Pique Newsmagazine 3312

Collision course

Critical minerals collide with tourism in a B.C. resort town. - By Stefan Labbé

06 OPENING REMARKS Humans like to pretend we’re in control, writes editor Braden Dupuis—but as a rockslide on Whistler Mountain proves, nature still calls the shots.

08 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR This week’s letter-writers share praise for John Summit and an ode to the Audain Art Museum.

20 ODDJOB There are abundant examples of people becoming jaded about their jobs— Surefoot’s Sam McDonald is not one of those people, writes Leslie Anthony.

42 PIQUE’N YER INTEREST Our community culture is our resilience, and the ways we channel and express our love and rage, in and among each other, matters, writes Lisa Richardson.

10 ROCK ‘N’ ROLL Last week’s rockslide on Whistler Mountain highlights the complex, ever-shifting nature of our mountains, according to a local geologist.

11 BY THE NUMBERS The Whistler RCMP presented its annual report to council last week, headlined by the arrest of an international fugitive.

24 WITH A PADDLE The Sea to Sky’s kayak community is pushing for upgrades to the Upper Cheakamus whitewater boating site.

28 SPIN A YARN

The Whistler Valley Quilters’ Guild is set to host its second Stroll on the Stroll on March 21.

COVER It’s not my backyard. It’s not your backyard. It’s our backyard. - By Jon Parris // @jon.parris.art

Publisher SARAH STROTHER - sstrother@piquenewsmagazine.com

Editor BRADEN DUPUIS - bdupuis@piquenewsmagazine.com

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Art Director JON PARRIS - jparris@piquenewsmagazine.com

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Contributors G.D. MAXWELL, VINCE SHULEY, LESLIE ANTHONY, GLENDA BARTOSH, ANDREW MITCHELL, LISA RICHARDSON, LIZI MCLOUGHLIN, TOBIAS C. VAN VEEN

Founding Publishers KATHY & BOB BARNETT www.piquenewsmagazine.com

Nature still calls the shots, in Whistler and beyond

AS HUMANS, we like to pretend we’re always in control.

We make rules and expect everyone to follow them; build structures and processes for participating in public life and claim it’s the only reasonable way; act shocked and scandalized when things

BY BRADEN DUPUIS

Our rules and our structures, we believe, are sacred. They make us feel safe and secure as we navigate the dayto-day chaos that actually defines our existence at the heart of it.

And so sometimes it’s perhaps necessary for something to come along and remind us how foolish that notion really is.

Something like, say, a massive rockslide off the peak of Whistler Mountain.

There’s nothing like thousands of tonnes of boulders crashing from the heavens first thing on a Thursday morning to remind you how small and ineffectual you really are in the grand scheme of things.

Luckily, the slide occurred before the lifts started spinning, and no one was injured. We’ll likely have to wait until the snow melts to get a proper assessment of the slide and the extent of the damage, but for now Whistler Peak and Peak Express Chair are closed until further notice.

And everything is steady and stable again, for now.

But last week’s slide reminds us that mountains are inherently unstable environments (and that sometimes control amounts to a fantasy).

Of course, Whistler Blackcomb, like

all destination mountain resorts, sells the illusion of control: lifts, avalanche mitigation, snowmaking and grooming. Signage and warnings, carefully placed rope lines and operational plans built down to the minute.

And those systems are crucial. They make skiing safer, and the mountains accessible. They allow millions of people every year to move through a landscape that, left entirely to its own devices, would be far less forgiving.

But the mountains themselves don’t particularly care for any of that. Snow falls on ancient rock, builds and compacts and recedes repeatedly over time. Water seeps into cracks in the earth, freezes and expands. Glaciers retreat in everclimbing baseline temperatures while entire slopes slowly creep downhill over the course of decades... before finally

bags are, pretending we have any control at all over any of it.

Long before there were chairlifts or ski runs here, the Coast Mountains were shaping and reshaping themselves through landslides, avalanches, erosion and glacial retreat, and they’ll keep doing it long after today’s infrastructure is gone.

Local geologist Steve Quane with the Sea to Sky Fire & Ice GeoRegion referred to it in an email to Pique as a “landscape in motion.”

