JUNE 23, 2022 ISSUE 29.25
WWW.PIQUENEWSMAGAZINE.COM
FROM SOCIETY
THE BOOM IN BRIDGE RIVER HOW THIS ISOLATED VALLEY NORTH OF PEMBERTON RECENTLY DOUBLED IN POPULATION
14
BOUNCING BACK
SOFI report reveals top earners, COVID rebound
18
FREE RIDE
RMOW offering free transit, reduced passes
48
LIVING LEGEND
New doc highlights bike legend North Shore Betty
NESTERS OWN
FULL SERVICE MEAT COUNTER
We are excited to introduce Nesters Own FullService Meat Counter in each of our Nesters Market locations. Featuring top quality Canadian beef, pork and chicken including freshly thick cut steaks, marinated kebabs, stuffed chicken breasts, marinated steaks and other feature items ready for you. EVE’S
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604.932.3545 604.905.0429
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nestersmarket.com
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Prices Effective At Whistler Nesters From: Thursday, June 23rd to Wednesday, June 29th, 2022. We reserve the right to limit quantities. Sale limited to stock on hand. Some items subject to Tax, plus deposit, recycling fee where applicable.
THIS WEEK IN PIQUE
44
48
40 The boom in Bridge River How this isolated valley north of Pemberton recently doubled in population. - By Robert Wisla
14
BOUNCING BACK
Whistler’s annual Statements
26
SUITE AND SOUR
The Village of Pemberton is
of Financial Information report paints a picture of a municipality
working to remove illegal suites in the Tiyata neighbourhood—but where
rebounding from COVID-19.
will the tenants go?
15
NO VACANCY?
Would a vacancy tax work in
Whistler? It depends who you ask, as B.C. municipalities have had
44
X-FACTOR
Hundreds of cyclists competed in the
inaugural XFONDO, an offshoot of the popular GranFondo.
different experiences.
18
FREE RIDE
To rebuild ridership after the longest
48
LIVING LEGEND
A new short doc details the life
transit strike in B.C.’s history, Whistler is offering free transit through
of B.C. mountain biking trailblazer North Shore Betty, who is still ripping it
Labour Day and pass discounts until November.
up at 73.
COVER The purpose of life for many is turning into a never-ending mission to “get away from it all,” while some seek “gold in them thar hills.” It sounds like the Bridge River Valley might be able to provide both. - By Jon Parris 4 JUNE 23, 2022
BC Fresh Long English Cucumbers
99¢ each
TASTE OF SUMMER
Cut From Western Canadian Fresh AAA Certified Angus Beef® Strip Loin Steaks family pack 35.25/kg
BC Fresh Grape Tomatoes 1 pint
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Jonny Hetherington BBQ Sauce 237 mL
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Tree Island Gourmet Grass-Fed Yogurt 325 g – 350 g
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* 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.
4330 Northlands Blvd Whistler, BC V8E 1C2 Expires june 30, 2022
LOCATED IN WHISTLER MARKETPLACE VILLAGE NORTH
THIS WEEK IN PIQUE
Opinion & Columns 08 OPENING REMARKS Between soaring costs, pandemic-related stress, a lack of doctors and
#202 -1390 ALPHA LAKE RD., FUNCTION JUNCTION, WHISTLER, B.C. V8E 0H9. PH: (604) 938-0202 FAX: (604) 938-0201 www.piquenewsmagazine.com
child care, and a transit strike, Whistler is falling short of its community vision, writes editor Braden Dupuis.
Founding Publishers KATHY & BOB BARNETT
10 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letter writers this week celebrate fundraising successes—and a
Publisher SARAH STROTHER - sstrother@wplpmedia.com Editor BRADEN DUPUIS - bdupuis@piquenewsmagazine.com Assistant Editor ALYSSA NOEL - arts@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
long-delayed refund from Vail Resorts.
13 PIQUE’N YER INTEREST While we’re focusing on the price of gas, the actual cost of gas— billions of dollars lost in one climate catastrophe after another—is taking a back seat, writes Andrew Mitchell.
74 MAXED OUT Max does his best to avoid being cynical before digging in to the RMOW’s Balance Model and the latest push for the Olympics (at least he tried).
Environment & Adventure
Arts & Entertainment/Features Editor BRANDON BARRETT - bbarrett@piquenewsmagazine.com
39 THE OUTSIDER BC AdventureSmart’s Trail Specific Safety Videos hope to reduce search-and-
Social Media Editor MEGAN LALONDE - mlalonde@piquenewsmagazine.com
rescue calls to popular hiking trails in the province, writes Vince Shuley.
Reporters BRANDON BARRETT - bbarrett@piquenewsmagazine.com MEGAN LALONDE - mlalonde@piquenewsmagazine.com ALYSSA NOEL arts@piquenewsmagazine.com HARRISON BROOKS - sports@piquenewsmagazine.com ROBERT WISLA - rwisla@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
46 EPICURIOUS With no markets or stores to speak of, the cuisine of Alta Lake’s first settlers was as distinct and resourceful as the dozens of hardscrabble residents who made up the town.
50 MUSEUM MUSINGS In the early 1980s, just as the development of Whistler Village was starting to boom, the economy bottomed out and interest rates skyrocketed.
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).
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OPENING REMARKS
Latest WCSS stats show Whistlerites are far from thriving SINCE WHISTLER’S new Official Community Plan was adopted in June 2020, I’ve heard many on council and among municipal staff sing the praises of the community’s new guiding vision statement. And I have to admit, it is catchy and concise: Whistler—A place where our community thrives, nature is protected and guests are inspired.
BY BRADEN DUPUIS Doesn’t that just say it all? It really is refreshing to live in a place that emphasizes nature and the environment, and I will never get tired of seeing excited tourists take photos with the Olympic Rings. But on that other point—arguably the most important—it pains me to say it, but Whistler is falling flat on its face. Between soaring housing and food costs, pandemic-related mental and physical stress, a lack of doctors and child care, and a fourmonth transit strike, it’s been obvious for some time that our community is not thriving. But new stats revealed this week at the Whistler Community Services Society’s (WCSS) Annual General Meeting further drive the point home. In 2021, food bank visits hit 9,365, up from 2,773 in 2018—a 337-per-cent increase. More than half of food bank users in Whistler say they pay more than half of their income to rent. In 2021, the food bank also served 840 children—up from just 50 in 2020. In terms of counselling, WCSS outreach services conducted 6,128 visits in 2021, up ! PM urse to 2 olf Co 2 y1 uG rda tea atu e Cha S e h us t t Ho golf a en Op nd of u a ro Win
from 4,922 in 2020, and well above the 2,040 visits in 2018 (a 300-per-cent increase). “Another interesting stat is in 2018 we were giving out 18,000 snacks a year in the five local schools, and this past calendar year, for 2021, it was 150,000, through our breakfast food program,” says WCSS executive director Jackie Dickinson. “So those numbers really [highlight] the lack of affordability within our community, and what impact that has, and how important the work is that we get to do. And it’s really crucial that as we continue to do this work, we really need to listen to people with lived experience to help guide us on how these programs are developed to best support the community.”
“It has really impacted peoples’ sense of belonging, and overall sense of safety within the resort, because they have challenges with their housing environments, and then there’s a lack of affordability or feeling underpaid, and then your ability to get to work becomes challenging. I mean, the reality is, this doesn’t become peoples’ homes anymore. “I think that that overall feeling of safety and belonging, it does impact peoples’ mental health, and it does impact their ability to make the decisions they do, and then it’s just a ripple effect, for sure.” So… back to that vision statement. Are we living up to it? “I think that there is still very much a
individuals who have worked here a long time, they’ve just said, ‘I don’t see the longterm ability to live here.’ And so when we have individuals not see this place as a longterm home, it’s an in-between place, then yeah… it’s hard to say whether that person is thriving.” With the Oct. 15 municipal election looming, the wellbeing of Whistlerites will no doubt be a recurring topic in the weeks and months ahead. “As the election approaches, at WCSS we intend and hope to play a really vital role to bring some of these issues … to those that are preparing to run, and say, ‘What policy, what change do you think you can provide to mitigate these kinds of challenges in the
“As the election approaches, at WCSS we intend and hope to play a really vital role to bring some of these issues … to those that are preparing to run, and say, ‘What policy, what change do you think you can provide to mitigate these kinds of challenges in the community?’” - JACKIE DICKINSON
The stats presented this week are concerning, but they don’t even capture the full picture. Dickinson points out the first six months of 2022 have presented new challenges altogether. “It will be interesting to see what we get from January to June, because when you add on the impacts of a transit strike, and people need to then use some of that income towards transportation, it’s been really devastating for people,” she says.
general enthusiasm and gratitude for the place and the land that we live on … there is beauty here that we’re privileged to be a part of that is inspiring—but mountains don’t solve problems,” Dickinson says. Despite its natural, inspiring beauty, people in Whistler are not immune to adversity, and many of the people WCSS connects with are “very much in a place of survival mode,” she adds. “I know recently when I’ve talked to
community?’” Dickinson says. The No. 1 issue on WCSS’ radar? Helping people live long-term in the resort by ensuring things like housing affordability and child care are sustainable. “Those people that are intending to run [in the October election], finding out how they see themselves as part of the solution is going to be really crucial,” Dickinson says. Aspiring mayors and councillors take note. ■
Extra large studio in The Delta Whistler Village Suites. Wonderful location in the heart of Whistler Village, walk to ski lifts, shops, restaurants, trails, etc. Great outdoor pool and hot tub.
Located in White Gold with walking access to the base of both mountains and easy use of Lost Lake’s biking trails. This spacious 3765 square foot home has 5 bedrooms and plus a 1.5 bedroom suite perfect for in-laws or for rental income. Backing onto Fitzsimmons Creek, on an extensive square foot lot.
Asking price : $4,988,000 7203 Ftizsimmons Road North
$368,000.00
Dave Brown
Personal Real Estate Corporation
Take a virtual tour
8 JUNE 23, 2022
davebrown@wrec.com www.davesellswhistler.com Cell: 604 905 8438 / Toll Free: 1 800 667 2993 ext. 805
Steve Shuster
t: 604.698.7347 | e: steve@steveshusterrealestate.com www.steveshusterrealestate.com
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Whistler Secondary turns 25, again! It’s hard to imagine that just over 25 years ago there was no secondary school in Whistler. Founded in September 1996, more than 1,500 students and their families have been part of Whistler Secondary Community School (WSS) to date. WSS is the only public high school in Whistler, part of the Sea to Sky School District (SD48), and is designated a “community school” with the Resort Municipality of Whistler managing the rental of the gym, multi-purpose room and fields after school hours and during holiday periods. Whistler Secondary has come a long way since it opened. The most notable changes are the physical developments of the school as well as athletic and academic advancements. The school has grown to offer programs and experiences that could not be offered anywhere except in our beautiful valley. WSS currently has 49 staff, excluding custodians and maintenance staff, and 558 students from Grades 8 to 12, including 142 Grade 12s, 98 Grade 11s, 120 Grade 10s, 98 Grade 9s, and 100 Grade 8s. The Grade 12 class is one of the largest graduating classes to date and celebrated their commencement last week, the only class to have an in-person graduation since 2019 due to the pandemic.
On June 23, from 5 to 7:30 p.m., we will celebrate the 25th anniversary of Whistler Secondary Community School, which was postponed in 2021, with a barbecue complete with an Olympic-sized cake at the school. Hosted by WSS and our PAC, we will mark this milestone together as we come to the end of our 202122 school year, bid farewell to our Grade 12s, welcome our incoming Grade 7s, and reconnect again as a community. Students, families, alumni and staff are all welcome to attend! On behalf of the PAC at WSS, we are thrilled to be able to gather in-person with our school community again. We are grateful for our amazing school administration and committed staff, and look forward to the new school year ahead with many exciting
Care Centre. This event would not have been possible without the enormous generosity of our community. Thank you to Whistler Blackcomb (with a special shout out to Cynthia Buck) for hosting us on the Ascent Trails. Thank you to all our generous sponsors, in particular the Touchet family as our Heart Burn sponsor, as well as our Big Burn sponsors: the Evans family, John and Bonnie Schmelke, Julia and Justin Smith, Richard and Tracy Tory, and Dave Burch. Thank you to our amazing volunteers including Dave Clark for his DJ skills, Meaghan Sutter from Peak Training for the pre-hike warm up, Nesters for our sustenance, Gatorade for the fuel that kept us going, Whistler Search and Rescue and the Garibaldi Volunteer Fire Department for watching out for our safety, Jasmine Robinson of Quiver Creative for her amazing graphic design skills, and so many others who quietly worked behind the scenes to make this event possible. In addition to raising money for our centre, Hike for Health is also our way of thanking the staff at the Whistler Health Care Centre who keep us safe every day. Once again, I am humbled and grateful to be a part of this truly special community. See you all next year as we set our sights on the Rendezvous! Jen Black // Hike for Health Committee chair, vice chair of the WHCF
developments in progress. Thank you to our Whistler community for all of your support of Whistler Secondary and our students over the past 25 years! It truly takes a village! Jenn James // WSS PAC Chair
Hike for Health a huge success The Whistler community has done it again! The Hike for Health on Sunday, June 19 was a huge success, raising over $75,000 with more than 200 participants hiking up the stunning Ascent Trails on Blackcomb Mountain. All money raised is going directly to the Whistler Health Care Foundation (WHCF) to be used for equipment upgrades at the Whistler Health
Persistence pays off with Vail Resorts My refund arrived and I didn’t even ask for it! That is, the mistaken billing by Whistler
WHISTLER | PEMBERTON | SQUAMISH Local Expertise with Nationwide Exposure Anderson Lake
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Personal Real Estate Corporation
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10 JUNE 23, 2022
Steve
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604-698-7347
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LOCAL
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Anderson 604-938-3885
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steve@steveshusterrealestate.com
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Specializing in Ski-in Ski-out Real Estate
LOCAL
KNOWLEDGE
marion@whistlerskiinskiout.com
|
LOCAL
EXPERTS
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Blackcomb for a new physical pass—$6.50, repaid to my credit card. Didn’t ask, didn’t have to apply, it just happened. So what about the 20-21 Whistler Blackcomb Unlimited pass request I submitted in February 2021, which I ranted about in these pages in a previous letter to the editor? (Pique, May 19, 2021: “I’m still waiting.”) Well, it took 15 months, a couple of dozen calls, a change of claims management company, in-person visits to Guest Services… sorry, I’ll stop the new rant right there. I finally got my full refund of just under $1,200.
of the Clark Foundation, for your very generous donations and matching gifts. To ALL the merchants that contributed in-kind goods or services for our auction; and of course, Nesters Market, who not only fed us, but also kept us dry, together with borrowed tents from the Men’s Shed in Pemberton. Thank you all! Thank you, Rev. Andrew, for the location—Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church—the perfect start and finish for the five-kilometre walk around Whistler Golf Club. It was a magical day with so many
“[I]t took 15 months, a couple of dozen calls, a change of claims management company, in-person visits to Guest Services… sorry, I’ll stop the new rant right there. I finally got my full refund of just under $1,200. - JULIAN MACEDO
I’m one of the lucky ones, I guess. I live in England. My eligibility was clear, so I was happy to fight it. And I’m committed, as I have a property in town. There are plenty of other overseas visitors who don’t have a tie, and have been left with a pretty bad taste in their mouths. With wallets tightening this year, what are the chances of them deciding on Whistler—or Vail—again? That’s an outcome that affects all those with stakes in Whistler. Julian Macedo // United Kingdom
Heartfelt thanks to Alzheimer’s walk participants A big shout-out and heartfelt thanks to all those who participated in the 2022 IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer’s—the Whistler Walk for Memories—on May 29. Whistler locals, Sea to Sky north and south, Lower Mainland and Sunshine Coast visitors: we so appreciated all your participation, donations and support. Thanks also to our honorees, Andy and Cheryl Szocs, and to Cathy Clark and family,
volunteers assisting in so many capacities. It goes without saying that it takes an enormous effort from so many wonderful community members to host this event. Not the magnitude of a “Tough Mudder” but the fortitude to make it the best it could be. The Walk is about so much more than fundraising; building awareness in our community is so valuable and together we are breaking down stigma of this disease and working towards building dementia-friendly communities, making certain that those travelling the Alzheimer journey are not alone. The results of the BC Walk will be finalized in late June—currently the Whistler Walk stands at a potential $76,000! You can still contribute online at: tinyurl.com/373vzmf2. Select “Whistler” and “Event Donation.” It is already a whopper year. On behalf of the steering committee, I wish to express our sincere thanks to everyone who made the day a success. Stay tuned for more Alzheimer program information in the not-so-distant future. Erika Durlacher // Whistler Walk Chair
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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. GOT GOOD VIBES TO SHARE? Send them to goodnews@piquenewsmagazine.com
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Estate Planning Real Estate Business & Personal Law Family Law
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2294 BRANDYWINE WAY, BAYSHORES • • • • •
Privacy, sunshine and views! 3,452 sq.ft. Private setting on over 1/3 of an acre. 4 bedrooms, office, den + 1 bdrm suite 400 sq.ft studio above 2 car garage Outdoor pergola, sitting areas, fire pit & dining. • Ski to your back door from the Kadenwood ski out!
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Maclean Law is headquartered in Vancouver with offices across British Columbia.
NE WP RIC E
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This hidden gem is situated on a quiet cul-de-sac in Nordic Estates on a 17,000 sq. ft. lot backing onto crown land. This is a rare opportunity to own a home with a ski home trail just steps from your front door. You will love this chalet nestled amongst the trees with its vaulted ceilings and gorgeous gas fireplace in the living room with expansive glazing showing off the beautiful views. The primary bedroom is complimented with a Spa-Like ensuite with views of your private patio and forest. There is a beautifully appointed 1 bedroom suite with a gas fireplace and private entrance. An oversized 2 car garage tops off the fabulous features of this home. There is plenty of storage for your vehicles and recreation equipment. Don’t miss out on securing this home for your family enjoyment.
$3,895,000
T: 604-905-9552 | TF: 1-800-667-2993 | E: tracey@wrec.com
12 JUNE 23, 2022
Like many, I was surprised and disappointed to see that the two development proposals on 4500 Northlands Blvd excluded the existing Whistler Racket Club with no mention of replacing it. I do, however, remain optimistic that this rezoning application remains a once-in-alifetime opportunity for Whistler to receive a significant community benefit. Beedie Living’s
importantly also spend time socializing and connecting (without screens!). Imagine if this centre was also a thinktank and headquarters for developing and encouraging betterment, inclusion and community interaction through recreation and positive, healthy socialization. Imagine if this centre took on a key leadership role in developing strong community bonds within
“Imagine if this centre promoted and enabled active and healthy lifestyles and positive community experiences through recreation. Imagine a place where families gather to recreate, and importantly also spend time socializing and connecting (without screens!).”
motto is “Built For Good,” and I believe they do want to do a lot of good. Imagine how much good we could do if we get this community benefit right. Imagine a centre that is a centrally located, weather-independent, multi-use racket and recreation facility that has a very strong social and community component. Imagine if this centre promoted and enabled active and healthy lifestyles and positive community experiences through recreation. Imagine a place where families gather to recreate, and
Call at 604-602-9000 or visit www.macleanlaw.ca
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Nick Davies, Whistler local and experienced family lawyer practising across BC andYukon.
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Whistler with a priority of being inclusive and accessible to all. Imagine if this centre also took a lead role in improving many social issues such as mental health, daycare and aftercare programs. Imagine if this centre had dorm-style employee housing to ensure that it could always hire good, quality staff. Imagine what we could do if we do this together. Let’s imagine and let’s get this done together for the good of Whistler. Ben Thomas // Whistler n
PIQUE N’ YER INTEREST
The real price of gas MY IN-LAWS recently took advantage of lifted COVID restrictions to take a cruise to Alaska where the temperature reached an unheard of 28 Celsius, a full 12 C warmer than the high in Whistler that day. They had travelled about 1,200 kilometres north of Vancouver, which is almost the same distance as it is to travel south to San Francisco—where it was also colder than Alaska.
BY ANDREW MITCHELL As worrying as those extremes are in the far north, they’re not exactly a surprise— climate change is unfolding more or less as predicted, especially here on the south coast of B.C. While large parts of the world are substantially hotter and dryer—like south Asia and the drought-plagued southern United States—long-range forecasts for this part of the world are for cooler and wetter seasonal weather, but with more frequent heat waves and dry spells during the summer to bump up the inevitable fire risk. The models also call for shorter winters, higher winds, and more intense storms. The effects of climate change are real, serious and worse than any of us expected. In the past 12 months, this region has set
at least five major weather records that I’m aware of. The heat dome of 2021 set a new summer temperature record over 42 C, smashing the old Whistler high by about six degrees. Usually, weather records are broken by a single degree or, more often, a few tenths of one degree. Six degrees is a massive jump. I went for a trail run a few days after the worst of the heat and experienced a literal rain of needles falling from trees that had dried out and were going into survival mode. That event was followed by a terrible wildfire season across the province. It was only the third worst in terms of total area burned, but B.C. did set a record for the most fires happening at the same time— almost 300 at one point. People living in the Okanagan suffered through air quality advisories for weeks at a time. In the autumn, things got weird. The Lower Mainland experienced two “water tornadoes,” one of which hit ground around UBC in early November. We were driving to the city during the second event, and while we didn’t see the water spout, we did see flashes as transformers exploded on poles in West Vancouver. A little over a week later, rainfall records were shattered across the Lower Mainland with hundreds of millimetres falling on some areas in a matter of days. That triggered massive floods that washed out
sections of almost every major highway system. And it’s not like these highways weren’t built for heavy rain—B.C. already gets plenty of water in a normal year. The end of December and early January gave us a record cold snap with temperatures hovering around -20 C for more than a week, causing pipes to freeze and burst all over Whistler. It was a natural disaster that caused millions of dollars in property damage. And now June-uary has returned to Whistler with a vengeance. Although the weather was improving when I submitted this column, Vancouver got a month’s worth of rain in the first week of June and was on track to have one of its coldest Junes in history. As of last week, the city had only one day where the temperature hit 20 C in all of 2022. I don’t know if Whistler set any kind of records, but I did compare our daily highs on the Environment Canada website and temperatures have been hovering at three or four degrees below average for months now. We’re not the only region experiencing crazy weather—far from it. Judging by the news, there is reason for concern practically everywhere on the planet, from the Arctic to the Antarctic and all points in between. The distant threat posed by increasing greenhouse gases isn’t so distant. The unknowns are rapidly becoming clear.
IT'S ATV SEASON!
