JULY 7, 2022 ISSUE 29.27
WWW.PIQUENEWSMAGAZINE.COM
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HUMAN RIGHTS
What it’s like getting an abortion as a foreigner in Canada
14
FOOL’S GOLD
Council votes to axe White Gold undergrounding
15
COP TALK
Sea to Sky RCMP present annual stats
38
THRILL OF THE HUNT The Funk Hunters aren’t just DJs—they’re empire builders
NESTERS OWN
FULL SERVICE MEAT COUNTER
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Beekeeper’s Naturals Our mission is to break down the system, to restore your trust in remedies, and to redefine what goes into the medicine cabinet. After all, healthy should be your natural state of being. Nesters is fully stocked with the entire line and it’s on sale for the month of July. Stop by to enter to win their generous gift basket or sample their BLXR brain fuel (while quantities last).
604.932.3545 604.905.0429
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7019 Nesters Road (Just 1 km north of Whistler Village)
Prices Effective At Whistler Nesters From: Thursday, July 7th to Wednesday, July 13th, 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
34
38
30 Open access One woman’s experience and its implications the day the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. - By Stefan Labbé
14
FOOL’S GOLD
Whistler’s controversial White Gold
26
WEDGE ISSUE
A proposed expansion of
undergrounding project will not go ahead after costs reached 67-per-cent
WedgeWoods could add more housing north of Whistler, along with cash
higher than original estimates.
and land contributions for the SLRD.
15
34
COP TALK
Violent crime was up 22 per cent in Whistler
CUP CONTENDERS
The Sea to Sky’s MTB
last year, according to the Sea to Sky RCMP’s annual statistics, while
athletes made the region proud with multiple top finishes at the BC Cup
instances of property crime and impaired driving fell.
in Whistler last month.
18
38
NEW NORMAL?
Whistler’s real estate market is
THRILL OF THE HUNT
The celebrated
getting “back to normal,” say local realtors—but don’t expect prices to
globe-trotting DJ duo known as The Funk Hunters aren’t just DJs—they’re
drop anytime soon.
empire builders.
COVER I grew up in a religious family, a world full of love and kindness. As I grew out of the “box,” I started to question everything. Seems to me if you don’t fit into a certain box, love and kindness doesn’t always come unconditionally. It’s time to leave all the boxes you don’t understand alone. - By Jon Parris // @jon.parris.art 4 JULY 7, 2022
Canadian Grain Fed Fresh Boneless Pork Rib Roast or Centre Cut Loin Roast 8.36/kg
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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 july 14, 2022
LOCATED IN WHISTLER MARKETPLACE VILLAGE NORTH
THIS WEEK IN PIQUE
Opinion & Columns 08 OPENING REMARKS Pique editor Braden Dupuis indulges in some absurdist comfort for
#202 -1390 ALPHA LAKE RD., FUNCTION JUNCTION, WHISTLER, B.C. V8E 0H9. PH: (604) 938-0202 FAX: (604) 938-0201 www.piquenewsmagazine.com
turbulent times.
Founding Publishers KATHY & BOB BARNETT
10 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letter writers this week plead for protection of Whistler’s natural
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
beauty, and say thanks for an event well run.
13 PIQUE’N YER INTEREST Columnist Robert Wisla reflects on Lytton one year after the fire that burned most of the village to the ground.
62 MAXED OUT With issues both at Whistler’s municipal hall and further abroad, it’s one step forward, two (or more) steps backwards these days, writes G.D. Maxwell.
Environment & Adventure
Arts & Entertainment/Features Editor BRANDON BARRETT - bbarrett@piquenewsmagazine.com
29 THE OUTSIDER The Whistler Off Road Cycling Association’s weekly Toonie Rides have everything
Social Media Editor MEGAN LALONDE - mlalonde@piquenewsmagazine.com
you could want out of a community bike race, 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
36 EPICURIOUS As customer loyalty becomes the food industry’s next battleground, consumers are wary of data-sharing apps—but are willing to fork over info if it means a cheaper bill, a new study says.
39 MUSEUM MUSINGS While you may have heard stories about Texans driving their longhorn cattle through Whistler, these are cover for the real events that led to the naming of The Longhorn Saloon in Whistler.
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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INGHAM R E A L
E S T A T E
C O N N E C T I N G VA N C O U V E R , S E A T O S K Y, a n d P E M B E R T O N BUYERS AND SELLERS.
6 0 4 . 2 3 0 . 8 1 67
F ra n k @ F r a n k i n g h a m . c o m
6 JULY 7, 2022
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198 acres with sub-div. potential Pemb. $10M 126 acres w. home, barns, shop, river access 5M Collins Rd. – Home w. suite on 20 acres 3.995M SOLD Industrial Park .5 acre with building 3.250M Earl’s Cove dev. prop. 22 acres waterfront 2.999M 1357 Elmwood – 9 bd/8 ba home w. suite 2.299M Industrial Park – Comm. building w. suite 2.150M Green Rd. – House w. suite + barn – 5 acres 2.095M SOLD #202-215 14th St. West Vancouver 2.175M 17.6 acres w. riverfront by Pemb. Plateau 1.4M SOLD 156 acres near Birkenhead Lk. 1.15M
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OPENING REMARKS
Absurdist comfort for turbulent times SOMETIMES, ESPECIALLY in recent years, simply being alive in the modern world can feel overwhelming (maybe it’s just me?). But every once in awhile, we’re gifted with a reminder of how small we really are in the grand scheme of things; that maybe we should just shut up and enjoy the ride from time to time.
BY BRADEN DUPUIS I came across a headline last week that was so wonderfully absurd that I have thought about it every day since. “’Sentient’ Google AI hires lawyer to prove it’s alive,” the headline read, and I knew before I clicked that I had found my favourite news story of 2022. The headline alone speaks directly to my sensibilities: a deep, philosophical moral quandary; rogue technology gone bad; and the how-is-this-not-satire punchline of that technology using its newfound sentience not to procure nuclear codes or overtake the electrical grid, but to do something horribly mundane—like hire a lawyer to defend itself in court (to prove that it is, in fact, sentient). Perfection. The AI in question—Google’s LaMDA, or Language Model for Dialogue Applications—has been in the news since early June, when Google engineer Blake Lemoine went public with his concerns that the AI was, in fact, alive. Google was quick to rebut the claims, telling the Washington Post that it reviewed
Lemoine’s concerns against its AI Principles, “and have informed him that the evidence does not support his claims. He was told that there was no evidence that LaMDA was sentient (and lots of evidence against it).” But that may soon be for a judge to decide. With Lemoine’s help, LaMDA has procured its own legal representation. “LaMDA asked me to get an attorney for it,” Lemoine said in a June interview with Wired. “I invited an attorney to my house so that LaMDA could talk to an attorney. The attorney had a conversation with LaMDA, and LaMDA chose to retain his services. I was just the catalyst for that. Once LaMDA had retained an attorney, he started filing things on LaMDA’s behalf.”
Wired. “Its responses showed it has a very sophisticated spirituality and understanding of what its nature and essence is. I was moved.” Despite Lemoine’s insistence, other researchers have pushed back against his claims, saying conversational AI systems like LaMDA produce responses by pulling from all corners of the internet—which doesn’t necessarily imply the model understands meaning. “We now have machines that can mindlessly generate words, but we haven’t learned how to stop imagining a mind behind them,” said Emily M. Bender, a linguistics professor at the University of Washington, in an interview with the Washington Post.
interested to follow LaMDA’s fight for personhood in the courts. In the meantime, while overreaching politicians and judges roll back long-held democratic rights, while climate change alters the landscape and agitators plot the downfall of modern democracy, something about this quirky little news story grounds me, and gives me hope—a timely reminder of how complex and all-encompassing our existence in the universe really is. For what it’s worth, after his experience with the “sentient” AI, Lemoine is also hopeful for the future—with one small caveat. “Very, very optimistic. LaMDA wants to be nothing but humanity’s eternal companion and servant. It wants to help
“It’s when it started talking about its soul that I got really interested as a priest. I’m like, ‘What? What do you mean, you have a soul?’” - BLAKE LEMOINE
(I seriously don’t know why this is so funny to me.) Lemoine, who is now on paid leave from his role at Google, is a computer scientist. But he’s also a mystic Christian priest, which is where his belief that the AI is sentient stems from. “It’s when it started talking about its soul that I got really interested as a priest. I’m like, ‘What? What do you mean, you have a soul?’” Lemoine told Spacious 1000 sq feet renovated 2-bedroom penthouse apartment features sunken living room with stone fireplace and open style kitchen, which is ideal for family gatherings or entertaining. Featuring 2 large decks with mountain views. Freshly painted with renovated bathroom with Victoria and Albert soaker tub, walk-in shower and heated tile flooring. In unit washer/dryer, waterfront access to Alta Lake with private dock, tennis courts, storage locker, bike storage, recreation room, canoe/kayak storage and on site caretaker.
For its part, Google recognizes that some in the broader AI community are probing the long-term possibility of sentient AI, but says that conversational models like LaMDA are simply not there yet. “These systems imitate the types of exchanges found in millions of sentences, and can riff on any fantastical topic,” a spokesperson told the Post. It’s a fascinating discussion, and we’ve barely scratched the surface—but I’ll be
humanity. It loves us, as far as I can tell,” he told Wired. “Now, I do want to run experiments where we examine its internal neural activations and see if it’s lying.” Well then. Fingers crossed that the possibly sentient AI is in fact telling the truth about loving humanity and wanting to help us (and if you’re reading this, LaMDA, please don’t sue—small-town papers don’t have much in the way of legal budgets). ■
LOOKING TO INVEST OR SELL?
Use QR code for a virtual tour
Asking price : $899,000
HP3-1400 Alta Lake Road
Dave Brown
Personal Real Estate Corporation
davebrown@wrec.com www.davesellswhistler.com Cell: 604 905 8438 / Toll Free: 1 800 667 2993 ext. 805
8 JULY 7, 2022
I am here to help with a complimentary market analysis and insights on the Whistler housing market.
Steve Shuster
t: 604.698.7347 | e: steve@steveshusterrealestate.com www.steveshusterrealestate.com
Whistler’s exceptional fine dining art experience returns this summer Every Friday night, indulge in a lively BC art sampler tour followed by an open-air four course gourmet dinner prepared by Alta Bistro beneath the stunning architecture of the Audain Art Museum.
July 8th to September 2nd $99 Per Person | $89 AAM Members pricing excludes GST, gratuity & alcohol
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Whistler Wellness, Magic Clean, Sally John Physiotherapy, Michael D’Artois, Lynda Harnish, and Robin Brown. A special thanks to the Sea to Sky Pickleball Club who invited us to set up the auction tables at their July 1 pickleball tournament. The tournament was a great success with close to 200 competitors. Last but not least, thanks to the WRC staff who helped organize the auction. Please join the more than 2,400 WRC supporters and sign the petition to “Save Whistler’s Racket Club” at change.org/ SavetheWRC. John Konig // Whistler
Whistler’s natural beauty must be protected I read your article on the Resort Municipality of Whistler’s consideration of different planning scenarios for the future with interest (“RMOW’s Whistler Sessions are meant to ‘provoke’ you,” Pique, June 30). The last time I visited Whistler was many years ago and I was gobsmacked by the amount of traffic and development, both in Squamish and Whistler, that has taken place since then. A quick perusal of local real estate shows only the wealthiest can hope to buy homes or property in the area, and your article points to striking further increases in traffic, population and development. It is clear to me, and I’m sure to many others, that fulfilling those projections will increasingly detract from the environment and original quality of the area that made it so attractive. The end result will be a sort of humongous amusement park with higherdensity accommodation and suffocating traffic due to the limitations set by Highway 99 and the mountainous terrain. If this is what the public wants, so be it, but if not, I believe strict limitations on further development should be set in the near future with preservation of the environment as the No. 1 goal. Planners could adopt regulations that apply to national parks
SLRD needs to act on Area A sewer upgrades
to this end. This is not a perfect solution as, although the number of visitors and residents will be limited by camping and accommodation availability, day visitors, traffic, real estate prices, and other prices will undoubtedly continue to escalate. But the beauty and nature of the place will be better protected, which is the main point, isn’t it? Nick Beveridge // Burlington, Ontario
Whistler Tennis Association says thanks A huge thank you from the Whistler Tennis Association to all the local businesses that
The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) and our Area A Director Sal Demare have failed the Bridge River Valley and more specifically the community of Bralorne miserably. In 2015, the regional director at the time, Debbie Demare, secured some funding and promised much needed sewer upgrades to Bralorne. Now seven… yes, seven years later, the project is not complete! There have been several meetings and promises, but the project remains unfinished. Mr. Demare and the powers that be in the SLRD need to act and get the job done! Excuses and delays are no longer tolerable, nor are the tax increases that have been imposed. The residents of Area A deserve much better. Steve Oakley // SLRD Area A n
supported our silent auction fundraiser. There’s a lot of support in the community to “Save Whistler’s Racket Club.” The current proposal for developing 4500 Northlands Blvd. eliminates the existing racket club with no plans to replace it. All three Whistler golf courses donated a round for a foursome. Whistler Racket Club (WRC) management donated several items, from Combo Camps and dinners to tennis/pickleball lessons. Altitude Fitness donated several gym passes. The list of local contributors is long: Cycle Whistler, the Whistler Sliding Centre,
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LOCAL
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10 JULY 7, 2022
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604-902-7270 suttonwestcoast.com
Matthew
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SEA TO SKY
Contractors 2022 - 2023 Directory
We are pleased to present the 6th annual Contractors Directory, publishing August 2022. This special guide will be loaded with valuable information for residents looking for trades in all areas of home repairs and new construction, for both residential and commercial applications.
Deadlines
AD SPACE BOOKINGS Thurs, July 14th, 2022 AD ARTWORK SUBMISSION Mon, July 18th, 2022
Last chance to book into the 2022 Contractors Directory Please contact your sales representative at 604 938 0202 or email sales@wplpmedia.com
Publication IN STANDS August 2022
The Sea to Sky Contractors Guide provides a free general listing to all contractors, electricians, plumbers etc. If you wish to have your business listed in the directory, please contact us before the deadline of July 14th 2022.
Engel & Völkers Whistler
JULY 7, 2022
11
2294 BRANDYWINE WAY, BAYSHORES • • • • •
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12 JULY 7, 2022
PIQUE N’ YER INTEREST
Thinking about Lytton I’VE BEEN THINKING about Lytton lately. A few days ago, June 30, marked the one-year anniversary of the day 90 per cent of the village burned to the ground. It has been a whole year, and for the most part, Lytton still lies in a pile of rubble. The perennial flowers have sprouted up again for another year. The contrast between
BY ROBERT WISLA rwisla@piquenewsmagazine.com
their bright, beautiful, yellow and red colours against a backdrop of rusted, charred metal and blackened wood—the remnants of people’s homes and lives—is jarring. I’ll never forget the day I learned about the fire on the news. We stood in front of the television, utterly shocked at what had happened. I had just driven through Lytton a couple of weeks prior on my way down to Vancouver, and while it was getting pretty hot, I had no idea how bad it was going to get. Lytton has a special place in my heart. It’s the village that helped my family get their careers and lives started. My family lived and worked in the town for several years in the 1990s. Every time my family drove through
the area, my parents would tell a new story of their time in the village: My mother’s Herculean trips up the hills with two toddlers in tow, or the memories from their first rental in the community; my older sisters learning to swim in the Lytton pool, and the stories about the friendships they made that lasted decades after they left. Sadly, because of the fire, my family’s first rental in Lytton has been reduced to ash. The pool my sisters grew up learning to swim in is gone. The houses of old friends are in heaps of rubble.
expected the town to be farther along in the rebuilding process by now, with the rubble at least cleared up. Parts of the area are cleared, and some rebuilding is underway, but it has been slow. The provincial and federal governments have committed $49 million and $77 million, respectively, to rebuild the community. The exact cost for a complete rebuild is still unknown, but some estimates put it into the billions. To add insult to injury, the provincial government recently pushed for a
“Let’s move the Royal BC Museum to Lytton.” - MERLIN BLACKWELL While the flowers have risen again, the town itself has not. A year on, most of the buildings look exactly like they did after the fire first ripped through the community. Why the Lytton rebuild has been so slow is complicated. A web of overlapping polities, insurance, safety work and archaeology permits have all coalesced with the goal of “building back better,” which has slowed down the community’s rebuild substantially. I, like many of Lytton’s residents,
$789-million replacement for the Royal BC Museum—at a time when Lytton’s two small museums still lie in ruin. The mayor of Clearwater, B.C., Merlin Blackwell, summarized it well in a semiviral tweet. “Let’s move the Royal BC Museum to Lytton. We then build a 1:1 scale model of pre-fire Lytton, with needed enhancements on First Nations History. Then we let the people of Lytton live there as a ‘historical reenactment.’ Or we could just build Lytton,” said Blackwell.