“Part of the reason we are all drawn to this area is because the mountains are still growing. We live near a tectonic boundary that is pushing our mountains up. In addition, over the past 10,000 years our glaciers have receded and the ground underneath is rebounding, so our mountains are actively growing a few centimetres per year,” Quane said.

peaks look the way they do and what happened on Whistler Peak [March 12] was a snapshot in geologic time where erosion won the war with uplift!”

Living in a mountain town means tacitly giving up at least some measure of control, whether we think about it much or not. But you likely already know the feeling. Winter storms close highways, avalanches shut down backcountry zones. Trails wash out and slopes slide.

Usually these things amount to minor inconveniences, but they’re all part of the same idea—that the landscape we live in is constantly moving, even when it looks still.

And so while most days the mountains sit quietly above Whistler Village, looking all solid and permanent, every now and then they remind us permanence is an illusion. Soon enough the snow will melt, the

On human timescales, mountains feel permanent. And so we build towns beneath them and assume they will always look more or less the same. But geologically speaking, these peaks are restless things—rising, eroding and collapsing in cycles that stretch far beyond a human lifetime. And here we laughable little meat bags are, pretending we have any control at all over any of it.

giving way in a matter of seconds.

On human timescales, mountains feel permanent. And so we build towns beneath them and assume they will always look more or less the same. But geologically speaking, these peaks are restless things—rising, eroding and collapsing in cycles that stretch far beyond a human lifetime.

And here we laughable little meat

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“The competing forces of this uplift and erosion caused by significant precipitation and gravitational collapse leads to our mountains occasionally crumbling into the valleys. If you look from the Peak Chair at this area in the summer, you can see a lot of debris in the bowls below the peaks. Freeze thaw weathering and gravitational instability are what make these jagged, beautiful

debris will be cleared and examined, operations will resume as usual. Maybe there will be a report, some recommendations. In time we’ll forget about this slide. Eventually there will be another.

For now, the slide serves as another humble reminder: we may build lifts and towns and entire economies on these slopes, but in the end, nature still calls the shots. n

John Summit in Whistler: ‘genuinely special’

Whistler just hosted one of its best weekends in recent memory, and I think it deserves a moment of recognition.

John Summit: Experts Only took over the town and mountain this past weekend and delivered something genuinely special.

Roughly 13,000 people attended the festival itself over two days... but what made it stand out to me was how they extended beyond the ticketed experience. The pop-up sets at Roundhouse as well as Longies meant anyone at Base I or who had a ski pass could have a peek, meaning you didn’t need a wristband in order to get amongst it.

I feel like that kind of inclusive programming is rare these days for these types of larger events.

A sincere thank you to MRG Group, Whistler Blackcomb, and the Resort Municipality of Whistler for pulling this off.

Beyond the good vibes, events like this represent exactly the kind of economic activity our municipality needs. The ripple effect across hotels, restaurants, and local businesses over a single weekend is significant and shouldn’t be understated.

I hope our local leaders and private event organizers take note: this is a great blueprint for what works in Whistler. Major draw, real economic impact, and a blend of high-quality

paid and free programming so longtime locals and visitors alike can all have access.

This was one of the most fun weekends I’ve experienced in Whistler in a long time. Let’s have more of this, please.

Will Stewart // Whistler

Ode to the Audain Art Museum

As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Audain Museum today, I have much to be grateful for. The gratitude I feel to be

in the same spirit in which this museum was founded: the spirit of giving. But the truth is that it is not I who gives to the museum—it is I who receives. What I gain from guiding visitors through the galleries is far greater than anything I offer.

part of this institution is unwavering. As many of you know, I am a volunteer docent, and it is a privilege to guide visitors through these galleries.

It is thanks to all of you who work tirelessly to ensure that every visitor who comes to this museum experiences something meaningful—a brief moment of joy to be with art, some of the finest from this province and beyond.

I often tell guests at the beginning of my tours that, as a volunteer, I work

I often draw from great thinkers on my tours. Recently, when speaking about photography, I have been bringing Susan Sontag’s ideas into my narrative. In architectural tours, I reference thinkers such as Kenneth Frampton and Juhani Pallasmaa. And now, through the Wosk Collection in the upper gallery, figures such as Man Ray, Marcel Duchamp, and Henri Matisse are helping me better understand the art we hold in the permanent collection, allowing us to glimpse connections across time and place in ways that feel very immediate. Our oldest pieces by John Webber offer a wonderful parallel to the etchings we are currently showing by Picasso, Rembrandt, and Goya. I also draw from master carver James Hart’s wisdom, shared with us last fall during his book launch, that it takes him 10,000 years to complete any work. This is the artist’s journey.