Climate change is now being recognized as a contributing factor in all of these weather events and natural disasters as concentrations of carbon dioxide hit levels the planet hasn’t seen in about 4 million years. Yet, even as climate disasters kill thousands and cause billions of dollars in damage, all some people want to talk about these days is the price of gas. I get it, expenses are going up and life is harder now for people already struggling with the high cost of living. But the reality is that while we’re focusing on the price of gas, the actual cost of gas—billions of dollars lost in one climate catastrophe after another—is taking a back seat. At this moment there are proposals across Canada to eliminate, or at least pause, the carbon tax, even though it’s a far smaller contributor to the price at the pumps than the war in Ukraine, supply cuts by oil producers, and some likely gouging on the part of oil and gas companies taking advantage of the chaos. But if there’s one thing the last year should have taught us it’s that we can’t ignore the real cost of gas anymore—floods, fires, droughts, food shortages and crop failures, rising claims and insurance rates, and other impacts. If it takes unaffordable gas to force people to finally make changes then maybe there’s a silver lining that we’re missing. If not now, then—honestly—when? ■
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NEWS WHISTLER
RMOW’s 2021 SOFI report highlights a rebound in visitation and construction in Whistler THE MUNICIPALITY COUNTED 156 EMPLOYEES WHO MADE MORE THAN $75,000 IN 2021
BY ROBERT WISLA THE ANNUAL Statements of Financial Information report (SOFI) received by the Resort Municipality of Whistler’s (RMOW) mayor and council on June 21 shows a municipality bouncing back from COVID-19. The SOFI report is a regulatory requirement for all British Columbia municipalities and must be submitted by June 30 each year to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs. The purpose of the SOFI is to report the financial statements and disbursements for employee remuneration, as well as goods and services. The report shows the top earners at municipal hall who brought in more than $75,000 in total remuneration. This year, 156 employees made the RMOW’s list of top earners, up from 128 in 2020. Of those 156 employees, only one person made more than $200,000 in 2021: CAO Virginia Cullen, whose total remuneration (which, for all employees on the SOFI list, includes things like employee contributions to the Canada Pension Plan, employment insurance and health benefits) was $231,834. Eight people made more than
PAYDAY Whistler’s mayor and council watch a presentation on the annual Statements of Financial Information report at the June 21 council meeting. PHOTO BY ROBERT WISLA
14 JUNE 23, 2022
$150,000, including: GM of infrastructure services James Hallisey ($187,960); GM of resort experience Jessie GresleyJones ($186,896); GM of corporate and community services Ted Battiston ($183,457); director of human resources Denise Wood ($175,901); director of planning Mike Kirkegaard ($168,205); Fire Chief John McKearney ($167,939); Deputy Fire Chief Chris Nelson ($151,679); and
purchasing agent Kevin Murray, who expensed $5,700. The rise in IT expenses is due in part to the April 2021 cyber attack that crippled the RMOW’s online infrastructure. “We had the April 2021 cybersecurity incident, and so that does make 2021 look a bit different. There would have been some increased overtime in the IT department to manage that,” said Cullen in a media
“I think this [SOFI] document represents the priorities of our community and its local government.” - JACK CROMPTON
Whistler Housing Authority GM Marla Zucht ($150,834). Remuneration for the RMOW’s top 156 employees totalled $16,515,284, more than half of the $30,949,337 the municipality spent on remuneration in total in 2021. The remaining $14,434,053 was spent on employees earning less than $75,000. Employee expenses were up in 2021, from $254,727 in 2020 to $338,140 in 2021, a difference of $83,000. The highest expenses came from fire inspector Caine Tsujimura, who expensed $7,005; IT manager Phil Cartwright, who expensed $6,139; and
briefing on June 20. While wages make up a substantial chunk of the municipal budget, provisions of goods and services were by far the most significant expense for the municipality. The RMOW paid $80,253,740 for goods and services in 2021—a $10-million increase from the $70,051,002 reported in 2020. Construction companies made up the vast majority of payments. The largest payments in this category were to BC Transit ($5,098,037), followed by Coastal Mountain Excavations ($4,927,509), Corona Excavations ($3,704,682), Receiver
General ($3,314,999—for local policing costs), GFL Environmental Inc. ($3,188,039) and Tourism Whistler ($2,512,484). “You’ll see significant progress in the development of resident housing,” said Mayor Jack Crompton, pointing to the site work and construction underway in Cheakamus Crossing, which includes two four-storey apartment buildings with 100 employee-restricted ownership units, as well completion of the 45-unit WHA rental building at 1330 Cloudburst Drive. “I think this [SOFI] document represents the priorities of our community and its local government.” While expenses were up in 2021 compared to 2020, so too was revenue due to increased visitation as COVID-19 restrictions were eased, allowing more tourism. “We had increasing demands for municipal services due to increased visitation and development in the community. So we saw an uptick in the visitation, and that’s reflected in our contractor costs and time spent,” Cullen said, noting that the increased visitation, along with growth in assessed values in the community, has also led to revenue increases. There’s also MRDT, or hotel tax revenue, which began to increase in 2021 as visitation returned. “Which is a good thing,” Cullen said. “We continue to be focused on reserve contributions for the maintenance and replacement of municipal infrastructure.” Find more info at whistler.ca/budget. n
NEWS WHISTLER
Would a vacancy tax work in Whistler? It depends who you ask AS VANCOUVER SEES DROP IN EMPTY HOMES, OTHER B.C. COMMUNITIES SAY SIMILAR TAX HASN’T HAD INTENDED EFFECT
BY BRANDON BARRETT ONE OF THE MORE eyebrow-raising stats found in Whistler’s trove of 2016 Census data was that a whopping 61 per cent of privately owned dwellings in the community sit empty or at least temporarily occupied for a good chunk of the year. For a town that has been wrestling with ways to combat a rental housing shortage for years now, it is this lever that would seem the most obvious to pull on. Compared to just four per cent in Squamish, and nine per cent B.C.-wide, Whistler’s vacancy rate sticks out like a sore thumb. And while we unfortunately don’t yet have an updated 2021 vacancy rate from Statistics Canada, we do know from a local housing survey done last year that just 10 per cent of all market residential properties in town are rented on a long-term basis to residents (although that number rises to 75 per cent when looking at secondary suites). With the right incentive, could even a fraction of those homes that remain empty for the better part of the year be offered to local renters? Well, it depends who you ask. Since 2018, the B.C. Government has had its Speculation and Vacancy Tax in place “to help root out speculation and
Those include an agreement with Airbnb to ensure it collects both PST and the Municipal and Regional District Tax (MRDT) on all its accommodations, as well as expanding the allowable use of MRDT to include housing affordability initiatives. “We are open to continuing to have conversations with municipalities about the various tools available to create moderation in their housing markets, while also being sure we consider the effects that varying taxes and measures at different levels of government will have on homeowners and the housing market,” Robinson said.
MIXED REVIEWS There are nine regions in B.C. with the Speculation and Vacancy Tax (SVT) in place, and opinion remains divided as to whether the tax—0.5 per cent of the assessed value of a home for Canadian citizens and permanent residents, and two per cent for foreign buyers and satellite families—is having its intended effect. “Targeting specific areas is not good planning policy and it’s not working,” said Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog, who believes the tax is simply encouraging real estate investment outside the city where the tax doesn’t apply. “For the end that it is aimed at
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discourage empty homes in the province’s largest urban centres,” wrote B.C. finance minister Selina Robinson in a statement to Pique last week. Whistler, as we all know, is not an urban centre, but a recreational resort with a large proportion of second homeowners and part-time residents, many of whom prefer to keep their space available year-round for their own use. An important cog in Whistler’s economic engine, it is safe to say the impetus to slap a provincial tax on the resort’s second-homeowners isn’t quite the same as in other B.C. hotspots. “Whistler is a resort municipality, not a major urban centre, and we have worked with our partners to bring in measures that respond to this particular region,” Robinson said.
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providing, which is to encourage people to rent their premises, I don’t think it’s been that successful,” he added. “The whole point of the tax is not just to raise taxes, it’s to encourage more supply in the market by ensuring that the vacant homes enter the rental market. This is not going to do it.” The City of West Kelowna has pushed back against the provincial tax as well. Earlier this year, the province rejected the City’s second request to be exempt from the speculation tax, with elected officials arguing the levy is mostly paid by Canadians, not foreigners. According to provincial data, for the third straight year, more than 99 per cent of
SEE PAGE 16
>> JUNE 23, 2022
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NEWS WHISTLER << FROM PAGE 15 British Columbians are exempt from paying the tax and 93 per cent of the revenue collected has come from non-B.C. residents. In West Kelowna, data showed that foreigners and satellite families paid just 30 per cent of the $1.4 million in speculation tax collected for 2019, while B.C. residents and other Canadians accounted for nearly 70 per cent of the total. “We have, on many occasions, demonstrated to the provincial government the reasons why the Speculation and Vacancy Tax should be eliminated in our City and our position remains unchanged,” read a statement provided to Pique from the City of West Kelowna. “The significant negative, demonstrable impacts of the inequitably applied SVT outweigh any marginal and unquantified gains that may or may not materialize in West Kelowna in future.” In its evaluations, the City said the province’s statistics “clearly indicated that the SVT has continually failed to align with the provincial objectives,” specifically when applied to West Kelowna. “In some instances, the vacancy rates here are even better than places where there is no SVT,” the statement went on. “Furthermore, funds collected from the SVT, which were meant to be reinvested in attainable housing in West Kelowna, are not being equitably reinvested directly within the City’s housing market; however, investments are occurring in many
municipalities where the SVT is not applied.” Whatever the case may be in each of the respective communities the SVT applies to, it’s hard to argue with the B.C.-wide numbers. Between 2018 and ’20, the province raised $231 million in revenue from the SVT and housing analysts estimate it helped add about 20,000 housing units to B.C.’s long-term rental market in that period. Over time, the number of property owners paying the SVT has dropped, either because owners have rented their properties out, have sold the property or claimed it as their principal residence. In 2018, the tax applied to 8,920 properties. By 2020, that number had fallen to 6,556.
‘PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING’ Before the SVT, there was the City of Vancouver’s Empty Homes Tax, a councilled initiative first introduced in 2017 to rein in the city’s rampant vacancy rates and foreign speculation. City Councillor Adriane Carr has been a fan of the tax since Day 1 for two main reasons. “One, it has ended up returning empty homes to the market that are actually being lived in,” she said. “The second is, for those who still don’t return the homes to the rental market, we’re getting revenue, and it’s around $30 million or so a year. We have been using that to actually acquire rental housing, so it’s a win that way, too.” Set at three per cent for 2021 and 2022,
HOMECOMING An aerial view of suburban housing just outside of Vancouver, where an Empty Homes Tax has been in place since 2017. PHOTO BY JAMES LEYNSE / GETTY IMAGES
the mayor’s office stated that the rate is estimated to have doubled revenues last year, with the issuance of more than $32 million in taxes and penalties on the number of homes declared vacant. Between 2017 and the end of 2021, the tax generated a total of $106 million for the city.
The number of reported empty homes has fallen steadily as well: 2,193 homes in the first year of the policy, 2,036 in 2018, 1,769 in 2019, and 1,627 in 2020. While the City doesn’t drill down into specific reasons a homeowner may choose to no longer leave their property empty, Carr said as long as the trend is moving in the right direction, she’s satisfied. “It has worked,” she said. “So if the goal of Whistler is to see the occupancy of homes increase … the proof is in the pudding. We were the first jurisdiction to take it on and it’s delivered what we hoped.” In April, Vancouver officials greenlit raising the tax to five per cent, beginning in 2023. There was some worry at the council table over the potential for diminishing returns with the rate rising, coupled with the SVT in other areas of the province. Carr doesn’t share that concern. “Nope, I don’t, and the reason I don’t is because there’s an attractiveness to Vancouver, just as there is an attractiveness to Whistler because of the unique qualities of our cities,” she said. “They’re both beautiful places with incredible advantages in terms of the natural environment and the recreational opportunities, fabulous restaurants and outdoors and wilderness trails. They are pretty special places so I think there will always be people who want to live in Whistler. There will always be people who want to live in Vancouver.” n
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NEWS WHISTLER
Transit in Whistler will be free until Sept. 6; pass discounts until Nov. 1 RMOW WILL ALSO REALLOCATE 550 SERVICE HOURS FROM LOST LAKE SHUTTLE TO OTHER ROUTES
BY BRANDON BARRETT AFTER THE LONGEST transit strike in B.C. history kept Whistlerites off the bus for more than four months, local officials are hoping to entice riders back onboard with free transit through Labour Day and discounts on long-term passes through Halloween. Whistler’s mayor and council approved the incentives on Tuesday, June 21, a week after the union representing local transit workers and BC Transit contractor Pacific Western Transportation agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement, ending the strike on its 137th day. “I know this strike has been an enormous burden on this community,” said Mayor Jack Crompton during the council meeting. “We are committed to earning back our loyal transit ridership and we’re excited to see you onboard again very soon.” Transit will be free through Sept. 5, aligning with the District of Squamish. In an effort to encourage long-term ridership, the municipality is also offering discounts on
monthly, six-month and 12-month transit passes through Oct. 31. Until then, monthly passes will be available for purchase at 30-per-cent off, six-month passes at 40-percent off, and year-long passes at 50-per-cent off. “This is really great. This is clear,” said Councillor Jen Ford. “Squamish is doing this and I think the people who typically would buy a pass are people who would use it every day. They may or may not benefit from the free weekends, so they’re still paying for free transit. I think the benefit we’re looking for is to drive people to see the benefit of long-term transit passes.” The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW), like other local government partners, covers 53 per cent of the community’s operational transit costs, with BC Transit responsible for the remainder. The RMOW also takes in 100 per cent of local fare-box revenue. Over the course of the strike that began Jan. 29, the municipality saved approximately $1.4 million in costs, but missed out on roughly $950,000 in fare and pass revenue. That puts the RMOW’s net savings at about $450,000,
FREE RIDE Following the longest transit strike in B.C. history, the RMOW has agreed to extend free transit to riders through Labour Day, and discounted monthly, six-month and 12-month passes through Halloween. PHOTO BY TREVOR BODNAR
enough to cover the anticipated cost of the loyalty program, which is estimated between $350,000 and $450,000. The municipality can also take advantage of federal-provincial Safe Restart funding, financial relief extended during the pandemic to help transit agencies recoup ridership. The RMOW intends to utilize about $1 million in restart funding in 2022, and anticipates still having another $3.5 million from that fund available at the end of March 2023. “So if we do, we will use that money up over the next couple of years,” said the RMOW’s general manager of infrastructure services, James Hallisey. “We don’t believe that our fare revenues are going to bounce back particularly quickly.” As part of the resolution that passed this week, municipal staff was directed to request BC Transit compensate the RMOW for missed fare-box revenue during the strike, as well as hitting pause on lease-
fee payments for Whistler’s transit facility equivalent to the length of the strike. Also at Tuesday’s council meeting, officials voted in favour of reallocating 550 transit service hours previously intended for the free Lost Lake shuttle to other routes, the equivalent of seven full days of service during the peak December period. “Compared to our usual 74,000 total [service] hours, it isn’t huge, but it’s still significant and can still make a difference,” Hallisey added. The Lost Lake route, meanwhile, will be incorporated into the free Rainbow Park shuttle that was introduced on weekends and holidays in the summer of 2020. Transit service resumed in Whistler Wednesday, June 22. The RMOW had pushed for an earlier restart, said Hallisey, but BC Transit indicated it would have been difficult to get transit going again any sooner. To stay up to date with transit service and schedules, visit bctransit.com/whistler. n
In loving memory
WENDI WARM October 29, 1966 - June 8, 2022
Wendi Warm, a truly remarkable wife, Mum, friend, and local business woman, passed away on her own terms, surrounded by her family, on June 8, 2022. Wendi’s courage and unfaltering positive spirit prevented the cancer, which she had bravely fought off three years prior, from having the last word in her journey. She leaves behind her loving husband Randy, three incredible sons – Phelan Regan (Emilie LaJoie), Will and Beck, her brother Peter Brown (Susan Streeter), and two nieces, Victoria and Nicole Brown. She arrived in Whistler, BC in 1990 and later joined the team at Whistler Real Estate Co. Wendi loved working at WREC, and in 2020, she and her eldest son Phelan, successfully acquired the business. Wendi had great respect and appreciation for the incredible team at WREC, who she considered to be a part of her extended family. Wendi’s most precious and enjoyable moments were with her family and friends, while at her happy place on Green Lake, traveling, skiing, or simply being outdoors. She truly cherished her numerous friendships, and each one was unique and special to her. We will all miss her happiness, genuine love of life, leadership and presence in our lives. Wendi’s Celebration of Life service is planned for July 22, 2022 at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler beginning at 2:00 pm. Friends and family are welcome to attend. Wendi and her family are grateful for the loving care provided to her by Dr. Karin Kausky, Dr. Nathalie Lavasseur, Dr. Brenda Millar and Dr. Peter Bull, the wonderful nurses at the Squamish General Hospital cancer clinic and generous caregivers at Squamish’s Sea to Sky Hospice Society. Wendi had asked that any donations in her memory be made to the Sea to Sky Hospice Society.
WWW.WHISTLERLAWYER.CA adam@whistlerlawyer.ca | 604.905.5180
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NEWS WHISTLER
Man who ran ‘illicit’ Whistler cannabis delivery service sentenced in court CBD DELIVERY OPERATOR PLED GUILTY; WAS ‘MOTIVATED SOLELY BY GREED AND THE LURE OF EASY MONEY,’ JUDGE SAYS
BY BRANDON BARRETT A WHISTLER MAN who pled guilty to drug possession and trafficking charges after running an illegal cannabis delivery service has been sentenced to probation and fined in a North Vancouver provincial court. In March, Simon Letellier, 40, pled guilty to one count of cannabis possession and one count of cannabis possession for the purpose of selling it, and earlier this month, was sentenced to a $6,000 fine and two years probation. Judge J.C. Challenger wrote in her June 9 decision that the offence by Letellier, a father of two who earned approximately $2,000 a month in Whistler doing bathroom renovations, was “motivated solely by greed and the lure of ‘easy money.’” Letellier told the court he took the opportunity, offered by an acquaintance, to make extra income by managing the inventory of the illicit online delivery service, called CBD Delivery. The distribution scheme involved a website, where purchasers would request their product online, provide an address and pay cash upon delivery.
Letellier denied participating in the delivery of product and was involved in the scheme for four months before being arrested last year. An investigation by local police found that Letellier had a total of four vehicles registered in his name that were used to deliver cannabis throughout the Sea to Sky. Over the spring of last year, the vehicles and their drivers were under surveillance
further surveillance “led to the belief” that the product had been moved to an Econoline van, according to the ruling. Later, investigators observed the vehicles attending to a motor home registered to Letellier. On June 6, 2021, Letellier was arrested as he left the motor home. A subsequent search uncovered two small paper bags that appeared to each contain an order of dried cannabis. He was also in possession of two cell phones, $210
“Mr. Letellier says he has been specifically deterred by his arrest, the process of facing charges in court and now a conviction for criminal offences.” - JUDGE J.C. CHALLENGER by police, and when stopped, the vehicles “contained significant amounts of product and cash, along with cell phones,” the court filing read. Letellier and others were observed operating the vehicles. The vehicles were also observed frequenting a container in a storage facility. The storage company eventually evicted the leaseholder due to suspicious activity, before
in cash, and keys to his motor home. The product found in the motor home had a total estimated value of $64,333, and included individually packaged dried marijuana, packaged joints, various CBD gummies, oils and cannabis-infused sugar for making edibles. There were also “numerous edibles named as, and packaged to appear to be, popular brands of candy marketed to children,” which is illegal. Two
hundred dollars in cash, rolling papers and lighters were also located. Two of the delivery vehicles were subsequently searched, and a pair of cell phones was located, one of which was receiving email requests for delivery. With no prior criminal history, Letellier pled guilty early in the process and waived his right to a trial. “Mr. Letellier says he has been specifically deterred by his arrest, the process of facing charges in court and now a conviction for criminal offences,” the judge wrote. “He knows he will now face limitations on his ability to travel to the United States and potentially other countries. He will be unable to access his boat in Florida or share time there with his children.” The Crown pushed for a $10,000 fine and a three-year probation term, including 100 hours of community service. Letellier’s counsel submitted that a fine of $3,000 would be appropriate “taking into account his moral culpability and ability to pay” and urged the court to impose an 18-month probationary period. Ultimately, the judge settled on a
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NEWS WHISTLER
Whistler Search and Rescue mourns ‘beloved’ member Toby Salin VOLUNTEER WAS FOUND DEAD JUNE 18 NEAR LILLOOET LAKE
BY BRANDON BARRETT THE WHISTLER Search and Rescue Society (WSAR) is mourning one of its own, 51-year-old Toby Salin, who was found dead near Lillooet Lake on Saturday, June 18, authorities confirmed. Salin was last seen in Pemberton around 9 a.m. on June 16, and his truck was later located off West Lillooet Lake Road around the In-SHUCK-CH Forest Service Road, southeast of Pemberton, according to police. An eight-year member, Salin “was and is a beloved member of the Whistler Search and Rescue family,” said WSAR president Brad Sills in a phone call Monday, June 20. “He brought to the team’s toolbox a high level of skills in ski touring, snowmobiling and a really dry sense of humour, which was very much appreciated.” A complete search of the area involved numerous agencies, including searchand-rescue members, the RCMP and local residents. “Pemberton RCMP would like to thank all those who supported the search including: Pemberton SAR, Blackcomb Helicopters, LMD Air Services, LMD ERT,
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RCMP IPDS, Stl’atl’imx Tribal Police, RCMP speciality sections, Whistler RCMP, the local residents, and most importantly the friends and loved ones,” police said in a release.
to describe. “You do it because it’s what you’re trained to do and because its one of your own and the aftermath results in a lot of soul searching and discussion among friends,”
access to counselling and professional support thanks to funding on behalf of the BC Search and Rescue Association. The RCMP said there would be no further information or media availability connected to this investigation. Meanwhile, an online fundraiser has been started to assist with the cost of education for Salin’s two young sons. “We want to support [the boys] in their long journey and make sure they have the funds to continue their education and go to university if they choose,” the campaign reads. So far, more than $13,000 of the $25,000 goal has been raised. Find the campaign at gofundme.com/f/karl-andrewpattersonsalin. n
“He brought to the team’s toolbox a high level of skills in ski touring, snowmobiling and a really dry sense of humour, which was very much appreciated.” - BRAD SILLS Not the first time local rescue crews have had to search for one of their own, Sills said it is an experience that’s difficult
he said. “We band together and reach out to professionals in times like this.” Sills noted local SAR members have
CANNABIS DELIVERY SERVICE FROM PAGE 19 fine of $6,000, taking into account that Letellier had already forfeited nearly $10,000 in value relating to the seizure of his vehicle and motor home and was prepared to perform community service. He will be placed on probation for two years and is required to complete 240 hours of community service. Letellier may apply to terminate his probation as soon as his hours are completed and the fine is paid in full.
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Factoring into Challenger’s decision was the “need to strongly discourage the ‘black market’” for cannabis, with such distribution schemes undermining “legitimate businesses which must operate as ‘brick and mortar’ retail establishments and amounts to unfair competition for those who invested in obtaining the necessary licenses and permits to operate those retail outlets.”