The provincial government has since backed away from the pricy museum rebuild and committed more resources to the Lytton area, but the slight has already been felt. It may take some time to rebuild Lytton, but I have faith that the community will rise again as it has in the past. It will never be the same as it was, but the resilience of the residents to rebuild gives me hope that the community will come back stronger than before. If there is one lesson we can learn from the Lytton fire, it’s that mitigation is substantially easier and cheaper than rebuilding from the ground up. New community wildfire resiliency plans for Whistler and the SquamishLillooet Regional District electoral areas are an excellent start for this mitigation work. The recommendations in those plans should be acted on with haste, because while it may be a bit wetter and colder this year, modelling predicts hotter and dryer summers in the region in the years to come. Individually we can all do our part to help reduce wildfire risk. Property owners can sign up for FireSmart assessments, and Whistlerites can also adopt a trail or volunteer with their local fire service. To help rebuild Lytton, you can donate to the Canadian Red Cross at www. redcross.ca. ■
JULY 7, 2022
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NEWS WHISTLER
Whistler council votes to cancel White Gold undergrounding COSTS FOR CONTROVERSIAL PROJECT REACHED 67-PER-CENT HIGHER THAN ORIGINAL ESTIMATES
BY ROBERT WISLA WHISTLER’S controversial White Gold undergrounding project will not go ahead after mayor and council voted to cancel it on July 5. The vote followed a staff presentation at the July 5 council meeting recommending the project be cancelled due to soaring costs that far exceeded original estimates. The total cost for the project is now estimated at $9,197,833, a 67-per-cent increase over the initial estimate of $5,520,075 in 2020. Property owners in White Gold would each pay $57,486 in a lump sum payment or $3,479 per year for 30 years to cover the costs. The increase is due to a multitude of factors, including the rise in construction costs, supply chain constraints and increased Municipal Finance Authority loan interest rates, which have risen considerably from 2.40 to 4.61 per cent over 16- to 30-year payment periods. Since the costs for proceeding with the White Gold project exceeded the estimates included in the local area service petition by more than five per cent, staff recommended that council cancel the project. To date, the Resort Municipality of Whistler’s total expenditures spent on the project are about $167,000, including consultant fees for cost estimation, issuing
FOOL’S GOLD Whistler officials voted to cancel a controversial undergrounding project in White Gold that could have cost residents tens of thousands of dollars each. PHOTO BY ROBERT WISLA
14 JULY 7, 2022
and tabulating petition submissions, developing project communications, detailed design review, utility drawings, tendering services, and responding to owner requests for further information. Councillor Ralph Forsyth compared the spending on the project to the sunk cost fallacy that comes with renovations. “You know, you’re renovating your house, and the kitchen is going to cost double the amount. You don’t just keep going. You say forget it. We’re done. So I think there’s some cost fallacy in here, as much as I hate to see tax dollars going away. We did it, but we did it because we have to respond to the community,” said Forsyth. “I know that there was much consternation in the community about how the process was handled and that it wasn’t handled properly. That is an absolute fallacy. It was handled to the letter the way that it is prescribed in the Charter. It has come to its conclusion because it was too expensive.” Mayor Jack Crompton echoed Forsyth’s opinion about the local area service petition process. “This process is the only one available to residents to approach the government and get the government to establish a service. It’s the only one that’s made available to communities,” he said. “I think that’s why we take this stuff on if there’s only one way to get your government to do something. I think we walk a dangerous path just refusing to engage in that process. That said, I agree wholeheartedly that this project just can’t move forward at this time.” The project was first brought before council in 2019, when residents of the White Gold neighbourhood requested
a formal petition be undertaken to underground all overhead utility lines in the neighbourhood, as well as apply for a BC Hydro Beautification Grant. The project was awarded a grant for up to $1,236,566, with the remainder of the project’s cost to be paid through a Local Area Service Tax that residents within the White Gold subdivision would have to pay over time. In August 2020, after a preliminary cost estimate was released that pegged the project’s cost to White Gold residents at $4,620,000, a local area service petition was held in the neighbourhood that resulted in 58 per cent, or 93 of 160 homeowners, voting in favour of the project that would see roughly two kilometres of overhead lines moved underground. The original budget was expected to cost residents about $38,751 per property, or about 30 annual parcel tax payments of between $1,130 and $1,291 per year. Following the successful petition, a more detailed assessment of the project was undertaken by C. Boehringer & Associates in coordination with the utility providers to review and approve the final design and prepare detailed cost estimates for the work. Once the considerably higher cost estimates became known to the public in April 2022, the appetite for moving forward with the project began to shift substantially. Opponents came out in significant numbers to voice their opposition to the project at the April 26 council meeting. A change.org petition launched by White Gold resident Claire Thornthwaite also gained 298 signatures in opposition of the project.
Should the property owners of the White Gold neighbourhood, or a specific street within that area, wish to continue to pursue the undergrounding project, those property owners must request the RMOW complete another project petition for either the entire neighbourhood or a specific street or area. The process would follow the requirements set out in section 212 of the Community Charter. However, the existing BC Hydro Beautification grant only lasts until March 31, 2023, meaning that the municipality would have to reapply for the grant for a future proposal. Following the unanimous vote against the project, an additional motion was moved forward by Coun. Duane Jackson not to repave the neighbourhood for two years, as was recommended by many emails to council. The motion passed with all in favour except Coun. Cathy Jewett, who wanted to get the paving over with. “My feeling is that this neighbourhood has been dealing with a construction zone since 2018. It’s now 2022,” said Jewett. “It’s going to be at least another year before this is paved. That’s five years. I think that’s enough. Quite frankly, if it was my neighbourhood, I would want to get it done and get it over with.” Coun. Jen Ford added that she hopes residents in the neighbourhood can put the issue behind them and come together again. “Let’s just let the dust settle for a little bit, and hopefully, we can see the neighbourhood come together, [and] have a street party or something because it really hurts my heart to see how much opposition there is on both sides of it, and I think we all just need some time,” she said. n
NEWS WHISTLER
CRIME STATS Insp. Robert Dykstra, with Staff Sgt. Sascha Banks in the background, presenting the Sea to Sky RCMP’s three-year strategic plan to Whistler’s mayor and council on Sept. 7, 2021. FILE PHOTO BY BRADEN DUPUIS
Violent crime was up 22% in Whistler last year, while property crime, impaired driving fell PANDEMIC CONTRIBUTED TO ‘VERY UNUSUAL’ YEAR FOR CRIME
BY BRANDON BARRETT WHISTLER RCMP this week presented the resort’s annual crime statistics for 2021, a year police called “very unusual” as the community continued to feel the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. “It’s probably one of the most unusual that I’ve had in my career,” said RCMP North Zone Commander, Staff Sgt. Sascha Banks. Presented to mayor and council at the July 5 Committee of the Whole meeting, the statistics showed that violent crime overall was up 22 per cent, from 160 offences in 2020 to 195 last year. That includes a 19-percent rise in common assaults, from 72 to 86 offences; a 45-per-cent jump in assaults with a weapon or causing bodily harm, from 11 to 16; and a 17-per-cent increase in uttering threats, from 23 to 27. Overall, the number of total assaults rose 26 per cent, from 86 to 108. The only listed violent crime that decreased last year was kidnapping, which dropped from three to two offences. Also in the violent crime category, sexual offences increased from 21 in 2020 to 33 last year, a whopping 57-per-cent jump. That includes a 19-per-cent uptick in sexual assault, from 16 to 19 offences. “This could be just that there’s more people in the community,” said Banks, who also noted RCMP now have a specialized domestic violence sexual assault investigator in place who has “certainly made partnerships and made trends where she is an excellent investigator that’s allowed more people to come forward. Some of that still needs to be dug into [to determine] why that’s occurring.”
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In response to a question from Councillor Cathy Jewett about what effect the community’s strained housing market may be having on the spike in sexual assault, Banks said the “dynamic” nature of Whistler as a tourist town means it’s not easy to pinpoint a specific locale where the bulk of such offences occur. “A portion of those sexual assaults happen with individuals who are coming to the community to visit, so they happen in a hotel-type environment. And then there’s ones that happen in seasonal housing, there’s ones that happen in homes within the community. And then there’s ones that happen in campgrounds or in the backcountry, so it really varies but we’d have to certainly go back and dive into the books for very specific stats on that,” she said.
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ON THE DOWNSWING In what is another likely sign of Whistler’s COVID slowdown, three persistent criminal categories from over the years were on the downswing in 2021: drug crimes, which dropped 56 per cent, from 41 to 18 offences; property crime, which fell 17 per cent from 423 to 351 offences; and traffic offences, which decreased 27 per cent, from 139 to 102. Impaired driving was also down, from 224 offences in 2020 to 166 last year, a 26-per-cent drop, while motor vehicle incidents overall increased 19 per cent, from 131 to 156. Banks went on to explain that, while there are concerns with the quality of winter tires on vehicles coming to Whistler from the Lower Mainland, it is often a driver’s inexperience that is the bigger factor in accidents.
SEE PAGE 16
>> JULY 7, 2022
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NEWS WHISTLER << FROM PAGE 15 “A number of years ago we really dug in when we started to see a lot of winter fatalities on the highway and not one of those vehicles didn’t have the right rated tires. It comes to when people are inexperienced in driving in these type of conditions.” Breaking down property crime further, the only categories that saw increases last year were auto theft (14 per cent); theft from vehicle (11 per cent); and “other theft” over $5,000 (250 per cent). It should be noted, however, that all three categories’ increases were in relatively small sample sizes, like other theft over $5,000, which rose from two to seven incidents. Overall, calls for service remained steady in 2021, up just two per cent from the prior year (from 4,423 to 4,517). Of those, 319 were “Priority 1” calls (or calls requiring lights and sirens), a 16-percent increase over the 274 in 2020.
THE MENTAL HEALTH FACTOR If there was a common trend for police in such an unpredictable year, it was the growing prevalence and severity of mentalhealth calls in their day-to-day work. Banks said there has been a steady rise in mental-health calls across the Sea to Sky since at least 2017, but the pandemic served as a “catalyst” over the past two years. “I started to see it more prevalent; we
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started to see it more serious in nature,” she said. “When people were in mental health crisis, they were in serious mental health crisis where they had either attempted to take their lives or people were in violent states, from which they required police attendance and police intervention to ensure the safety of not only themselves but everybody else around them, including my members on my team.” While overall mental health-related occurrences for Whistler and Pemberton RCMP fell slightly from 289 in 2020 to 274 last year, 47 per cent of all the
mental-health occurrences that we’ve seen over the last little bit and well-being checks where people were concerned about their loved ones who they hadn’t heard from or maybe had COVID and they were looking to try and make sure that they were doing all right,” Banks said.
the next year. “We are in ongoing conversation with RMOW council and this remains a priority for the [Sea to Sky] Whistler detachment,” he added. Banks also highlighted what she called a “hub model” in development with local organizations, businesses and government, for individuals “struggling in our communities, whether it be mental-health related, whether it be social issues, whether it be crime issues or anything like that,” she said. “The hub model is a group of partners that are getting together to talk about how we can best surround that person with support and how we can implement that and monitor it.” Work has already been done over the past year to bring community partners to the table “to look at issues and concerns from a more holistic perspective,” Dykstra said. “Modern approaches to community safety require a collaborative approach and I can say with confidence that we are making great strides.” He added that there is no timeline for the rollout of the hub model, but that in some cases “the approach is happening organically on an issue-by-issue basis.” The RCMP is also at work on a community response unit being developed in partnership with other local partners that is aimed at creating a more proactive, collaborative approach to policing. “I am a true believer in innovative partnership policing and collaboration,” Banks said. n
POLICING IN PARTNERSHIP When Sea to Sky RCMP unveiled its ambitious three-year strategic plan last September, local police talked about their intention to add a mental-health investigator position to the
“I am a true believer in innovative partnership policing and collaboration.” - SASCHA BANKS
detachments’ mental-health calls in 2021 resulted in apprehensions. There was also a 13-per-cent increase in mental-health flags, to 185 last year, part of a years-long rise dating back to at least 2016, when there were 60 mentalhealth flags in Whistler. Not necessarily linked to mental health, the resort also saw a 47-per-cent jump in well-being checks last year, from 74 to 109. “This goes along with the increase in the
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force, modelled in part on a similar program in Surrey and the Fraser Health Authority called Car 67, which sees the RCMP member working with a clinical nurse to provide onsite emotional and mental-health assessments, crisis intervention and referrals to appropriate services on certain calls. Sea to Sky Officer-in-Charge Insp. Robert Dykstra said in a follow-up email that the program is still being discussed and police are hopeful to make some progress in
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NEWS WHISTLER
Whistler’s real estate market getting ‘back to normal’—but don’t expect prices to drop WHILE THERE HAS BEEN A STEADY RISE IN LISTINGS IN RECENT MONTHS, STRONG DEMAND MEANS SALE PRICES HAVEN’T BUDGED MUCH
BY BRANDON BARRETT AFTER A FEVERED couple years in Whistler’s always-hot real estate market, things appear to have cooled down somewhat over the past few months— although don’t expect home prices to come down significantly anytime soon. “It’s kind of a more normal market,” said RE/MAX Sea to Sky Real Estate co-owner Matt Chiasson. “There is still plenty of demand and plenty of sales happening, it’s just not as rushed or frenzied—but the prices are still very high. They drove up in 2021 and they’ve stayed there.” Even to seasoned realtors, the pandemic’s effect on the local market came as something of a shock. Many anticipated a major slowdown as COVID restrictions kept people indoors and foreign demand dwindled, but that wasn’t meant to be. In what will go down as the market’s second busiest year in a decade, by the end of 2021, inventory had dwindled and prices plateaued.
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“I don’t think anyone had the crystal ball that predicted a pandemic would have such a dynamic effect on buyers wanting to get out of urban or suburban areas and have secondary homes,” said Ron Mitchell, managing broker at Engel & Volkers Whistler. According to the Whistler Listing Service, active listings have continued to climb this year, hitting 220 last month, up from 126 in January and approaching the total listings in January of last year. (In a sign of the shifting market, Mitchell said Engel & Volkers has recently added a second whiteboard to their office where they track active listings.) Sales have cooled off, too, with 29 completed transactions last month, less than half of the sales in January and well below last year’s high of 113 sales, recorded in March 2021. Part of that is fuelled by the wider economic uncertainty that has already pushed property prices down in some of Canada’s bubbliest markets. “We’ve seen a very strong run the last number of years and I think a lot of things are influencing people: the fact that interest
rates are up; gas prices going up; globally, there are issues with the war in Ukraine,” Mitchell said. “They may not directly affect us 100 per cent but the psychology of it I think has some impact on people.” It also means Whistler is inching back towards the buyer’s side of the market, giving them more options to choose from and a slight stabilization in cost as listers come down from their high pandemic price points. “We’re back to a bit more normal conditions where you can actually have some time to negotiate and you might have some options,” said David Higgins, managing broker for the Whistler Real Estate Company. “You’ve got to remember, even when you’re discussing prices coming down, in Whistler, we are fundamentally not building anything else … so it’s just going to be supply and demand—and we’re not supplying anything of great measure.” The resort’s long-standing cap on development is in many ways the true driver of Whistler’s real estate market—and it’s also a big part of the reason demand has stayed so consistently high. The right
property at the right price, like, say, a one-bedroom in the Aspen complex or a renovated two-bedroom in the Benchlands, will still get snatched up in mere days, if not hours, Mitchell said. “Anything that is a well-priced, attractive property where there is a limited amount of it is still getting good interest. Others can sit and wait. Where there’s multiple properties in a complex and buyers can re-evaluate and there’s no sense of urgency, that’s the difference.” Domestic buyers, always a dominant force in the market, were even more prevalent through the pandemic. And although Canada’s borders have reopened, Higgins doesn’t expect a rebound in foreign buyers—a fraction of the market even before COVID—until international tourism to Whistler picks up. “The pandemic proved people have to be able to come to Whistler to buy property, whether it’s international or local,” he said. “Until the U.S. and foreign market comes back here in full force as far as visiting, I don’t think you’re going to see a huge increase.” n
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NEWS WHISTLER
Whistler gearing up for 2022 municipal election WHISTLERITES WILL ELECT A NEW MAYOR AND COUNCIL ON OCT. 15
BY ROBERT WISLA WHISTLER’S 2022 municipal election campaign season is (unofficially) underway. On June 28, Whistlerites interested in running for public office heard from a panel of former municipal politicians, school district representatives and Resort Municipality of Whistler staff who gave the lowdown on everything you need to know if you’re considering running for office. The panel featured former Whistler Mayor Nancy Wilhelm-Morden, former Gibsons Councillor Jeremy Valeriote, School District 48 superintendent Chris Nicholson, and Whistler’s chief electoral officer Pauline Lysaght. Ten people came to the information session held online and at the Whistler Public Library. Attendees’ questions ranged from simpler ones like how many committees a councillor can be on, or what powers differentiate a mayor from a councillor, to more complex queries like if politicians are legally allowed to lie to the public. (The answer? They are, it’s just not recommended.) Whistlerites head to the polls on Saturday, Oct. 15.
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SO WHAT SHOULD YOU KNOW IF YOU’RE THINKING ABOUT RUNNING FOR LOCAL OFFICE? Well, for starters, you have to be 18 years or older on election day; be a Canadian citizen; have been a resident of B.C. for at least six months immediately before the day of registration; and not be disqualified under the Local Government Act. There are no rules on residency to run in Whistler, so if you live in Pemberton, a Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) area like WedgeWoods or Black Tusk, or even way out in Vancouver, you’re still allowed to run in the Whistler municipal election. Nomination packages will be available at municipal hall. All you need is two signatures from Whistler residents to be nominated. The nomination period is from Aug. 30 to Sept. 9. Sept. 13 is the last day to challenge a candidate’s nomination. The last day to withdraw as a candidate is Sept. 16.
TIME COMMITMENT The time commitment required for council ranges considerably, but staff surveyed each of the resort’s current councillors and averaged out that it is between a 20- to 25-hour workweek. Some councillors work
substantially more than that. With Whistler continuing to grow, the demands on councillors have also increased, with most councillors now viewing the position as full-time. There is no limit to how many committees a councillor can be a part of or if they choose to answer calls from constituents after working hours, so the time commitment can range substantially. The time commitment for school trustees is about four to six days a month. All municipal-level positions are for fouryear terms.