Last weekend I welcomed more than a hundred guests on my tours—visitors from Europe, from across this continent, and many locals who had never entered the museum before. One of the greatest gifts of this work is the conversations that happen afterward. Visitors often pull me aside to share their thoughts, and their kindness

BACKCOUNTRY UPDATE

As of Wednesday, March 18

Friday brings a welcome weather reset. The flow of tropical moisture finally ends after a week of warm, wet, and windy conditions. Temperatures will drop, skies will clear, and avalanche conditions will vary significantly with elevation.

Below treeline, the snowpack has likely shrunk from the heavy rain, with the surface frozen into a firm crust that may make travel challenging. Where a thick, supportive surface crust exists, avalanches are generally unlikely. At treeline, you’ll likely find a range of conditions, as a mix of rain and snow fell. The crust is expected to thin or disappear around 2,000 m.

Higher up, it’s a different story. Upper treeline and alpine elevations received heavy snowfall and experienced strong to extreme winds. Expect wind-affected surfaces, with deep deposits of storm snow on north and east aspects (lee to

the southwest winds), that may remain reactive to human triggers. These higher elevations will offer the best riding conditions, but bear in mind that this is also where the avalanche hazard lingers.

Identifying features of concern can be tricky when wind effect is widespread. Slabs typically form on lee (sheltered) and cross-loaded slopes, often building just below ridgelines, in gullies, and around terrain breaks. With stronger winds like we’ve seen, wind loading may exist further downslope than usual, and we’re expecting it’s likely from this storm. Look for wind-rippled, “chalky” snow that can sound hollow or drum-like underneath you.

The good news is wind slabs tend to form in predictable locations, making them manageable. By sticking to sheltered terrain, wind-scoured slopes, or ridgelines, it’s possible to find safer conditions and still enjoy the mountains until conditions improve. n

always reminds me why this work matters.

Sometimes those responses are deeply emotional. On more than one occasion visitors have cried during a tour. Art can reach something very personal, and perhaps the words around a work allow that emotion to surface. When that happens, I am reminded how powerful these collections are. I remain deeply grateful to everyone who contributes to this institution and the experience it creates for visitors.

For that privilege, and for the joy I continue to find in this work, I thank you. Farha Guerrero // Whistler n

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Whistler rockslide highlights complex, ever-shifting local mountains, geologist says

A MARCH 12 SLIDE ON WHISTLER PEAK REVEALS HOW TECTONIC UPLIFT, RETREATING GLACIERS AND LONG-TERM EROSION CONTINUE TO RESHAPE THE COAST MOUNTAINS

BY LUKE FAULKS

A ROCKSLIDE that forced the closure of Whistler Mountain’s Peak Express Chair last week is not an isolated incident, but part of a much larger and ongoing geological story playing out across the Sea to Sky’s mountains.

No one was injured in the early morning March 12 slide, which occurred while the resort was closed. But the event has drawn attention from geologists who say it offers a rare, visible glimpse into the forces that have shaped—and continue to reshape—the Sea to Sky corridor over millions of years.

A LANDSCAPE SHAPED BY FOUR FORCES

The Whistler rockslide fits into a broader geological framework known as the Fire & Ice Aspiring GeoRegion, which interprets the region through four key processes: mountain-building, glaciation, volcanism and collapse.

Steve Quane, PhD and head geologist at the Sea to Sky Fire & Ice GeoRegion, explains the slide is an example of the fourth and final pillar of a mountain’s lifecycle. He sums it up: “You have mountains built up, glaciers leaving, weather working away at them, and things collapsing down into the valleys.”

Mountain-building in the region is driven by tectonic activity along the West Coast, where plates converge and push the land upward. Even today, the Coast Mountains where Whistler is nestled are still rising, while erosion works to wear them down.

Glaciation has sculpted the landscape over the past two million years, carving valleys and steepening slopes. In British Columbia, alpine glaciers continue to form and retreat at higher elevations, while continental ice sheets dominated during past ice ages.

Volcanism is central to Whistler’s origin. The mountain itself is part of an ancient volcanic system—formed by eruptions of magma that created layers of lava flows and volcanic rock.

And finally, collapse—the process most visible in last week’s event—refers to both gradual erosion and sudden failures like rockslides and landslides.