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The court documents also note there were two other illicit cannabis delivery schemes in operation in Whistler at the time Letellier was arrested, which “only serves to demonstrate the great profit potential for such schemes,” Challenger wrote. “This supports the need for the Courts to impose denunciatory and deterrent penalties sufficient to send a strong message condemning such conduct.” n
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THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS, LOCAL BUSINESS SUPPORT AND PARTICIPANTS
June Features
Art Junction Gallery & Frame Studio Harvey Lim Aurora Winter Author Blackcomb Liquor Store Bowen Island Herb Salts Camp Lifestyle & Coffee Co. ChicaDee Designs Creekside Market Dave Omerod Erika Durlacher
AUCTION CONTRIBUTORS
Farmers Market Squamish Fresh St Market
Frontier Pharmacy Pemberton Funky Monkey Boutique - Squamish Garibaldi Graphics Get the Goods Gibbons Hwy Diner - Pemberton Infusion Premium Foods - Jason Nichol Legs Diamond
Lindsay Kendall Meadow Park Sports Centre Mountain Home Décor Function Junction Old Spaghetti Factory Peak Performance Pemberton AG Foods Pemberton Valley Supermarket Rainbow Liquor Store Re : creation Designs Rimrock Cafe Senka Florist
Sewak’s Independent Rainbow Plaza Sharon Denny Fit Effect Solome Skincare Steamworks Sunstone Golf Club Take a Lump of Clay Angela Flumerfelt The Peanut Butter Queens Town Square Restaurant - Pemberton
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Choice of NY Striploin, Teriyaki Chicken or Wild BC Salmon $20 Jugs of Sake Margaritas & 1/2 price Hot Sake
Trudy Alder & Judy Bonn Whimsy Daisy Designs Whistler Bungee Whistler Day Spa Whistler Ebikes Whistler Reception Services Whistler Town Plaza Whistler Valley Quilters’ Guild Xoco Westcoast Chocolate - Squamish Ziptrek
Sundays thru Thursdays excluding holidays & long weekends
MANY THANKS AND APPRECIATION TO OUR TOP 3 SPONSORS ANDY AND CHERYL SZOCS THE CLARK FAMILY FOUNDATION • NESTER’S MARKET We appreciate the support from our sponsors, local businesses and individuals who participated! Thank you Blenz Coffee, Whistler Grocery Store, Whistler Fire Department, Our Lady of the Mountains and Diana DeMann.
WHISTLER ORGANIZING COMMITTEE Special thanks for Andy and Cheryl Szocs and Cathy Clark of the Clare Family Foundation to matching donations, together we have raised close to $75,000 We are so fortunate to live in such an involved and supportive community! Donations can still be made until June 30th.
DINNER NIGHTLY from 6:00pm Reservations recommended 604.932.2223 / teppanvillage.ca
JUNE 23, 2022
21
NEWS WHISTLER
Whistler Search and Rescue receives $72K in provincial funding MONEY TOWARDS TRAINING AND EQUIPMENT REPRESENTS ABOUT 20% OF WSAR’S COSTS THIS YEAR program is just slightly above 20 per cent what it costs to run the team, so the rest is still fundraising,” Sills explained. With the likely addition of 14 new fullfledged members in 2022 after last year’s membership drive—its first since 2014—
BY BRANDON BARRETT THE PROVINCE has handed out funding for the year to search-and-rescue crews across the province, including the Whistler Search and Rescue Society (WSAR), money that will go towards training and new equipment. In all, $5,961,000 was disbursed for 2022, and $4,918,750 of that was issued directly to ground search-and-rescue organizations across the province. The remainder is used to fund the BC Search and Rescue Association (BC SARA), which represents more than 3,000 SAR members, in its daily operations, which also includes prevention and critical incident stress management programs. “This is our first year to receive sustainable provincial funding and we thank the Province for its support,” a release last week from BC SARA read. “This funding is a unique agreement in Canada and a first for B.C.” Approximately $72,000 in funding was directed to the team in Whistler, which
“It’s a fair chunk of money that we don’t normally have to deal with.” - BRAD SILLS
UP AND AWAY Roughly $72,000 in provincial funding to the Whistler Search and Rescue Society this year will go towards training and new equipment—but only represents about a fifth of the organization’s annual costs. FILE PHOTO
will use the money to train members and acquire specialty technical rescue gear, said WSAR manager Brad Sills. This year’s money represents a 17-percent drop in provincial funding from 2021, when the Whistler team received roughly
$87,000 from Victoria, and only covers about a fifth of WSAR’s annual costs this year. “I think it’s important that people in the valley understand that the money that the government funds through this
Your Invitation to Engage
WSAR has some extra costs this year it wouldn’t normally have to shoulder. Once new members pass their one-year probationary period and are voted onto the team, Sills said it costs about $7,500 to get each new volunteer kitted with the appropriate gear. “It’s a fair chunk of money that we don’t normally have to deal with,” Sills said. “But thankfully we’ve been squirrelling money away for so long now.” n
The Four Host Nations, Lil̓wat7úl (Líl̓wat), xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), along with the City of Vancouver, the Resort Municipality of Whistler, the Canadian Olympic Committee and the Canadian Paralympic Committee have released their concept for a potential games bid for the 2030 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
June 26
Our Vision is that the Games will be a beacon of hope, inspire us to live healthier, to find harmony with the land, to lift each other up, and to build a stronger Canada. Indigenous-led, the Games will leverage and enhance the lasting legacies of Vancouver 2010, while accelerating our shared journey of reconciliation. These will be an inclusive, sustainable, climate-positive Games that will drive change by giving communities, businesses, organizations, and the public a common dream to share, while creating legacies that reflect the priorities and needs of a new generation of Canadians.
July 1
Now is your time to engage, to share your feedback on the vision and insights on what a successful 2030 Games means to you. We encourage everyone to visit GamesEngagement.ca to learn more and complete our survey. Our community engagement team will be in Sea to Sky region and invites you to connect in-person.
22 JUNE 23, 2022
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Squamish Lil’Wat Cultural Centre (Free Admission)
9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Tell your friends and keep your eyes open for the 2030 community engagement team at farmers’ markets and community events in Sea to Sky country.
Lobster Festival at Bearfoot Bistro
SHARE YOUR VIEWS Review of the Representive for Children and Youth Act
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JUNE 23, 2022
23
NEWS WHISTLER
Whistler Secondary School holds Great Cardboard Boat Race GRADE 9 STUDENTS PUT THEIR ENGINEERING SKILLS TO THE TEST ON THE RIVER OF GOLDEN DREAMS
BY ROBERT WISLA ON WEDNESDAY, June 15, Whistler Secondary School Grade 9 students put their engineering skills to the test at the Great Cardboard Boat Race. Two classes of Grade 9 students worked in teams to build boats out of cardboard and duct tape that would float down the River of Golden Dreams. In groups of two and three, students paddled down in their little homemade boats for about 100 metres. In the first round, most of the boats survived the 100-metre trip down the river, yet as successive journeys and portages back to the starting line were made, the boats began to test their engineering strengths. The second round was a bit more difficult as the cardboard boats began to get waterlogged, and by the third round, almost all the boats were done for. Pete Train, the department head of physical education at Whistler Secondary School, and one of the teachers that organized the event, was impressed with
24 JUNE 23, 2022
BOAT BUILDERS Grade 9 students test out their self-made cardboat boats on the River of Golden Dreams on June 15. PHOTO BY ROBERT WISLA
how many boats survived the trek down the lazy river. “This year we gave the students more time to design the boats and dress them up
a bit more,” Train said. “Maybe we should make it a bit more difficult by limiting the amount of duct tape they use next time,” he said with a
laugh. “In all, there were two classes doing it as a project. That’s about 55 to 60 kids, and other classes came over to watch. So that must have been about 100 students altogether participating in the event.” One Grade 9 student, Grayson, said he and his classmates Elliot and Shane built their boat together in two weeks. Their boat featured pool noodles, a pointed bow and a mixture of yellow, red, blue and grey duct tape in a contraption that would bring a smile to Red Green himself. Their boat was reasonably successful in the race, so what was the trick? “Just by having a stable boat. Not too wide and not too skinny, whereas ours has a good balance,” said Grayson. “I think it went really well. Especially because there weren’t really high expectations for it, but in the end, it works, so we’re really happy that it worked.” The event also served as a fundraiser for Whistler Animals Galore, and “did very well,” said Train, who also wanted to send a thank you to Backroads Whistler for providing safety gear and personnel. n
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NOTICE OF DISPOSITION OF LAND Pursuant to section 26 of the Community Charter and in accordance with section 94, notice is hereby given that the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) has disposed by way of sale, three lots in the Lower Cheakamus Valley within the RMOW. The lots are generally known as part of Cheakamus Crossing, Phase 2 and are legally described as:
AB OV E 21 ST EP S
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PLAN EPP111931 LOT 2 DISTRICT LOT 8073 NEW WESTMINSTER DISTRICT GROUP 1 PID: 031-508-511, Folio: 008073.050 PLAN EPP111931 LOT 3 DISTRICT LOT 8073 NEW WESTMINSTER DISTRICT GROUP 1 PID: 031-508-529, Folio: 008073.055 PLAN EPP111931 LOT 5 DISTRICT LOT 8073 NEW WESTMINSTER DISTRICT GROUP 1 PID: 031-508-545, Folio: 008073.065 The nature of the disposition is the irrevocable transfer of ownership of each lot. The RMOW as vendor is holding and transferring these affordable employee housing lots as nominee, agent and bare trustee to its subsidiary and beneficial owner of the lots, Whistler 2020 Development Corp, for the purpose of furthering RMOW employee housing strategies and policies. The price paid to the RMOW is $1.00 plus good and valuable consideration. When divided into individual lots, each lot will be subject to an employee housing restrictive housing agreement and covenant in favour of the RMOW limiting the price and prescribing owner and or rental qualifications. This is NOT an offering for sale or a disclosure statement, but merely a municipal statutory notice. This is the first of two notices respecting this matter. Dated the ___ day of June, 2022.
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25
NEWS PEMBERTON & THE VALLEY
Increased utilities and removal of secondary suites expected for Tiyata Village homes in Pemberton VILLAGE OF PEMBERTON WORKING TO REMOVE ILLEGAL SUITES—BUT WHERE WILL THE TENANTS GO?
BY HARRISON BROOKS THE VILLAGE of Pemberton (VOP) is working to remove non-conforming suites in the Tiyata Village neighbourhood—but it’s not clear how many tenants will be affected, or where they will find new housing. On May 30, the VOP sent a letter to registered homeowners in the neighbourhood informing them of an impending inspection to identify houses with an illegal secondary suite, and the subsequent removal of those suites. “It has come to the Village’s attention that several properties in Tiyata Village may contain non-conforming secondary suites,” read the letter, which asked homeowners who do not have a secondary suite to complete a Statutory Declaration Form stating such and submit it to the Village by Wednesday, June 15. “Please note that if you do not submit a statutory declaration, the Village will assume you have a non-conforming secondary suite. This is in contravention of the CD-5 zoning and will result in being billed the utility rate for a singlefamily home plus secondary suite and enforcement action being taken for the suite to be removed.” Houses with a secondary suite will have to pay the $1,779.50 rate for a singlefamily home plus secondary suite until the suite is removed, at which point utilities will be adjusted back to the $1,186.45 single-family rate. A secondary suite is defined as a selfcontained, habitable unit that is located within the same building as the principal
TIYATA TROUBLE The Village of Pemberton plans to remove all non-conforming secondary suites in the Tiyata neighbourhood. PHOTO BY EDUARDO FONSECA ARRAES / GETTY IMAGES
26 JUNE 23, 2022
residence, but with its own separate entrance. Secondary suites are not allowed in the Tiyata Village neighbourhood due to the zoning regulations established before development. “The zoning for Tiyata Village was initiated in or around 2012 and adopted in 2014. The zoning established the CD-5 Zone, which was for a small lot subdivision, and due to the small lot concept and design, secondary suites were not contemplated as a permitted use due to the density of the area,” said a VOP spokesperson, in an email. “Through several zoning amendments and reviews this direction did not change.”
currently reside. “That would be terrible for us. We were not alerted of anything yet, our landlord lives on the Island and hasn’t told us anything. And with housing here in Pemberton, it’s so hard to find something long-term. We already pay $2,000 a month plus utilities that are basically like $600 or more … which is still a lot for normal people,” she said. “It’s really frustrating to deal with the Village. They feel like with a letter they have informed everyone and that’s not accurate. Most homeowners do not live
“It’s really frustrating to deal with the Village. They feel like with a letter they have informed everyone and that’s not accurate. Most homeowners do not live here, and their tenants don’t always get the correct information, so everything is not done correctly.” - MARIA BRAVO
When asked what the removal of the suites means for anyone currently living in one, and how much time will be given to people to relocate, the VOP could not give a detailed answer, instead stating, “the Village will work with individual property owners through any transition that may be required and will provide generous timelines,” after removal of the suites. A spokesperson could not clarify what is considered a “generous” amount of time. For people like Maria Bravo, who signed a two-year lease and moved into one of the suites in January—and even had a municipal inspector come check out the place and sign off on it before she did—this means the eventual loss of the home where she, her partner and their six-year-old son
here, and their tenants don’t always get the correct information, so everything is not done correctly.” While it’s not yet clear how many suites like this exist in the area, Bravo and her family surely aren’t the only tenants of an illegal suite, especially considering many of the homes in the area were either built with suites already included or in a way that a suite could easily be added, according to Tiyata homeowner Paul Auger. “The house was built with the intent of having a suite in it. If you walk into the house and take a look, we could partition off one wall and that would enclose a complete one-bedroom suite,” he said. “It’s there, ready to be used, the wall just has to be built up and then it’s its own suite. So there’s
probably a lot of houses that were built that way and some of them probably have full ensuites in them.” Bravo and her family, as well as any others in the same situation who are already established in the village with housing and jobs but will need to relocate when the village removes their suites, are set to join an already overcrowded housing market in Pemberton. For a quick glimpse into what the housing market is like in Pemberton, you don’t have to look much further than the Tiyata neighbourhood itself. One Tiyata homeowner, who requested to remain unnamed, tried to rent out the suite that was already attached to her house at the time of purchase, only for the posting to be quickly reported and taken down due to rentals in that neighbourhood not conforming to the zoning bylaws. However, in the few days before it was removed, she said she received “44 messages of people desperately looking for a place to live.” With housing representing one of the biggest ongoing issues in Pemberton, homeowners in the Tiyata neighbourhood, like Auger, understand why secondary suites aren’t allowed in the already compact neighbourhood, even though he believes it is “unfortunate” that these houses, readymade for suites, can’t help alleviate some of the town’s housing problems. But the question remains, if the neighbourhood was not zoned for secondary suites, why were suite-ready houses approved for the neighbourhood in the first place? When asked that question, the village responded that “some houses in Tiyata were built with space on the ground floor that included some amenities typically found in a secondary suite,” but the builders were advised secondary suites were not permitted and were required to disclose that to potential buyers. n
NEWS PEMBERTON & THE VALLEY
Village of Pemberton seeks to remove abandoned vehicles COUNCIL BRIEFS: COUNCIL APPROVES APPLICATION FOR AGE-FRIENDLY GRANT; TOPICS FOR UBCM MINISTER MEETINGS DISCUSSED
BY HARRISON BROOKS
The bylaw amendment will come back for adoption at an upcoming council meeting.
ON JUNE 21, Pemberton council gave
COUNCIL APPROVES APPLICATION FOR AGEFRIENDLY GRANT
first three readings to bylaw amendments that would allow the Village of Pemberton to ticket and tow two recreational vehicles that have been abandoned. In October 2021, a fifth-wheel style recreational vehicle was abandoned in the parking lot at Pemberton Meadows Fields, located north of the VOP on Pemberton Meadows Road in the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District’s (SLRD) Area C. The Village, which leases the property from the Sea to Sky School District, tried to ticket and tow the vehicle, but was unable to obtain consent from the regional district to exercise Village bylaws on the property and lacked authority to enforce SLRD bylaws, according to a staff report to council. Since then, a second recreational vehicle has been abandoned on the property. VOP staff sought a legal opinion, and found that sections of the Community Charter allow the Village “to regulate, prohibit and impose requirements in relation to the use of the property, even though the property is outside the Village’s boundaries, so long as the SLRD provides explicit consent,” the staff report read. Staff is currently seeking formal consent from the SLRD through a bylaw services agreement. The amendments in question make minor changes to language in the VOP’s parks and public spaces use and parking and traffic bylaws to make them broader in scope, expanding the definition of public spaces to include “lands held by the Village” and adding a prohibition against abandoning a vehicle in a public parking lot. In a discussion at the June 21 council meeting, Councillor Ted Craddock raised concerns about the costs required for the Village to tow and store the vehicles until they are disposed of, saying he would prefer the owners of the vehicles remove them from the property themselves. “I want to make it very clear to the community that’s listening that this impacts the taxes, and it just doesn’t seem right that there’s people out there that feel that they have the right to drop stuff off any place on anybody’s land and put it up to the taxpayer to pay for it,” said Craddock, about the costs that would partially come out of the town’s recreation services budget. “I would hope that anybody out there that has any knowledge of who these belong to phone in anonymously. Because if we don’t do that, maybe there are some things in the recreation centre that doesn’t get done because the cost of this is going to be expensive.”
With the Village of Pemberton (VOP) currently undertaking a review of its Official Community Plan (OCP) in order to update the long-term vision of the community, VOP staff, at the June 21 council meeting, requested support for an application for funding to add age-friendly principles into the OCP. If successful in the application, the town would receive up to $25,000 from the BC Healthy Communities Age-friendly Communities Grant Program. While the specific uses for the money, if granted, will be determined later through comprehensive community engagement, changes made could include improvements to mobility and transportation, supports for affordable and accessible housing, and programming through public facilities that are geared toward older adults, according to VOP communications and grant coordinator Vinka Hutchinson. With the approval of council, staff will have until the July 5 deadline to submit their application for the grant.
TOPICS FOR UBCM MINISTER MEETINGS DISCUSSED With the 2022 Union of British Columbia Municipalities Convention set for Sept. 12 to 16 at the Westin hotel in Whistler, VOP staff is seeking input from council on topics, concerns and requests to be presented to the province’s premier and ministers. Because meetings with ministries will be held to just 30 minutes, it is recommended that any requests or issues be restricted to a short summary paragraph and a specific ask. Councillor Ted Craddock raised a pair of potential topics: funding for the Pemberton RCMP once the town’s population reaches 5,000 people, and funding for the Pemberton Valley Diking District (PVDD) for flood mitigation and earthquake requirements. Along the same lines, drawing from a conversation with the PVDD operations manager Kevin Clark, Mayor Mike Richman suggested setting up a meeting with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to speak about ditch and culvert maintenance, which has been part of the flooding problem in certain areas of the valley in the past. With a few more days before the June 24 deadline, mayor and council decided to bookmark the topics and speak with other local agencies about their most pressing concerns before submitting their meeting request. n
JUNE 23, 2022
27
2022ns CLASS OF
n o i t a l u t a r g n o C Whistler Professional Firefighters, Local 3944, would like to
Congratulate our
GRAD 2022
scholarship recipients.
This year they h are Abbey Mellor and Haydn Kuiper. We wish them all the best in their future endeavours.
28 JUNE 23, 2022
Class of 2022
Congratulations WHISTLER SECONDARY SCHOOL GRADS
Congratulations to the class of 2022
From your community grocer! We wish you all the best on your future endeavours.
JUNE 23, 2022
29
Class of 2022
Whistler Secondary School Valedictorian Speech By thomas rasmussen
WHISTLER’S PREMIER VISITOR MAGAZINE SINCE 1980 Get your new edition in hotel rooms and select locations around Whistler.
/whistlermagazine
30 JUNE 23, 2022
NEW SUMMER WHISTLER MAGAZINE IS OUT!
G
ood afternoon staff, students, families, and members of the community. Before we begin, I would like to recognize that we are gathered here today on the unceded, shared territory of the Lil̓wat7úl and Sk̲wx̲wú7mesh nations. I would like to begin by saying that I am incredibly honoured to have been nominated by this graduating class to represent them today. I would also like to give a big thank you to all of our amazing teachers and parents who have supported us throughout the past five years. Thank you for putting up with everything we do, from our constant disruptiveness to our collective inability to show up on time. To Ms. Kirk, Ms. Granbois, our counsellors and all of the coaches, community members and others, I also want to say thank you. We would not be here today if not for the incredible support circle we have here at Whistler secondary. We are who we are today because of everyone that was there for us for the past five years.
It is bizarre to think that for many of us it has been 5 years since we walked through the doors of Whistler Secondary, our minds not yet influenced by Ms. Chevrette’s motivational speeches or Ann’s food for thought. Since then, I think it is fair to say that we have left our mark on this school. Every one of us has our own Whistler Secondary experience, filled with ups, downs, joy, disappointment, and allnighters (not the studying kind). A wise Whistler secondary teacher once said “assumptions are often wrong.” I assumed a lot of things when I moved here. I assumed that I would be a good skier, I assumed that road biking was the cool type of biking. But worst of all, I assumed it would be hard to make friends. There I could not have been more wrong. This class may be pretty rowdy, but I can safely say that you are the kindest group of people I have known. Where others may have ignored the new kids in favour of spending time with friends, you saw the new kids as your friends. That compassion
Class of 2022 and kindness are what make this graduating class like no other. However, as we prepare to make a positive impact on the outside world, it is important to recognize that it is not the same world that it was five years ago. COVID-19, Truth and Reconciliation, Climate collapse, and a war in Ukraine are all testaments to the changing world we live in. These are no longer the challenges of tomorrow but the challenges of today, these are issues that this graduating class will have to face, will have to deal with, and will have to resolve. We are living through this, and although change, including wars, pandemics and political unrest has always been present; the combination of these issues is unprecedented due to the severity of climate collapse and inequality. It is not the same world it was five years ago, but we are not the same people we were five years ago. Every one of us has our own strengths, we are creative, daring, energetic, and funny if nothing else. The potential of this grad class is represented perfectly by how we
worked together for the whole year, by putting on one amazing event after another we managed to fund our entire grad year and prom. Our strength comes from our energy and our teamwork. As we leave to face the challenges of the outside world, as we move into universities, jobs, and other pursuits. That attitude toward collaboration will enable us to do anything, to bring people together, to face new challenges, and to make the world a better place. In the words of Dr. Seuss, “you have brains in your head, you have feet in your shoes, you can steer yourself in any direction you choose.” You all can be anything, go anywhere, and do everything. But whatever any of you choose to do in your life, approach it with the same kindness that you approached every day at this school. Whether it is your first day at university, your first shift at a new job, or your first race of the season, treat everyone there the same way you treated me when I walked through the doors of this school. Through kindness
will come collaboration and through collaboration will come change. So as we move to build a better world, it is not the strength of the individual that will have the biggest impact but it is the power of collective action. Something that every one of you will be able to inspire. The sense of community here is truly one of the greatest things about our time together in high school. In many cases, we have made friendships for life, and we have made them in one of the most beautiful places in the world. We are unbelievably lucky to be able to reconnect throughout our lives in a place of such natural beauty; to renew these friendships, to share our stories, to introduce new friends, and to maintain a connection to the community that has nurtured us throughout much of our lives. And while I am personally excited to have the opportunity to study out of province, I am deeply comforted by the fact that Whistler will always have its place for all of us when we return. To this class of 2022, to say that
these past five years were different from what we imagined would be an understatement. No one could have predicted our high school experience, no one could have predicted the challenges we would have to overcome, and no one could have predicted the friendships we made. And while it may have been an unpredictable adventure, it has surely been a great one. Our high school years have been filled with unforgettable experiences and amazing stories, and I am truly thankful to have been able to spend them with each and every one of you. We have all grown tremendously as individuals here at WSS, and I know that the growth you see in yourself today will only contribute to a better world tomorrow. So go, be inspiring, be collaborative, be kind, be brave, be funny, be the change you want to see in the world; because we are the future, all of us here today. And there is no group of people better suited to changing the world than this class. Congratulations to all of you.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2022
May all of your dreams come true! Congrats to these Creekside Market Gems!