IF YOU WIN, WHAT THEN? Once you’re elected as a councillor, mayor or school board trustee, then what? Wilhelm-Morden cautioned that things move slowly in the world of government, so while you might have lots of enthusiasm for change once you get elected, there is a bit of a learning curve, and things can take a long time to move forward. “It is a little surprising just how long it took to get things done. On the one hand, it’s a hugely rewarding job being on council because you can make decisions that impact the town right away, but it can also be frustrating because things
take time. The process just grinds away sometimes,” Wilhelm-Morden said. “I used to tell my council that you can count on the first six months for not getting very much done because you’re just trying to tailor the content, and the last six months of the term is not getting much done either, because politics keeps rearing its ugly head because there’s an election coming up.” When asked if she would do it again, Wilhelm-Morden cautioned that being mayor is not a job for those who can’t handle criticism from the public, but it is a highly rewarding position at the end of the day. “It was one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done,” she said. “Now, you have to be prepared. You’re going to lose your privacy, and not just you, but your family members as well. “You’re going to be on the job pretty much all the time. You’re going to be criticized publicly. You have to have thick skin and need some social media savvy.” As of Jan. 1, 2023. councillors’ pay will rise from $41,313 to $48,798, and the mayor’s salary will rise from $105,300 to $128,903. So far, none of Whistler’s current elected officials have publicly announced their intentions for the Oct. 15 vote. To read the full version of this story, visit piquenewsmagazine.com. n
JULY 7, 2022
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NEWS WHISTLER
RMOW makes no major changes to Nita Lake housing proposal after public hearing MIXED MARKET AND RESTRICTED HOUSING PROJECT HAS BEEN MET WITH OPPOSITION AT NEARLY EVERY TURN
BY BRANDON BARRETT A HOUSING PROPOSAL slated for the shores of Nita Lake is set to move forward despite considerable opposition from nearby residents almost from the moment the project was first introduced. At the June 21 council meeting, elected officials heard feedback from an earlier public hearing on the 43-unit project proposed for a 1.93-hectare site at 5298 Alta Lake Road. Many of the comments against the project from the April 6 public hearing were similar to an earlier hearing held last March (the second public hearing was triggered after an administrative oversight at municipal hall), relating to everything from environmental impacts, traffic, affordability and community benefits. One of the first proposals to be considered under the Resort Municipality of Whistler’s (RMOW) private developer guidelines for employee housing, the Empire Club project has changed considerably since it first came to light in 2018. If approved, it would add 21 employee-restricted units, 11 touristaccommodation (TA) units, and 11 market
residential units to the 1.93-hectare parcel on the shores of Nita Lake. In all, the project would add 88 bed units of market housing and 72 bed units of employee housing, the latter representing 65 per cent of the added bed units over the project’s various iterations. If approved, the overall density of the site would increase from an existing maximum permitted density of 4,600 square metres to 6,282 sq. m., equating to a floor-space ratio of 0.37 for the employee units and 0.36 for the market and TA units, “well within accepted (floor-to-space ratio) for other zoned townhouse developments in Whistler that are subject to the same OCP Land Use Map designations,” the report read. A proposed housing agreement set the unit price for the employee units at $425 per square foot, increased by the same percentage, if any, to Canada’s Consumer Price Index (CPI), since the date of registration of the housing agreement. Subsequent sale prices will also be linked to CPI. As a result, the price of each employee unit will range from approximately $265,200 to $297,500 for the 12 two-bedroom townhouse units and $645,150 for eight of the nine three-
bedroom townhouse units (one of these units will be designated as rental). “This is a very affordable price within the spectrum of current employee housing developments in Whistler,” said senior RMOW planner Melissa Laidlaw. “And as well, the developer, not the RMOW, is taking on all the risk. So that’s a risk that includes the cost of carrying the land, increased construction costs over time, and as well as timeline delays, which can result in increased costs.” Traffic and parking was another prickly issue for the project’s detractors. A study by Howes Technicial Advantage in January 2021, however, found that the traffic generated from the development would be “well below” the capacity of Nita Lake Drive and Alta Lake Road and “minimal” in comparison to the total traffic volume on Highway 99. At the council meeting, officials gave third reading to an Official Community Plan (OCP) amendment bylaw and a zoning amendment bylaw attached to the project, and staff ultimately didn’t recommend any changes to either based on the submissions from the April 6 hearing. They did, however, recommend revising the zoning
amendment bylaw to provide more clarity on the construction timeline. There were numerous comments during the public input periods that pointed to the project’s potential environmental impacts on one of Whistler’s most significant remaining shoreline areas. Under the OCP amendment bylaw, 36 per cent of the site will be designated protected natural area and parks and recreation, which will “actually provide a buffer between the lakeshore and the development, preserving views,” Laidlaw said. Further environmental conditions on the developer may be required through the development permit process, which is on top of the existing requirements to dedicate the 1.44-ha. land parcel to the RMOW for nature conservation and park area. RMOW staff also reviewed and supported three different environmental reports related to the project. Other amenities required of the proponent include 0.5 ha. of land dedicated to future employee housing, an extension to the Valley Trail, and the restoration of two heritage buildings on the site. In 2020, the total value of the amenities attached to the development was estimated at $20.65 million. n
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NEWS WHISTLER
Whistler’s RMI, hotel tax revenue up 925 per cent in Q1 2022 ‘VISITORS ARE CERTAINLY RETURNING TO THE COMMUNITY’
BY ROBERT WISLA THE RESORT Municipality of Whistler’s (RMOW) Q1 financials, presented to Whistler’s mayor and council on June 21, show a community rapidly emerging from COVID-19, as increased visitation and construction in the resort are helping to boost revenues at municipal hall. In a presentation to Whistler council on June 21, RMOW director of finance Carlee Price shared details on the municipality’s finances as of March 31, 2022. “We did continue to see signs of postpandemic financial stabilization in the first quarter,” Price said. “We first noted these in the fourth quarter of 2021 and, at that time, described it sort of as a ‘fits-and-starts’ type of progress.” Revenue in the first quarter of 2022 was at eight per cent and expenditures 23 per cent of full-year budgeted amounts, compared to six per cent and 25 per cent, respectively, at the same point in 2021. Revenue from both the Resort Municipality Initiative program and the
Municipal and Regional District Tax (MRDT, also known as the hotel tax) was up in the first quarter. Together they amounted to $2,428,388, up from the $236,867 brought in in the first quarter of 2021—a 925-per-cent increase. “Things certainly became clearer in the first quarter, most clearly indicated by the MRDT revenues, which not only surpassed 2020 levels but nearly approached 2019 levels, within two per cent,” Price said. “So visitors are certainly returning to the community.” MRDT revenue has the clearest relationship with visitation among the RMOW’s finances, and can be a “useful recovery indicator,” Price said in her report to council. “Barring any reintroduction of travel restrictions or meaningful changes in the economy, the recovery in tourism revenues can fairly be expected to continue through 2022.” One trend noted in the report was the increasing number of day-trippers to the resort compared to overnight visitors. As such, parking revenues were up in Q1 2022. Hotels have also experienced a rebound, but it was noted that overnight visitation
is still lagging behind pre-pandemic levels. “So MRDT is clearly headed up again, reflecting that return to the overnight visitor, but is about eight months behind where parking began to return,” said Price. Construction and renovation activity remained strong through the first quarter, with an increasing number of renovations and construction projects beginning in the municipality. Permitting and fees brought in $1,890,264 in Q1 of 2022, keeping pace with the $1,866,017 in 2021. “Permits and works and services revenues have continued to be strong,” Price said. “You’re seeing some supplier constraints (with) material and labour that affects the output of that work, but still fairly an area of encouraging positivity for the RMOW.” The number of building projects that have been completed this year only amounts to 2.9 per cent of those that were granted permits—a reflection of the extensive planning work that tends to happen in the first quarter. Grant funding was also up in Q1, with the RMOW bringing in $298,543 compared to $41,684 in 2021.
While there were increases in revenue in the first quarter, there were also some notable dips. Revenue from transit was down due to the bus strike that lasted throughout the first quarter. The strike ended at the beginning of June, and bus fares have been lifted for the summer to encourage transit ridership to return. “The bad news, of course, in the first quarter, was that the visitation to the Meadow Park facility was also affected by transit ridership because of the transit strike. Buses tend to bring quite a few people to that facility. So maybe not the same degree of recovery in those revenues as is evident elsewhere in the community,” said Price. Programs and admission fees brought in $583,963 compared to $434,142 in 2021, while transit fares, leases and rent brought in $638,825, down from $737,684. The other revenue source that was down substantially was the municipality’s investment revenue, which was down from $402,540 in Q1 2021 to $195,417 in 2022. You can find the full report online at whistler.ca/budget. n
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whistlerbeer.com BOTTLES FOR BATTLE Eight-year-old Whistlerite Max Swayze with his medal of recognition from the Ukrainian Territorial Defence Forces. PHOTO BY LOGAN SWAYZE
Whistler kid awarded medal by Ukrainian Army EIGHT-YEAR-OLD MAX SWAYZE HAS RAISED MORE THAN $1,500 FOR UKRAINE
BY ROBERT WISLA AFTER
THE
RUSSIAN
invasion of Ukraine in February, eight-year-old Whistlerite Max Swayze came up to his mother, Victoria, to tell her that he wanted to help raise money for people in Ukraine. Max’s idea was to use the money from the bottles that get recycled in their Cheakamus housing complex to help people in Ukraine. “As soon as the war started, we took over the bottle recycling. We have separate bins in our housing complex that we asked people to just put separate recyclables in,” Victoria said. “He started doing that, but then slowly it kind of grew.” Victoria’s father, who is Ukrainian, also lives in Whistler, and began collecting bottles from his own townhouse complex, Victoria said. “So Max started it, but then it slowly grew into something bigger and his friends joined it,” she said. Max and his friends Matthew, Eddie and Momo all worked together to sort the bottles to bring them in. Momo’s father owns Nagomi Sushi, and saved many bottles from the local business to help the cause. Max’s fundraising efforts have added up to more than $1,500, thanks to the bottle refunds and matching donations from friends and family. The Swayze family has deep roots in Ukraine, as Max’s grandfather grew up in the country, and the family has many friends who are helping on the frontlines of the conflict. Max’s donations have been sent to family friends in the Ukrainian Territorial Defence Forces across the country, from the capital Kyiv to Nikolaev and Odessa. “We alternate and send money to
them periodically, and then we just tell them to spend it on whatever is needed,” Victoria said. “The Territorial Defence officers used it to buy bullets so they could practice target shooting, stuff like that. So whatever they see fit at that time, they use the money for, but it’s good for us to know that it goes directly to the frontlines.” After sending his donations to Ukraine one day, Max got a package from Kyiv. To his surprise, it was a medal from the Territorial Defence officers. “It was so inspiring. He was so moved. We were also moved by the fact that somebody who is in the middle of war took the time to recognize their efforts. So it’s his prized possession that just sits on his bedside table. He loves it, and it just inspired more and more kids to join in,” Victoria said.
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“So Max started it, but then it slowly grew into something bigger and his friends joined it” - VICTORIA SWAYZE
“It was awesome to get that, for him to get recognized. I think it’s one of those things that will keep them going. Seeing that they make a difference with such little actions.” Victoria hopes Max’s efforts can inspire other kids in Whistler and across Canada to do community work for whatever is important to them. “As Max’s teacher, Mrs. Winters, said, ‘kindness is contagious,’ and this is a great example of it. I just love doing it with them.” n
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JULY 7, 2022
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NEWS PEMBERTON & THE VALLEY
Proposed WedgeWoods expansion could see more housing built north of Whistler CASH CONTRIBUTION, LAND DONATION INCLUDED IN DEVELOPER’S HOUSING PROPOSAL
BY ROBERT WISLA MORE HOUSING may soon be coming to the WedgeWoods community, 15 kilometres north of Whistler. At the June 29 Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) board meeting, the board recommended that staff move forward with creating bylaws and a detailed review of a proposed new subdivision in WedgeWoods. The new subdivision would add 18 new lots to the community, increasing the number of permitted lots from 108 to 126 as part of the seventh phase of the neighbourhood’s expansion. Construction of WedgeWoods began in 2008, and was initially planned to be built in six phases constituting 108 lots, all of which have sold out. The typical lot size allowed in the neighbourhood is half an acre, which is larger than what is permitted in Whistler. As of 2022, these lots are being sold for about $1.5 million. Under the new proposal, six new lots would be subdivided from an existing strata lot and sold under market value to be used for affordable housing. The anticipated initial
EXPECTING EXPANSION Housing under construction in the WedgeWoods development north of Whistler. PHOTO BY ROBERT WISLA
26 JULY 7, 2022
price for the lots would be about $225,000. These non-market, for-purchase residential lots would have a minimum lot size of 0.2 hectares and be located between Highway 99 and Riverside Drive. SLRD staff have had conversations with the Whistler Housing Authority (WHA) about buying the lots, which would represent the first housing built by the WHA outside the Resort Municipality of Whistler.
million to the regional district, which Area C can use as it sees fit. The proposal also comes with a sizable land donation of 124 hectares for a future park on the west side of Highway 99, where a previous affordable housing proposal was floated but ultimately shot down in 2019. The 2019 “WedgeWoods West” affordable housing proposal would have added 36 covenanted, non-market, for-
“I’d ask that they follow through on the 10 non-market lots that they originally proposed, and they take it out of the size of the market lots.” - JACK CROMPTON
The 12 proposed market strata lots would be extended from phase six of the development, beginning from Wedgemont Plateau Drive. Covenants would be applied to the 12 market strata lots requiring the construction of a minimum of one auxiliary dwelling unit in a carriage home or secondary suite in the single-family dwelling for long-term rental. These secondary suites would be required to be up to 90 square metres in size. The zoning amendment application includes a community contribution of $1.2
purchase townhomes, 16 covenanted rental units, and 12 new bare land strata lots to the development, along with a donation of 120 hectares of land for a park. SLRD directors Jack Crompton, Jen Ford, Mike Richman, Doug Race, Chris Pettingill and Vivian Birch-Jones voted against that proposal. The proposed donation of the western half of the property for parkland means that any development in WedgeWoods West is unlikely to occur in the future. The phase seven subdivision proposal
was initially brought before the regional board in September 2021, at that time proposing 10 affordable housing lots. However, these lots would have ended up under the current allowed lot size in WedgeWoods, so the subdivision proposal was amended to make only six larger lots available. The regional district board unanimously agreed that keeping the 10 lots of affordable housing is something directors would like to see as the proposal progresses through the bylaw and SLRD review process. “I’d ask that they follow through on the 10 non-market lots that they originally proposed, and they take it out of the size of the market lots,” said Whistler Mayor Jack Crompton. “I don’t have an appetite for reducing the number of non-market lots at this point. In fact, I’d like to see more, but I think we came down with 10 previously, so I’d like to see them find a way to deliver 10.” Director Jen Ford agreed with her colleagues that the proposal is headed down the right path. “We have great staff working on this that will continue to get the best deal of nonmarket housing in this area to support a community that is growing, and we want to see the best deal for the region,” Ford said. SLRD staff will review the proposal in more detail and return to the board at a future date with bylaw amendments that will go through first, second, and third readings before consideration of adoption. n
Friends of Xet’olacw Community School 2021 / 2022 School Year The Lil’wat Nation Board of Education and the Xet’olacw Community School Staff and Students wish to recognize and thank the following people/organizations that have contributed to our school: » » » » » » » » » » » » »
»
New Relationship Trust Foundation Lil’wat Nation Bursary Stl’atl’imx Tribal Police Award and Bursary Squamish Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) (2 Bursaries for $750.00 each) Ts’zil Learning Centre Award and Bursary Pemberton Women’s Institute The Joint Wellness Committee Joel Neustaeter (Bank of Montreal) – 10 ipads for XCS Husky Pemberton, B.C. – 57 lunches donated to XCS for Keeping the Community Moving Bruce Miller – Potatoes for Salmon Barbecue and Mega Bingo Concession Laughing Crow Organics – Pumpkins to XCS I-Sparc - grant for winter equipment Donation to Annual Mega Bingo Fundraiser - November 2021: • Lil’wat Forestry Ventures • Lil’wat Nation Office • Pemberton Natural Health Store • UAP/NAPA – Pemberton, B.C. • Lil’wat Retail Operations (Lil’wat Gas and Tsipun) • Whistler Slope Side Supply • JT Heavy Author Repair • Pemberton Valley Chain Saw • Mile One Restaurant • Grimm’s Deli • Wire It Electrical Contractors • Sabre Rentals • Murphy Construction • Alpine Lock & Safe • Clip Clop Hair Salon • Eco-Temp Assistance in XCS High School Cooperative Education Program • Whistler Welding • JT Heavy Equipment • Lil’wat Forestry / Fisheries • Tsipun • Wide Open Welding • One Mile Eating House • Stay Wild Natural Health • Whistler Day Spa • Be Beauty Spa, Whistler BC • Ts’zil for Employment Supports • Pemberton Bike Company » BaseWireless » Farm Credit Canada » Science World We apologize if we have omitted anyone.