FAULT LINE IN THE MOUNTAIN

Near the slide is a visible boundary between two very different types of rock. Quane suggests that may have been the

culprit of the Whistler slide.

Whistler Peak is composed of ancient volcanic rocks alongside sedimentary shale formed in shallow ocean environments where fine sediments accumulated over time. Where these materials meet, they form a transition zone that can represent a structural weak point, known as “geologic contact.”

“And so that is an inherent weakness,” Quane explained, with the caveat that any investigation of the slide won’t be possible until after the snow melts away.

“[You] have this boundary area where these rocks could be weaker at that spot, and that could have been where it failed.”

That contrast between volcanic rock and shale matters. The volcanic rock is crystalline and tends to fracture into blocky chunks, while shale breaks along flat bedding planes—essentially thin layers that can shear more easily under stress.

“The rock [does] kind of shear off easier along those bedding planes,” Quane explained, noting shale slopes can behave like stacked plates prone to sliding. It’s those stacked plates that may have given way in the March 12 slide.

NO OBVIOUS TRIGGER

Despite speculation about immediate causes, Quane said rockslides like the one on Whistler Peak rarely hinge on a single dramatic trigger; instead, they’re the culmination of long-term processes, like freeze-thaw cycles, water

infiltration, and gravity.

“You have this competition between gravity [and] weathering,” Quane said. “As soon as some part of that rock gets weaker than the force of gravity, it’ll slide.”

In the alpine environment, those weakening forces are relentless. Temperatures on Whistler Peak can swing dramatically, allowing water to seep into cracks, freeze, expand and gradually pry the rock apart over time.

Another factor increasingly shaping slope stability is climate change. As glaciers retreat across the Coast Mountains, they remove a key source of support for steep slopes—a process known as “toe slope support.”

“Those glaciers will support the slopes, and so if you take that support away, you start to see more landslides,” Quane said.

In the Sea to Sky corridor, where glaciers have been receding for decades, that shift is now intersecting with already steep, fractured terrain.

The result of all those pressures is what Quane describes as “long, long, long [periods] with the occasional perturbation where you have a landslide”—events that may appear sudden but are decades or centuries in the making.

MOUNTAINS STILL ON THE RISE

While erosion and collapse are constantly

reshaping Whistler’s slopes, the mountains themselves are still actively growing—driven by forces deep beneath the Earth’s surface.

Off the West Coast of British Columbia, the Juan de Fuca plate is being forced beneath the North American plate in a process known as subduction. That continuous pressure pushes the crust upward, helping build the Coast Mountains over some 250 million years. This tectonic convergence is responsible for both the region’s mountain-building and its chain of volcanoes stretching from B.C. through Washington and Oregon.

At the same time, a second, less visible process is also lifting the landscape: isostatic rebound.

During the last Ice Age, the Sea to Sky region was buried under glaciers up to two kilometres thick. The immense weight of that ice compressed the Earth’s crust. Now, as those glaciers retreat, the land is slowly springing back upward.

“Imagine squeezing on a racketball. That squeezing would have been the one or two kilometres thick of ice,” Quane said. “Now all that ice is gone, [the land is] slowly decompressing.”

Together, these forces mean the Coast Mountains exist in a constant push and pull: tectonics and rebound driving them upward, while weathering, glaciers and gravity tear them down.

That tension, Quane explains, helps explain why the Sea to Sky corridor is defined by steep, jagged peaks— unlike older mountain ranges like the Appalachians on the East Coast of the continent, where tectonic activity has long since stopped and erosion has smoothed the landscape.

‘A LANDSCAPE IN MOTION’

The Whistler slide is part of a broader pattern across the Sea to Sky corridor, where steep terrain, heavy precipitation and active geology combine to create what Quane and the Fire & Ice GeoRegion describes as “a landscape in motion.”

“It is happening all the time,” he said of rockfalls and landslides, noting they are simply more notable when they occur near infrastructure or populated areas.

Hiking around the Sea to Sky area, he added, provides evidence of the massive historical rockfalls that helped shape the region—including the recent closure of the Stawamus Chief and the historic 2010 landslide at Mount Meager.

Those examples help underscore how dynamic the region remains—even if the slides themselves are comparatively minor in the grand schedule of mountainbuilding and glacial recession.