Congratulations to our
2022 REAW Scholarship Recipients
Gavin Hewitt
Emily Stalker Shea Brooke
Pemberton Secondary School Recipient
Simona Kolvek Whistler Secondary School Recipient
Logan Sadan Whistler Secondary School Recipient
Brown Griffin
REAW Sea to Sky Scholarship Recipient
From all of us at
whistlerlistings.com JUNE 23, 2022
31
Class of 2022
Congratulations WHISTLER WALDORF SCHOOL GRADS
Photo courtesy of Whistler Waldorf School
Class of 2022
Whistler Secondary’s 26th Graduating Class
SCHOLARSHIPS AND AWARDS Art Den Duyf Memorial Bursary x 2 Arts Whistler Award Bob Brown/Richard Heine Memorial Rotary Scholarship Bonny Makarewicz Memorial Whistler Pique Award CHBA x 3 Chili Thom Memorial Scholarship Cupe 2010 Award Cupe 779 Award District Authority x 15 Doug and Mary Forseth Scholarship x 2 Dylan Jones Leadership Award Fairmont Scholarship x 4 Gibbons x 3 Gordon McKeever Memorial Scholarship x 2 Gravity Logic Award Jeremy Fairley “Spread Joy” Scholarship
Kelty and Riley Dennehy Scholarship x 3 Margo Fraser Memorial Award x 2 Metronome United “All Rounder” Award x 2 Nesters Scholarship x 5 Real Estate Association of Whistler Award x 2 Resort Municipality of Whistler Award x 6 Rotary Scholarship for Leadership and Community Organization Sarah McSeveney Scholarship Sea to Sky P & VP Award Squamish-Lillooet Regional District Bursary Spring Creek PAC Tony Tyler Memorial Scholarship Vail Epic Promise Scholars Grant Walter Zebrowski Memorial Rotary Scholarship x 2
Wendy Thomson Scholarship x 3 Whistler Blackcomb Peter Xhignesse Memorial Whistler Chamber of Commerce Whistler Firefighters - Louise Buchholz Memorial Whistler Minor Hockey Association Scholarship x 3 Whistler Mountain Ski Club Whistler Real Estate Co. Award x 2 Whistler Scholarship Fund Scholarship x 5 Whistler Seawolves x 2 Whistler Secondary PAC Award Whistler Skating Club x 2 Whistler Youth Soccer Award x 2 WSS Math Team Scholarship x 2
Whistler community businesses, organizations and individuals have been most generous and supportive of Whistler Secondary graduates. We would like to sincerely thank and recognize their contributions that assist our graduates in making their career goals and dreams a reality. Thank you from the students, parents, and staff of Whistler Secondary. 32 JUNE 23, 2022
Class of 2022
JUNE 23, 2022
33
Class of 2022
Congratulations PEMBERTON SECONDARY SCHOOL GRADS
Photos by Josh Dooley Photography
Congratulations to the class of 2022!
• • • •
Despite many challenges these past few years, you kept going and should be proud of what you've achieved.
The Sea to Sky Teachers Association send our very best wishes for a successful future!
THE 2022-2023 PEMBERTON GUIDE on stands now! 34 JUNE 23, 2022
Class of 2022
s n o i t a l u t a r Cong 2 2 0 2 f o s s a l C
PEDAL Show & Shine
Whistler Olympic Plaza July 1, 10 - 11 a.m.
Wishing you the greatest success in life’s next adventure from
Kids, bring your helmets and decorated bikes to Olympic Plaza to put on display for the Pique Newsmagazine judges. Following the judging there will be a small parade with your decorated bikes around the perimeter of Olympic Plaza.
Fabulous prizes available for decorated bikes!
For schedule of events visit www.whistler.ca/canadaday
“If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door” JUNE 23, 2022
35
Class of 2022
Congratulations XET’OLACW COMMUNITY SCHOOL GRADS
Photo submitted
BLACKWATER CREEK we would like to congratulate the following two students on their successful graduation from BWC!!
THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT CHILI THOM MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP Tiago Pereda Takaya Maynard Coral Humphrey Jordana Abraham
DOUG & MARY FORSETH SCHOLARSHIP Jodh Ghuman Emily Sergent Abbey Mellor Brooke Romano
GRAD LEGACY SCHOLARSHIP Dilnoor Gadh
Mason O’Donaghey
Jordan Van De Wetering
Johnny Clifford
We also congrats to Johnny who graduated in 2021 from BWC, it’s never too late to celebrate! Best of luck Mason, Jordan and Jonny on your new adventures at PSS!! The Blackwater Creek Elementary PAC committee
36 JUNE 23, 2022
KELTY AND RILEY DENNEHY SCHOLARSHIP Ashley Knapton Charlie McCullough Adam Turkington
SARAH MCSEVENEY SCHOLARSHIP Corinne Haasen
WHISTLER SCHOLARSHIP
Ashley Knapton Kacey Cox Makaila Machilek Nathan Lee Sacchi Train
WENDY THOMPSON BURSARIES
Takaya Maynard Mardi Williamson Ashley Rain Prescott Ella Noort Zahra Dimma Molly Barton Anna Zhou
WENDY THOMPSON SCHOLARSHIP
Kaida Fieldhouse Cove Beaven Hugo Steiner Jasmine Duncan
WALTER ZEBROWSKI MEMORIAL ROTARY SCHOLARSHIP Emily Stalker Jack L’Estrange
CONGRATS 2022 GRADS whistlerfoundation.com
Class of 2022
EPICPROMISE E E SC C H OL A ARS
Congratulations! to all the Whistler Secondary School graduates of
2022 JUNE 23, 2022
37
SCIENCE MATTERS 2021 FINANCIAL INFORMATION REPORTING The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District Statements of Financial Information for 2021, including the 2021 audited financial statements and the 2021 Board director remuneration and expenses report, will be presented to the Board at the Regular Board meeting held on June 29, 2022, starting at 10:30 am. SLRD Board meetings are being held in the SLRD Boardroom (1350 Aster Street, Pemberton) and electronically. Livestreaming of the meeting (and an on-demand recording) will be available on the SLRD website (https://www.slrd.bc.ca/inside-slrd/meetings-agendas/watch-meetings). The reports are available for public inspection at the SLRD office during regular office hours. The audited financial statements are also available on the SLRD website: www.slrd.bc.ca.
People suffer as climate disrupters rake in massive profits THE LINEAGE of our human species has survived for several million years thanks to a wondrous, interconnected evolution of factors resulting in air to breathe, water to drink and plants, fungi, animals and minerals for food, shelter, tools and clothing. For most of that time, our ancestors lived in relative harmony with the shared natural world. Life wasn’t always easy, but people lived within the limits of what the planet and its stable cycles of water, oxygen, carbon, nitrogen and more could support. Now, with our accelerating numbers, appetites and hubris, we’ve upset the
BY DAVID SUZUKI balance, putting ourselves and most life at risk. We’ve lost our way, our place in nature. For many years, blinded by rapid technological progress and benefits, we could perhaps be forgiven for our inability to see the true picture, despite warnings from those whose analyses found flaws in our methods and thinking. But today’s increasing environmental crises were largely preventable. We’ve known about the “greenhouse effect” since at least 1824, when French mathematician Joseph Fourier described the way gases in our atmosphere retain heat that would otherwise be emitted back into space, maintaining relatively stable conditions for life. Since then, many scientists have demonstrated that pumping increasing amounts of gases like carbon dioxide and
Some of the memo was based on space, atmospheric and ocean research produced for President Lyndon Johnson in 1965, which found burning fossil fuels was adding “billions of tons” of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. The solution, according to the memo, was to develop a long-term energy strategy that included conservation, nuclear power and, for “insurance against over-reliance on a nuclear-energy economy,” research into solar, biomass and other renewable sources. Seeing a threat to their enormously lucrative activities, industry executives mounted a full-scale campaign to deny, downplay or cause confusion about the growing evidence that their actions threaten our survival—a campaign that’s ongoing. With atmospheric CO2 levels now more than 50 per cent higher and global average temperature at least 1.1 C warmer than the pre-industrial era, we’re seeing the impacts: heat domes, extreme weather, droughts, floods, sea level rise, refugee crises, species extinction… the list goes on, and it will get worse unless we stop burning fossil fuels. Yet, a Guardian investigation shows that, with government complicity, the world’s largest fossil fuel companies are planning scores of major “oil and gas projects that would drive the climate past internationally agreed temperature limits with catastrophic global impacts.” Canada is one of “the countries with the biggest expansion plans and the highest number of carbon bombs” and has some of the highest subsidies for fossil fuel companies. Meanwhile, fossil fuel executives are gleeful at the massive amounts of money they’re hoarding, even as most people are
Canada is one of “the countries with the biggest expansion plans and the highest number of carbon bombs” and has some of the highest subsidies for fossil fuel companies. methane—mainly by burning coal, oil and gas—would trap even more radiation, heating the atmosphere and planet. Profit-driven consumerism in the wealthier world, especially North America, spurred a car-centric lifestyle that promoted burning ever greater amounts of valuable carbon stored in coal, oil and gas—as scientists became increasingly alarmed. By 1977, the U.S. Office of Science and Technology Policy sent a memo to President Jimmy Carter titled “Release of Fossil CO2 and the Possibility of a Catastrophic Climate Change.” Noting that “the atmospheric concentration of CO2 is now 12 per cent above the pre-industrial revolution level and may grow to 1.5 to 2.0 times that level within 60 years,” the memo warned that this would “induce a global climatic warming of anywhere from 0.5 to 5°C” which “could be catastrophic and calls for an impact assessment of unprecedented importance and difficulty.”
38 JUNE 23, 2022
feeling the pinch of rising fuel prices. BP CEO Bernard Looney—whose pay more than doubled from 2020 to 2021 to almost US$6 million because of rising oil and gas prices—described his company as a “cash machine,” while company chief financial officer Murray Auchincloss said in a February speech, “Certainly, it’s possible that we’re getting more cash than we know what to do with.” We still have time—and solutions—to slow the consequences of climate disruption and resolve the crisis, but our window of opportunity is getting narrower by the day. We need to put an end to the greed and excess and find our way to a better, safer future for all. David Suzuki is a scientist, broadcaster, author and co-founder of the David Suzuki Foundation. Written with contributions from David Suzuki Foundation Senior Writer and Editor Ian Hanington. ■
THE OUTSIDER
Dumbing down the safety message for backcountry hikers LAST MONTH, BC AdventureSmart began rolling out a series called Trail Specific Safety Videos as part of its annual effort to reduce Search and Rescue (SAR) calls to popular hiking trails. I’ve been on the BC AdventureSmart press release mailing list for years now, and the spring/summer
BY VINCE SHULEY messaging never seemed to change that much. Leave a detailed trip plan with a friend, wear decent footwear, pack water, food and emergency gear, actually carry a map of your route and know how to interpret it etc., etc. A few weeks into the summer, the broken-record safety messaging predictably seems to have fallen on deaf ears. The SAR teams in B.C. begin plucking unprepared and underequipped hikers out of the hills, and the media (including this illustrious publication) run a story with more brokenrecord messaging from SAR leaders. “Always head out with gear as if you’ll need to spend the night in the backcountry…” etc., etc. For the savvy mountain hiker, it triggers eyerolls, head shakes and mutters of “what the hell were these people thinking?” For better or worse, backcountry hiking is now a mainstream activity. One can blame
SMARTEN UP AdventureSmart BC released a series of videos detailing the 11 riskiest hikes in B.C. PHOTO BY VINCE SHULEY
social media all they want, but we all have to accept those accessible trailheads are now perpetually crowded. And with exponentially more people on trails, the likelihood of unprepared and underequipped hikers overextending themselves also increases exponentially, hence the rapid rise in SAR calls and responses. What I like about AdventureSmart’s latest initiative is that they’ve concentrated their messaging efforts on the areas of the highest SAR call volumes. Unsurprisingly, some of the most popular hikes in British
Trail (Sea to Sky), Golden Ears Summit Trail (Maple Ridge), Mount Albert Edward Trail (Comox Valley), Black Tusk Trail (Sea to Sky), The Grouse Grind (North Shore) and Hanes Valley Trail (Lynn Valley). AdventureSmart commissioned detailed videos specifically for each of these trails that include 3D map routes, the best months of the year to hike them, weather resources, and how to follow (quite robust) trail signs, as well as all the aforementioned broken-record messaging. This information has long been available
If you’re pushing for the ridge at 4 o’clock in the afternoon just because there’s another group doing it and the photos are going to be epic, you’re probably not making good decisions. Columbia are also the riskiest. And “riskiest” doesn’t necessarily imply a high difficulty level or increased exposure to hazards such as falling, avalanches or overhead cornices. “Riskiest” in this context simply means more people manage to get themselves into more trouble, statistically. It describes the (un)preparedness level of the hikers as much as the trail itself. The 11 “riskiest” hikes in B.C. are The Stawamus Chief Trail (Squamish), Juan de Fuca Trail (southwest coast of Vancouver Island), Eagle Bluffs Trail (North Shore), Mount Seymour Trail (North Shore), Skywalk South Trail (Whistler), Howe Sound Crest
to those savvy enough to research their route before setting out, but I don’t think AdventureSmart is trying to reach the savvy with these videos. This is for the new entrants, the backcountry curious, the folks who want to get the most out of their summers with their newfound love of hiking in the hills. Add to that the people who follow friends who may appear to know what they’re doing but actual experience says otherwise. What I like most about these videos (other than how professional they look) is how the narrator reinforces how these trails should not be underestimated. I’ll hazard a
guess that many SAR calls are from people letting crowds of other people influence their decisions. If you know your limits and turn around when you get that icky feeling you may be out of your depth, then you’re making good decisions. If you’re pushing for the ridge at 4 o’clock in the afternoon just because there’s another group doing it and the photos are going to be epic, you’re probably not making good decisions. What the videos don’t detail is trail etiquette, and fair enough— AdventureSmart needs to stay on message by communicating the best way to stay safe. But it would be great to have a similar series on how to best deal with approaching wildlife, how to not park dangerously on a mountain pass highway and how to respect your fellow hikers by not blaring music on the trail (see my Outsider rant titled “A case against Bluetooth speakers in the outdoors” from June 2021). It’s a wet and cold start to the summer, which means alpine snow will be hanging around longer than usual. SAR calls will happen, but I’m sure that the hard-working volunteers would appreciate rescuing more people who “did it right” with preparedness, skills and equipment, rather than the ones “doing it wrong” by heading into the backcountry in flip-flops and carrying a sixpack. Let’s hope these excellent videos have some effect this summer. Vince Shuley advocates for smart adventures. For questions, comments or suggestions for The Outsider email vince.shuley@gmail.com or Instagram @whis_vince. ■
JUNE 23, 2022
39
FEATURE STORY
THE BOOM IN BRIDGE RIVER HOW THIS ISOLATED VALLEY NORTH OF PEMBERTON RECENTLY DOUBLED IN POPULATION
40 JUNE 23, 2022
FEATURE STORY
BY
Robert Wisla
Franco Castiglia works as a realtor in Abbotsford. He owns property in Bralorne and has noticed more people moving from the Lower Mainland to more rural areas due to the rising cost of living. “I’ve noticed even as a realtor, even in the Fraser Valley, that a lot of people are moving further out. Like even in the
Kamloops at New Gold’s New Afton Mill or other potential facilities. “We’re not sure yet what the best option is. On the one hand, it makes a lot of sense to take advantage of an existing mineral processing facility that’s in the region, but on the flipside,
ocated 79 kilometres north of Pemberton,
Okanagan, many people are moving to Okanagan or 100 Mile
it’s expensive to move rocks, so you have to do the
through a two-and-a-half-hour drive over the
House,” he says.
economics of it and understand what’s going to work,”
seasonal Hurley River Forest Service Road, lies the sleepy Bridge River Valley. Also known as Electoral Area A of the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD), it
Castiglia’s family bought a place in Bralorne in 1994 and has been coming to the region ever since. His parents purchased the home in Bralorne as a recreational property for him and his brothers to enjoy as kids.
is a unique area unlike any other in the Sea to
“They bought it for us, four boys. A place to go,” says
Sky—or all of British Columbia, for that matter.
Castiglia. “The house was built in 1936 or 1938, around there. It
A region full of beautiful, sweeping
needs some work like most of these homes here, but it’s a great
landscapes, the towering snow-peaked coastal
place to relax.”
notes McPhie. “So those are some of the questions we’re going to try to answer here. The mining would be an underground mining technique. There’s a bunch of different options there for consideration, but really, the question comes once you bring it to the surface: what happens then?” After the resource report is released, the company may move forward with a formal expansion plan. That plan would
mountains stretch more than a hundred
have to go through the Environmental Impact Assessment
kilometres from Lillooet in the east, nearly to Pemberton in the
process, where details of the mine expansion such as the
west.
Mine your business
milling, environmental, and export plans would be reviewed. Mine expansions such as this can take several years to
The Bridge River Valley is home to small localities that each bear their own slightly different history and character. From
ncreased remote work and affordability are just one
become fully permitted. In the meantime, there is another
modern, million-dollar lakefront recreational properties to an
piece of the population puzzle.
large-scale project that will soon be starting construction.
entire abandoned gold-mining townsite that sold for the price of a single-family house in Whistler.
The idea of reopening the Bralorne Gold Mine has come up numerous times over the years as gold prices
Historically, the region had a handful of gold rush
have risen. When the mine shut down in 1970, the
settlements whose names can still be found on the map, like
average price per ounce of gold was $35 ($258 in today’s prices).
Water works
Brexton, Ogden, Pioneer, Minto and Bradian. For the most part,
Now that the price of gold has quintupled to $1,850 per
ithin the next five years, BC Hydro is starting
these settlements have been left for good, with only scattered
ounce, reopening the Bralorne Gold Mine as a more extensive
work on its Bridge River System Upgrades, one
remnants telling the stories of the towns that once were.
underground operation has become a much more attractive idea.
of the most significant hydroelectric projects in
By comparison, today the valley is sparsely populated. The
The Bralorne Gold Mine was reactivated on a smaller scale
remaining settlements are composed of small communities
of about 280 tonnes per day in 1982 by Avino Silver and Gold
spread across the region. These communities are Gun Lake,
Mines, focusing on the mine’s richest known veins.
Tyaughton Lake, Gun Creek, Marshall Lake, Bralorne and the unofficial capital of the area, Gold Bridge. Altogether, these communities used to have about 150 fulltime residents split between them. Almost nothing compared to when the region was in its heyday, when thousands called the valley home.
This reactivation was substantially smaller than in its heyday, but helped keep the communities in the area
Mission Mountain to the community of Shalalth at Seton Lake Reservoir below.
back to approximately 20 employees in the early 2000s. In 2019, the exportation-focused mining company Talisker Resources acquired the mine for about $9 million. Since the acquisition, the company has spent a considerable
affordable housing, and increased tourism, along with
amount of money drilling core samples and exploring the
significant infrastructure projects in the works, including a
property to get an idea of the prospect of expanding the mining
potential gold mine expansion and BC Hydro rebuilding the
operation into a larger-scale project.
has surged over the last five years.
in the Bridge River region, flooding the entire valley. The water of the Bridge River was redirected through tunnels in
employing about 60 people through the 1980s, and then scaled
Thanks to increased remote work opportunities, more
major dams in the region, the population of this remote valley
the province. Between the 1940s and ’50s, three major dams were built
During the exploration and core drilling, the company
The Bridge River Hydroelectric Power project already provides about eight per cent of British Columbia’s power supply and is one of the leading employers in the region. Over the next 10 years, these dams will be upgraded and rebuilt in a billion-dollar project. This is expected to bring hundreds of workers over the project’s lifespan, with many of them likely setting up homes in the region.
employed about 90 people in the region and put approximately
For DeMare, the mine expansion and the BC Hydro project,
When the 2021 census came out, it had some astonishing
$40 million into the local economy. This has contributed to
on top of the existing growth in tourism businesses, represents
statistics, especially as they related to the Sea to Sky. Nearly
some of the employees setting up shop in the area permanently.
both an opportunity and challenge for the valley.
every part of the SLRD experienced rapid growth in the last five
“Our primary focus as a company is on Bralorne and its
“Let’s put it this way: I made my career in the resource
future, and that’s where we spent the majority of our time and
industry. I worked nine years in an open-pit mine and the rest of my time in the forest industry. So there are benefits to it and
years, but none more so than the Bridge River Valley. Whistler grew by a staggering 19 per cent, Pemberton grew
money and energy there over the last three years. The main
by 32.4 per cent, and Electoral Area A, which makes up the
focus of our efforts has been on taking a sort of a fresh approach
some disadvantages to it. So the benefits, of course, are that the
Bridge River Valley, increased by a whopping 63.1 per cent,
to the deposit itself,” says Mike McPhie, Talisker Resources VP
people will get jobs,” says DeMare.
doubling the number of full-time residents in the region, to 310.
of sustainability and external affairs.
This increase in full-time residents, plus an ever-increasing
“We are taking a fairly systematic approach to understanding
“One of the issues that we have in the valley is that we don’t have very many students in the school, we don’t have a lot of
number of tourists, recreational property owners, and people
the entire deposit and seeing if there’s potential for it to come
families that live full time here. We have lots of new people that
who come to work temporarily in the valley, is bringing the
into being a new gold mine—a modern, safe, sustainable
are buying recreational properties. They got kids because there
valley back to life in a way not seen in decades.
operation in this century, so that’s really what we’re focused
seems to be a younger group moving in that has young families,
“We’ve got a whole bunch of new younger people,” says SLRD Electoral Area A Director Sal DeMare. “Everybody likes
on right now, and it’s gone really well for some time now.” The company’s goal is to publish a report this summer
but they’re not moving here. They’re part-time people. So one of the advantages is the school if people move here.
recreation. Everybody likes the backcountry, snowmobiling
that will define what reasonable estimates might be on the
“If that school closes, we’re done for. If the mine opens up,
and backcountry skiing and mountain biking and dirt biking
ground. If the report comes back with positive results, the idea
there is a possibility that we could get families here, where we
and quading, and the list goes on and on.
of building a larger underground mine could come to fruition.
can keep that school open because it can bring families here.
“We’ve got a whole new demographic here, where if you go
What exactly an underground mining expansion would
back to when the mine was operating, we didn’t have that when
look like would have to be decided at a future date. The mine
we had a much bigger population. Things have changed.”
currently has a tailings pond and milling capacity for 100 to
A large percentage of those new buyers are from the Sea to Sky, DeMare notes.
280 tonnes a day, which works out to about one hauling truck worth of material a day.
I’m in favour of the mine opening up.”
Gold in them hills
“It’s amazing how many people from Pemberton, Whistler
Talisker Resources hopes to expand the capacity of the
and Squamish are buying property up here. A lot of them are
mine to about 1,500 tonnes a day. That would require the
he
younger families, but they’re not full-time. There are a few full-
infrastructure at the site to be substantially expanded, or
complicated history.
time, but not that many.”
alternative models of processing would have to be looked at for
So what is driving this growth?
processing and milling for the mine.
Bridge
River
In the early days, ore was milled, and gold bars were produced onsite, with crushed rock coming up from
Bridge River Valley, along with new technology like Starlink
underground before going through a series of processing steps
rapid rise full of riches, a ledger full of
that allows for high-speed internet even in the most remote
to refine the bars.
quirky characters and ultimately
With the more modern operation the company is envisioning, McPhie says the mined rock could be shipped to
a
In many ways, the region
There is a feeling that the pandemic has pushed more
locations, more people are looking for these kinds of rustic,
has
follows a similar story to the
people out of the city. Due to the cheaper housing in parts of the
isolated havens across the province.