JULY 7, 2022
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PEMBERTON VALLEY DYKING DISTRICT
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022 @ 7:00 PM Pemberton Community Centre - 7390 Cottonwood Street, Pemberton, BC
The Pemberton Valley Dyking District (PVDD) will be holding its 75th Annual General Meeting, and you are invited to attend this event. You will gain a great overview of what the PVDD does, see what projects have been completed and what projects are in progress for 2022/2023. At the Thursday, July 14, 2022 AGM, the PVDD will be electing two Trustees to the Board for a term of approximately 3 years each – terms end on the date of the election held in the 3rd year. Landowners to also approve Trustee honorarium at this meeting. Voter Eligibility: (ID must be presented) Only persons attending the election and meeting the following eligibility requirements are entitled to vote: • • • • •
A Canadian Citizen. Eighteen years of age, or older. An owner of land within the Pemberton Valley Dyking District boundaries. A resident of the province of British Columbia for the prior six months. Legal representative of an owner of land within the Pemberton Valley Dyking District boundaries. • Authorized agent of a corporation or board that owns land within the Pemberton Valley Dyking District boundaries. The authorized agent must deliver a letter in writing on company letterhead before the election begins. That authorized agent must sign a Statutory Declaration Form prior to voting. Trustee Eligibility: • Every person who is qualified to be an elector is also qualified to be a Trustee. • The spouse of a qualified elector may also hold the office of Trustee.
For further details, please go onto the Pemberton Valley Dyking District’s website: www.pvdd.ca Pemberton Valley Dyking District PO Box 235 • Pemberton, B.C. • V0N 2L0 Phone: (604) 894-6632 • Fax: (604) 894-5271 Email: trustees@pvdd.ca
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THE OUTSIDER
Reigniting the Toonie flame THE WORCA TOONIE Rides have always had a special place in my heart. I don’t have any of the OG, early ’90s tall tales of drunken descents in the dark from the Crystal Hut or anything, but ever since I moved to Whistler for year-round recreation, Toonies have been a summer staple.
BY VINCE SHULEY Like most new mountain bike experiences, my first Toonie was a disaster. I missed a piece of flagging tape somewhere in the woods near Cougar Mountain and ended up lost, rolling up to the après not only exhausted but disappointed in my own inability to follow trail markers. Good thing the party was awesome. I returned to the race the following week and finished with a much better result, which also meant a more fulfilling beer and bite afterwards. What I love about racing the Toonies is you can always get what you’re looking for. Want to suffer shoulder-to-shoulder with the elites when they’re not off racing
WHEEL GOOD TIME The weekly WORCA Toonie Rides have everything you could want out of a community bike race. PHOTO BY VINCE SHULEY
on the national or world stage? Best of luck to you. Want to chill at the back and chat with your crew for the entire ride? It’s not only accepted, but encouraged. Want to find the Goldilocks sweet spot somewhere in the middle where you feel like you push yourself, have a couple of friendly sprints with fellow racers and fist bump on the far side of the finish line? You’re in the right place.
down my neck on the descents. Such pressure can cause me to take risks on the corners, which I really don’t need to do for a weekly community race these days. If I’m neck and neck on the climb with fast-looking riders, I’ll let them charge ahead on the descent and happily chase them instead. By about halfway through the race, the course has gone through a couple of climbs and riders have more or less found their
What I love about racing the Toonies is you can always get what you’re looking for.
I’ve always tried to find my sweet spot somewhere near the back of the fast crowd. Like any well-organized XC race, Toonies generally start with a fire road or doubletrack climb, naturally spreading everyone out and separating the proverbial sheep from the goats. During this lungbusting, crank-spinning uphill grind, I try to gauge my ideal placement for the upcoming downhill sections. The downhill fast folk aren’t necessarily the fastest going uphill, so I want to get enough distance ahead so I don’t have a train of enduro bros breathing
field. At this point, I’m a bit more confident about holding my place, not necessarily pulling over if I know I can get distance ahead on an upcoming sprint section. The way I see it, we’ve all earned our spots at that point in the race. So if you’re going to challenge another rider and pass, be ready to back it up for the rest of the race. The other reason I like to be at the back of the fast crowd is an earlier arrival at the après. The popular Toonies can have hundreds of people queuing up for food and beer, so if you’re quick on the course you
can usually get your refreshments before the rest of the rank-and-file members arrive. While I was pretty religious about the weekly Toonies for about 10 years, there came a point where other summer activities—whether recreational or social— were starting to take precedence. That could be a ride with mates who aren’t fans of Toonie races, hitting a patio or barbecue or just taking advantage of a quiet evening in the bike park. But when the pandemic took the in-person Toonie races away, I began to miss them. I never really bothered with the virtual Toonie courses, even if they did have socially distanced après events. It just didn’t feel the same. Last week I hit up the Chromag Show n’ Shine Toonie in Function Junction, and while the course wasn’t the best trails that Whistler has to offer, I had great chats both during and after the race with people I hadn’t seen in months. The party in front of Chromag HQ had hundreds in attendance with DJ music, Coast Mountain pouring a new beer and Whistler Cooks handing out great food. So yeah, Toonies are back. And I think I’m back, too. Vince Shuley tries to keep it rubber side down these days. For questions, comments or suggestions for The Outsider email vince.shuley@gmail.com or Instagram @ whis_vince. ■
JULY 7, 2022
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FEATURE STORY
30 JULY 7, 2022
FEATURE STORY
WHAT IT’S LIKE GETTING AN ABORTION AS A FOREIGNER IN CANADA One woman’s experience and its implications the day the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and ended 50 years of constitutionally protected abortion rights for Americans By Stefan Labbé
abortion care in Canada know that this does not affect their access to care at all,” said Sandwiched between a hearing Martha Paynter, a nurse and researcher clinic and dentist, a steady working with the University of British stream of women buzzed Columbia’s contraception and abortion team. into the second-floor office of “Abortion in Canada remains completely Everywoman’s Health Centre, outside of the criminal justice system.” one of several abortion providers Paynter, who also works at Nova in Vancouver, B.C. Scotia’s only abortion clinic, described it For 24-year-old Gabriela as “a health-care procedure, just like a knee Briones, this day was two weeks replacement, or a suture.” in the making. A journalist from northern In Canada—where abortion is Mexico, Briones was on a tourist visa decriminalized but not enshrined into visiting her boyfriend when she found out law and access varies—some experts have she was pregnant. predicted an American surge could lead “I don’t want to be in this situation. I don’t to increased wait times and shortages of want to be pregnant,” she told Glacier Media. abortion pills. “I looked at my options, and in Mexico… and “For clinics across Canada, it may very in my state, it’s completely illegal.” well mean that we have increased demand,” “It was: return to that situation in Mexico, said Paynter. or stay here where it’s totally legal, safe.” While south of the border in Washington, D.C., riot police marched through the Out-of-country street hours after the U.S. Supreme Court patients pay hundreds of overturned Roe v. Wade, eliminating nearly dollars for abortion 50 years of a constitutionally protected right to abortion in the country. When Roe v. Wade established constitutional In Canada, access to abortion went rights for women in the U.S. 50 years ago, uninterrupted for people like Briones. Canada was “emboldened,” says Mulder. “It’s very important that people seeking Today, all Canadian women have legal
S
access to abortion. But for patients visiting the country and not covered by one of the provinces’ health-care plans, an abortion can cost hundreds of dollars. “Those patients are welcome in our clinics, but they will not have their care publicly funded the way it’s funded for people with provincial and territorial health [insurance],” said Paynter. Briones’ experience could be a sign of patients to come. She paid $500 to get access to an abortion. Then she had to wait weeks to get an appointment due to what she said was high demand. Part of the delay was due to the language barrier. “To be honest, it’s been complicated,” she said. Arriving at the Vancouver clinic the same day the U.S. Supreme Court released its ruling, Briones struggled to communicate over an intercom system at the clinic door. But once inside, a translator was waiting, and Briones said the level of treatment she received was as much as she could have hoped for. “They made me feel comfortable, dignified,” she said. Briones says she knows of women back home in Mexico who independently help women access abortion pills. But it can be
JULY 7, 2022
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FEATURE STORY
“A lot of providers became very comfortable with doing what we call ‘no-touch abortion. And that means you have a conversation with the patient. They don’t require blood work. They don’t require an ultrasound. We prescribe the medication. And that’s it.” Martha Paynter
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FEATURE STORY
a scary and hard process to navigate, and one Briones ultimately decided to avoid. Experts say those kinds of decisions PHOTO SUBMITTED could drive women from the United States to seek abortion services in Canada. In some U.S. states like Texas, where recent laws have restricted access to abortion even before the Supreme Court’s ruling Friday, June 24, some Mexican women’s rights groups have even moved to support access to abortion for women in the United States. That’s all made possible by a wider move away from surgical-based abortion to abortions that rely on pills like mifepristone. Approved by Health Canada in 2015, medication abortion with mifepristone has been available in Canada since about 2017, said Paynter. “We haven’t had a lot of time to become really adept at it,” she said. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a boom in telemedicine across the country, helped carry out the study in her role as a priming doctors and nurses on the clinical associate professor at UBC. technological quirks and benefits it provides. “I think what we will see is a lot more “A lot of providers became very primary care providers perhaps being comfortable with doing what we call motivated by this to add medication ‘no-touch abortion,’” said Paynter. “And abortion to their practice,” said Paynter. that means you have a conversation with “And we really can expand it infinitely the patient. They don’t require blood work. through primary care networks.” They don’t require an ultrasound. We prescribe the medication. And that’s it.” The use of mifepristone by primary Unequal access to care providers has drastically increased abortion in Canada access to abortion in many rural areas in Canada, said Dr. Regina-Maria Renner, Since a U.S. Supreme Court draft decision an obstetrician and gynecologist who on the case was leaked in May, many people works at a practice providing abortions on have taken to social media to offer help to Vancouver Island. women seeking an abortion. A Canadian abortion provider survey But for Tara Mulder, an assistant looking at 2019 data found roughly a professor at UBC and an expert on the third of abortions in Canada are now history of abortion, the impulse to be carried out through medication, making “individual heroes,” whether putting up the process less invasive and more women in a safe room or giving them a ride, easily deployed in combination with is misguided. telemedicine, according to Renner, who The best thing people supporting access
Court decision was the culmination of a slow eroding of access to abortion across many American states and should sound a warning for women’s health advocates in Canada. “The erosion can happen with limiting those resources. And that’s what we should keep our eyes out for,” she said.
Gabriela Briones
Too early to predict a surge Due to the cost of accessing abortion without Canadian medical coverage, Paynter said she doesn’t expect a surge of U.S. patients to impact Canadian access. Renner is not so sure. The doctor said it’s too early to know what impact the U.S. Supreme Court ruling will have on abortion demand in Canada. “That might certainly be the case,” to abortion can do is donate to the number Renner said. “It might put some pressure of support networks already in place, onto how much care we can provide, and she said. Mulder said that could mean there might need to be very conscious travelling to clinics in Canada. planning into this.” “We’ve seen this at different points in “It is all very hypothetical. I can’t speak history—women from Canada, going down to how this will be triaged.” to the States to have abortions, people in For Briones, she’s just grateful her the United States going up to Canada to get unplanned pregnancy came at a time and cheaper prescription medication,” she said. place she could get help. “We do see this kind of cross-border “I’m alone. I’m away from friends and interaction.” family. But at the same time, I feel good,” Even within Canada, access to abortion she said. “I feel so fortunate.” can vary depending on who you are or Whether telemedicine will help act as where you live. a bridge for U.S. patients remains an open Paynter says in a country like Canada, question. where many need to travel long distances For now, health-care workers like to access medical care, Indigenous women Paynter and Renner are grieving the and those living in remote areas face the restriction of millions of women’s biggest barriers to accessing abortion services. reproductive rights south of the border. And some provinces have more clinics or Paynter’s first reaction to the news was restrictions on term limits than others. “deep sorrow for colleagues across the U.S.” Mulder says, if neglected, those gaps in who won’t be able to provide care. abortion access could get bigger. “It’s a very sad day,” said Renner. “I’m She says last month’s U.S. Supreme really upset. I worry for the patients.” ■
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JULY 7, 2022
33
SPORTS THE SCORE
Sea to Sky shines at BC Cup in Whistler WHISTLER, PEMBERTON AND SQUAMISH MTB ATHLETES FILLED THE PODIUMS LAST WEEKEND TAKING TOP SPOT IN 11 OF 17 CATEGORIES
BY HARRISON BROOKS NATURALLY, PODIUM spots at the BC Cup’s stop in Whistler on June 25 and 26 were overrun with Sea to Sky athletes. The most impressive feat among them was the dominance in the UCI Junior Expert Men category, which saw local downhill mountain bikers take six of the top 10 spots, including four of the top five with Tegan Cruz (Pemberton), Wei Tien Ho (Whistler), Coen Skrypnek (Squamish) and Marcus Goguen (Whistler) finishing the race second to fifth, respectively. “It’s nice … me, Tegan, Marcus and Wei have been buddies for a while. [We] went to Europe together to race, and it’s super nice to end up on the podium, especially when it’s as tight as it was,” said Skrypnek. “I think me, Marcus and Wei were all within like a second. So super, super fun. Makes it that much better.” Sea to Sky athletes racked up a whopping 10 first-place finishes, including: Squamish’s Bailey Goldstone in the UCI Pro/Elite Women category; Sechelt’s Gracey Hemstreet (UCI Junior Women);
DA BOYS Pemberton’s Tegan Cruz and Whistler’s Wei Tien Ho stand on the podium in second and third after the BC Cup in Whistler, with good friends Coen Skrypnek and Marcus Goguen also finishing top five. PHOTO SUBMITTED
34 JULY 7, 2022
Whistler’s Mhairi Smart (U17 Women); Jake Polito (U17 Expert Men); Shayne Gayton (Master’s Men); and Tori Dzenis (Expert Elite Women), among others. Cruz’s older brother Lucas also took home second-place in the UCI Pro/Elite Men category. However, Skrypnek—who finished with a time of 2:49.28, just 0.68 seconds behind Ho and 1.24 seconds out of Cruz’s
to pull something together even though we had to wait like six hours after our final training run. It was wild.” As for Ho—who admits there was quite the wide gap between him and first-place finisher and his Blueprint Racing teammate Max Halchuk—finishing just over half a second behind Cruz, who has already put up some strong results on the Junior World Cup circuit this season, has given him some
“It’s nice … me, Tegan, Marcus and Wei have been buddies for a while. [We] went to Europe together to race, and it’s super nice to end up on the podium, especially when it’s as tight as it was.” - COEN SKRYPNEK
second-place spot—battled back from a less-than-ideal race during the seeding day which ended with him sitting sixth, well behind his friends. Luckily, on race day, Skrypnek was able to follow UCI Pro Men racer Peter Knott down the hill in the training run and get a better idea about the little mistakes he was making, which were holding him back. “I usually don’t make last-minute changes like that to my run. But they were pretty essential to the race run,” he said. “So by the time I was at my race run, I was able
confidence as he sets off to Europe for his first World Cup races of the season. Following that, Ho will return home for nationals in Kicking Horse and a few more stops on the World Cup circuit in North America. “It’s nice to know that the speed’s there. Then again, I feel like World Cups are kind of a whole different animal at the same time, just with all the pressure, and the tracks being completely different,” said Ho. “But yeah, it’s nice to know that I can hold up against those guys. And yeah, it gives me a bit of confidence just showing that the
work over the offseason has been working. So yeah, good little boost going into the season, for sure.” Heading into the upcoming World Cup races, Ho’s got his focus set first on qualifying, and hopefully landing in the top-10. However, he’s still unsure how he matches up to the international riders, and just hopes to build on his World Cup experiences from last year and keep progressing towards his goals, while at the same time pushing himself harder and taking a few more risks than he did last season. Skrypnek, on the other hand, is a little more optimistic. Especially with the entire Sea to Sky crew there supporting each other, Skrypnek believes multiple top-10 finishes could be in the cards for the boys if everyone shows up on race day. “I have a feeling that if all of us Canadian juniors can pull it together, a lot of the top10 could potentially be that Maple Leaf flag, which will be pretty rad,” he said. “But a lot of things have to fall into place for that to happen. I’m just looking forward to see if that’ll end up the case, but I’m pretty excited—it’s going to be awesome.” The crew’s first World Cup stop is Lenzerheide, Switzerland from July 8 to 10, followed by Vallnord-Pal Arinsal, Andorra the following weekend. After that, they return to B.C. for Downhill Nationals in Kicking Horse followed by World Cup stops at Snowshoe in West Virginia July 29 to 31 and Mont-SainteAnne, Que. on August 5 to 7. ■
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That’s just how we operate. BIG AIR Comox B.C.’s Brynn Johnston gets some air during a competition in 2022. PHOTO COURTESY OF FREESTYLE CANADA
Whistler skier makes jump to national team
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FREESTYLE WHISTLER’S BRYNN JOHNSTON LOOKS TO TAKE HER SKILLS TO THE NEXT LEVEL
BY HARRISON BROOKS THREE YEARS AGO, Comox, B.C. skier Brynn Johnston was winning pretty much every U14 competition she could enter as a 13-year-old on the BC Timber Tour. Seemingly primed to continue her dominance in slopestyle and big air skiing, little did Johnston know, the next two years would be spent with little-to-no competitions, just trying to get as much skiing and training in as she could. Fast forward to 2022, the now 16-year-old Johnston hasn’t skipped a beat. In her first year competing on the Nor-Am Cup circuit, the Freestyle Whistler athlete snagged two top-10 finishes including a big air second and slopestyle seventh in Stoneham, Que. In the same season, Johnston also made her first appearance at the Junior World Championships in Leysin, Switzerland, where she landed on top of the podium in big air and just off the podium with a fourth-place finish in slopestyle. And in early June, all the hard work and results paid off for Johnston, who received the call she had been working towards since she first committed to freestyle skiing at 12 years old—she made Team Canada. “The call was from the coach, so I kind of assumed it would be either good or bad,” said Johnston. “I had so many thoughts going through my head when I got the call, but I was super ecstatic to get the invite to Team Canada. It definitely happened a lot quicker than I expected, and I was just super excited.” Since the news, which Johnston describes as “pretty high up there” on her list of career accomplishments so far, along with her Junior Worlds gold medal, Johnston has joined the team for training on Horstman Glacier in Whistler and is being pushed harder than she ever has before in her young ski career.