“It’s really about perspective,” Quane said. “This is a big deal for us, [but] in geology, this is a very small event.” n

International fugitive arrest, flamethrower seizure among 2025 Whistler RCMP highlights

POLICE

ALSO OUTLINED CHILD-EXPLOITATION INVESTIGATIONS, AN UPDATE ON A YEARS-LONG DRUG TRAFFICKING CASE AND EXPANDED COMMUNITY OUTREACH EFFORTS DURING THE ANNUAL BRIEFING

BY LUKE FAULKS

LAST YEAR was a busy one for the Whistler RCMP.

Speaking at the March 10 council meeting, Staff Sgt. Gareth Bradley, operations supervisor for the Whistler detachment, recapped a mix of complex investigations, community outreach and shifting crime trends during an update to Whistler council—outlining everything from the arrest of an international fugitive to ongoing work tackling child exploitation and illegal firearms.

MAJOR INVESTIGATIONS

Among the notable files highlighted for council was the arrest of an international fugitive living in Whistler.

“In the fall of 2025 our serious crime team was contacted by another police agency in Ontario seeking assistance in locating an individual believed to be residing in Whistler,” Bradley told council.

The suspect was wanted internationally by Interpol for largescale drug trafficking offences involving cannabis in Poland and cocaine in the Netherlands.

After investigators determined he had been living in Whistler since September 2025, police located and arrested him in November following collaboration between local officers, the serious-crime unit and the Canada Border Services Agency.

Bradley said the file required extensive coordination between agencies and demonstrated the strength of interagency cooperation.

Police also addressed the detachment’s work investigating child exploitation files.

“No community in British Columbia is immune from child exploitation files,” Bradley said, noting the Whistler RCMP investigated three such cases in 2025.

“These cases are highly complex and often require significant investigative time,” he added, while acknowledging the psychological toll such investigations can have on both victims and officers reviewing the material.

Another investigation late last year led to the seizure of a large cache of weapons from a Whistler residence.

During a search warrant executed in December 2025, police seized 24 firearms—including 12 handguns, six shotguns and six rifles, along with a flamethrower and roughly 8,500 rounds of ammunition.

Officers initially attended the home for an unrelated matter before noticing firearms

that appeared to be improperly stored, which prompted the warrant application. The matter is now before the courts.

Bradley also provided council with an update on a lengthy trafficking investigation first launched in 2023.

“In 2023, Whistler … initiated a complex drug trafficking investigation,” he said. “The operational phase of this investigation lasted many months, and in December of 2024, three individuals were charged with multiple drug trafficking offences.”

The investigation culminated in a large-scale police operation targeting three Whistler residences in March 2024, where officers seized about 2.5 kilograms of cocaine valued at roughly $225,000, as well as approximately $10,000 in cash and additional drugs.

Bradley said the investigation required “hundreds of personnel hours” and extensive disclosure preparation before charges could move forward in court.

Sentencing for one of the accused has since concluded with a 15-month community service order, while the remaining two accused are scheduled to proceed to trial this fall.

COMMUNITY POLICING EFFORTS

Beyond major investigations, Bradley emphasized the detachment’s focus on community engagement and prevention initiatives.

“Community engagement remains a key priority for our officers,” he said.

Since the start of the school year, officers have conducted targeted enforcement operations aimed at schoolzone safety, including riding on school buses to identify drivers illegally passing stopped buses.

Police have also delivered presentations in local schools on youth mental health, substance-use awareness and safe internet practices, while working with municipal staff to ensure school safety plans and lockdown procedures remain up to date.

Officers have additionally taken part in community events ranging from Whistler Pride celebrations and emergency-services gatherings to the Christmas toy drive and training exercises with local organizations.

Bradley highlighted the work of the detachment’s mental-health liaison program and the local “hub table,” which coordinates support services for individuals repeatedly coming into contact with emergency responders.

In one case, Bradley explained that

Body of 78-year-old missing skier found beyond Whistler Blackcomb boundary

AUTHORITIES SAY THE SKIER APPEARS TO HAVE INADVERTENTLY TRAVELLED BEYOND THE RESORT BOUNDARY WHILE SKIING ALONE

BY LUKE FAULKS

SEARCH-AND-RESCUE crews have recovered the body of a 78-year-old man who went missing after skiing beyond the boundary of Whistler Blackcomb.

According to a release, the Sea to Sky RCMP received a missing-person report on Feb. 28 after “an investigation involving a number of police agencies determined that Whistler was his last known location.”

