing family, and steps away from 2 schools, shopping, community center and public transportation. Mt. Currie views from the living areas and patio.
Ursula Morel*
$1,700,000
$1,275,000
9333 Warbler Way
$1,275,000
$3,850,000
Only 5 lots remain in this Estate Property Subdivision. Homes can be 4629 or 5920 SF plus 2150 SF Auxiliary Buildings allowed. 5 Minutes from Grocieries, Gas and Liquor Store. Best Value in town!
This One-Of-A-Kind Mountain Home is located in the exclusive Spring Creek residential neighborhood and shows off its quality with soaring vaulted ceilings accented with large heatsaving low e windows. The open floor plan and large deck invite you to enjoy a cozy feeling while entertaining or just relaxing at home.
Ann Chiasson
Bruce Watt
604.932.7651
109 - 3217 Blueberry Drive
$95,000
Only 5 lots remain in this Estate Property Subdivision. Homes can be 4629 or 5920 SF plus 2150 SF Auxiliary Buildings allowed. 5 Minutes from Grocieries, Gas and Liquor Store. Best Value in town!
The best views in the Valley are from Ironwood on Blueberry hill. Spend the most special month of the year skiing and boarding in Whistler. This is the most unique Fractional ownership ever offered. Imagine owning a beautiful 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo with a year round pool and hot tub.
Matt Chiasson
Dave Sharpe
604.935.9171
1565 Khyber Lane
2
604.902.2779
604.905.0737
9297 Stellers Way
4
$1,850,000
Only 5 lots remain in this Estate Property Subdivision. Homes can be 4629 or 5920 SF plus 2150 SF Auxiliary Buildings allowed. 5 Minutes from Grocieries, Gas and Liquor Store. Best Value in town!
Meg McLean
604.907.2223
3D Tour - rem.ax/7063nesters
#301 - 4280 Mountain Square $2,500,000
7063 Nesters Road
Carleton Lodge – one of Whistler’s most iconic buildings – a small boutique condo. Located at the base of both Whistler/Blackcomb gondolas you can’t get any closer to ski-in/ski-out. Unit 301 is an end unit, 2 bed/2 bath facing the slope. This unit is in the absolute centre of it all.
LOCATION....LOCATION. Conveniently located between Nesters Plaza and Whistler Village with the Valley Trail and public transit at your doorstep. Enjoy the peaceful setting from the covered deck or relax by the wood-burning fireplace in the spacious living room with a vaulted ceiling. Recently updated with new kitchen and bathroom granite counters plus new flooring.
Laura Barkman
604.905.8777
2
Dave Beattie*
WHISTLER OFFICE 106 - 7015 Nesters Road, Whistler, BC V8E 0X1 604.932.2300 or Toll Free 1.888.689.0070 *PERSONAL REAL ESTATE CORPORATION
If you are a home owner, buyer, tenant, landlord, or small business in need of help during this time, please see our updated list of resources at: remax-whistler.com/resources
604.905.8855
$2,788,000
4
#101 - 4338 Main Street
$599,000
Blenz Coffee Shop has been voted Whistler’s Best Coffee and has always been in the top 3 Whistler coffee shops annually. Voted Whistler’s Best Hot Chocolate so many years in a row! Here is your opportunity to take over this idyllic location by Olympic Plaza, Market Place and Main Street, known locally as coffee corner.
Doug Treleaven
604.905.8626
PEMBERTON OFFICE 1411 Portage Road, Pemberton, BC V0N 2L1 604.894.6616 or Toll Free 1.888.689.0070