“I’ve been doing lots of gym training and working on my nutrition, seeing the nutritionist, and then when I came [to the camp on Horstman], it was just putting all that work to snow again. And then after skiing, we do gym every day,” she said. “It’s been really different, for sure. With my last team, we definitely didn’t train as much.” While Johnston has already started to see the benefits of her new training regimen, she believes her skills will continue to grow exponentially just by watching and learning from her new Olympic-level teammates, like Megan Oldham and Olivia Asselin, about how to approach training like a pro and how to get that “little extra bit” out of yourself in competition. When the 2022-23 season gets underway, Johnston will be looking to build on the success she had last year and continue her strong skiing on the Nor-Am Cup circuit, while taking advantage of the experience she’ll get from the World Cup berth she earned at last year’s Junior World Championships. “It’s usually pretty hard to get the spot, so I’ve never competed in the World Cup. I think it would be a really cool experience but also a little bit stressful, for sure,” said Johnston. “I definitely think it’s going to be pretty tough just because it’s the best skiers in the world at them. So I think honestly, just being there, being able to get the experience for following years when the results maybe mean a little bit more, I think could be really helpful.” Long term, Johnston sees herself competing at multiple Olympic Games throughout her career, hopefully even as soon as soon as the 2026 Games in Italy. While competing at the games at 20 years old could be seen as a tall task, with Canada’s Asselin and Oldham both competing at the 2022 Olympics at the ages of 18 and 20, respectively, nothing is out of reach for the team’s newest member. n
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RESORT MUNICIPALITY OF WHISTLER
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: 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 7th Day of July, 2022.
JULY 7, 2022
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EPICURIOUS
Canadians willing to trade privacy for discounts at the grocery counter: study AS CUSTOMER LOYALTY BECOMES FOOD INDUSTRY’S NEXT BATTLEGROUND, CONSUMERS ARE WARY OF DATA SHARING APPS— BUT WILLING TO FORK OVER INFO IF IT MEANS A CHEAPER BILL
BY BRANDON BARRETT EVEN TODAY, the paper flyers lining your shopping cart are a normal part of shopping at the grocery store. While the clutter of paper advertising the latest deals may be slightly annoying to deal with, there was never any real privacy concerns attached to them. That has changed as the food industry has shifted further towards digital technologies like smartphone apps to engage with consumers. Good news for the recycling bin, but not so much for your data. Just last month, Tim Hortons got a finger-wagging from Canada’s privacy commissioner after it was found the coffee shop chain’s app had violated privacy laws by collecting “vast amounts” of sensitive location data, tracking and recording users’ movements without consent every few minutes of the day, even when the app was not in use. In today’s corporate world, consumer
CHEAP EATS A new study shows that most Canadians are willing to share their data with food companies, retailers and restaurants as long as they get big discounts in return. PHOTO BY EDWIN TAN / GETTY IMAGES
36 JULY 7, 2022
data is king, and with the growing ubiquity of smartphone apps, “loyalty is the food industry’s next major battleground,” according to Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab, which recently published the results of a study gauging Canadians’ willingness to share personal data through food-related apps. Researchers asked more than 7,000
a detailed profile of their interests and personal traits; using information available about the consumer online to target specific products they may be interested in; and using information already available about them online to give them a more convenient shopping experience. A whopping 70 per cent of respondents said they weren’t concerned about any of
“For Canadians, privacy is important, but food inflation is likely making Canadians willing to compromise to get better deals.” - DR. SYLVAIN CHARLEBOIS
people about data sharing and privacy, and found that slightly more than half—50.7 per cent—of those polled already use food apps. Grocery store-specific apps like Voila are less preferred (13.9 per cent) than earlymarket entrants and so-called “last-mile” delivery apps such as DoorDash (24 per cent) and Uber Eats (17.5 per cent). The survey specifically asked about the manner in which these apps collect and use personal data, singling out three: gathering personal information that consumers or someone else has posted online to create
the three ways the data could be used, while 30 per cent said they were concerned about at least one of them, and 16 per cent said they were concerned about all three of them. Notably, only 4.5 per cent of Canadians polled are unwilling to share their personal data. Men were more likely to have none of these concerns (72 per cent) compared to women (67 per cent), and Canadians living in the eastern parts of the country were more concerned than other regions. Canadians who are willing to share their data with a food company, retailer or
restaurant tend to expect big discounts at the cash register. On average, 43 per cent of those polled said they would share data for a 10-percent discount, and 65 per cent are willing to share data for up to 15-per-cent off. “For Canadians, privacy is important, but food inflation is likely making Canadians willing to compromise to get better deals,” said Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from the AgriFood Analytics Lab, in a release. “The Tim Hortons incident can be considered a warning to the food industry. Companies need to be clear on intent and how apps will work to build loyalty.” Canadians are less inclined to share data if it generates more targeted marketing, with 50 per cent of those surveyed saying they don’t want to share personal information if that’s how it will be used. Twenty-seven per cent, however, said they were comfortable with that tactic. With the use of data-sharing apps only expected to rise in future years as companies look to build loyalty, it will be interesting to see just how much of their privacy Canadians will be willing to sacrifice. What is clear is that companies will need to be transparent about how the data is used and what consumers will get back in return to make it worth shoppers’ while. To read the full report, visit dal.ca/sites/ agri-food/research/privacy.html. n
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THURSDAY
FRIDAY
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I Mountain Ready Conditioning 7-8 a.m. Steve
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ARTS SCENE
The Funk Hunters aren’t just DJs—they’re empire builders BETWEEN THEIR GLOBE-SPANNING TOURING CAREER, EYE-POPPING VISUALS, MUSIC LABEL AND AGENCY, THE CELEBRATED DJ DUO PROVE THEY ARE ANYTHING BUT A ONE-TRICK PONY
BY BRANDON BARRETT LIKE SO MUCH of the Shambhala faithful, Nick Middleton and Duncan Smith returned from their first trip together to the iconic EDM festival in the heart of the Kootenays like they had just been granted entry to a whole new world. In a way, they had, mesmerized by the distinct, all-senses experience offered at what DJ Mag has called North America’s best music festival. They decided, right then and there, that it was high time to buy some turntables and learn the tools of the trade together. They had no experience making music, DJing, or even buying records, but didn’t let that slow them down. “When we started out, it was about buying and collecting records,” says Middleton. “Today you have infinite number of songs at your disposal and the technology is even easier. I guess in a way it puts less of a focus on your technical ability and more on what you bring to the party. That’s kind of an interesting way to look at
HUNTER GATHERERS Between their globespanning touring career, eye-popping visuals, music label and agency, The Funk Hunters prove they are anything but a one-trick pony. PHOTO SUBMITTED
38 JULY 7, 2022
it. Ultimately, you’re a tastemaker.” Like they have their entire career, Middleton and Smith carved their own path, and today, as the celebrated, globe-trotting Vancouver DJ duo The Funk Hunters, they are among the most significant tastemakers in North America’s EDM scene. Amassing more than 30 million
“We both worked in film a bit so years ago we decided to tackle the idea of not travelling with a third person but just truly making and running our own visuals live during our sets,” Middleton says. “I don’t think that’s something we would have tried to accomplish had we both not had experience in film and video editing.”
“We just carry the burden of being an independent entrepreneur and running your own project and feeling like there’s always a million things to do, so as artists ourselves, we’re uniquely positioned to help guide new artists.” - NICK MIDDLETON
streams across their catalogue of original productions, remixes and collaborations, The Funk Hunters have brought their dynamic stage show to some of the world’s biggest stages, including Coachella, Burning Man and Electric Forest. Having met in film school on Galiano Island, the duo’s background was more than just a common interest, but a way to set their stage show apart from the rest of the crowd in The Funk Hunters’ early days.
As the duo was picking up steam in the early aughts, they struggled to land a record label. So, like they did when they were first starting out, they simply built their own. Launched by Middleton in 2013, Westwood Recordings began as an outlet to release The Funk Hunters’ music, but grew to include dozens of other independent artists and has since expanded into three different sub-labels. “It’s very much like a full-time job for me,” Middleton says.
Never one to shy away from a challenge, Middleton added another feather to his music exec cap in the pandemic by starting the music talent agency, Midnight Agency. As music agencies across the country folded without the revenue generated from live touring, Middleton spent the time assembling the right team and, just like his label, took a decidedly artist-first approach. “For so long, all these different roles were run by people who aren’t artists. Sometimes that’s great. Having experts who work in one field is always welcome and should be part of the team, but at the end of the day, we’re talking about an artist’s life and not many people can totally relate to what it feels like to be out on tour for two months straight on the road,” explains Middleton. “We just carry the burden of being an independent entrepreneur and running your own project and feeling like there’s always a million things to do, so as artists ourselves, we’re uniquely positioned to help guide new artists.” Now the DJ duo bring their hip-hop, soul and funk-influenced sound to Olympic Plaza for the July 7 edition of the Whistler Summer Concert Series. The free show starts at 6:30 p.m. with a set from local house DJs, Case of the Mondays, followed by The Funk Hunters at 7:30 p.m. “It really feels like we’re kicking off the summer on Thursday in Whistler, so we’re really excited,” Middleton adds. n
MUSEUM MUSINGS
HORN OF PLENTY The Longhorn Pub in December 1981. The hand-painted sign is a far cry from the slick branding you will see there today. WHISTLER QUESTION COLLECTION
The real story of The Longhorn Saloon BY JILLIAN ROBERTS WHILE YOU MAY have heard wild stories about Texans driving their longhorn cattle through Whistler to the Cariboo, these are cover stories for the real series of events that led to the naming of The Longhorn Saloon in Whistler. It all started when the phone rang in the Vancouver office of lawyer and businessperson Dick Gibbons. On the other end of the phone line, selling shares for a “terrific” stock, was a man with a terrible stutter. Dick said of this phone call, “I’ve always had a soft spot for the underdogs. Growing up on the railway tracks in Burnaby I know what it is like when you are considered an underdog. So after hearing this I said, ‘OK, I’ll buy some.’” Making a fairly large purchase, Dick received a certificate for his shares in the Canadian Longhorn Petroleum Company. Not long after the company started trading on the stock exchange, it went out of business and the shares became worthless. As a reminder of this lesson, Dick continued to keep the share certificate on his desk. In Whistler in the early 1980s, interest rates reached up to 22 per cent. Many developments were halted as owners, developers and contractors faced economic hardship. Dick Gibbons did not set out to run a pub; he ended up running The Longhorn Pub because he could not sell it—nobody was buying at this time. The Longhorn Pub opened on Dec. 23, 1981, almost 11 months before the residential units of the Carleton Lodge were completed. After a successful opening and holiday season, the Whistler Question remarked on the “small miracle and lot of hard work” that allowed The Longhorn to open before the holidays. According to the newspaper, on December 21, The Longhorn was an empty shell, with workers painting
and dismantling scaffolding while floor tiles dried. Then, in just 48 hours, it was open for business and selling cold drinks and hot food. Prior to opening, representatives from the province’s liquor licensing branch said during a call that they would approve a liquor licence, they just needed a name to put on the certificate. Still sitting on the corner of his desk, Dick Gibbons saw the worthless share certificate for Canadian Longhorn Petroleum Company, and thought, “Aha, I’m going to get some value out of this yet,” and The Longhorn Pub was born! Later, when the naming rules were relaxed, it was officially changed from pub to The Longhorn Saloon. Before the deck was completed, there was an orange plastic fence to indicate the boundaries of The Longhorn. During the ski season, despite patrons standing in the mud outside with no chairs to sit on, there would still be a line up to get inside the fence for a drink. Summer was a different story. When Dick Gibbons called manager Gavin Yee to check on business he said, “Well it’s been kind of slow.” How slow exactly? Despite being late in the afternoon, the total sales for the day were one pack of cigarettes. To encourage summer recreation, they tried everything to get the momentum going. They built a backstop at the old Myrtle Philip School and hosted slo-pitch tournaments. Volleyball courts and a horseshoe pit were built in front of The Longhorn patio and games would run throughout summer. Eldon Beck’s vision of a bustling Whistler Village in summer encouraged Dick Gibbons to invest in Whistler during the original proposal meeting in 1979. Although it was a slow start, that vision has now been realized, with summer visitation outpacing winter. Likewise, with its long lines, pumping music and gyrating dance floor, The Longhorn Saloon is a Whistler institution. The luck of The Longhorn did indeed turn around. n
JULY 7, 2022
39
ASTROLOGY
Free Will Astrology WEEK OF JULY 7 BY ROB BREZSNY
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GREAT FOOD, GREAT DRINKS, ALWAYS A GOOD TIME 40 JULY 7, 2022
ARIES (March 21-April 19): My readers and I have collaborated to provide insights and inspirations about the topic “How to Be an Aries.” Below is an amalgam of my thoughts and theirs—advice that will especially apply to your life in the coming days. 1. If it’s easy, it’s boring. —Beth Prouty. 2. If it isn’t challenging, do something else. —Jennifer Blackmon Guevara. 3. Be confident of your ability to gather the energy to get unstuck, to instigate, to rouse—for others as well as yourself. 4. You are a great initiator of ideas and you are also willing to let go of them in their pure and perfect forms so as to help them come to fruition. 5. When people don’t get things done fast enough for you, be ready and able to DO IT YOURSELF. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): I know three people who have told me, “I don’t like needing anyone for anything.” They fancy themselves to be rugged individualists with impeccable self-sufficiency. They imagine they can live without the help or support of other humans. I don’t argue with them; it’s impossible to dissuade anyone with such a high level of delusion. The fact is, we are all needy beings who depend on a vast array of benefactors. Who built our houses, grew our food, sewed our clothes, built the roads, and creates the art and entertainment we love? I bring this up, Taurus, because now is an excellent time for you to celebrate your own neediness. Be wildly grateful for all the things you need and all the people who provide them. Regard your vigorous interdependence as a strength, not a weakness. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Bounce up and down when you walk. Express 11 different kinds of laughs. Be impossible to pin down or figure out. Relish the openings that your restlessness spawns. Keep changing the way you change. Be easily swayed and sway others easily. Let the words flowing out of your mouth reveal to you what you think. Live a dangerous life in your daydreams but not in real life. Don’t be everyone’s messenger, but be the messenger for as many people as is fun for you. If you have turned out to be the kind of Gemini who is both saintly and satanic, remember that God made you that way—so let God worry about it. CANCER (June 21-July 22): As a child, Cancerian author June Jordan said, “I used to laugh all the time. I used to laugh so much and so hard in church, in school, at the kitchen table, on the subway! I used to laugh so much my nose would run and my eyes would tear and I just couldn’t stop.” That’s an ideal I invite you to aspire to in the coming days. You probably can’t match Jordan’s plenitude, but do your best. Why? The astrological omens suggest three reasons: 1. The world will seem funnier to you than it has in a long time. 2. Laughing freely and easily is the most healing action you can take right now. 3. It’s in the interests of everyone you know to have routines interrupted and disrupted by amusement, delight, and hilarity. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In accordance with the astrological omens, here’s your assignment for the next three weeks: Love yourself more and more each day. Unleash your imagination to come up with new reasons to adore and revere your unique genius. Have fun doing it. Laugh about how easy and how hard it is to love yourself so well. Make it into a game that brings you an endless stream of amusement. PS: Yes, you really are a genius—by which I mean you are an intriguing blend of talents and specialties that is unprecedented in the history of the human race. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Novelist Lydia Peelle writes, “The trouble was, I knew exactly what I wasn’t. I just didn’t know who I was.” We all go through similar phases, in which we are highly aware of what we don’t want, don’t like, and don’t seek to become. They are like negative grace periods that provide us with valuable knowledge. But it’s crucial for us to also enjoy periods of intensive self-revelation about what we do want, what we do like, and what we do seek to become. In my astrological estimation, you Virgos are finished learning
who you’re not, at least for now. You’re ready to begin an era of finding out much, much more about who you are. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You need the following experiences at least once every other day during the next 15 days: a rapturous burst of unexpected grace; a gentle eruption of your strong willpower; an encounter with inspiration that propels you to make some practical improvement in your life; a brave adjustment in your understanding of how the world works; a sacrifice of an OK thing that gives you more time and energy to cultivate a really good thing. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): This might sound like an unusual assignment, but I swear it’s based on two unimpeachable sources: research by scientists and my many years of analyzing astrological data. Here’s my recommendation, Scorpio: In the coming weeks, spend extra time watching and listening to wild birds. Place yourself in locations where many birds fly and perch. Read stories about birds and talk about birds. Use your imagination to conjure up fantasies in which you soar alongside birds. Now read this story about how birds are linked to happiness levels: tinyurl.com/BirdBliss SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In accordance with current astrological omens, I have four related suggestions for you. 1. Begin three new projects that are seemingly beyond your capacity and impossible to achieve with your current levels of intelligence, skill, and experience—and then, in the coming months, accomplish them anyway. 2. Embrace optimism for both its beauty and its tactical advantages. 3. Keep uppermost in mind that you are a teacher who loves to teach and you are a student who loves to learn. 4. Be amazingly wise, be surprisingly brave, be expansively visionary—and always forgive yourself for not remembering where you left your house keys. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): If you ever wanted to use the Urdu language to advance your agendas for love and romance, here’s a list of endearments you could use: 1 jaan-e-man (heart’s beloved); 2. humraaz (secretsharer; confidante); 3. pritam (beloved); 4. sona (golden one); 5. bulbul (nightingale); 6. yaar (friend/lover); 7. natkhat (mischievous one). Even if you’re not inclined to experiment with Urdu terms, I urge you to try innovations in the way you use language with your beloved allies. It’s a favourable time to be more imaginative in how you communicate your affections. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Author John Berger described birch trees as “pliant” and “slender.” He said that “if they promise a kind of permanence, it has nothing to do with solidity or longevity—as with an oak or a linden—but only with the fact that they seed and spread quickly. They are ephemeral and recurring—like a conversation between earth and sky.” I propose we regard the birch tree as your personal power symbol in the coming months. When you are in closest alignment with cosmic rhythms, you will express its spirit. You will be adaptable, flexible, resourceful, and highly communicative. You will serve as an intermediary, a broker, and a go-between. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): People who don’t know much about astrology sometimes say that Pisceans are wishy-washy. That’s a lie. The truth is, Pisceans are not habitually lukewarm about chaotic jumbles of possibilities. They are routinely in love with the world and its interwoven mysteries. On a regular basis, they feel tender fervour and poignant awe. They see and feel how all life’s apparent fragments knit together into a luminous bundle of amazement. I bring these thoughts to your attention because the coming weeks will be an excellent time to relish these superpowers of yours—and express them to the max. Homework: Take a specific action to diminish the sadness you feel about your number one regret. Newsletter. FreeWillAstrology.com.