Police said the man, who was not a Whistler resident, was located deceased on March 5 beyond the ski-area boundary on Whistler Mountain. The death is not considered suspicious.

In a statement, police thanked multiple agencies that assisted in the search effort, including ski patrol and several search-and-rescue groups.

Whistler Search and Rescue (SAR) said it was tasked by RCMP to begin searching for the missing man on the morning of March 4. Investigators had identified a potential clue—a ski pole discovered during an unrelated search on Feb. 20— which helped narrow the search area.

Searchers ultimately located the man at about 1,600 metres elevation on the south side of Piccolo Peak in “steep challenging to complex treeline terrain,” according to Whistler SAR.

“This was a tragic incident of someone skiing alone who we believe inadvertently went beyond the ski area

RCMP STATS FROM PAGE 11

a coordinated care plan helped connect a high-needs individual with services, eliminating repeated calls to police and emergency health services: “It really is an example of how this system can work,” he said.

CRIME TRENDS AND STATISTICS

Turning to crime trends, the detachment previously reported declines across several major categories.

Overall, violent crime decreased compared with previous years, though police saw increases in criminal harassment and uttering threats—often linked to online scams or “emotionally

boundary,” SAR’s Brad Sills told Pique Authorities say the incident is a reminder that hazards exist both inside and outside ski-area boundaries. Skiers and riders are urged to obey all posted signage and closures.

Search-and-rescue crews also stress the importance of basic trip planning—

charged” disputes.

Property crime also saw a “modest decrease,” although fraud continues to rise as scams become more sophisticated with the use of emerging technologies.

“I’ve noted this trend in Squamish as well,” Bradley told council. “The level of fraud continues to go up each and every year as technology advances; scams have become increasingly sophisticated, including the use of artificial intelligence.”

Police also noted a rise in missingperson reports in 2025—rising to 70 from 64 in 2024.

On the traffic side, impaired-driving enforcement remains a key focus.

particularly for those recreating alone.

“If you are recreating, particularly if you are alone, it is wise to let someone know when you expect to return so that a timely search can be started if you are overdue,” Sills explained.

Police said no further details will be released out of respect for the family. n

Officers conducted more than 14,000 roadside sobriety checks last year while continuing training to better detect drugimpaired drivers.

Overall calls for service rose about eight per cent.

Roughly 39 per cent of police workload budget in Whistler is tied to visitors rather than residents, reflecting the realities of policing a global tourism destination.

Bradley said the detachment is preparing for several operational changes in the coming years, including the completion of renovations to the Whistler RCMP building and the rollout of bodyworn cameras expected this fall. n

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‘We executed the vision’: Raven Room to close after seven years

THE

LOCALLY DRIVEN COCKTAIL BAR KNOWN FOR ITS B.C.-FOCUSED MENUS IS PREPARING TO WIND DOWN OPERATIONS THIS SPRING

BY LUKE FAULKS

AFTER SEVEN YEARS of cocktails, creativity and community-building in the heart of Whistler Village, The Raven Room will close its doors later this spring following unsuccessful lease negotiations with its landlord, the Pan Pacific Village Centre.

Since opening in January 2019, the venue has grown from a cocktailfocused bar into an ambitious dining room. The team has paired an evolving kitchen program with a beverage philosophy rooted in B.C. craft producers and spirits education.

“We’re incredibly proud of what The Raven Room became,” said co-founder Luke Woodnutt in a statement. “What started as a cocktail bar grew into something much more—a place where food, drinks, education and community all came together.”

Woodnutt and co-founder Jason Redmond explained The Raven Room worked because of its emphasis on repeat customers, local loyalty and a tightly curated experience.

Using that approach, the venue grew from a cocktail-forward bar into a nationally recognized hospitality concept, earning accolades from organizations like Tales of the Cocktail and Canada’s 100 Best while building a reputation for collaborations across the country.

“While this chapter is coming to a close, it certainly won’t be the last thing you see from us,” Woodnutt added.

BUILT TO RAISE THE BAR

Since Day 1, The Raven Room has been a family affair; Redmond’s wife Steph and Woodnutt’s wife Brandi represent the other half of ownership.

When the team first began sketching out The Raven Room, the goal was to push against what they saw as a prevailing model in resort communities.