Valley
dozens of other gold mining ghost towns of British Columbia’s early days. With a
an eventual decline to neartotal abandonment.
JUNE 23, 2022
41
FEATURE STORY The Bridge River is the traditional
Then everything changed when gold prices started going
territory of the Tsilhqot’in and St’at’imc
down. As prices sank, so did the fortunes of the communities in the region. The various mines that worked independently
peoples. The region served as a crossroads
would end up getting consolidated into the larger Bralorne
between the two peoples.
Gold Mine, but this did little to offset the harsh economic
In the pre-colonization days, the region was
reality of sinking gold prices.
never heavily inhabited. Its rugged topography made
The mine would begin to lay off workers in waves, and by
travelling in and out tricky, much like today, even with
1971, when the mine officially closed, more than 80 per cent of
our modern transportation.
the housing was vacated in Bralorne, with most of the valuables
Europeans came to the region during the same period as
taken out.
the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush, around 1858. As miners rushed into the Fraser Canyon, searching for riches, their journey
The Bralorne Gold Mine was the largest employer in the
would take them up to where the Bridge River met the Fraser
valley, employing up to half the region, so when it shut down, it
near Lillooet, where gold was plentiful.
was a blow that devastated the communities of the Bridge River.
The first European to discover gold in the Bridge River
Ten years before Blackcomb Mountain would officially open
Valley was a future member of the legislature for Lillooet,
its doors to the world, while Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau was
Andrew T. Jamieson. Jamieson led a government-sponsored
honeymooning at his in-law’s cabin in Alta Lake in 1971, the
exploration party in 1865 through the region. After struggling
largest population centre in the SLRD was coming to a painful end. After a hundred years of gold mining, the Bridge River
through the thick forest of the coastal mountains, they would
Valley’s largest and last mine, the Bralorne Gold Mine, closed
eventually come upon a gold-bearing stream. The stream was teeming with gold, and was named after Evan Cadwallader, who had suggested searching for gold in
Carpenter Lake Road/ Road 40, which remains the primary
its doors for good. Hundreds of workers who had raised their
connection to the region all year.
families in the valley, attended high school, got married, and
A series of claims would be made on the Cadwallader and
the area.
built lives for themselves were left to figure out their future.
After word of Jamieson’s party striking gold in the area
surrounding region in the Bridge River Valley, and dozens of
Many of the houses were abandoned for the elements and
got across the colony, more people joined the hunt. Even so,
little settlements would pop up alongside them as people came
ghosts to inhabit. Some people would attempt to stick it out,
widespread gold mining wouldn’t take off in the region for
from around the world to partake in the gold fever.
many more years, as gold claims were still quite profitable in
By 1928, the fever had died down, and the search for gold
but it wasn’t easy. Without a significant employer in the region and with most of the town moving away, the services such as
the more easily accessible Fraser Canyon and other areas of
in the area had turned into a more organized, corporate affair.
the high school, hospital and eventually the bus service would
British Columbia.
Many of the original mining claims were bought out, and the
all stop, and the towns slowly fell apart.
This would change after a man named Harry Atwood made a claim on Cadwallader Creek in 1897 that would become one of the
resources needed to be increased as the gold mining turned into deeper underground mining.
The headline from The Province newspaper screamed, “BRALORNE: TOWN DIES.” The article described how the plan at the time was to burn the company town to the ground and let
most famous claims in the province’s history: the Pioneer Claim.
In 1928, Pioneer Gold Mine was incorporated as an
The miners had to bring in all their equipment by
underground mining operation. Shortly after, the Pioneer
horseback, which was no easy task for either the miners or
townsite was founded, schools were built, and as more people
“The old houses and mine buildings will be set afire when
the horses. Access has always been difficult for getting into
came, so did more houses, dance halls, and banks. You name it.
the rains come. This is the present plan of management. When
the Bridge River region. The easiest way was through Seton
The modern history of the region was born.
and Anderson Lake or Pemberton up to McGillivray Pass,
Between 1930 and 1960, more mines opened up, and new townsites like Bradian were built. Eventually, Bralorne,
connecting Anderson Lake with Bralorne. Access to the region would not get easier until the Great Pacific Eastern Railways were pushed through Squamish,
Bradian and Pioneer became essentially one large town with thousands of people and all the amenities you can think of.
the forest reclaim it.
salvagers have picked out the iron from the ashes, the weeds and forest will start to grow back over the stony ground,” wrote reporter Art Mackenzie in the 1971 article. Most of the houses in the Bralorne area were built in the 1930s and, nearing 40 years old when the mine closed,
Whistler, Pemberton and Lil’wat, N’quatqua and Tsalalh territory.
“During its heyday in the 1930s to the 1950s, there were
renovations were desperately needed. The miners’ houses
Interestingly enough, the current Hurley River Forest Service
between 3,500 and 5,000 people working here, and every year,
were built quickly and cheaply, primarily out of wood and
Road that connects Pemberton with the Bridge River Valley goes
they had to keep building more houses,” says Bralorne Pioneer
some without stone foundations. Some viewed it as more cost-
Museum curator Janis Irvine.
effective to wipe the slate clean.
through the railroad pass, as that was the original planned railway route connecting the Cariboo to the coast. People would eventually flock to the region on the
“Every employee contributed into the pot and the actual
Fortunately, this idea of remediation didn’t go ahead.
companies, both Pioneer and Lorne mine, contributed the
Although many of the buildings in the area would end up being
train until Mission Mountain at Tsalalh (Shalalth),
same amount until 1960 when everything became Bralorne
where the journey would take them over several
-Pioneer mines. That’s why there were schools, skating rinks,
perilous switchbacks over the mountain and into
theatres, baseball diamonds, everything that you can think of in a modern-day town in Vancouver was here.”
the valley.
torn down, the main townsite of Bralorne was saved by a group of brothers from Vancouver. Frank, John and Gerry Whitling bought the town from the mine (excluding the mine itself) and formed Marmot Enterprises.
From there, it was a journey along the
Bralorne, Gold Bridge and the rest of the Bridge River
Over the following years, Marmot Enterprises would
flat Bridge River Valley to Gold Bridge and
region were booming during those days. Dances and banquets
upgrade the town’s sewer, water and streetlights and then
Bralorne at the end of the valley. Once
were held in the big hall. There was a high school, a Bank of
subdivide the property into individual lots sold to people from
Montreal, and even a full-fledged hospital.
across the province.
the massive BC Hydro dams were reservoirs
Things were going well for the region. While it was and still
Houses were sold for between $14,000 and $26,000
created, this route would
is quite isolated due to challenging topography and poor road
(between $96,645 and $179,483 in 2022 prices), pretty
connections, the towns in the area thrived for decades.
affordable even for back then. The original dream was a remote
built
and be
the
replaced
by
Now ng! Hiri
FUNCTIO N JUNCT ION WE HA MOVEDVE ! OPEN 10-6 We have moved! Now located in Function Junction. 14-1100 Millar Creek Rd, Whistler Contact us at 604 938 0075
42 JUNE 23, 2022
FEATURE STORY HISTORICAL PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE BRALORNE PIONEER MUSEUM. ALL OTHERS TAKEN BY ROBERT WISLA. retirement community; however, since the hospital shut down and doctors moved away, it became clear that recreational
an SLRD community park in 2013, which remains to this day. A similar story is happening to the old Bralorne Pioneer
comes to growth, hoping things stay the way they are as a quiet valley, for DeMare,
Mine headquarters, a larger stone building that stands out
sustainability is the key to dealing with
This has remained case across the region, for the most
among the wooden structures of the settlement. In its hundred-
change in both tourism and population growth
part. Non-resident property owners make up the majority of
year history, it served as the town hall, the mine headquarters,
in the region, and making sure people respect the
homeowners in the area, with many visiting their “cabins” on
a private residence and even a laundromat.
environment and the communities they are in.
users would become the predominant owners of the town.
holidays or long weekends. Some people moved to the region
Thanks to recently received grants it will be turned into
full time to get away from it all—a tranquil place with striking
the new home of the museum for the community, along with
mountains, no cell service and next to no prying eyes.
accommodation for a future caretaker onsite. In a funny
only the communities you’re travelling through but also
roundabout way, the museum that began in the building a
our environment and our wildlife.” ■
Today, Bralorne features a mixture of renovated properties with new siding and modern roofs interspersed
“It’s a continual effort to educate people,” he says. “People that come into the valley, you must respect not
hundred years ago is now returning to where it all began.
among abandoned buildings that haven’t received attention in decades. The cracked, peeling paint and sagging ceilings characterizing some buildings contrast with the modern-
Growth spurt
looking properties that sometimes sit literally across the street.
he Bridge River Valley will remain for future
As the population has risen in the Bridge River Valley, so
generations a place of immense history and beauty,
have efforts to rejuvenate some of the older buildings to bring them back into working order. The Bralorne Church, in some ways, is a good
which one feature alone cannot truly do justice. To deal with the rapid growth, the SLRD has launched a review of its Official Community Plan
representation of the community as a whole. At one point in
for the area, and will be seeking the community’s input into
time, it was the centre of a bustling town. The church would be
what the future of the region should look like.
packed with people who would regularly come together to get
Although many in the region have trepidation when it
married, christened and have potlucks. Named the Boultbee Memorial Church after secretarytreasurer of Bralorne Mines W.W. Boultbee, it was built by the company in 1936 along with most of the town. Much like the community as a whole, as the gold mines grew unprofitable, the pews that once held the prayers of a whole town began to empty; the once-bustling church began to weather the elements. The white paint began to chip and crust away as the roof itself began to open to the heavens above. Rather than let the church fall to ruin, the remaining people in the region rallied together in 1999 and brought it back to life. The building was painted and eventually became
JUNE 23, 2022
43
SPORTS THE SCORE
First ever XFONDO race takes place in Whistler GRANFONDO OFFSHOOT GIVES CYCLISTS A TASTE OF EVERYTHING WHISTLER HAS TO OFFER, FROM ROAD RIDING TO GRAVEL TO TRAILS
BY HARRISON BROOKS ON SATURDAY, June 18, 250 cyclists crowded the paths, trails and roads of Whistler for the first ever XFONDO bike race. Created by the organizers of the GranFondo—the annual Sea to Sky road race that starts in Vancouver and ends in Whistler—the brand new XFONDO was designed to challenge the participants and get them out of their comfort zones, according to the race’s marketing director Oliver Cartmell. “The first thing to say is that it’s completely new as far as we can understand in the world of cycling. As event operators, we’ve been traditionally creating worldclass road events, but we really wanted to challenge ourselves as well as road riders to get a little bit more out of their comfort zone than they are used to,” said Cartmell. “We’re lucky to be in this environment and we know there’s a ton of really cool stuff out there, so we thought, ‘how can we bring that to people?’ The XFONDO really was that calling to the wild to see what’s out there.” It’s worth noting the XFONDO is not purely a cycling event, Cartmell added. “We really want to have the celebration afterwards be almost the focal point,” he said. “Just more down-to-Earth, more fun and keeping it local. I think XFONDO really is designed to be for the communities that it goes into.”
FUN ON FONDO It was all smiles as racers took their bikes off-road at the first-ever Whistler XFONDO last weekend. PHOTO BY TLBVELO PHOTOGRAPHY
44 JUNE 23, 2022
The race kicked off on Saturday with a mass-start foot race to the bikes before contestants hit the trails for one of two race options: a 30-kilometre route or a longer 60-km route. Each category started in Spruce Grove with a couple laps around Lost Lake before taking riders up the highway past WedgeWoods. Contestants in the 30-km event turned around near the Pemberton Speedway before travelling back down the highway, ending back in Spruce Grove. Those racing in the longer version continued past the speedway, doing a loop near Mount Currie before also returning to Spruce Grove.
entertained with food and drink and the band [The Hairfarmers],” Cartmell said. “So it was a wet start, but things eventually warmed up and I think from an internal team point of view, we were super happy with how everything went. It was a super fun thing to put on and we couldn’t have asked for more. It was really a celebration of everything we were trying to achieve, off-road cycling, on-road cycling and just coming together after the pandemic and sharing good times.” For Langley’s Svein Tuft, a professional road and gravel cyclist who was on hand at the event and rode the course in an untimed
“The night before we rode the course, it was dry, sunny and pretty warm. Then the following morning it was just polar opposite. But it was an awesome course.” - SVEIN TUFT
According to Cartmell, not even the wet and rainy conditions to start the day could put a damper on the energy and excitement the participants brought to the event, making the first-annual race a total success. “There was a lot of anticipation in the morning. People didn’t really know what to expect, especially as we’ve been keeping our cards close to our chest,” Cartmell said. And though the day started with “one of those damp Whistler mornings,” the event ramped up once the music and MC got going. “I think people got really geared up and I think they really appreciated the course. Then the post-ride party kept people
course marshall-type role, the race’s unique style, which brings together road, gravel and trail, has the makings of an extremely popular and potentially long-running event here in town. “The night before we rode the course, it was dry, sunny and pretty warm. Then the following morning it was just polar opposite. But it was an awesome course,” he said. “I think it really brought a challenge to a lot of folks who maybe are coming from Vancouver and have ridden some of the gravel loops around there, but this was steep climbs, some good technical sections and really fun, flowing single track. The
whole time you just have a smile on your face, it’s really incredible.” The overall winner for the inaugural XFONDO was Whistler’s own Karsten Madsen, who finished the 60-km course with a time of 2:40:25. Rounding out the top three were Vancouver’s Paul Moffat and North Vancouver’s Matt Shandro with times of 2:45:18 and 2:45:42, respectively. Daamiann Skelton led the way on the women’s side with a time of 3:17:04 followed by Grace Menning and Pam Frentzel-Beyme in second and third, respectively. In the 30-km course, it was Pemberton’s Lauren Robinson setting the pace with a time of 3:04:25 followed closely by Heidi Gropp at 3:05:16. Rounding out the top three was Vancouver’s Dave Fitzpatrick, the top male finisher, with a time of 3:16:52. This being the first-ever XFONDO, Cartmell and the team decided not to open up registration for next year’s event immediately, like they do for the GranFondo, so they have time to debrief, collect feedback from participants and put a plan in place to make next year’s version even better for everyone involved. “We really want this to be an event where people are counting down the days until it happens,” said Cartmell. “The No. 1 question I got asked this weekend was ‘when can I sign up for Year 2?’ We’ve had people online asking the same question, so the demand seems to be pretty high for Year 2. “We will be working hard to bring that to the table and announcing that in the future, but for now, I think the main thing is for people to just put their feet up because it was a hard-earned ride out there on Saturday.” Find more info at xfondo.com. n
SPORTS THE SCORE
Join us for brunch on Saturdays & Sundays from 11am - 2pm. Children are welcome every night until 10pm. Catch all your favorite sports every day! The Patio is open!
NEW CREW Whistler Skateboard Club’s Sam Weston, Finn Finestone and Truth Smith (second, third and fourth from left) pose for a picture after a Saturday session at Whistler Skate Park earlier in June. PHOTO SUBMITTED
Whistler Skateboard Club expands in year two
Planning your perfect Whistler wedding?
WITH NEW COACHES FINN FINESTONE AND JACOB LEGAULT, THE CLUB LOOKS TO INCREASE PROGRAMMING THIS SUMMER
BY HARRISON BROOKS In its second full year of operations, the Whistler Skateboard Club looks to take its business to the next level by expanding its programming as well as its coaching staff. One of the new coaches joining the fold this year is Whistler native and Team Canada snowboarder Finn Finestone, who, as the son of a skateboarder, has been skating since he could walk and is “super stoked” to have an opportunity to help build up a new generation of skaters. “It’s amazing. I’ve always kind of had younger friends over the years that I’ve slightly coached and given tips, but now to have an actual coaching role it feels super cool. It’s new but it feels awesome,” he said. “As a coach I’m just hyped to see some smiles and coach everyone to my ability and then also just learn a lot from everyone else, too. It gives me perspective looking at tricks and looking at basic stuff, so it’s kind of cool and I’m just hyped to bring my knowledge to some new skaters.” When asked about what Finestone and fellow Team Canada snowboarder Jacob Legault—another new coaching addition— add to the club’s coaching staff, WSC creative director Sam Weston pointed to the excitement it generates among the younger generation to be able to spend time with some of the town’s iconic sports figures. “It just shows that the club is growing and it also gives kids more coaches to work with, which is great. When you are a young kid you get more perspective from the different coaches you are out there working with,” said Weston. “[Now] we can have very focused private coaches or camp
coaches. Last year we were pretty spread thin on staff, and we had one coach in Truth [Smith] running around trying to do it all. “Now we just have a breadth of coaches … it just helps make the program better and we can deliver a little bit better product that way.” Despite already running a couple Saturday sessions this June, WSC’s skate season officially kicks off this weekend with the second annual Mayhem in the Mountains skateboard competition. Following that, the club will start its weekly skate camps (which will run from the first week of July until the second week of August in both Whistler and Squamish), host a new yet-to-be named Pro-Am skate comp in Squamish on July 16, and put on multiple day camps throughout the summer in Pemberton. “It’s pretty exciting to be back. Hopefully this spring weather passes and once summer comes through we get some sun,” said Weston, adding that the club has already had to call off two of its planned Saturday sessions this month due to weather. “I just want to bring new kids into the sport who have never skateboarded before, and with the club we’re able to provide that opportunity,” Weston added. “And obviously we want to do our best to keep those signups going and see it grow to the point where people in the community are coming up to us and looking to us as their summer job, to the point that we can support a lot of coaches and be that outlet for summer work and also that outlet for skateboarders across the Sea to Sky.” For more information on the club’s summer programs or to sign up for a contest or camp go to whistlerskateboardclub.com. n
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A WIMBLEDON THEMED DAY a t t h e W h ist l e r R a c ke t C l u b
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PRO EXHIBITION AND SOCIAL 5pm-6pm
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CHEFS PATIO DINNER & WTA FUNDRAISER 6pm
Chefs smokehouse and BBQ menu Aw a r d s + p r i z e s a n d s i l e n t a u c t i o n $42.50 RSVP To Register: mywrc.ca/events
JUNE 23, 2022
45
EPICURIOUS
Muskrat stew, Stellar’s jay and ‘Divinity Pie’: The cuisine of Whistler’s early settlers WITH NO MARKETS OR STORES TO SPEAK OF, ALTA LAKE’S FIRST SETTLERS RELIED ON WHAT WAS AROUND THEM TO FILL OUT THEIR DIET
BY BRANDON BARRETT LONG BEFORE “locavore” was a trendy buzzword in the restaurant scene, it was simply the accepted way of life for those who had no other option than to live off the land. The same is especially true for the earliest settlers of the Whistler Valley who, prior to any reliable road or rail service here, had to rely on subsistence farming to feed their families, along with the occasional horse-andbuggy ride down to Vancouver to supplement their supplies. And without a grocery store or market to speak of, most residents of what was then called Alta Lake had their own gardens growing fresh produce. Tapley’s Farm, today a thriving residential neighbourhood, was the epicentre of the community’s agricultural production in those days, with the Tapley family operating a productive farm that included various grain and vegetable crops, an orchard, as well as cows, chickens and horses. Along with feeding their own family, the Tapleys also provided much-needed milk, veggies, eggs and hay to others in the community. Prior to that, with the community still
HEAD CHEF Lam Shu, originally from China, was the full-time cook at the Rainbow Lodge for years and was known for his exquisite desserts. STEPHENSON COLLECTION / WHISTLER MUSEUM
46 JUNE 23, 2022
made up primarily of trappers, the diet of the day was unique, at least by modern standards. Perhaps the most infamous trapper of that time was John Millar, namesake of Millar Creek, whose notorious background was as colourful as the cuisine he was known for. Rumoured to be on the lam from Texas Marshals for shooting two men dead, Millar was apparently as resourceful in the
years the go-to spot for hungry diners looking for a homecooked meal. Myrtle was known as an excellent cook—her pies and preserves were legendary—feeding not just overnight guests at the lodge but railway cars full of passengers who made stops at the lodge on Sundays when the Pacific Great Eastern Railway came through for the day.
“I think there was a lot of shortening and other materials like flour they were able to buy in bulk so that would be found in a lot of the foodstuffs they would be eating.” - BRAD NICHOLS
kitchen as he was with a pistol, serving everything from muskrat and bear haunch stew to Stellar’s jay pies for the hungry guests overnighting at his place along the Pemberton Trail, which connected the gold fields in the east to the coast in the west. In fact, it was on one particular supply run in the early 1900s that Millar first met Alex Philip, who, along with his wife, Myrtle, is widely recognized as the founder of the community—although the couple weren’t the first settlers here. The Philips’ famed Rainbow Lodge, built on the shores of Alta Lake, was for
For what it’s worth, pies appeared to be a beloved staple of Alta Lake dinner tables back then. “I think there was a lot of shortening and other materials like flour they were able to buy in bulk so that would be found in a lot of the foodstuffs they would be eating,” said Brad Nichols, executive director of the Whistler Museum. “It was a way of diversifying their culinary options.” Despite her talents for baking, Myrtle was not the full-time cook at Rainbow Lodge. That distinction belonged to a young Chinese man, Lam Shu, who Alex had first hired to work at
the Philips’ Horseshoe Grill in Vancouver. When business started taking off at the lodge, Alex brought him in to live and work there full-time in 1916. After a few years, Lam had honed his cooking skills to the point that visitors flocked to the lodge for the food alone, and his signature dessert, “Divinity Pie,” made from peaches and a custard meringue, lived up to its heavenly moniker. “Rainbow Lodge was a major component of the draw up here, to be in nature and do the activities that they offered, but I think the food there was a major part of the reason a lot of people came up as well,” Nichols noted. In the frigid winter months, the cuisine of Alta Lake narrowed considerably. Locals would typically spend much of the fall preparing produce, pickling and preserving fruits and veggies, to keep through the cold. Most year-round residents also kept root cellars, an essential component of any local kitchen at the time. “There was a door cut in our floor in the kitchen, with a leather handle to lift and stairs going down under our house to put potatoes, carrots, cabbages, etc. in, as well as shelves for canned goods,” according to a 1989 letter written by Eleanor Kitteringham, who lived with her family at the Parkhurst Mill between 1948 and ’56. Thanks to Nichols and the Whistler Museum’s trusty Whistorical blogs for informing much of this piece. Find them at blog.whistlermuseum.com. n
MEADOW PARK SPORTS CENTRE SWIM • SKATE • SWEAT • SQUASH OPEN DAILY: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
FITNESS CLASS SCHEDULE JUNE 23
JUNE 24
JUNE 25
JUNE 26
JUNE 27
JUNE 28
JUNE 29
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
I Mountain Ready Conditioning 7:30-8:30 a.m. Steve
I Full Body Boost 7:30-8:30 a.m. Lou
I Mountain Ready Conditioning 7-8 a.m. Steve
I Strong Glutes & Core 7:45-8:45 a.m. Carly
I Aqua Fit Shallow 8:30-9:30 a.m. Marie-Anne I Low Impact Strength 9-10 a.m. Anna
I Full Body HIIT 9-10 a.m. Alex
I Low Impact Strength 9-10 a.m. Carly
I Yin & Yang Yoga 9-10 a.m. Heidi
I Aqua Fit Deep 8:30 – 9:30 a.m. Marie-Anne
R Walk ‘n’ Workout 8:50-10 a.m. Marie-Anne
I Strength & Stretch 9 – 10 a.m. Lou
I Strength & Stretch 9-10 a.m. Lou
I Zumba 10:30-11:30 a.m. Susie
I Gentle Fit 10:30-11:30 a.m. Diana
EVERY DAY IS AN ADVENTURE! Camp Action Adventure
Ages: 4 to 6 years Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 5 – August 25 Learn more at
Whistler.ca/summercamps or call 604-935-8371 to register
I Gentle Fit
1-2 p.m. Diana
@RMWhistler |
F FLEXIBLE REGISTRATION Flex reg. classes have a separate fee and allow you to register for classes on the days that fit your schedule.