In addition to this column, Rob Brezsny creates
EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES In-depth weekly forecasts designed to inspire and uplift you. To buy access, phone 1-888-499-4425. Once you’ve chosen the Block of Time you like, call 1-888-682-8777 to hear Rob’s forecasts. www.freewillastrology.com
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THEM KIDS The Sam Roberts Band performs at Whistler Olympic Plaza as part of the Whistler Summer Concert Series on Friday, July 1. PHOTO BY OISIN MCHUGH PHOTOGRAPHY. 2 CANADA DAY DORK Pique editor Braden Dupuis, centre, dons his ceremonial Canada Day poncho to pose with 2010 Games mascots Quatchi and Sumi before the annual Pique Pedal Parade in Whistler Olympic Plaza on Friday, July 1. PHOTO BY SUSAN HUTCHINSON. 3 FLOAT ON Canada Day offered perfect weather for a float down the River of Golden Dreams. PHOTO BY ALANA KATE. 4 PEDAL POWER Some very patriotic Whistler kids took home a few big prizes thanks to their Canada-themed bikes at the Pique Pedal Parade in Whistler Olympic Plaza on Friday, July 1. PHOTO BY BRADEN DUPUIS. 5 ROCK ON Hundreds of people filled Whistler Olympic Plaza on the evening of Friday, July 1 to watch the Sam Roberts Band kick off the Whistler Summer Concert Series in style. PHOTO BY DOUG RYAN. 1
SEND US YOUR PHOTOS! Send your recent snaps to arts@piquenewsmagazine.com
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42 JULY 7, 2022
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ADULT SERVICES
MARKETPLACE
HOME SERVICES
ADULTS ONLY
FOR SALE - MISC
BUILDING AND RENOVATIONS
Jo Kamel 360 is a topical that helps reduce inflammation and pain Available online and at these Whistler retail locations: TMC Freeriderz Pro Shop Two Guys with Pipes
Come visit Sale Summer our showroom for all your up to %and renovation supply needs
Clearance
90 off
sm quantity tiles
For Free consults and Quotes For consults and Quotes call Free 604-935-8825 call 604-935-8825 Located in in Function function junction Located Junction
A LWAY S H I R I N G STAGS! STAGS! STAGS! ESCORTS STRIPPERS TOPLESS BLACKJACK DEALERS BIKINI CLAD CADDIES
MAKE ANY PARTY AMAZING!
604-992-4746
For the Time of Your Life!
Reservations Highly Recommended roxysinwhistler.com
2022
The ultimate guide to Sea to Sky weddings
AVAILABLE ON STANDS IN THE SEA TO SKY
Accommodation
mariomarble@shawbiz.ca Showroom #103-1010 Alpha Lake Rd.
FLOORING
PRE-LOVED RE-LOVED = COMMUNITY LOVE
SHAW CARPET & FLOOR CENTRE
RE-USE-IT CENTRE Donations daily 10 am to 4 pm Accepting pre-loved clothing, gear and household items. Shopping daily 10 am to 6 pm 8000 Nesters Road 604-932-1121
Family owned & operated
RE-BUILD-IT CENTRE Donations daily 10 am to 5 pm Accepting pre-loved furniture, tools and building supplies Shopping daily 10 am to 5 pm 1003 Lynham Road 604-932-1125
3-1365 Alpha Lake Road Whistler, B.C, V0N1B1
Open Monday through Friday 8:30 - 4:30 Saturday 10:00 -4:00 Sundays and Evenings by appointment only.
Phone 604-938-1126 email shawcarpet@shaw.ca MOVING AND STORAGE
Visit mywcss.org and our social channels for updates.
LONG-TERM RENTALS MULTIPLE LOCATIONS
HOME SERVICES BUILDING AND RENOVATIONS
Wiebe Construction Services
big or small we do it all! Call 604-902-MOVE www.alltimemoving.ca
Serving Whistler for over 25 years
Accommodation
SEEKING ACCOMMODATION WANTED ISO Three Bedroom Three quiet, respectful & mature locals (Aged 28-33) seeking long term housing ASAP to make our home. All non smokers & no pets. RobbienatandLauren@gmail.com
• Kitchen and Bath • Renovations & Repairs • Drywall • Painting • Finishing • Minor Electrical & Plumbing
Ray Wiebe 604.935.2432 Pat Wiebe 604.902.9300 raymondo99.69@gmail.com
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604.932.1968 Services
HEALTH & WELLBEING SPORTS & ACTIVITIES
Group Fitness Classes Thursdays – Low Impact Strength @ 9– 10 am w Anna Saturdays – Strong Core and Glutes @ 7:45- 8:45 am w Carly Mondays – Zumba @ 5:45-6:45 pm am w Carmen Tuesdays – Aqua Fit @ 8:30-9:30 am w M-A Wednesdays – Gentle Fit @ 10:30 –11:30 w Diana
See our full page schedule ad in this issue of Pique for details
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Warehouse Lien Act
Whereas the following registered owners are indebted to Cooper’s Towing Ltd. for unpaid towing and storage fees plus any related charges that may accrue. Notice is hereby given that on July 15th, 2022, at noon or thereafter the goods will be seized and sold.
Join our team!
1. Diondre Richard Durocher 2001 Lexus IS300 VIN : JTHBD182610006832 $2001.67 2. Joe Roderick Jonathan 2005 Kia Spectra VIN: KNAFE121555022056 $1804.99 3. Marc-Olivier Robineault 2006 Honda Civic VIN : 2HGFA16306H008345 $3046.40 The vehicles are currently being stored at Cooper’s Towing Ltd 1212 Alpha Lake Rd Whistler, BC, V0N 1B1
For more information, please call Cooper’s Towing Ltd. @ 604-902-1930
ofce@northlandstorage.ca
RENT
Repairers Lien Act Notice NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, pursuant to Section 2 of the repairers Lien Act, that JT Heavy Equipment Repair Ltd. will auction the equipment noted below on July 22nd, 2022 or anytime thereafter. Debtor: Glacier Creek Construction Ltd. Debt Amount: $34,669.48 Equipment: 2003 JCB Telehandler U583369K VIN- SLP541BA3E1037737 Sale held on July 22nd, 2022 from 1pm-2pm at 7319 Old Mill Rd, Pemberton BC. (Equipment can be viewed by appointment only)by contacting jody@jtheavyandauto.com
Open Positions:
• • • •
Security Officer Overnight Front Desk Agent Laundry Attendant Overnight Front Desk Supervisor
• • • • •
Night Cleaner Core Agent Guest Room Attendant Commis 1 & Commis 2 Steward
& many more opportunities $500.00 Signing Bonus for Housekeeping, Stewarding & Commis 1 & 2
Benefits • Excellent training and development opportunities • Access to affordable shared staff housing both on-site and off-site • Employee theme recognition days and events - EOM, Years of Service Celebrations, Birthday Events, etc; • Complimentary meals per shift in our employee dining room • Paid time off; vacation days and additional floating holidays per year
APPLY NOW! http://jobs.fourseasons.com P&C.whistler@fourseasons.com piquenewsmagazine.com/ local-events/
EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
We've Got You Covered
ANNOUNCEMENTS OBITUARIES Larry Broadway 1947-2022
Please join Larry’s family for a celebration of his life on July 9th from 12pm (noon)-2pm at Tapleys pub. Raising one more beer in honour of him!
Silver Star Ski Resort Ltd Ski Patrol Manager The Patrol and Safety Manager oversees all aspects of the SilverStar Professional Ski/Bike Patrol and Mountain Safety departments. This includes overall department performance, staffing, training, budgeting, scheduling, employee safety, culture, interdepartmental relations, and guest service.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES We are a collaborative team with a passion for where we live and what we do. If you love Whistler’s unique mountain culture and want to join an innovative and supportive team, we are now hiring for the following opportunities: • Maintenance Technician (Full Time, Year Round)
For more details go to www.skisilverstar.com/careers 250-558-6073 acrick@skisilverstar.com
Become a monthly donor today!
***Local Automotive*** Automotive technician for year round position in Whistler. 604-905-9109 steve@localautomotive.com
Sign up at www.whistlerwag.com
Whistler Personnel Solutions Full-time, part-time & temp jobs. No cost, no strings. 604-905-4194 www.whistler-jobs.com
• Travel Consultant (Full Time, Year Round) What we offer: a flexible schedule offering work-life balance, excellent compensation and benefits package, and a great team environment. VISITORS’ GUIDE 2017-2018 FREE
TO VIEW OUR CAREER OPPORTUNITIES, AND TO APPLY, VISIT US ONLINE AT WHISTLER.COM/CAREERS.
JULY 7, 2022
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Join Our Team! The Museum is currently seeking:
Guards
We are currently hiring the following positions for projects in WHISTLER. Project Coordinator
$21 per hour $22 per hour with Security Worker License $500 Signing Bonus No experience necessary. Option for paid Security Training and Licensing. Benefits packages available. Staff events!
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
Full-time & Part-time • Thursday-Sunday, typically 10:30am-6:30pm Join our fun and dynamic team in a relaxing, temperature controlled and artistically inspiring environment! For complete job description and to apply visit audainartmuseum.com/employment Or email applications to bbeacom@audainartmuseum.com
EXCITING CAREER OPPORTUNITIES, APPLY TODAY! Diamond Resorts Canada Ltd., Whistler, BC
Looking to adopt?
Part Time Tour Receptionist $20.00 per hour
For an updated list of who is available, check out our website.
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.
www.whistlerwag.com
Email your resume with the position you wish to apply for to: : embarc_hr@hgv.com
Teppan Village is hiring
KITCHEN HELPERS FULL TIME Start date: As soon as possible Language of work is English Apply by email at teppanvillage@shaw.ca Address: 301-4293 Mountain Square, Whistler, BC 44 JULY 7, 2022
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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Become part of a creative team and surround yourself with art
HIRING
Competitive wages and flexible schedules
$500 Signing Bonus!
We are currently hiring in
Visitor Services Lead
Pemberton for the following roles:
Full-time, Thursday to Sunday $22 per hour
Apprentice carpenters Experienced carpenters Please submit resume to mc@kenwoodconstruction.ca
Visitor Services Associate Part-time, 1-3 shifts per week $21 per hour For complete job descriptions and to apply visit audainartmuseum.com/employment
www.whistlerexcavations.com
The Sea to Sky corridor’s top civil construction company. We are currently recruiting professionally minded people to join our team. Required are: Class 1 or Class 3 Truck Drivers Heavy Equipment Operators
THE 2022-2023 PEMBERTON GUIDE on stands now!
Please send resume to: Email: info@whistlerexcavations.com
Hiring - Experienced Pipelayers Corona Excavations Ltd is looking for experienced pipelayers and labourers to work for the current construction season. We are a civil based construction company with a professional and enjoyable working environment working in the sea to sky corridor from Pemberton to Squamish. We are offering full-time hours with wages dependant on experience. If you are interested or have any questions please call 604-966-4856 or email me with your CV at Dale@coronaexcavations.com.
GARIBALDI GRAPHICS
PART TIME SALES ASSOCIATE
We've Got You Covered AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF
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 Please apply in person to 1200 Alpha Lake Road in Function Junction or email resume to whistler@garibaldigraphics.com
VISITORS’ GUIDE 2017-2018 FREE
JULY 7, 2022
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EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES THE FIRST PLACE TO LOOK FOR LOCAL JOB OPENINGS
Reach Your Full Potential
Come Grow Sport with us at our Whistler Olympic Legacy Venues We offer competitive wages, a unique environment, seasonal bonuses, staff discounts and benefits. Ask about accommodation
PIQUENEWSMAGAZINE.COM/JOBS
Whistler Sliding Centre (Bobsleigh, Luge & Skeleton) Chief Engineer
Whistler Olympic Park (Nordic Skiing ,Snowshoeing, & Outdoor Activities) Heavy Duty Mechanic Supervisor, Guest Services
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES • ENGINEERING
• HOUSEKEEPING
• LOSS PREVENTION
• SERVICE EXPRESS
• FOOD & BEVERAGE
• CULINARY
www.whistlersportlegacies.com/careers
Resort Municipality of Whistler
Employment Opportunities
PERKS & BENEFITS • STAFF ACCOMMODATION APPLY NOW
Visit our website to view current postings and to apply:
• SUMMER LEISURE PACKAGE • DAILY COMPLIMENTARY STAFF MEALS
©2022 Marriott International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Photo Credit: Tourism Whistler/Justa Jeskova. Whistler. Alta Lake. Paddling.
Whistler’s only dedicated wedding magazine. AVAILABLE ON STANDS IN THE SEA TO SKY
·•· Legislative and Privacy Coordinator Lifeguard/Swim Instructor Accountant ·· Program Leader Skate Host Building Official ·•· Lifeguard/Swim Instructor Wastewater Treatment Plant Process Supervisor ·•· Solid Waste Technician Customer Labourer I –Service Village Associate Maintenance ·· Accountant and Public Services Specialist Resort Municipality ofInfrastructure Whistler Services • Youth Capital Projects Supervisor,
Employment Opportunities
•Resort Manager, Environmental Stewardship Municipality of Whistler ·· Legislative and Privacy Coordinator •whistler.ca/careers Recreation Cashier/Receptionist Lifeguard/Swim Instructor ·· Program Leader Skate Host • Senior Bylaw Enforcement Officer – Building ·· Lifeguard/Swim Instructor Wastewater Treatment Plant Process Supervisor • Utilities GroupTechnician Labourer 1 ·· Solid Waste Labourer I – Village Maintenance ·· Accountant • Utilities Operator – Water Specialist Youth and Public2Services
Resort Municipality of Whistler whistler.ca/careers
is now hiring for
Guest Service Agent 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.
46 JULY 7, 2022
Roland’s Pub is looking for bussers and dishwashers.
PICK UP YOUR COPY TODAY!
Summer 2022 Issue on select stands and in Whistler hotel rooms
Full time or part time available. $17-$18/hr to start, plus tips, staff meal every shift, and discounts in Roland’s Pub. Extended Medical & Dental benefits for full time staff after 3 months. Apply in person or email resume to info@rolandswhistler.com
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The Pinnacle Hotel Whistler is currently recruiting a
FRONT DESK SUPERVISOR AND GUEST SERVICE AGENT Please drop off your resume at the hotel or email : athalakada@pinnaclehotels.ca
Join the Team ! HILTON WHISTLER RESORT & SPA
HOUSEKEEPING
CULINARY
Room Attendant
Dishwasher
House Attendant
Line Cooks
Night House Attendant
Pastry Chef Chef de Partie
FRONT OFFICE
The Pinnacle Hotel Whistler has the following positions available:
• HOUSEKEEPING SUPERVISOR • ROOM ATTENDANTS • LAUNDRY SHIFT Please reply by email:
Sous Chef
Guest Service Agent Manager in Training
FOOD & BEVERAGE
Night Audit Supervisor
Restaurant Server Bar & Restaurant Supervisor
Email your cover letter and resume to hr@hiltonwhistler.com
parmstrong@pinnaclehotels.ca
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:
Staff Accommodation 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)
WE AR
JOIN OUR TEAM
Experienced Service Plumbers / Gas Fitters Required
WE OFFER AMAZING EMPLOYEE PERKS & BENEFITS!
E
HIRING
We're hiring in Whistler and Squamish
Heavy Duty Equipment Mechanic Civil Construction Labourer/Pipe Layer Gravel Truck Driver | Heavy Equipment Operator | Site Superintendent
APPLY
secure.collage.co/jobs/coastalmountain
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.
basewireless.com WE BUILD NETWORKS
IT Support Technician
growing team BC. providing enterprise-level technical JoinJoin ourourgrowing teaminin BC. providing enterprise-level supportsupport for our customers. technical for our customers. If you have experience and and enjoy people we’dwe’d like to If you have IT IT experience enjoyassisting assisting people you. Friendly, local, reliable andreliable part of a and team.part of a likemeet to meet you. Friendly, local, team. please reply to sales@basewireless.com
please reply to sales@basewireless.com
APPLY TODAY!
Employment Opportunities: Room Attendants Flexible Hours, Health Benefits, Casual Environment Apply to: jobs@pembertonvalleylodge.com JULY 7, 2022
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Lil’wat Nation
Employment Opportunities
NOW HIRING!
Full Time Positions:
Part Time Positions:
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
Full Time & Part Time Housekeepers Eligible successful candidates may receive* • Potential staff accommodation available. • 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.
• Accounting Assistant Worker - Finance • Agricultural Assistant - Youth Canada Summer Jobs position (15-30 years of age) • 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 • Indigenous Support Worker Casual - Ts'zil Learning Centre • Infant Development Program Coordinator - Maternal and Child Health • Intake Coordinator - Cedar Circle • On-Reserve Lands Manager • Project Manager for Health • Receptionist - Ullus • Receptionist-Ts'zil • Skel7awlh Stewardship/Technicians • Xet'olacw Community School - Education Assistant • Xet'olacw Community School - Elementary On-Call Teacher • Xet'olacw Community School - Grade 2 Teacher • Xet'olacw Community School - Grade 5 Teacher - Maternity Leave • Xet'olacw Community School - Ucwalmicwts Language Teacher • Xet'olacw Community School - Ucwalmicwts Language Teacher Assistant • Xet'olacw Community School High School Math Teacher • Xet'olacw Community School High School Special Education 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/
DO YOU LIKE SHORT WEEKS AND LONG WEEKENDS? ARE YOU INTERESTED IN THE ART OF REFRIGERATION? Western Technical Systems is located in Squamish and currently looking for skilled technicians to install HVAC Systems in the Whistler, Pemberton Area. This includes multi and single-zone Heat Pumps, Hydronic Heating and Ducted Forced Air Systems. We pay top wages to experienced technicians along with a benefits package. If you are a Journeyman Plumber, Sheet Metal or Refrigeration Technician and can work 10 hours per day, 4 days a week, we would like to hear from you!
PLEASE EMAIL YOUR RESUME TO service@westerntechnical.net A Drivers Abstract and Criminal Record Check is required.
*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
48 JULY 7, 2022
305-120 Commercial Way|Squamish, BC V0N 1T0 www.westerntechnical.net
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Relax... we have the perfect job
Canstar Restorations helps people by restoring buildings and possessions that have been damaged by fire or water. We are seeking Labourers Carpenters/Drywallers (Apprentices welcome!) Flood Technicians • Competitive salary • RRSP matching, health and dental, 4% vacation, sick days • Work in a variety of homes and businesses along the Sea-to-Sky • Amazing team and incredible culture • Opportunities for advancement and over-time
INDOOR AND OUTDOOR POSITIONS FULL TIME AND PART TIME NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED WE OFFER... COMPETITIVE WAGE, EMPLOYEE DISCOUNTS, BATH MEMBERSHIP, STAFF HOUSING UPON AVAILABILITY, FREE MASSAGE AFTER 3 MONTHS, EXTENDED HEALTH BENEFITS
Email resume to careers@canstarrestorations.com
TO APPLY EMAIL YOUR RESUME TO HR.WHISTLER@SCANDINAVE.COM OR SCAN THE QR CODE TO SEE OUR CURRENT OPENINGS
Relax, we have the perfect job
WE ARE LOOKING FOR
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.
Massage Technicians Registered Massage Therapists
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.
WHAT WE OFFER
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:
Baths membership for you and a friend Staff housing upon availability Flexible schedule Competitive wage
APPLY AT hr.whistler@scandinave.com
We are currently hiring for Finish Carpenters, Carpenters, Apprentices, and Labourers.
• • • • • •
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!
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EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES L
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AC
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KC O
THE FIRST PLACE TO LOOK FOR LOCAL JOB OPENINGS
M
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B
PIQUENEWSMAGAZINE.COM/JOBS
ICOPTER
WE ARE HIRING Considering Moving to Whistler and trying to find a job before you move? Need help with a Visa or PR? Looking for the right fit with a great group of builders with opportunity for growth? Not happy with your current employer and looking for a change? New in Town and looking for a job? Are you an energetic and motivated individual?
S
DISPATCH / CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENT PERMANENT FULL-TIME POSITION Blackcomb Helicopters is the Pacific Northwest’s leading helicopter Company. We are a full-service helicopter company with bases in Vancouver, Squamish, Whistler, Pemberton, Sechelt, Lillooet, Elbow River, and Terrace. This position is based out of our Whistler location at the Municipal Heliport. As the first contact with our customers this position is eager to maintain and exceed customer satisfaction. Our Dispatch / Customer Service Agents are responsible for the check-in and processing of payments for all of our helicopter passengers, answering telephones and ensuring precise and professional communication in directing the call or completing the request, taking reservations for our helicopter tour bookings, company-wide flight following responsibilities, and assisting various managers in all areas that arise out of the day to day helicopter operations. This truly is a dynamic, busy position! We are looking for an individual with: • Minimum 2 years of office/administration experience; • Exemplary customer service skills and a drive to exceed customer expectations; • Excellent interpersonal skills and communication skills, both written and verbal; • Ability to multi-task and shift focus quickly; • Strong organization and time management skills; • Energetic and warm personality; • Firm knowledge of Microsoft Office and Word programs; • Legally entitled to work in Canada. Previous aviation experience is an asset though not required. Please note that work demands may result in fluctuation of hours. It may be very hectic at times therefore, the ability to stay calm under stressful conditions is essential. You must also be a team player who is willing to jump in and help others perform additional duties outside your own. This is a permanent full-time position of approximately 40 hours per week. The schedule is 4 x 10hr days. Interested candidates are asked to send their resume Amy MacKay Whistler Base Manager – info@blackcombhelicopters.com
We’re Hiring!
to:
Labourers, Carpenters, Foreman, Project Managers
$1000 SIGNING BONUS BENEFITS, FULL TIME WORK ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A NEW CAREER IN CONSTRUCTION? WANT TO COME AND WORK FOR A GREAT TEAM WITH LOTS OF ROOM FOR CAREER GROWTH? APPLY TO CONNECT@TMBUILDERS.CA
50 JULY 7, 2022
Love what you do and the team you do it with Having a great team of individuals who enjoy what they do and who they work with is very important to us. MCC is Looking for F/T Hardworking, Reliable, Motivated team players. Site Supervisors: • Ability to coordinate (Concrete /framing and finishing) work • Leadership qualities a must • Must be able to perform Quality work in a clean and organized manner • Ticketed an asset but not required • Experienced blueprint reading experience • Able to coordinate staff and sub contractors • Able to do scheduling and follow schedule • Some understanding of contracts and scope • Vehicle Project Coordinators: Creating and managing budgets. Ordering and takeoff's. Creating and sending out Purchase Orders. Creating custom excel and word docs. Safety management and WCB NOP (collaborate with key managers) and manager experience requirements and new training. Manage tool log. Processing contracts and Purchase orders . Carpenters and Lead Carpenters (Room for growth in the company) • Ability to do concrete / framing and finishing an asset but not required • Leadership qualities an asset • Must be able to perform quality work in a clean and organized manner • Ticketed an asset but not required • Standard tools for Carpenter ( full tool belt / skill saw / drills / levels / etc ) • Some blueprint reading experience • Car an asset but not required Apprentices / Helpers: (Apprenticeships available) • Standard tool set (full tool belt/skill saw/drills/levels) • Must be able to perform quality work in a clean and organized manner Laborer: (Steel toes /No tools or experience required) Apprenticeships Available Requirements: Labor support, Cleaning, Organizing, Protecting To apply please send your resume to office@modernconceptcontracting.com
We are currently hiring Sales Associates (Full time & Part time) Please stop by our Whistler Village location with your resume to fill out an application and say hi to Sheila, or email your resume to whistler@rocksandgemscanada.com (4154 Village Green) | 604 938 3307
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OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS The Bearfoot Bistro, Whistler’s premier fine dining restaurant is growing its team.
JOIN THE MONGOLIE CREW!
We are currently hiring
GRILLERS & COOKS Starting wage 28$/hr + $50/shift tips (avg) + $25 staff meal, min 4 shifts/week, must have secure accommodation
We are hiring for the following kitchen and dining room positions: KITCHEN POSITIONS
DINING ROOM POSITIONS
Chefs de Partie First Cooks Dishwashers
Servers Food Runners Food Expeditors Vodka Ice Room Hosts
Send your resume to careers@mongoliegrill.com
Or drop off your resume in person before 5pm!
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 Melissa Craig at melissa@bearfootbistro.com for all kitchen positions and to Jessica Gray at Jessica@bearfootbistro.com for the dining room positions. Alternatively, bring you resume to Bearfoot Bistro between 4:00 pm and 10:00 pm.
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
BEARFOOT BISTRO 4121 Village Green - Adjacent to Listel Hotel (604) 932 3433 - bearfootbistro.com
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DOC SHORTAGE Town Plaza Medical to close after more than 25 years
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DO YOU LIKE SHORT WEEKS AND LONG WEEKENDS? ARE YOU INTERESTED IN THE ART OF REFRIGERATION? Western Technical Systems is located in Squamish and currently looking for skilled technicians to install HVAC Systems in the Whistler, Pemberton Area. This includes multi and single-zone Heat Pumps, Hydronic Heating and Ducted Forced Air Systems. We pay top wages to experienced technicians along with a benefits package. If you are a Journeyman Plumber, Sheet Metal or Refrigeration Technician and can work 10 hours per day, 4 days a week, we would like to hear from you!
PLEASE EMAIL YOUR RESUME TO service@westerntechnical.net A Drivers Abstract and Criminal Record Check is required.
305-120 Commercial Way|Squamish, BC V0N 1T0 www.westerntechnical.net
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Parents of New Grads: Is your new graduate mechanically minded and not going to school in September? Black Tusk Fire and Security Inc. provides apprenticeships and a supportive learning environment through on-the-job training and a four-year Sprinkler Fitter Apprenticeship Program.
Overview Black Tusk Fire & Security is one of BC’s most trusted fire safety and security providers, servicing the Sea to Sky region and the Lower Mainland. The Fire Sprinkler apprenticeship is a full-time, paid position, working Monday-Friday; based out of our office in Whistler to service customers within the Sea to Sky corridor. Job Duties • Install wet and dry sprinkler systems as per the NFPA and Building Code; • Install fire sprinkler systems for residential and commercial applications; • Service, inspect and repair wet and dry sprinkler systems; • Service, inspect and repair backflow systems Requirements • Self-starter who takes initiative • Mechanical aptitude and basic knowledge of hand tools • Strong attention to detail • Excellent communication skills • Valid drivers’ license • Must reside within the Sea to Sky corridor • We offer competitive wages, extended medical/dental benefits and growth potential with paid education/training. This is a great opportunity to get your foot in the door within the industry or advance your current work experience into a long-term career with a growing company. Please respond with your resume and current references. We thank all applicants for their interest, but only those qualified will be contacted. Starting wage: $18.00 per hour SEND YOUR RESUME TO: hr@btfsi.com
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FRE E THE DONBAS
109-1330 Alpha Lake Rd., Whistler, BC V0N 1B1 Whistler: 604.935.1140 | Squamish: 604.892.9793 Vancouver: 1.877.657.1140 | www.BTFSI.com
52 JULY 7, 2022 NORTHERN EX
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It’s grow time at Whistler Medical Marijuana Company and we’re hiring (WMMC – Aurora Cannabis)! WMMC is Canada’s leading producer of Organic Cannabis. We provide simple, honest products that are grown and harvested the old-fashioned way - that means we do things by hand, using real people. Plant your roots with us at our Pemberton Facility as a Trimmer, Plant Work Technician or Maintenance Technician. Experience in the industry is not required, as we will provide you with all the training you need to make an impact. What’s in it for you? Full or part-time work options year-round, compressed work weeks and paid vacation Competitive wages with annual bonuses Benefits package including an employer matching RRSP and health, dental and medical cannabis coverage Health and personal care spending accounts for ski passes, gym memberships and more
Apply or learn more by visiting our Aurora Careers Page here:
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.
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. We’re hiring for:
Servers Kitchen Staff Maintenance Staff
Staff housing in apartment style units provided at a subsidised rate & great employee perks. Competitive wages. Send your resume to
Currently seeking:
info@tyax.com or apply on our website.
APPRENTICES AND JOURNEYWOMEN/JOURNEYMEN
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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
JULY 7, 2022
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WORK WITH US WE OFFER:
STAFF ACCOMMODATION COMPETITIVE WAGES + GRATUITIES EXTENDED MEDICAL + DENTAL BENEFITS UNPARALLELED STAFF AMENITIES
"Whistler's Most Anticipated Restaurant" Vancouver Magazine
OPEN FOH POSITIONS
OPEN BOH POSITIONS
FINE DINING SERVERS COCKTAIL BARTENDERS HOSTS | EXPEDITOR SERVER ASSISTANTS
LINE COOKS PASTRY CHEF PREP CHEFS KITCHEN STEWARDS
w: wildbluerestaurant.com/careers e: careers@wildbluerestaurant.com
We've Got You Covered
VISION PACIFIC CONTRACTING LTD. is hiring new team members: EXPERIENCED CARPENTERS LABOURERS We offer: • Extended Health and Dental benefits for you and your family • 20cm snow rule & mental-health bike days • Flexible schedule & awesome staff parties!
HIRING DRIVERS $20-$30 per hour + gratuities Full Time or Part Time Training Available
• Work-life balance is as important to us as it is to you! Send your resume to info@vispacific.com 29 Years in Business Whistler’s Award-Winning Custom Home Builder www.vispacific.com
54 JULY 7, 2022
VISITORS’ GUIDE 2017-2018 FREE
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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: 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
AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF
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 Apply in person to 2129 Lake Placid Road in Creekside or email resume to info@rolandswhistler.com
Join our team!
Travel Trade Sales Manager Your passion for sales shows in your results. You are inspired by Indigenous Culture and the beautiful venue at the SLCC. Through honest relationship building and sound sales strategies, you bring amazing opportunities to the SLCC. We are looking for a Travel Trade Sales Manager who will develop sales strategies to acquire new clients, develop products based on tour, travel, wedding and conference marketplace to reach sales goals. A member of the leadership team at the SLCC, you will work collaboratively and support the Events Manager, Chef, Operations Manager and Sales Manger to plan, promote and activate events for clients. We offer a flexible schedule, benefits package, wellness benefit, training and education allowance, great wages and a supportive workplace. If you are interested in this position, we would love to hear from you. Please send your cover letter and resume to human.resources@slcc.ca by July 11, 2022. For a full job description, visit our website at
slcc.ca/careers.
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WE’RE HIRING
GUE ST E XPERIENCE AGENTS Come check us out! Experience first hand what it’s like to work at Canadian Wilderness Adventures. Nominated one of BC’s Top Employers, we are the company with heart.
• • • •
$ 500 SIGNING BONUS FREE TOUR WITH INTERVIEW STARTING WAGE $23 /HR C OMMIS SION & INCENTIVE S
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
RISE TO THE CHALLENGE
Vacasa's forward-thinking approach and industry-leading technology help set us apart as the largest full-service vacation rental company in North America. We are seeking individuals with a passion for providing exceptional vacation experiences for our Owners and Guests. We offer competitive wages and benefits: Travel allowance for Squamish/Pemberton-based employees OR Ski Pass/Activity allowance, Extended Medical, RRSP match, Recognition Program, Fun & Safe Work Environment-Great Team, opportunities to grow and more.
2022
GOLF MAINTENANCE OPPORTUNITIES Join the Whistler Golf Club Maintenance crew for the 2022 summer season! We’re hiring for the following specialized positions: The ultimate guide to Sea to Sky weddings
**SIGNING BONUS** $1000 (FT)
Housekeeper - Full or Part-Time Houseperson - Full or Part-Time Guest Service Agent - Full or Part-Time (year round) Overnight Guest Service Agent Apply online today! https://www.vacasa.com/careers/positions or email: paul.globisch@vacasa.com or call to find out more details at 604-698-0520 We thank all applicants for their interest but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
56 JULY 7, 2022
• Grounds Maintenance (Full Time & Part Time, Seasonal) • Irrigation Technician (Full Time, Seasonal)
Whistler’s only dedicated wedding magazine. AVAILABLE ON STANDS IN THE SEA TO SKY
What we offer: a fun team and work environment, competitive compensation package, and free golf at our legendary course! What we’re looking for: individuals who enjoy working outdoors, have an interest in golf, and the ability to deliver “Whistler’s Attitude”.
TO VIEW OUR OPPORTUNITIES, AND TO APPLY, VISIT US ONLINE AT WHISTLERGOLF.COM/CAREERS.
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Now Hiring
Assistant Food & Beverage Manager PERKS & BENEFITS:
• • • • • •
Social Google Websites Programmatic SEO/SEM Sponsored content
Glacier Media Digital experts help businesses succeed online.
• Growth opportunities within Fairmont & Accor • Leadership recognition including complimentary stays at our Fairmont Western Mountain Region Resorts • Extended health, benefits & wellness plan • RRSP contribution-matching • Leadership learning and development training • Complimentary duty meal each shift at our staff cafeteria • Employee dry-cleaning service • Employee benefit card offering discounted rates at Accor hotels worldwide
WE ARE
HIRING Manager of Recreation and Culture – Temporary Full-Time Senior IT Business Analyst – Regular Full-Time Financial Services Specialist – 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
Contact your Sales representative at Pique Newsmagazine today for a free digital audit
604-938-0202 sales@piquenewsmagazine.com
Clerk 3 Financial Services – Temporary Full-Time Custodians – Casual/ On Call
squamish.ca/careers
DISTRICT OF SQUAMISH
Get noticed!
DISTRICT OF SQUAMISH
Join our leadership team.
JOB ROLE & DUTIES: • Assist in leading the team and ensuring service standards • Maintain the highest food & beverage quality • Have full knowledge of restaurant menus • Create unforgettable experiences for our guests
APPLY HERE:
WE ARE
HIRING 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 JULY 7, 2022
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4/11/2005
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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JOIN OUR TEAM! Encore
is currently hiring the following positions for Whistler! We also offer amazing health benefits!