I Zumba
R REGISTERED FITNESS 5:45-6:45 p.m. Registered fitness Carmen classes have a separate fee and a defined start and end date. Pre-registration is required for the entire set of classes.
I Mountain Ready Conditioning 5:45-6:45 p.m. Alex
I Strength & Sweat 5:45-6:45 p.m. Anna
TUE 28
WED 29
@rmwhistler |
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Check before you rec(reate)!
I INCLUDED FITNESS These classes are included with your price of admission for no extra charge.
ARENA SCHEDULE THU 23
FRI 24
SAT 25
SUN 26
MON 27
There is no public programming this week due to a tournament. Please visit whistler.ca/recreation to view the monthly schedule.
Avoid disappointment. Visit whistler.ca/notices for Meadow Park Sports Centre operational changes and closures.
POOL SCHEDULE
whistler.ca/recreation | whistler.ca | 604-935-7529 @RMWhistler |
@rmwhistler |
@rmowhistler
whistler.ca/notices | 604-935-PLAY (7529)
ARTS SCENE
The legendary North Shore Betty gets the film treatment SHORT DOC ON TRAILBLAZING MOUNTAIN BIKER SCREENS JUNE 24 AS PART OF WFF’S ADVENTURE FILM SERIES
BY BRANDON BARRETT YOU GET THE SENSE Betty Birrell, better known in biking circles as North Shore Betty, doesn’t look back too much, whether literally or figuratively. When you’ve been ripping up the trails of B.C. for close to 30 years, pressing on is the name of the game. So when Birrell got a chance to watch the short documentary capturing her journey as a world-class athlete, mountaineer and mom, it gave her a new appreciation of all the things she’s accomplished in her “73 and three-quarter” years. “I’ve never had this experience before,” she says of watching the Patagonia-produced, 12-minute doc that will screen June 24 as part of the Whistler Film Festival’s (WFF) Adventure Film Series. “I suppose most of the things I’ve done in my life, I’ve always kind of been under the radar.” An accomplished mountaineer in her 20s who was reluctant to officially record her first ascents; a champion windsurfer who would avoid photographers in the water because she “didn’t like the hype;” no matter what Birrell did, it was never for the glory. “It was about freedom, like all sports to
BADASS BETTY A trailblazer in B.C. mountain biking, North Shore Betty has been ripping up trails around the province for close to 30 years. PHOTO BY DARCY HENNESSEY TURENNE
48 JUNE 23, 2022
me, so I was always a bit under the radar,” she adds. “So this [film] was a validation for my life, my involvement in sports and my role as a mother. It was very validating for me.” North Shore Betty co-director Darcy Hennessey Turenne first learned of Birrell when she was assigned to write a feature story about her for Patagonia, and as an avid athlete and mom approaching 40, she couldn’t help but be inspired.
found on the North Shore’s trails. Although she admits to experiencing a few incidents of sexism and ageism over the years, “I now wonder if it was more surprise at seeing an older woman riding double blacks on my own,” she muses. “When I was in my late 40s and 50s, I could go into a new shop … to buy some gear and I would occasionally get, ‘Is this for you or your kids?’ Interestingly that never happens anymore.”
“It’s really great and a great feeling to be an inspiration to so many people. I’ve always felt we’re here on Earth to give back and make a difference to someone’s life, so to be on this scale is pretty amazing.” - BETTY BIRRELL
“After meeting her it was very clear she was worthy of a film, if not more,” she says. “She is just the most enthusiastic, positive-thinking, hard-charging woman I know. She’s such an inspiration to so many people, not only for doing what she’s doing at her age, but her mindset. She doesn’t let anything get in the way of her fun.” But it wasn’t all fun and games for Birrell. The mountain bike scene of 30 years ago was of course much different than it is today, and for years, she was the only woman to be
What makes Birrell’s athletic achievements all the more impressive is the fact she did it all as a single mom, juggling her many pursuits and a jet-setting career as a flight attendant to raise her son, Hayden. “I did have family support and neighbour support because as a single mom, you just have to invent things and figure out how to make it work,” she says. “As your child goes through different stages of life that’s always changing, so you have to come up with new ways to make things work.”
In Hayden’s younger years, that meant bringing him along in her backpack on hiking trips. As he got older, Hayden joined his mom on the bike, and in the summers, they’d regularly set off on backcountry camping trips together. Eventually, Hayden evolved into a prolific athlete in his own right. “In increments, I was able to start introducing him to more and more sports and then as he got older we started being able to do more stuff together,” Birrell recalls. Since going live last month, North Shore Betty has racked up more than 600,000 views on Patagonia’s YouTube channel, and Birrell has marvelled at the response so far. “People have told me in various sports that I’ve been inspiring to them so I’ve had this experience before, but nothing on this scale. This is just phenomenal,” she says. “It’s really great and a great feeling to be an inspiration to so many people. I’ve always felt we’re here on Earth to give back and make a difference to someone’s life, so to be on this scale is pretty amazing.” WFF’s Adventure Film Series runs from June 23 to 25 at the Maury Young Arts Centre and Rainbow Theatre and features programs that will include both short and feature-length films, with a focus on adrenaline-fuelled sports stories. North Shore Betty is one of six short films screening as part of the Mountain Bike Shorts program on June 24, starting at 6 p.m. at the Maury Young Arts Centre. For tickets, and the full program, visit whistlerfilmfestival.com. n
ARTS SCENE
ALGN dance studio wants to get Whistler moving ‘AT SOME POINT, I WANT EVERYBODY IN HERE,’ SAYS OWNER
BY BRANDON BARRETT WHEN ALGN Whistler owner Amélie Lavoie was coming up with the business plan for her new dance studio, she was asked who her target clientele was. She didn’t have to think long. “I was like, ‘Everybody!’” exclaims Lavoie. “They were like, ‘No, you need to pinpoint this.’ OK, I’ll pinpoint the main people who will walk through the door, but I want everyone in there. At some point, I want everybody in here.’” And that’s not just coming from a place of self-interest. Sure, like any business owner trying to make ends meet in the costly Whistler market, Lavoie wants to succeed, but her dream of welcoming every person through the doors of her Mountain Square studio comes more from her deep-seeded belief that we are all made for moving. “There is this mentality that dance is just ‘five, six, seven, eight’ and that it’s so structured and all has to look the same,” Lavoie says. “When you’re taking class at a drop-in level, that’s not what it’s about. It’s about discovering yourself. When you’re seeing yourself in the mirror and exploring how to do this move, you find how it feels good in your body. “It’s definitely something that I would love everyone to experience.” Lavoie’s enthusiasm for what she does is infectious, to say the least. Since opening her Mountain Square studio in February, she has had more than 300 students come in to strut their stuff. Offering classes in everything from jazz, jazz-funk and hip-hop to ballet, contemporary and even a class teaching how to dance with confidence in heels, ALGN has taken somewhat of a different approach to your average dance studio. While there are programs for kids and teens, the studio’s focus is on adults, and eschewing the cutthroat mentality often found in competitive dance, Lavoie and her roster of talented instructors strive to create a welcoming, judgment-free environment for anyone willing to take the leap (or jeté, as it were). “The instructors are so nice. They are serious dancers with so much experience but also so patient and fun,” said student Diana Suco, who joined with a friend in March. “With no dance experience, I never felt left behind or like I don’t belong in the studio. They all just want to share their love of dance and create a space for everyone in the Sea to Sky.” Originally from Vancouver and with a plethora of dance credits under her belt that include Nickelodeon, the 2010 Winter Paralympics, and the BC Lions halftime show—not to mention working
IN ALIGNMENT ALGN Whistler owner Amelie Lavoie has seen more than 300 people come through the doors of her dance studio since opening in February. PHOTO SUBMITTED
alongside high-profile entertainers and choreographers such as Mandy Moore and Jillian Meyers—Lavoie recognized a niche in Whistler after teaching at Vibe Studio for several years before it closed down, and then moving on to lead her own drop-in classes. It was during that time that Lavoie “rented every possible place you could imagine,” from boardrooms to school gymnasiums, and realized there was a market for a new dedicated dance space in town. It didn’t take long for Lavoie to amass a list of about 90 clients through her private classes, mostly intermediate students. “I thought, ‘If there are that many people who had danced before, how many are there that want to start but haven’t had the chance?’” In a town full of skiers and bikers, the Vancouver native also saw a need to offer a different kind of creative outlet for those who may not be as keen on Whistler’s signature sports. “I would love for people to move here and not just because they ski or mountain bike,” she says. “I’ve even had people reach out to me in Ontario saying, ‘Hey, I found out that you’re there, I’m moving there now because there’s a dance studio.’ That’s a big thing. It could define whether or not someone sees Whistler as a long-term place. I’ve also had that comment before: ‘I love this town but have really been missing this part of my life, moving my body in a way that is expressive.’ Obviously it requires physicality, but it’s a little bit less intense than skiing and snowboarding.” To learn more, visit algnwhistler.com. n
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BIG GUNS New Mayor Mark Angus takes lands minister Anthony Brummet and assistant deputy lands minister Chris Gray for a tour of the rebar with Whistler Resort Association executive director Earl Hansen in January 1983. WHISTLER QUESTION COLLECTION
Whistler at 22% interest—Part 1 BY JILLIAN ROBERTS IN THE EARLY 1980S, just as the development of Whistler Village was starting to boom, the economy bottomed out and interest rates skyrocketed. Whistler Village was left with 27 unfinished lots as owners, developers, and contractors were going bankrupt at unprecedented levels. Remembering the mess left behind as construction halted, former Whistler Mayor Drew Meredith said, “Imagine standing in Village Square looking up towards Mountain Square and all you see is half-finished concrete foundations with rebar sticking out of it. Rusty, dirty rebar. The stroll was there, but on both sides of the stroll was just chaos. Very tough to sell that to anybody who wants to come for a holiday.” Canada’s inflation had accelerated throughout the 1970s, reaching higher than 10 per cent in 1980. To curb inflation, the Bank of Canada raised interest rates to a peak of 21 per cent, however inflation remained high. During this time, interest rates for home loans reached 22 per cent, and Canada went into a recession. To top it off, in November 1981, the federal government ended the MultipleUse Residential Building (MURB) program of tax credits. With multiple-use residential on the second and third floor of every building, much of Whistler Village was constructed with the understanding that MURB would provide tax incentives for investors. With the MURB program coming to an end, many investors poured the foundations quickly to make use of these incentives before it was too late. While some developments in the new Whistler Village had opened, most were just a foundation as the economic crunch really hit. Whistler had prioritized small developers in the building of the Village, and many struggled to continue and could not pay their land taxes. The Whistler Village Land Company (WVLC) was a non-profit arm of the municipality incorporated in 1978 to oversee the sale and development of the Village.
As land was sold, the WVLC would use the income to pay its liabilities, including loan repayments and development costs for municipal assets, notably the Arnold Palmer Golf Course and the Resort Centre intended to host a pool and ice rink (eventually the province dictated that the Conference Centre would be built instead). However, in the early 1980s, when more lots were placed on the market they would not sell. To further financial woes, in July 1982, only 60 per cent of taxes were paid to the municipality on time, and the municipality could charge a maximum of 10 per cent on late payments, less than the bank’s interest rates. Between 1981 and 1982, the municipality’s capital budget was almost halved from $1 million to $650,000 and in 1982 municipal staff took a 2.5-per-cent pay cut. With finances in dire straights, WVLC staff were let go and WVLC operations transferred to the municipality. With debts of approximately $8 million, no way to pay them, and creditors knocking, concerns were mounting that the banks would repossess assets worth far more than the loan amount. Banks could then sell these lands independently to developers, while the government would get nothing for the sale and still have to pay liabilities. Whistler went to the provincial government for assistance. On Jan. 6, 1983, it was announced that Whistler Land Company Developments, a new Crown corporation, had acquired the assets and liabilities of WVLC for $1. Government studies showed that all outstanding debts would be paid with future land sales and continued development would create many jobs, plus the expected revenue from tax and tourism. While there was uproar at the time about a taxpayer bailout, the provincial government went on to recoup far more than the initial investment through the land sales of Village North, and today Whistler brings in 25 per cent of B.C.’s annual tourism revenue. Hear how some of the community dealt with the economic crisis next week in Whistler at 22 per cent interest—Part 2. n
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JOIN THE PARADE Members of Squamish’s Sikh community at the Squamish Sikh Society’s festival and parade held in Squamish June 18—the first since 2019. PHOTO SUBMITTED. 2 FURRY FRIENDS A pair of bears were spotted er, wrestling, in Whistler’s Rainbow neighbourhood on Monday, June 13. PHOTO BY CHELSAE PARKER. 3 SHE SAID YES! June Keblan was hosting on Whistler on Saturday, June 18 when she witnessed a magical moment on the Peak 2 Peak. “Music 1
started, and an engagement happened in front of me,” she writes. “The happy couple (second and third from left) are from Australia. The bride-to-be worked eight years for Whistler Blackcomb before moving to Australia. The groom-to-be pulled it off with the help of her family who he had never met.” PHOTO SUBMITTED. 4
HIKE FOR HEALTH More than 200 hikers, including the Regan and Warm families, came out for the inaugural Hike for Health event on Sunday, June 19. The event WATER WARRIORS Some Whistler Grade 9 students put their engineering skills to the test at the Great Cardboard Boat Race on the River of Golden
raised more than $75,000 for the Whistler Health Care Foundation. PHOTO SUBMITTED. 5 Dreams on June 15. PHOTO BY ROBERT WISLA. 6
FORE CHARITY A golfer lines up his putt at the Pemberton and District Chamber/Rotary Club of Pemberton Charity Golf Tournament at Sunstone Golf Club on Thursday, June 16. PHOTO BY NATALIE LANGMANN.
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ASTROLOGY
Free Will Astrology WEEK OF JUNE 23 BY ROB BREZSNY
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ARIES (March 21-April 19): Aries actor Marilu Henner has an unusual condition: hyperthymesia. She can remember in detail voluminous amounts of past events. For instance, she vividly recalls being at the Superdome in New Orleans on Sept. 15, 1978, where she and her actor friends watched a boxing match between Leon Spinks and Muhammad Ali. You probably don’t have hyperthymesia, Aries, but I invite you to approximate that state. Now is an excellent time to engage in a leisurely review of your life story, beginning with your earliest memories. Why? It will strengthen your foundation, nurture your roots, and bolster your stability. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Poet Elizabeth Bishop noted that many of us are “addicted to the gigantic.” We live in a “mostly huge and roaring, glaring world.” As a counterbalance, she wished for “small works of art, short poems, short pieces of music, intimate, low-voiced, and delicate things.” That’s the spirit I recommend to you in the coming weeks, Taurus. You will be best served by consorting with subtle, unostentatious, elegant influences. Enjoy graceful details and quiet wonders and understated truths. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In the coming weeks, you will need even more human touch than usual. Your mental, physical, and spiritual health REQUIRE you to have your skin in contact with people who care for you and are eager to feel their skin against yours. A Tumblr blogger named Friend-Suggestion sets the tone for the mood I hope you cultivate. They write, “I love! human contact! with! my friends! So put your leg over mine! Let our knees touch! Hold my hand! Make excuses to feel my arm by drawing pictures on my skin! Stand close to me! Lean into my space! Slow dance super close to me! Hold my face in your hands or kick my foot to get my attention! Put your arm around me when we’re standing or sitting around! Hug me from behind at random times!” CANCER (June 21-July 22): Author John Banville wrote what might serve as a manifesto for some of us Crabs: “To be concealed, protected, guarded: that is all I have ever truly wanted. To burrow down into a place of womby warmth and cower there, hidden from the sky’s indifferent gaze and the harsh air’s damagings. The past is such a retreat for me. I go there eagerly, shaking off the cold present and the colder future.” If you are a Crab who feels a kinship with Banville’s approach, I ask you to refrain from indulging in it during the coming months. You’re in a phase of your long-term astrological cycle when your destiny is calling you to be bolder and brighter than usual, more visible and influential, louder and stronger. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): “We wish to make rage into a fire that cooks things rather than a fire of conflagration,” writes author Clarissa Pinkola Estés. That’s good advice for you right now. Your anger can serve you, but only if you use it to gain clarity—not if you allow it to control or immobilize you. So here’s my counsel: Regard your wrath as a fertilizing fuel that helps deepen your understanding of what you’re angry about—and shows you how to engage in constructive actions that will liberate you from what is making you angry. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Virgo author Jeanette Winterson was asked, “Do you fall in love often?” She replied, “Yes, often. With a view, with a book, with a dog, a cat, with numbers, with friends, with complete strangers, with nothing at all.” Even if you’re not usually as prone to infatuation and enchantment as Winterson, you could have many experiences like hers in the coming months. Is that a state you would enjoy? I encourage you to welcome it. Your capacity to be fascinated and captivated will be at a peak. Your inclination to trust your attractions will be extra high. Sounds fun! LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Libran lexicographer Daniel Webster (1758–1843) worked hard to create his dictionary, and it became highly influential in American
culture. He spent more than 26 years perfecting it. To make sure he could properly analyze the etymologies, he learned 28 languages. He wrote definitions for 70,000 words, including 12,000 that had never been included in a published dictionary. I trust you are well underway with your own Webster-like project, Libra. This entire year is an excellent time to devote yourself with exacting diligence to a monumental labour of love. If you haven’t started it yet, launch now. If it’s already in motion, kick it into a higher gear. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “Shouldn’t the distance between impossible and improbable be widened?” asks poet Luke Johnson. I agree that it should, and I nominate you to do the job. In my astrological view, you now have the power to make progress in accomplishing goals that some people may regard as unlikely, fantastical, and absurdly challenging. (Don’t listen to them!) I’m not necessarily saying you will always succeed in wrangling the remote possibilities into practical realities. But you might. And even if you’re only partially victorious, you will learn key lessons that bolster your abilities to harness future amazements. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sagittarian novelist George Eliot wrote, “It is very hard to say the exact truth, even about your own immediate feelings—much harder than to say something fine about them which is not the exact truth.” I believe you will be exempt from this rule during the next seven weeks. You will be able to speak with lucid candour about your feelings—maybe more so than you’ve been able to in a long time. And that will serve you well as you take advantage of the opportunity that life is offering you: to deepen, clarify, and refine your intimate relationships. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Author bell hooks (who didn’t capitalize her name) expressed advice I recommend for you. She said, “Knowing how to be solitary is central to the art of loving. When we can be alone, we can be with others without using them as a means of escape.” As you enter a phase of potential renewal for your close relationships, you’ll be wise to deepen your commitment to self-sufficiency and self-care. You might be amazed at how profoundly that enriches intimacy. Here are two more helpful gems from bell hooks: “You can never love anybody if you are unable to love yourself” and “Do not expect to receive the love from someone else you do not give yourself.” AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In April 2005, a 64-yearold Korean woman named Cha Sa-soon made her first attempt to get her driver’s license. She failed. In fairness to her, the written test wasn’t easy. It required an understanding of car maintenance. After that initial flop, she returned to take the test five days a week for three years—and was always unsuccessful. She persevered, however. Five years later, she passed the test and received her license. It was her 960th try. Let’s make her your role model for the foreseeable future. I doubt you’ll have to persist as long as she did, but you’ll be wise to cultivate maximum doggedness and diligence. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In the eighth century, Chinese poet Du Fu gave a batch of freshly written poems to his friend and colleague, the poet Li Bai. “Thank you for letting me read your new poems,” Li Bai later wrote to Du Fu. “It was like being alive twice.” I foresee you enjoying a comparable grace period in the coming weeks, Pisces: a time when your joie de vivre could be double its usual intensity. How should you respond to this gift from the Fates? Get twice as much work done? Start work on a future masterpiece? Become a beacon of inspiration to everyone you encounter? Sure, if that’s what you want to do. And you could also simply enjoy every detail of your daily rhythm with supreme, sublime delight. Homework: Tell a story that imagines what you will be like a year from now. Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com.
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Forest audit highlights
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FISH STICKS
Decision on future of B.C. salmon farms to come within ‘weeks,’ says DFO
14JUNE 9, 2022 ISSUE 29.23
TRANSIT TURMOIL Special mediator appointed as workers reject employer
offer
15
SUMMER OUTLOOK June room-night bookings pacing 10 per cent
behind 2019
www.whistlerwag.com
We are currently hiring the following positions for projects in WHISTLER.
Is it time for a change? Are you looking to trade mountain life for a tropical life?
pa rk for all riders 14
For an updated list of who is available, check out our website.
40
MASSEY EXODUS Longtime Whistler saying goodbye after nearly
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FRE E THE DONBAS
Yasawa Island Resort and Spa Fiji is seeking to employ a hands on management team. Yasawa is a boutique, award-winning, 5-star, inclusive property that caters mainly to couples. This position requires passion, determination, energy and resilience. If you have a hands-on management approach; have previously worked in remote locations and enjoying working with different cultures, this position may be for you. The local community from nearby villages make up the majority of the workforce and help to make our guest experience authentic and exceptional. Living on a remote tropical island is a challenging environment and tending to the guests’ needs whilst dealing with the logistics of a remote location requires you to be resourceful, well organised and self-sufficient. For the right person/couple this can be a highly rewarding role. Only Individuals or couples with senior management experience running a boutique property hotel, resort or lodge in a remote location will be considered for this role. Couples with a diverse combination of skills eg: management/ engineering; management/executive chef; management/food & beverage are preferred. Job requirements: • Minimum three years’ experience working in a similar position • Previous experience managing properties with “off grid” systems (generators, desalination plants, etc.) • Ability to motivate and inspire our unique team. • Strong forward planning and problem-solving skills\ • Exceptional communication skills • Excellent delivery of the guest experience • Strong F&B skills • Marine maintenance experience, construction experience, and/or the ability to repair or troubleshoot tools, engines and equipment would be a bonus The contract will be for a minimum of 2-years, renewable annually, and commencing immediately. The starting salary is commensurate with experience/skills. The remuneration package also includes accommodation, use of resort facilities, and most living expenses. Please send a CV with a cover letter to james@yasawa.com. Only successful applicants will be contacted.
Project Coordinator Weekend Caretaker Carpenters Skilled Labourer We offer competitive pay, a benefits package, company cell phone plan, interesting projects, a collaborative team environment, and a chance to improve your existing skills. We are looking for dedicated team players who want to join a rapidly growing company and establish a long-term career in construction. Please forward your resume to Office@gccltd.ca
ALL TIME MOVING & STORAGE LTD.