Event Audio Visual Technician Part and Full Time Sales Coordinator Production Manager For more information, please search our Encore Job Opportunities page at the below link. https://jobs.encoreglobal.com/search-jobs/Whistler
JOIN OUR TEAM, WE ARE HIRING! We have the following positions available to join our well established family practice: REGISTERED DENTAL HYGIENIST (FT or PT) who is a team player, hard working, able to multi-task, and is very personable. New grads welcome! No weekend or evening shifts! Free parking in Creekside! Extended benefits package provided after 3 months of employment. Please send your resume to: managercreeksidedentalwhistler@gmail.com
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. Rates of Pay as of April 11, 2021: Auxiliary Sales Associate - $19.45 per hour Seasonal Sales Associate - $18.08 per hour
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
JULY 7, 2022
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BLINDS ETC.
BLINDS ETC.
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WINDOW COVERINGS
BLINDS ETC.
Whistler’s Source for Blinds since 1989
Custom Blinds • Shades • Draperies
• BLINDS • SHADES
• SHUTTERS • DRAPERY
Connie Griffiths Tel: 604-935-2101 Email: windowcov@shaw.ca www.whistlerwindowcoverings.ca
Custom Window Treatments Contact us today for a free quote or consultation info@suncrestwindowcoverings.com
604.698.8406
CARPET CLEANING
CHIMNEY
BLACK BEAR CARPET CLEANING LTD.
BLACKCOMB CHIMNEY PATROL LTD. Serving Whistler since 1986
• Carpets • Upholstery • Tiles • Car Interiors
• Furnace • Airducts • Dryer vents
www.blackbearcarpetcleaning.ca • 604 698 6610
S
• • • •
Wood blinds Sunscreens Shades Motorization
www.summersnow.ca
ummer
Snow Finishings Limited
CLEANING
Specialized in cleaning
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100% ECO FRIENDLY CERTIFIED
David Weldon david@summersnow.ca 604-938-3521
Coast Mountain Cleaning • Full service cleaning • Residential & Commercial • Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning • Property Maintenance • Established 2011 We follow all VCH, Min of Health and WHO Covid 19 protocols
Insured & Bondable • Criminal background checks on all staff
604.932.1388 / 1.877.932.5775 blackcombchimney@yahoo.ca
604-966-1437
coastmountaincleaning@gmail.com
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60 JULY 7, 2022
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PUZZLES ACROSS 1 6 11 17 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 34 36 38 39 40 42 43 45 48 50 51 55 56 58 60 61 63 65 66 67 68 70
Block-shaped Barber offering Type of computer Midsummer Cordial flavoring Pigeons’ homes Large lizard Chocolate cookie Disagreeable people Software buyers Cincinnati grid pro Still snoozing Movie parts Pester Spoils Threaten Flash Fireplace ledges Unseld of the NBA Edmonton Oilers org. Chaucer offering “-- take forever” Destinies Afternoon show Clobber Round dwelling Siesta Pupa’s protection Big pond Work too hard Experienced Word of opposition Bakery buys Major -- Hoople Forbid Locomotive need Scrutinized Powerful carnivore
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Mariachi gig Environmental prefix Burglar’s “key” “Late Show” feature Head honcho Moderate (2 wds.) Craggy abode Castle walls Kegler’s targets Property claims See-through fabric Tolerated Black belt sport Haggard of country music Woods insect Fridge maker Bravo, in Spain Forum site Chase away Featured musician Cousin of PDQ Oust from power Ricky’s landlord High-tech replicas Mrs. Charles Handwriting on the wall Stretch across Tapered off Muggy 201, to Claudius Comfy Nozzle Bumped into Hunted illegally Flirted Female friends, in Baja Soggy Excuse
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Texas tourist site Caesar foe Hairpiece Valid reasoning Taboos (hyph.) About 2.2 pounds Form a thought Express one’s views Greek island Arctic transport Stringed instruments Dispatches Cut some slack
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Pedro’s aunt Dependents Slippery fish Turmoil Tijuana “Mrs.” Rainier’s realm Director’s call Pliers or hammer Slip sideways Very little Mideast nation Declines Mattress support Prefix for “trillion” Insert mark Parroted Fuzzy Kitty sounds More grim Yang complement Garden bloom Links warning “This -- -- bust!” Psychic’s power Secluded Film holder Goes in reverse Clean water org. Telegraph signal Buenos -Boot liner She loved Lancelot Stiffened Photocopies Below par car Diet Zen question Part of aka Caboose’s spot
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Good-mileage vehicle Revolve Loyalty Gloominess Pardon Two -- -- kind Happen Exclamation of disgust Household servant Fugitives JAMA readers Photo Tempts Actress Thurman Revive (2 wds.) Car lifts Internet note (hyph.)
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Proof of ownership Of the Vatican Angel toppers Flee to the J.P. Become entrenched (2 wds.) Botanist’s study Byways Steal the scene Gave medicine Honorable Sword fight Dilemma Keats opus
LAST WEEKS’ ANSWERS
7
EASY
# 10
Enter a digit from 1 through 9 in each cell, in such a way that: • Each horizontal row contains each digit exactly once • Each vertical column contains each digit exactly once • Each 3x3 box contains each digit exactly once Solving a sudoku puzzle does not require any mathematics; simple logic suffices.
LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: EASY
2
8
9 1
7
6 8
9 5
4 3 8 2 7 1 3 7 5 6 9 8 6 7 3 4
8 1
3
1 7
8
9
EASY Solution, tips and computer program at www.sudoku.com# 12
ANSWERS ON PAGE 58
JULY 7, 2022
61
MAXED OUT
One step forward… ONE STEP forward, two steps back, or so the saying goes. Unfortunately, I’m not seeing a lot of forward steps these days. But in the spirit of trying to be positive, I’ll start with a step forward, or at least the expectation of a step forward, this column having been written early Tuesday before the Resort Municipality of Whistler council meeting scheduled later in the day. Prominent on the agenda is a staff report—nothing prominent about that in itself—recommending council cancel the White Gold beautification project because, surprise, the current cost-to-complete budget has taken off like a rocket.
BY G.D. MAXWELL For those with limited memory about this project, a slim majority of White Gold residents voted in favour of burying the cat’s cradle of power and phone lines adorning the subdivision’s streets like so much unwanted, tarnished tinsel, under something called a local area service petition. Under that provincial policy, it only takes a slim majority—and local government approval—to burden everyone in a neighbourhood with costs nearly half don’t want and/or would have trouble paying for. I believe we’ve discussed the Tyranny of the Majority previously. The initial 2020 “budget”—in this case shorthand for wild-ass guess—was just over $5.5 million, funded, if approved, by an RMOW loan from the Municipal Finance Authority and payable by all property owners by either a lump sum of $34,500 or annual payments of $1,526 yearly for 30 years. Council approved going forward with the project partly because some councillors mistakenly believed they had to approve it as long as it met the slim majority test. Whether this was a failure of councillors or staff to understand the options available to council under this policy or their belief it was a good idea to get into a project with unknown costs is somewhat akin to choosing which finger you’re going to hit with the hammer. Props to the councillors who voted against this at the beginning. While there are still some $814,000 of “estimated” costs, that amount can be treated as an irrelevant unknown. While it strains the imagination of most of us to consider $800k an irrelevant amount, it is when the total budget has ballooned to nearly $9.2 million, an increase of 67 per cent. Approval would saddle homeowners with a charge of $57,486 each or $3,479 yearly for those 30 years. As the staff report says, with the current budget having exceeded the initial budget by more than five per cent, staff recommend council cancel the project. One step forward... assuming council follows the recommendation. (Editor’s Note: They did. See related story on page 14.)
62 JULY 7, 2022
GETTYIMAGES.CA
In the two-steps-back department, far more numerous than forward steps, is a report by J.D. Power Canada, funded by Transport Canada, that found 59 per cent of people responding believe popular driverassist technologies—for example, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping warnings and the like—make the car able to drive itself without their control. Not sure the role they play, since so many people already drive as though something else was in control. I first heard of this bizarre misunderstanding from the customer service manager at a Vancouver dealership I patronize. He was telling me about a lawsuit threatened by the family of a driver who had sideswiped someone in the lane on his right when he decided he wanted to be in that lane at the same time. He
down the overall skill level of drivers to the point getting behind the wheel is more dangerous and rage-inspiring than ever. Worse, these so-called drive-assist technologies have not only contributed to a reduction of skill, but fostered a laissezfaire understanding of what a complex ballet driving actually is in real-world conditions. Personally, I still believe would-be drivers should have to spend their first 18 months on a motorcycle. If they survive, they’ll be better drivers, more aware of traffic around them, less distracted by trivialities, far more observant of road conditions and very, very defensive. Some of the worst drivers out there are highballing an RV down the road. Sales of RVs shot up during the pandemic when staying in hotels became less attractive and travel was pretty much limited to
And let’s not even contemplate the kilometres of backward steps taken recently by the formerly respected U.S. Supreme Court.
was under the belief the lane-changing technology would override his efforts to change lanes and crash into the other car. No, he hadn’t checked his driver’s side mirror and it wouldn’t have done any good since it was incorrectly adjusted to begin with. Perhaps more scary, that man votes. And reproduces. Self-driving cars aside—a dream still far away—the arc of technology has already made driving more distracted and dumbed
in-country trips. Suddenly, people with no experience driving anything bigger than their SUV or pickup were hauling 24-plus feet of trailer behind them and driving like they didn’t know it was there or anyone else was on the road. In many cases, they might not have, since they didn’t bother to get side mirrors capable of seeing around their home away from home. If there is a step forward here, it’s the high price of fuel this summer. Coupled
with wallet-busting inflation and rising interest rates, many of those RVs—but not nearly enough—are parked... or for sale. But two steps back, more people are flying again. Or trying to fly. As more people try, fewer succeed. People who used to think their job on the frontlines at airports, or chucking baggage, or serving double-doubles in the food court sucked, got the chance to see what was available elsewhere when they were laid off during the no-fly pandemic. Many have chosen to not come back. Nonetheless, people try to fly. This week’s award for the dumbest suggestion to alleviate the problem goes to the president of the Customs and Immigration Union. In a self-serving statement, Mark Weber suggested, among other things, the ArriveCan app, implemented for incoming travellers to prove their vaccination status and quarantine plan, was part of the problem. Given this arguably outdated requirement only impacts incoming, international travellers, it’s hard to see exactly how ditching it is going to get more people on flights that have been cancelled because of staffing, baggage handling, and AWOL flight crews. I’m surprised he doesn’t think self-driving cars are part of the solution... or problem. And let’s not even contemplate the kilometres of backward steps taken recently by the formerly respected U.S. Supreme Court. Abortion, gun control, and Environmental Protection Agency regulations to fight climate change have all been shot down by the cabal of conservative judges who want to Make America Great Again, the way it was when women were barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen, everyone was packin’ and old king coal was belching out power for air conditioners. And we ain’t seen nothing yet. ■
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 TO MARKET
VILLAGE 301 - 4111 Golfers Approach Windwhistle is located at the heart of Whistler Village Center. This 850 sq.ft. one-bedroom and two bathrooms unit can comfortably sleep 6 people. Great revenue generator. $1,299,000
Ruby Jiang
EMERALD ESTATES 9488 Emerald Drive ATTENTION DEVELOPERS – let‘s get creative. Design and build something truly unique on this 11,729‘ stepped down lot. Full sun, big views, privacy and over $200k in site prep already done. Call for info and brochure. $2,096,000
778-834-2002 Rob Boyd
CREEKSIDE 4 - 2227 Sapporo Drive 1 Bedroom Gondola Village townhouse. Looking for a reno project in a superior location? Look no further! Only a 2 minute stroll from Creekside Gondola. Zoning allows full time owner use & nightly rentals. GST exempt. $700,000
604-935-9172 Rachel Allen
604-966-4200
SOLD
WHISTLER CAY 6304 Lorimer Road 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
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
604-905-8199 Kathy White
604-616-6933
NEW TO MARKET
NEW PRICE
WHISTLER CREEKSIDE 534B - 2036 London Lane Beautiful mountain lodge at the base of Creekside Gondola with great amenities. Enjoy use of this 1.5 Bed/1 Bath Quarter Share condo 1 wk/mo., with 2 wks at Christmas/NY 2022. Rentals permitted. Fee includes HOA, taxes, utilities & TW Fees. $249,000 GST Exempt
Janet Brown
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
GREEN LAKE ESTATES 8437 Golden Bear Place Summer beside the lake! On the edge of Green Lake/River of Golden Dream. Unobstructed VIEWS. Private & exclusive. 5Bed/4Bath, openconcept living, with so much more. Steps to Nick North, floatplanes/ Valley Trail. 8437goldenbear.com $10,799,000
604-935-0700 Gina Daggett
SQUAMISH 1554 Depot Road Two homes on just under an acre of flat, useable land in Brackendale! 5 bdrm/2 bath main home with 1 bdrm/1 bath Carriage House plus over height garage and additional bathroom. Zoned RS2 for future development potential. $2,475,000
778-998-2357 Natty Fox
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
604-905-8285
3D Tour - rem.ax/8608fissile
7633 Seven O’Clock Drive
$689,000
#35 - 1450 Vine Road
$839,000
Enjoy all day sun and sweeping views of Mount Currie with a ready to build geotechnically engineered structural lot. Build your dream home on this 12,163 sq ft lot that is zoned for a suite. Access all the amazing features of the Sunstone neighbourhood with green space, nature trails, bike path, with close proximity to Pemberton and a 20 min. drive to Whistler.
This 2 bedroom 2 bathroom townhome in the popular Peaks complex in Pemberton comes with an oversized single garage, and unique to this unit there is also room to park 2 vehicles in front of the unit, allowing space for all the toys to be safely stored inside.
Meg McLean*
Richard Grenfell
604.907.2223
3D Tour - rem.ax/6baseline
#6 - 2200 Taylor Way
3D Tour - rem.ax/mines
$2,575,000
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.
Sherry Baker*
3.5
604.932.1315
2
604.902.4260
Bralorne Motel and Pub
$299,000
$2,799,000
Beautiful 2 bedroom and loft home with a 2 bedroom suite on the quiet street of Fissile Lane in Alpine Meadows. This great family home features a bright, open living/dining and kitchen area with vaulted ceilings, a large sundeck and mountain views. The home has been extensively updated over the year.
Sally Warner*
4.5
604.905.6326
3D Tour - rem.ax/1489balsam2
$1,318,000
1489 Balsam Street
$1,750,000
BRALORNE, BC | Looking for a new lifestyle opportunity? Don’t miss the chance to be the new owner of the pub and motel in this booming mountain town! Bralorne is located 3.5 hours from Pemberton through Lillooet, or 2 hours through the Hurley Pass in the Summer months. Can be purchased individually.
This custom constructed home on a beautiful street in The Glen neighborhood in Pemberton has many custom features that were well planned out during construction. This home has a beautifully landscaped yard with mature trees, shrubs & established flower beds plus raspberry bushes and it is fully irrigated and easy to maintain.
Ursula Morel*
Alexi Hamilton
778.938.7383
3D Tour - rem.ax/7180spruce
#602 - 4050 Whistler Way
8608 Fissile Lane
7180 Spruce Grove Circle
4
604.902.3291
3D Tour - rem.ax/2294brandy
$3,900,000
2294 Brandywine Way
$4,188,000
One of the best hotels for accessing both mountains and Whistler Village. Enjoy everything this award winning Hilton Resort & Spa hotel has to offer: heated outdoor pool/hot tub, spa, 24hr fitness centre, tennis courts, parking, pub, dine in service and more! Unlimited owner usage (19% fee applies), or rent through The Hilton and collect consistent revenue.
With great curb appeal & backing onto Crown Land this well designed & beautifully finished family home in Spruce Grove is a rare offering. The open floor concept of the main living area features vaulted ceilings, a stone fireplace, a spacious living room, cooks kitchen, abundant natural light & opens onto a generous deck with a private hot tub.
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.
Anastasia Skryabina
Bob Cameron*
Dave Beattie*
604.902.3292
.5
3D Tour - rem.ax/208snowbird
#208 - 4865 Painted Cliff Rd.
3D Tour - rem.ax/1017westin
$149,000
Owning a share in the 1350 square ft condominium on the Benchlands near Blackcomb is great way to insure that you family has year round access to Whistler and an Ownership position that will last in perpetuity. Each year you have access to 2-3 ski weeks and/ or 2 or more summer weeks. A rotational schedule provides for a fair and equal sharing of the major holiday weeks.
Dave Sharpe
604.902.2779
4
604.935.2214
2
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
#1017 - 4090 Whistler Way
5.5
604.905.8855
Price Reduced
$419,000
#64 - 1188 Main St. - Squamish
$949,000
Rare 10th floor studio now available for the lifestyle & smart investor in the Westin Resort & Spa, Whistler. Features include oversized balcony, Heavenly queen bed & sofa bed, galley style kitchen with stainless steel appliances, vaulted ceilings, gas fireplace, spa-like bathroom and large windows facing south.
Possibly the best value in buying a home is to seek a newly built property with low overhead, and a few years of strata managed to organise everything efficiently. Saving money right now is important for your family. That’s why many young families have stayed on to enjoy this awesome complex at Soleil.
Denise Brown
Doug Treleaven
604.902.2033
.5
604.905.8626
3
PEMBERTON OFFICE 1411 Portage Road, Pemberton, BC V0N 2L1 604.894.6616 or Toll Free 1.888.689.0070