NOW HIRING
• • • •
FULL-TIME MOVER/DRIVERS AND FULL-TIME/PART-TIME LABOURERS Starting at $30/hr for Mover/Drivers Starting at $28/hr for Labourers Extended Health Benefits for Full-Time Employees Daily Overtime Pay after 8 Hours • Tips Experience is an asset but will train the right candidate. Please email resumes to info@alltimemoving.ca JUNE 23, 2022
NORTHERN EX
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ASSISTANT MANAGER & SALES ASSOCIATE POSITIONS What we offer: Fun work environment, competitive wage, monthly bonuses, staff discounts, Flexible schedule and the opportunity to work right where you live. Save time and money ($3+ p/h) on your commute! An opportunity to grow with the business for the right applicant.
STORE CLERKS
Shifts vary, Sales Associates: 2-3 days/wk; Assistant Manager: 4-5 days/wk. We are seeking reliable, self-motivated individuals who love to work with people. Good communication, memory recall, math and multitasking skills, are required. Must be able to lift 20lbs. Previous retail and merchandising experience is preferred. Managerial, social media and website management skills would also be an asset. Will train the right applicant.
- competitive wages and shopping discounts
COOKS, DISHWASHER/ SANDWICH MAKER - Great opportunity to join a fun team, competitive wages, meals and benefits
Win a
Experience an asset but not essential
Gift Certificate
Full time and part time positions available
$100
for referring a potential employee who works out
Contact in person or email catering@alpinecafe.ca
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Resort Municipality of Whistler
Employment Opportunities ·· Legislative and Privacy Coordinator Lifeguard/Swim Instructor
•·· Program Accountant Leader Skate Host
· Lifeguard/Swim Instructor Wastewater Treatment Plant Process Supervisor •·· Solid Custodial Guard Waste · Labourer I – Technician Village Maintenance •·· Accountant Materials Management and Youth and Public Services Specialist
Youth/Public Services Specialist
Resort Municipality of Whistler •whistler.ca/careers Labourer I – Turf
•Resort Labourer I – Horticulture Municipality of Whistler
•Employment Recreation Cashier/Receptionist Opportunities and Privacy Coordinator Lifeguard/Swim Instructor •·· Legislative Senior Bylaw Enforcement Officer – Building ·· Program Leader Skate Host
•·· Lifeguard/Swim Systems Analyst Instructor Wastewater Treatment Plant Process Supervisor · Solid Waste Labourer I – Technician Village Maintenance •·· Accountant Village Host Program Assistant · Youth and Public Services Specialist
Resort Municipality of Whistler whistler.ca/careers
56 JUNE 23, 2022
OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS The Bearfoot Bistro, Whistler’s premier fine dining restaurant is growing its team.
We are hiring for the following positions:
KITCHEN POSITIONS Chefs de Partie First Cooks Dishwashers We offer year-round or seasonal employment, industry leading wages, staff accommodation, extended health benefits, RRSP / TFSA matching, staff meals, staff discounts at Listel Hospitality Group’s restaurants & hotels in Whistler and Vancouver.
Please send your resume to Simon Watkins at simon@bearfootbistro.com Alternatively, bring your resume to Bearfoot Bistro between 4:00 pm and 10:00 pm. BEARFOOT BISTRO 4121 Village Green - Adjacent to Listel Hotel (604) 932 3433 • bearfootbistro.com
Get noticed! • Social • Google • Websites • Programmatic • SEO/SEM • Sponsored content Glacier Media Digital experts help businesses succeed online. Contact your Sales representative at Pique Newsmagazine today for a free digital audit
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Join Our Team! GARIBALDI GRAPHICS
The Museum is currently seeking:
PART TIME SALES ASSOCIATE
Guards
Applicants must be friendly, professional and enjoy multi-tasking. Duties include customer service and performing a variety of print jobs. 2-3 days per week. Saturday shift required required other other day(s) day(s) flflexible Monday shift exible
$21 per hour $22 per hour with Security Worker License $500 Signing Bonus
Please apply in person to 1200 Alpha Lake Road in Function Junction or email resume to whistler@garibaldigraphics.com
No experience necessary. Option for paid Security Training and Licensing. Benefits packages available. Staff events!
"Whistler's Most Anticipated Restaurant" Vancouver Magazine
Full-time & Part-time • Thursday-Sunday, typically 10:30am-6:30pm
WE'RE HIRING Join our fun and dynamic team in a relaxing, temperature controlled and artistically inspiring environment!
Experienced Office Manager Full time, year round position with competitive benefits. Responsible for administrative support to ensure the smooth operations of the restaurant as well as bookkeeping duties.
For complete job description and to apply visit audainartmuseum.com/employment Or email applications to bbeacom@audainartmuseum.com
w: wildbluerestaurant.com/careers e: careers@wildbluerestaurant.com 4005 Whistler Way, Whistler, B.C.
Looking to adopt?
THE 2022-2023 PEMBERTON GUIDE on stands now!
VISION PACIFIC CONTRACTING LTD. is hiring new team members:
Be a part of our dynamic team at one of Whistler’s busiest spots! At The High Mountain Brewing Company, Whistler Brewhouse, we take pride in our product and service - From the busy patio to the cozy two-sided fireplace, from our exceptional pizzas to our hand-crafted beer.
• Extended Health and Dental benefits for you and your family • 20cm snow rule & mental-health bike days
We are currently looking for
• Flexible schedule & awesome staff parties!
29 Years in Business Whistler’s Award-Winning Custom Home Builder www.vispacific.com
H I G H M O U N TA I N BREWING CO. WHISTLER, BC
We offer:
Send your resume to info@vispacific.com
www.whistlerwag.com
BREWHOUSE
EXPERIENCED CARPENTERS LABOURERS
• Work-life balance is as important to us as it is to you!
For an updated list of who is available, check out our website.
AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF
Dishwashers and Line Cooks We offer comprehensive benefits packages after a probationary period, as well as competitive wages.
Starting wage $19.50 p/h Please come by with your resume or apply via email to mvedan@mjg.ca
4355 BLACKCOMB WAY
WHISTLER, BC, V0N 1B4
JUNE 23, 2022
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Relax... we have the perfect job JOIN OUR TEAM! Encore
is currently hiring the following positions for Whistler! We also offer amazing health benefits!
INDOOR AND OUTDOOR POSITIONS FULL TIME AND PART TIME NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED
Event Audio Visual Technician Part and Full Time
WE OFFER...
Sales Coordinator
COMPETITIVE WAGE, EMPLOYEE DISCOUNTS, BATH MEMBERSHIP, STAFF HOUSING UPON AVAILABILITY, FREE MASSAGE AFTER 3 MONTHS, EXTENDED HEALTH BENEFITS
Production Manager For more information, please search our Encore Job Opportunities page at the below link. https://jobs.encoreglobal.com/search-jobs/Whistler
TO APPLY EMAIL YOUR RESUME TO HR.WHISTLER@SCANDINAVE.COM OR SCAN THE QR CODE TO SEE OUR CURRENT OPENINGS
We've Got You Covered VISITORS’ GUIDE 2017-2018 FREE
Relax, we have the perfect job is now hiring for
Guest Service Agent
2022
This dynamic role include the following Perks and Benefits:
• Competitive Wages and Extended Benefits • Wages starting from $20 per hour, plus Commissions • Signing Bonus and Seasonal Bonuses • Discounted F&B and Hotel Stays
STAFF HOUSING AVAILABLE 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.
58 JUNE 23, 2022
WE ARE LOOKING FOR Massage Technicians Registered Massage Therapists
WHAT WE OFFER The ultimate guide to Sea to Sky weddings
Whistler’s only dedicated wedding magazine. AVAILABLE ON STANDS IN THE SEA TO SKY
Baths membership for you and a friend Staff housing upon availability Flexible schedule Competitive wage
APPLY AT hr.whistler@scandinave.com
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Reach Your Full Potential. is currently hiring for the following position:
CLASS 1 TRUCK DRIVER Competitive wages and benefits package available for full time positions.
Please apply to admin@tktcontracting.ca NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES ENGINEERING: ENGINEERING MANAGER POWER ENGINEER MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN HOUSEKEEPING: ROOM/HOUSE/UNIFORM ATTENDANTS FOOD & BEVERAGE: FOOD & BEVERAGE MANAGER ASSISTANT OUTLET MANAGER BANQUET MANAGER GRILL & VINE SERVER GRILL & VINE JUNIOR SERVER BANQUET SERVER BARISTA
CULINARY: SOUS CHEF CHEF DE PARTIE COOK STEWARD SERVICE EXPRESS: SERVICE EXPRESS ATTENDANT LOSS & PREVENTION: OVERNIGHT LOSS PREVENTION OFFICER SHIPPER/RECIEVER IT: INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TECHNICIAN
PERKS & BENEFITS • SUBSIDIZED STAFF ACCOMMODATION
• MARRIOTT HOTEL DISCOUNTS
• SUMMER LEISURE INCENTIVE
• GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES
• FLEXIBLE SCHEDULES
• BENEFITS AND RRSP, BASED ON ELIGIBILITY
• COMPLIMENTARY STAFF MEALS
TO APPLY, EMAIL YOUR RESUME TO WORK@WESTINWHISTLER.COM ©2022 Marriott International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Photo Credit: Tourism Whistler/John Entwistle. Mountain Biking on Whistler Mountain Bike Park.
COME JOIN OUR TEAM! Gift Shop Supervisor – Come work with us at an award winning, and leader in Indigenous arts and culture. The Gift Shop Supervisor will perform daily operational tasks, create and track inventory and support the gift shop team.
www.whistlerexcavations.com
The Sea to Sky corridor’s top civil construction company.
If you have excellent customer service skills, leadership skills, knowledge of Indigenous art and culture, past retail experience, we would like to hear from you. We can offer you a flexible schedule, benefit package, wellness benefit, great wage and a supportive work place.
We are currently recruiting professionally minded people to join our team. Required are: Class 1 or Class 3 Truck Drivers Heavy Equipment Operators
Please send your cover letter and resume to human.resources@slcc.ca by July 3, 2022. For a full job description, please visit our website at slcc.ca/careers.
piquenewsmagazine.com/ local-events/
Please send resume to: Email: info@whistlerexcavations.com JUNE 23, 2022
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THE FIRST PLACE TO LOOK FOR LOCAL JOB OPENINGS
We are currently hiring for the following positions
Lead Carpenter Carpenter Skilled Labourer Send your resume to connect@peakventures.ca
JOIN OUR TEAM
Experienced Service Plumbers / Gas Fitters Required
Full Time - Long Term - Immediate start Squamish, Whistler, Pemberton Competitive Wage Package + Incentives Company Vehicle, Phone + Uniforms Provided
SIGNING BONUS Send resume in confidence to: Dough@spearheadsph.com SPEARHEAD PLUMBING AND HEATING LTD. WWW.SPEARHEADPLUMBING.COM We pride ourselves with having a long term team of employees, and helping you reach your fullest potential.
Roland’s Pub & Red Door Bistro are looking for a Chef de Partie. Roland’s Creekside Pub needs line cooks. Full time and part time available.
Salary based on experience, 40-45 hour work week. Extended Medical & Dental Benefits after 3 months, ski pass, corporate golf pass to use, discounts in Pub & Bistro. The chef de partie would be 4th in command within Red Door Bistro and Roland’s pub kitchens. Within this management position the candidate would need to be comfortable communicating, taking orders, guidance and direction from the Executive Chef, Sous Chef and Roland’s pub Kitchen manager.
Experience required. Starting wage based on experience, minimum $18/hr plus tips. Extended Medical & Dental after 3 months full time. Ski pass financing, staff discounts, staff meal each shift, and work with the coolest crew in Creekside. Apply in person or email resume to info@rolandswhistler.com
Duties will include but not limited to:
Are you wanting to avoid the daily commute to Whistler? Do you feel that your interests lay between Van Goh and house painting? When you hear the description “eggshell” do you think chickens or sheen? Then we would love to meet you! Come explore your creative and problem solving capabilities by joining Pemberton Valley Hardware’s Benjamin Moore team. We are looking for someone to join our team, either part-time or full time into our paint department. If you have an attention for detail, an interest in colour and great customer service skills, please email heather@pembertonvalleyhardware.ca Including: • Competitive wage • Dynamic benefits program • Profit sharing • Company-matched RRSP program • Employee discount • Really cool uniforms
60 JUNE 23, 2022
Whistler’s premier visitor magazine is on stands now!
ROLANDS PUB KITCHEN • Responsible for executing daily prep/cooking/cleaning & service routines in the Pub kitchen and assist in preparing dishes on the hot line when Pub kitchen manager is ON DAYS OFF. (2 shifts). • Ensure all specials are properly food costed and priced accordingly. • Assist in creating daily food specials, soups, menu development. • Maintain reasonable labor costs
Look for our Summer 2022 Issue!
RED DOOR BISTRO & ROLANDS PUB KITCHENS • Prepping and cooking during service in Red Door Bistro on any station. (3 nights). • Ensure all food safety cooking and cooling standards and sanitation protocols are within Vancouver Coastal Health Guidelines. • Assist in maintaining cleanliness & organization of fridges, freezers, shelves, floors and work stations in both kitchens. • Assist in hiring and training of new staff on all procedures to maintain consistency. • Assist in creating daily food specials, soups and menu development
Find it on select stands and in Whistler hotel rooms.
Apply in person to 2129 Lake Placid Road in Creekside or email resume to info@rolandswhistler.com
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The Pinnacle Hotel Whistler has the following positions available:
• ROOM ATTENDANTS • RELIEF SUPERVISOR • LAUNDRY POSITIONS
NOW HIRING!
Full Time Positions:
Please reply by email: parmstrong@pinnaclehotels.ca
Part Time Positions:
The Pinnacle Hotel Whistler is currently recruiting a
FRONT DESK SUPERVISOR Please drop off your resume at the hotel or email : athalakada@pinnaclehotels.ca
Deli Supervisor Deli Clerk Produce Clerk Meat Wrapper Personal Shopper & Delivery Driver Cashier Grocery Clerk Produce Clerk
Our Team enjoys: ü Awesome colleagues ü Flexible schedules ü Training and experience ü Substantial Employee Discount Card & Benefits ü Prime location in Pemberton ü Short commute = less time, more $$$ Apply within, visit our website or email us today! www.pembertonsupermarket.com jobs@pembertonsupermarket.com
EXCITING CAREER OPPORTUNITIES, APPLY TODAY! Diamond Resorts Canada Ltd., Whistler, BC
INTO THE WILD Do you have a passion for the hospitality industry and the great outdoors? Come work for us for summer 2022. Tyax Lodge & Heliskiing, located 3.5 hours drive north of Whistler is currently looking to complete our awesome summer team for the months of July, August and September within our:
Culinary department F&B department Housekeeping
Staff housing in apartment style units provided at a subsidised rate & great employee perks. Competitive wages.
Full Time Maintenance Technician Full Time & Part Time Room Attendants Eligible successful candidates may receive* • $750.00 Hiring Bonus for successful full time candidates; $375.00 Hiring Bonus for successful part time candidates! (if hired between January 1, 2022 and June 30, 2022) • Potential discretionary quarterly bonus.
Send your resume to
• Potential staff accommodation available.
info@tyax.com or apply on our website.
• Extensive benefits package which may include; ski pass or wellness allowance, disability coverage, travel insurance and extended health and dental. • Travel Allowance and discounted employee rates at any Diamond Resort International resort. • Full-time work year round and a FUN work environment. *eligibility and conditions based on DRCL policies and practices set out in general terms and conditions of employment. Please note that Hilton Grand Vacations (HGV) acquired Diamond Resorts International (DRI) as of August 02, 2021. If you apply to work at a Diamond Resorts company you will be an applicant of a subsidiary of HGV. A transition to HGV will occur as we integrate technology, systems and branding but it will take time until our separate operating systems, employment policies and benefits are fully integrated. As a result, for a period of time, employees will receive correspondence and messaging from Diamond Resorts as well as from HGV and related entities.
Email your resume with the position you wish to apply for to: embarc_hr@hgv.com
JUNE 23, 2022
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Join the Team ! HILTON WHISTLER RESORT & SPA
WE OFFER AMAZING EMPLOYEE PERKS & BENEFITS!
HOUSEKEEPING
CULINARY
Room Attendant
Dishwasher
House Attendant
Cooks
Staff Accommodation
Pastry Chef
Life & Leisure Program Extended Health Benefits Free On-Site Staff Parking Free Staff Meals Tuition Reimbursement Program Retirement Savings Program 50% Discount in our Food & Beverage outlets Team Member Travel Discount (including Friends & Family Benefits)
Night House Attendant
Chef de Partie
FRONT OFFICE Guest Service Agent
RESERVATIONS
Sous Chef
FOOD & BEVERAGE Food & Beverage Supervisor
Reservations Coordinator
Email your cover letter and resume to
hr@hiltonwhistler.com
We are a proven leader in residential home and estate building in Whistler. We partner with the best architects, designers and trades in the industry. World class, custom projects require commitment and dedication from our partners and our team of craftspeople. We have several significant projects currently in progress across Whistler and we are looking for individuals who are keen to build a rewarding career with a company that values quality workmanship. We are currently hiring for Finish Carpenters, Carpenters, Apprentices, and Labourers. EVR is committed to the long-term retention and skills development of our employees - we are only as good as our team. We are passionate about investing in the future of our workforce, and offer: • • • • • •
Competitive Wages Annual Tool Allowance Apprenticeship Training & Tuition Reimbursement On-site Mentoring and Skills Development Extended Health and Dental Benefits Positive Work Environment
If you love what you do and have a desire to work on architecturally-beautiful and sophisticated while growing your career with a renowned Whistler builder, please get in touch.
custom homes
You can send your resume to info@evrfinehomes.com and can view our work at www.evrfinehomes.com. We look forward to hearing from you!
62 JUNE 23, 2022
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PIQUENEWSMAGAZINE.COM/JOBS
WE ARE
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Join Joinour our team! team!
Senior IT Business Analyst Regular Full-Time
Financial Services Specialist Regular Full-Time and Temporary Full-Time Front Counter Clerk Temporary Full-Time IT Application Specialist Regular Full-Time Watch Clerk Regular Full-Time (Multiple Positions) Recreation Facility Clerk Regular Part-Time Truck Driver Class 1 Regular Full-Time Clerk 3 Financial Services Temporary Full-Time Recreation Program Leaders Regular and Temporary Part-Time
squamish.ca/careers
DISTRICT OF SQUAMISH
THE FIRST PLACE TO LOOK FOR LOCAL JOB OPENINGS
Open OpenPositions: Positions
• • • • • •
Front Desk Agent Security Officer Overnight Front Desk Agent Concierge Laundry Attendant Core Agent Overnight Front Desk Guestroom Attendant Supervisor Housekeeping Supervisor Night Cleaner
• • • • • •
Laundry Attendant Night Cleaner LeadAgent Bellman Core Pool Room Server Guest Attendant Commis Commis 1 &2Commis 2 Steward Steward Banquet Server
& many & manymore more opportunities opportunities *$500.00 Sign-on forHousekeeping, Housekeeping, $500.00 SigningBonus Bonus for Stewarding & Kitchen candidates. Stewarding & Commis 1 &2 *Terms apply.
Benefits
Discover more roles:
Excellent training and development opportunities Access to affordable shared staff housing both on-site http://jobs.fourseasons.com and off-site Employee theme recognition days and events - EOM, Years of Service Celebrations, Birthday Events, etc; Complimentary meals shift in our employee dining • Excellent training andper development opportunities room to affordable shared staff housing both on• Access Paid time vacation days and additional floating site and offoff; -site holidays per year recognition days and events• Employee theme
Employee of the month, Years of service celebrations,APPLY birthday events, etc; NOW! • Complimentary meal per shift in our employee dining room, http://jobs.fourseasons.com • Paid time off; vacation days and additional floating P&C.whistler@fourseasons.com holidays per year
WE ARE
HIRING
We are hiring LIFT OPERATORS
CUSTODIANS The District of Squamish is seeking casual on-call Custodians to join our dynamic team! The ability to work independently and a strong safety mindset is essential. We offer a competitive wage of $24.57 per hour, flexible schedule and opportunities for development. This role is perfect for all ages especially if you have availability. This position is casual on-call but can be busy, cleaning in a variety of District buildings. Apply today by quoting competition number 22-05 and emailing jobs@squamish.ca.
squamish.ca/careers
We offer:
• • • • • •
Competitive wages Free Bike Park Pass Fun Employee Events 4 days on/3 days off a week Staff accommodation is available Opportunities to grow & much more
email: wbliftops@vailresor ts.com
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Career Opportunities with the SLRD
NESTERS MARKET & WELLNESS CENTRE
NOW HIRING
Looking to contribute to your local community? Consider a career in local government. Join the SLRD’s team of dedicated staff who work together to make a difference in the region. Headquartered in Pemberton, the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) delivers a wide range of regional, sub- regional and local services to its residents. The SLRD is a BC Regional District consisting of four member municipalities (Squamish, Whistler, Pemberton, Lillooet) and four electoral areas. Services include land use planning, solid waste management, building inspection, fire protection, emergency preparedness, 911 services, recreation, water and sewer utilities, regional transit, trails and open spaces as well as financial support for various community services. The region contains some of the most spectacular forests, waterways, and mountains in the province and affords an endless range of opportunities for outdoor adventure, making it an exceptional place to live, work and play. The SLRD is currently accepting applications for the following positions:
Deli, Juice Bar, Produce, Grocery and Meat Clerks 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
• Director of Protective Services (Regular, Full-time) • Planner (Temporary, Full-time) • Legislative Coordinator (Regular, Full-time) The SLRD offers a competitive compensation and benefits package, participation in the Municipal Pension Plan, a compressed work week (nine-day fortnight), and learning and career development opportunities. Come Grow Sport with us at our Whistler Olympic Legacy Venues
Lil’wat Nation
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES Director of Lands and Resources With an unceded traditional territory of almost 800,000ha comprised of the area from Black Tusk to Duffey Lake and a reserve land base of almost 3000ha, the Director of Lands and Resources for the Lil’wat Nation plays a fundamental role in delivering the community’s vision for land use. In addition, the role oversees the Nation’s Archaeology, Fisheries and Environmental field work throughout Lil’wat Territory. The Lil’wat Nation has a traditional territory land use plan, community land use plan and various supporting policies, making it a leader in land use management amongst First Nations in BC. The Nation is seeking someone with strong management skills and a deep understanding of Indigenous Title and Rights and Natural Resource Management to lead the department.
Please visit www.lilwat.ca to view the full job posting. 64 JUNE 23, 2022
We offer competitive wages, a unique environment, seasonal bonuses, staff discounts and benefits. Ask about accommodation
For more information on these career opportunities, please visit www.slrd.bc.ca/employment. To apply, please submit a cover letter and resume (preferably in pdf format) by email to careers@slrd.bc.ca.
Whistler Athletes’ Centre (High-Performance Training & Accommodation) Lodge Attendant Guest Service Agent
Whistler Sliding Centre (Bobsleigh, Luge & Skeleton) Sport Timing Operator Chief Engineer First Aid Attendant
Whistler Olympic Park (Nordic Skiing ,Snowshoeing, & Outdoor Activities) Heavy Duty Mechanic
Visit our website to view current postings and to apply: www.whistlersportlegacies.com/careers
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N’Quatqua Child and Family Development Centre PO BOX 88/64 CASPER CHARLIE PLACE, DARCY BC V0N 1L0
Sales Associates
JOB POSTINGS
PRESCHOOL CHILDHOOD EDUCATOR INFANT TODDLER EDUCATOR NCFDC is seeking On-Call: Infant Toddler, Special Needs, Early Childhood Educator, and ECE-Assistant Licensed individuals, we invite you to submit your application for on-call roles. The Early Childhood Educators work as team members with other child care setting staff and with all the children and families providing general support to the whole program to ensure effective inclusion of the children. The successful candidate will have demonstrated ability in: • Ability to develop and maintain a warm, caring, responsive relationship with the child. • Ability to establish and maintain supportive, collaborative relationships with families and staff. • Ability to maintain confidentiality, positive, professional, nonjudgmental attitude. • Physically ability to carry out the duties of the position. • Planning and implementing developmentally appropriate curriculum that supports community, inclusion and is culturally significant for young Aboriginal children • Understanding and working knowledge of Child Care Licensing regulations • Interpersonal, written, oral communication skills and maintaining positive communication with parents • Collaborating with community service providers, Self-directed and able to initiate and complete projects In addition, the Early Childhood Educators will have: • A minimum of 2 years work experience in a child care setting • Valid Early Childhood Educator Certificate, ECE Licence to Practice or going to school to take Early Childhood Educator courses. • Clear Criminal Records Check & Current First Aid • Food Safe or willingness to obtain • Some knowledge of curriculum and philosophies in First Nations Early Childhood settings. Terms of Employment: • Monday to Thursday - hours to be determined upon need and may lead to part time position • Start Date: As soon as possible • Wage: (negotiable depending on experience) Cover Letter & Resume to: Title: Anita Patrick, Director Agency: N’Quatqua Child and Family Development Centre Email: anita.patrick@nquatqua.ca Phone Number: 604-452-3584 Fax: 604-452-3280 Deadline: until position is filled We thank all those who apply. Only those candidates selected for interview will be contacted.
Positions Available!
At the Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB) our vision of ‘Service. Relationships. Results.’ is all about providing a valued service, building strong relationships with our stakeholders, and achieving greater results for the province. The LDB is one of two branches of government responsible for the cannabis and liquor industry of B.C. We operate the wholesale distribution of beverage alcohol within the province, as well as the household retail brand of BC Liquor Stores. We employ nearly 5,000 people in over 200 communities and have been named one of BC’s Top Employers 14 times over for offering exceptional places to work rooted in values of fairness and respect, work-life balance, and inclusion and diversity. We believe that our people are our greatest asset. Being a reputable employer with programs of skills training and professional development are what attract candidates to BC Liquor Stores, while our progressive, forward-thinking culture is why employees with a growth mindset thrive. Auxiliary positions are on-call, meaning hours of work are not guaranteed and subject to availability. Some auxiliary employees may not initially work a full 35-hour week, but with more hours worked and more seniority gained, more opportunities for more hours of work will follow. Auxiliary positions are not permanent full-time but can lead to permanent full-time opportunities with a very competitive total compensation package, including a comprehensive pension plan, medical and dental coverage (including massage and physiotherapy), tuition reimbursement and scholarship programs, and access to public service employee benefits including career support services, financial and legal services, and employee and family counselling. We are dedicated to the highest quality of customer service, delivered with friendliness, individual pride, initiative, and retail passion! If you fit this description and you are prepared to work in a fast-paced environment, we encourage you to apply to become a part of the Whistler area BC Liquor Stores. To be eligible, applicants must meet the following qualification requirements: • • • • • • • •
Be at least 19 years of age Be able to legally work in Canada Be able to provide excellent customer service Be able to communicate effectively and professionally with the public Be able to demonstrate aptitude for cashier and related duties, including calculations Be able to perform physically demanding work, including lifting 20-25 kg boxes Have a valid Serving It Right Certificate™ A Criminal Record Check is required.
BC Liquor Store Sales Associates may be required to operate a variety of mechanical and hand-operated equipment, in addition to handling large volumes of bottles as part of the LDB’s recycling program. For exciting and challenging retail opportunities, please apply online at: http://bcliquorstores.prevueaps.ca/pages/openings/ Or apply in person at: Whistler Marketplace 101-4360 Lorimer Rd, Whistler On November 1, 2021 the BC Public Service announced the COVID-19 Vaccination Policy that defines the conditions and expectations for BC Public Service employees regarding vaccination against COVID-19. Among other possible measures, proof of vaccination will be required. It is a term of acceptance of employment that you agree to comply with all vaccination requirements that apply to the public service. More information can be found here: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/careers-myhr/all-employees/safety-healthwell-being/health/covid-19/covid-19-vaccination-policy-for-bc-public-service-employees
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Lil’wat Nation
The Museum is currently seeking:
Visitor Services Lead Permanent, full-time, Thursday-Sunday $22 per hour The successful candidate will be friendly and adaptable, with previous team lead and sales experience and strong computer skills. Responsibilities include: • Providing friendly and helpful customer service to ensure guests have an exceptional Museum experience • Following opening and closing procedures • Selling admission tickets, memberships, and Shop merchandise • Assisting with events and engagement initiatives as required
For full job description, visit audainartmuseum.com/employment. Please send your cover letter and resume to: Sonya Lebovic, Museum Shop & Admissions Manager: slebovic@audainartmuseum.com
Employment Opportunities • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Accounting Assistant Worker - Finance Accounts Receivable Co-ordinator - Finance Building Maintenance Worker Capital Projects Manager Career Development Practitioner Communications Coordinator - Ullus Early Childhood Educator and/or Assistant - Daycare Early Childhood Educator Infant Toddler - Daycare Early Childhood Educator/and or Assistant - Casual Employment Advisor - LEAT & Work BC Family Mentor - Maternal and Child Health Forest Firefighter Grade 2 Teacher - Xet’olacw Community School Homemaker - Lil’wat Health and Healing Indigenous Support Worker Casual - Ts’zil Learning Centre Infant Development Program Coordinator - Maternal and Child Health Intake Coordinator - Cedar Circle Lil’wat Health and Healing Lil’wat Employment and Training Manager On - Call Cashier On - Reserve Lands Manager Project Manager for Health Receptionist - Ullus Receptionist - Ts’zil Skel7awlh Stewardship/Technicians Xet’olacw Community School - Elementary On-Call Teacher Xet’olacw Community School - Grade 5 Teacher - Maternity Leave Xet’olacw Community School - Student Support Worker Xet’olacw Community School - High School Math Teacher Xet’olacw Community School - High School Special Education Teacher Xet’olacw Community School - Ucwalmicwts Language Teacher
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/
2022
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IS HIRING A PART TIME BREWERY GENERAL HAND • 2-4 shifts (16-32hrs) p/week between Mon-Sat • Operating the canning line & cleaning & filling kegs • Must love beer, physically fit, able to stand for long periods of time doing repetitive tasks • Monthly & Daily beer allowance, 40% off food & merchandise • Great working team environment!
Please apply within! 66 JUNE 23, 2022
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Get Hired Before June 15th and receive a $500 Signing Bonus PLUS a Summer Lifestyle Benefit.
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VISITORS’ GUIDE 2017-2018 FREE
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Glacier Media Group is growing. Check our job board regularly for the latest openings:
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Keep your days open to play. Now Hiring
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JOB ROLE & DUTIES: • Responsible for the cleanliness and sanitizing of all surfaces in the kitchen • Keeping floors and work areas clear of hazards and obstructions • Maintaining the operation of kitchen cleaning equipment
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68 JUNE 23, 2022
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Employment Opportunities: Front of House Manager Live, Work and Play in Pemberton Apply to: jobs@pembertonvalleylodge.com
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Discover new opportunities and embark on a career in Hospitality with Pan Pacific Whistler. To apply, please send your resume to lucas.perelstein@panpacific.com JUNE 23, 2022
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We are looking to hire another member to our team at Straightline. Experience in Plumbing is required. Gas Fitting and HVAC would be preferred but not essential. Wages are based on experience, Starting between $38-$50/hr. Part-time or Full-time positions available. Please call 604-935-8771 or email straightlineplumbingandheating@gmail.com for more information.
Currently seeking:
We're Hiring: Housekeeping, Bell, and Runners (bike valet & housekeeping assistance).
APPRENTICES AND JOURNEYWOMEN/JOURNEYMEN Start your career with us, no experience needed, full on the job training Give us a call to hear about our benefit packages, discuss wages, school reimbursement and other perks including a ski pass. We value strong communication skills, a supportive learning environment, and opportunity to grow with the company.
Email cover letters and resumes to SB@NOBLEELECTRIC.CA • WWW.NOBLEELECTRIC.CA
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AT V • 4 X 4 B U G GY • J E E P • S A L M O N B A K E • CA N O E • E B I K E R E N TA L S Whistler’s premier visitor magazine is on stands now! Look for our Summer 2022 Issue! Find it on select stands and in Whistler hotel rooms.
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AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF
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LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: HARD
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MAXED OUT
What, me cynical? I TRY. I REALLY TRY . When I was young I didn’t set out to grow up and be cynical. I mean, when I was young, I didn’t know what cynicism was. It was probably sometime around puberty I began to sense the nascent rumblings of cynicism. But I was still too distracted by the elegance of higher math to pay much attention. Or maybe I was just a late bloomer. Cynicism dropped like a bomb in the 1960s. Presidential assassination, Vietnam, Bobby Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Martin Luther King, Watts, and Detroit all pointed
BY G.D. MAXWELL to a crumbling society with philosophical principles as solid as quicksand. What glimmers of hope were provided by an enlightened U.S. Supreme Court, the women’s movement, good music, the Summer of Love and the sexual revolution were kicked in the gut by Watergate, Nixon’s pardon, OPEC, the insipid cars of the 1970s and the emergence of disco. Reagan, Mulroney, Thatcher, greed, SUVs, monster homes and what I came to understand as the real Generation of Swine—boomers... of which I was one, albeit a perpetual outsider—twisted the reality of cynicism into my DNA. And now? A number of elections ago, when MLA Jordan Sturdy first ran, he answered a question I asked by saying he favoured smaller government, pretty much a pat answer for a BC Liberal candidate. I told him I didn’t care what size government was; I was in favour of good government, better government than what we’d been getting for most of my life; government that understood what it meant to govern and stopped wasting time and money on things government shouldn’t be interested in. Big, small, didn’t matter as long as it was good. I’m still waiting. Cynical I’ll live long enough to ever see it... at any level. Fleeting glimpses, perhaps. Last year was devastating in British Columbia. Estimates of the cost of the autumn’s flooding exceed $7.5 billion alone. One estimate puts the cost of rebuilding at more than $9 billion. Of course, there is no talk about the wisdom of rebuilding the inappropriately-named Sumas Prairie—more aptly described as the Sumas floodplain—instead of letting nature reclaim the rich, albeit tenuous, agricultural land created by former governments. The costs of last year’s wildfires are unknown. The cost of fighting them alone exceeded $600 million. Clearly that is just a drop in the bucket. Add the cost of rebuilding Lytton, the economic disruption of the thousands of people evacuated from their homes, the property destroyed, the forests destroyed, jobs lost. It all becomes staggering.
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So is there any good news on the horizon? On Monday, the government of B.C. released its climate adaptation strategy, its investment in climate-resilience projects, wildfire prevention, floodplain mapping, heat preparedness and other mitigation strategies. In other words, the government’s plan to try and avoid or lessen the impact of inevitable, future climate disasters. Sounds good, eh? Yes, our government is going to commit nearly $500 million to protect the province and its residents against those billion-dollar floods and fires. But less than half that, $221 million, this year... while a good portion of the province is currently under flood watch due to June’s
by the Insurance Bureau of Canada says must be spent to avoid the worst impacts of climate change countrywide. What, me cynical? Hey, if you’re not cynical you’re not paying attention. But when the world seems big and the problems seem bigger, a tried-and-true strategy is to pull in and focus locally. Surely there must be a respite from cynicism if I just pretend the larger world outside of Tiny Town doesn’t exist. Well... while our eagerly awaited Balance Model delivered a Sun Rises In the East conclusion last week—Flash: Whistler is expected to continue to grow rapidly—we shall continue to eagerly await Phase III: Strategies and Actions for Visions, to see
I’m still waiting. Cynical I’ll live long enough to ever see it... at any level. Fleeting glimpses, perhaps. relentless rains, record snowpack and delayed freshet. If this sounds, shall we say, parsimonious, insignificant, laughable, yeah, cynical, it has to be read in the light of other government expenditures. For example, the nearly $1 billion they want to spend to upgrade the provincial museum. Or the nearly $300 million dollars the three levels of government—B.C., Vancouver and federal—want to give private, for-profit FIFA to host five (5) World Cup soccer games in Vancouver in 2026. Five others will be held in Toronto for a similar price tag. Or the $5.3 billion per year a 2020 study
what our local leaders believe should be done to mitigate the undesirable effects of continued rapid growth. How will we balance the environment, our sense of place, our community and our tourism economy to be, well, balanced? I wouldn’t put too much hope on the pie-in-the-sky, 15-per-cent increase in labour force efficiency—productivity—to eliminate the projected workforce shortages noted in the model. Canada’s workforce as a whole has rarely surpassed a three-percent annual increase in productivity, and that includes many jobs where automation presumably plays a role. Tourism tends to
be a high-touch, not high-tech, undertaking, and until we see robotic servers and frontline salespeople I’d stop mentioning a 15-per-cent increase in efficiency. That’s math, not reality. But let’s see where Phase III leads. For now, should we need any fuel to propel cynicism about local government, we need only look to the cheerleading around the proposal for The Olympics: Redux. Whistler, to hear his worship talk about it, is foursquare behind the 2030 bid to bring the circus back to town. The new, improved bid for 2030 would expand the Games’ footprint to Sun Peaks. Yes, that Sun Peaks, the one that’s a sixplus hour drive from Vancouver, assuming good weather and no accidents—a rare combination during February. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all in favour of including Sun Peaks. Not because it would involve yet a third athletes’ village being built or because it would alleviate the hilarity of trying to hold Olympic snow events in Vancouver. I’m in favour of it because it’s probably the Achilles heel of the Canadian Olympic Committee’s bid. The Olympics runs on money. The money comes from host countries, television rights and whatever slips into plain, brown bags. The world’s major networks are unlikely to be enamoured at the added expense of yet a third location near the middle of nowhere. Sorry, Sun Peaks. Adding to the already deep pool of cynicism the Olympics engender is the fatuous notion—and I’m not making this up—the International Outlaw, er, Olympic Committee has mandated the 2030 Games to achieve net-zero emissions. I can only assume the emissions to which they refer have to do with truth. Or transparency. Or reality. Oh, how I try. ■
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 NEW PRICE
GREAT VIEWS
VILLAGE #64 & #68 - 2400 Cavendish Way Bright, cozy town homes in Whiski Jack complex. Two units available, both 2 bed/1.5 bath with spacious open living plan and lots of storage. Great full time or weekend living. No nightly rentals. $990,000 & $990,000 NO GST
Janet Brown
NEW TO MARKET
VILLAGE #702 & #704 4050 Whistler Way Hilton Owners enjoy unlimited stays and a central village location offering all the amenities of a resort hotel. This lock-off 2 bed, 2 bathroom, with storage may also be rented nightly though the Hilton full-service, rental management program. $949,000
604-935-0700 Nick Swinburne *PREC
604-932-8899 Ken Achenbach
NEW PRICE
CREEKSIDE 16 - 1200 Alta Lake Road Unit #16 Twin Lakes is the perfect 4 season get away or full time residence that Whistler has to offer. Enjoy the residents only private beach on Alpha Lake in the sizzling summer months where you can swim, float with friends, canoe, paddle board or bask in the sun. $1,449,000
604-938-3798 Maggi Thornhill *PREC
CREEKSIDE 2 - 2174 Sarajevo Drive Gondola Village. Affordable fully renovated home with one bedroom and a loft. Mountain view surronds. Steps to the Creekside Gondola and local commercials. Nightly and monthly rental allowed. $899,000
CREEKSIDE H205 – 1400 Alta Lake Road Well estabished Tamarisk condo complex, 2 bedroom / 1 bathroom and extra den/ storage. Bright corner condo, 2 parking passes. Alpha Lake & Valley Trail access. 3DTour: my.matterport.com/ show/?m=chtzj8RfVJM $789,000
604-905-8199 Kathy White
OPEN HOUSE
Ruby Jiang
604-966-7640
NEW PRICE
WHISTLER CAY 6304 Lorimer Road Best priced home in Whistler with a suite! Three bdrm home with a two bdrm suite in Whistler’s most outstanding location! Walk to school, the Village and Rainbow Park. Great condition with tonnes of natural light, plenty of parking and good storage. $2,699,000
Laura Wetaski
NORDIC #20 - 2301 Taluswood Lane Ski-In/Ski-out 3 bedroom luxury townhouse perched above the Dave Murray Downhill. Watch the sunset from your balcony or from beside the fireplace. Make it your home or have it pay for itself as an Airbnb. http://20.digitalopenhou.se $2,699,000
604-616-6933
NEW TO MARKET
LILLOOET 288 Hollywood Crescent Sunday, June 26 - 12 noon - 3:00 p.m. Stop by to view this 5 bedroom, 2,600+ sq.ft. home on over half an acre with outstanding views from every angle! $879,000
778-834-2002 Katie Marsh
SQUAMISH 40182 Bill’s Place GARIBALDI HIGHLANDS Privacy, views and possibilities abound with this renovated 4br/3.5ba home on a rare .99ac lot. Over 3800SF, open concept kitchen/ dining/living area, family & games rooms, wine room, suite, triple garage. Great for family and entertaining! $2,795,000
604-902-9505 Rob Boyd
Whistler Village Shop
Squamish Station Shop
36-4314 Main Street · Whistler BC V8E 1A8 · Phone +1 604-932-1875
150-1200 Hunter Place · Squamish BC V8B 0G8 · Phone +1 778-733-0611
whistler.evrealestate.com
squamish.evrealestate.com
Engel & Völkers Whistler
Each brokerage independently owned and operated. *PERSONAL REAL ESTATE CORPORATION
604-935-9172
3D Tour - rem.ax/32eagle
#32 - 6127 Eagle Ridge Cres.
3D Tour - rem.ax/2294brandy
$1,889,000
This tastefully updated home features vaulted ceilings & abundant natural light, fabulous mountain views, a wood burning fireplace, cooks kitchen with stainless steel appliances & an induction range, 2 decks, 2 parking spaces & a coveted storage locker. Ideally, suited as full time residence or weekend get away.
Bob Cameron*
3
604.935.2214
2294 Brandywine Way
Dave Beattie*
$1,159,000
1
604.902.2033
#64 - 1188 Main St. - Squamish
Doug Treleaven
$1,049,000
3
604.905.8626
3D Tour - rem.ax/1228bowen
$649,000
1228 Miller Road - Bowen Island
DL - 2401 Sucker Lake Road
$145,000
This 2 acre piece of paradise is as unique as any snowflake. Just a few km’s uphill from Gold Bridge on the road to Bralorne, this road access lot is divided by Ferguson Creek, a year round water source. Less than 1 km up the road yo u find Sucker lake and excellent fishing. A network of ATV and mountain bike trails wind their way from there to Kingdom Lake and beyond.
Dave Sharpe
604.902.2779
3D Tour - rem.ax/115evolution
Attractive 3 bedroom 2 bath at Soleil at the Coastal Village is the place you want to call home. No traffic, no downtown noise, no home like it. Soleil is the last complex beside the estuary to the ocean. Location, location, location. A five minute stroll to the restaurants and shops of downtown.
3D Tour - rem.ax/15eva
#15 - 2230 Eva Lake Road
5.5
604.905.8855
REDUCED
A rare 1 bed, 1 bath 621 sf Sunpath townhome just listed for sale. This size has not been available for more than 4 years. Zoned phase 1 nightly rental, these townhomes have proven to be an excellent property investment. Rent it yourself through AirBNB, hire a Property Manager or keep it for your own personal use.
Denise Brown
$4,188,000
The property features a 4 bedroom, office and den home with a spacious 1 bedroom suite plus a 400 sq.ft studio above a double car garage. Outdoor atributes include a gazebo with day bed, a sitting area with fire pit, an outside dining area plus an enclosed, covered and heated patio/sitting area.
PRICE CHANGE
#6 - 4325 Northlands Blvd.
3D Tour - rem.ax/208snowbird
#115D - 2020 London Lane
$221,000
Welcome to Evolution #115D, a beautifully appointed, fully furnished and equipped 1-bedroom resort home that effortlessly blends contemporary style with a cozy mountain feel. Enjoy gorgeous views of the forest from your deck on the quiet side of the building. Quarter Ownership.
Kristi McMillin
1
778.899.8992
3D Tour - rem.ax/413alpenglow
$1,465,000
#413 - 4369 Main Street
$449,000
Nestled in Nordic, Eva Lake Village is a quiet local enclave offering great value. A cozy 1 bed 1 bath bottom floor walk in Condo is a short walk to the valley trail system linking you to Creekside Amenities/Ski Hill and Whistler Village, and Lakeside Park. The complex has a communal bike storage room plus a communal laundry.
This newly renovated home sits on a private, 28,000 sq ft parcel of land with so much to offer. Only the second time on market this home has charm & a fresh modern vibe to ease any visitor’s busy mind. Only a 4-minute drive from the Snug Cove Ferry & the townsite of Bowen you have an oasis waiting for you. This is the perfect island getaway or forever family home.
This 4th floor studio with views of Sproat Mountain is a perfect little getaway and revenue generator. Located in the middle of Whistler Village, steps from Olympic Plaza, food and shopping, and a short walk from the ski hill. Complex includes a pool, hot tub and exercise room, and secure underground parking. Opportunity for excellent annual revenues.
Laddie Hannam
Madison Perry
Matt Chiasson
1
604.603.7672
3D Tour - rem.ax/1577tyne
1577 Tynebridge Lane
3
778.919.7653
3D Tour - rem.ax/8274mtnview
$4,499,000
8274 Mountainview Drive
$3,495,000
.5
604.935.9171
3D Tour - rem.ax/6baseline
#6 - 2200 Taylor Way
$2,575,000
Wake up to Mountain views and abundant natural light every day from the top floor of your ultimate open concept living area! Entertain in your deluxe kitchen with large island, over sized fridge & freezer, gas range & stove, pot filler, butlers pantry, and Sonos wireless speakers in 3 areas.
This home offers a beautiful setting in Alpine Meadows on a large private lot with its own babbling creek and mountain and treed outlook! Thoughtfully designed with concrete floors between the main living/dining and kitchen area and the 2 bedroom suite below, there are 3 bedrooms plus a family room and 3.5 bathrooms on different levels.
The beautiful floor plan will grab your attention with high vaulted ceilings, in the living room & bedrooms that streams in the natural light. Located by Alpha Lake / Park with tennis courts, beach and children’s play area for your summer fun. Walking distance to Creekside Gondola and all the wonderful amenities Creekside has to offer.
Meg McLean*
Sally Warner*
Sherry Baker*
604.907.2223
4.5
WHISTLER OFFICE 106 - 7015 Nesters Road, Whistler, BC V8E 0X1 604.932.2300 or Toll Free 1.888.689.0070 *PERSONAL REAL ESTATE CORPORATION
remax-whistler.com Property Management remaxseatoskypm.com
604.905.6326
5.5
604.932.1315
3.5
PEMBERTON OFFICE 1411 Portage Road, Pemberton, BC V0N 2L1 604.894.6616 or Toll Free 1.888.689.0070