“Sometimes the models could sort of be the revolving door of tourists, not as quality focused as one may like,” Redmond said. Instead, the team asked a different question: what would it look like to build a restaurant around quality, consistency and return visits over volume?

That philosophy extended across the menu. On the bar side, The Raven Room leaned heavily into B.C.’s growing

“It was sending out a few texts and getting a full room of friends,” Redmond said of the early days. “It was a lot of local referrals, sending the right people our way.”

ecosystem of craft distilleries, breweries and wineries, building cocktails that showcased local producers while also emphasizing spirits education for both staff and guests.

On the kitchen side, what began as a secondary food offering evolved into an increasingly ambitious, seasonally driven program that worked in tandem with the bar. Drawing on the abundance of the Sea to Sky corridor, the team focused on local sourcing and close relationships with regional suppliers, like an early foray into sourcing from the Brew Creek Centre.

Over time, that dual focus on food and drink helped position The Raven Room as a destination for diners seeking something beyond standard resort fare, with Redmond previously noting, “no burgers, no nachos, no wings.”

A HUB FOR COMMUNITY

Beyond the plate and the glass, The Raven Room also became a gathering place for Whistler’s hospitality industry—hosting fundraisers, pop-ups, collaborations and informal meetups that brought together chefs, bartenders and creatives from across the corridor.

Internally, that same people-first approach shaped how the business operated.

Redmond said a growing awareness

of mental-health challenges in the hospitality sector—something he began confronting years earlier in his career— became an important influence on how the team structured its workplace.

For now, the team plans to continue operations through the spring, with guests encouraged to stay tuned for announcements about a series of farewell events and collaborations in the coming weeks.

While specific plans are still taking shape, Redmond said the focus will be on celebrating the community that helped define the space over its seven-year run.

“Since we announced [the closure], we’ve heard from the community that they’re behind us. They liked what we’ve done,” he said.

“So I want to make sure that we give that back, the gratitude for the support from the people from Day 1, and then from the people that found us and fiercely supported us.”

Redmond added the bar’s legacy is clear. “We had a vision; a focus on quality, a different offering and atmosphere, and being good employers. We had a lot of fun with community, with visitors, and tried to lift as many people up as we could,” he said. “We executed the vision.”

Read the full story online. n

BC Parks greenlights Macbeth Hut proposal

THE STRUCTURE IS MEANT TO BE ONE OF THREE BUILT BY THE SPEARHEAD

HUTS SOCIETY

BY DAVID SONG

THE SPEARHEAD Huts Society’s (SHS) bid for a backcountry hut at Mount Macbeth has taken a large step forward.

BC Parks issued a construction permit on March 12 for the Macbeth Hut. When completed, this building would be the second in a proposed three-hut network connecting Blackcomb and Whistler along the Spearhead Traverse. The affiliated Kees and Claire Memorial Hut at Russet Lake was finished in 2019 and saw an unprecedented number of visitors during winter 2024-25 and last summer.

An October 2025 press release estimated the Macbeth Hut would cost approximately $5.8 million, with fundraising at that point having reached $4.1 million.

A fundraiser is scheduled for March 20 at Merlin’s Bar and Grill. The night will encompass a project update and a presentation from architect Michael Green, who designed the Macbeth Hut. SHS representatives will also discuss the vision, progress and timeline for construction as well as host a silent auction.

“It’s a legacy infrastructure project for the Whistler community,” explained SHS treasurer and secretary Alan Woodland. “The development of access deep into Garibaldi Park at the Fitzsimmons Creek headwaters is a permanent and lasting contribution to outdoor recreation infrastructure. The way I’m positioning the fundraising ask is: it’s a contribution to community infrastructure and legacy.”

BC Mountaineering Club (BCMC) president Greg Hamilton is among those on board. Last August, he and a small group spent two nights at the Macbeth Hut site as part of a longer, three-week summer camp that had various volunteers observe environmental conditions and perform a survey. Fast forward to October: Hamilton and his peers donated $40,000 to the

PUBLICNOTICE isherebygiveninaccordancewith section345 of theLocal GovernmentActand sections86 &94oftheCommunityCharter that theSquamishLillooetRegionalDistrict(the“SLRD”) Boardhas proposed anew bylaw:SLRDSquamish ValleyAgriculturalPlanService EstablishingBylawNo. 1946-2026(the“Bylaw”).The participatingareasof theBylawareDistrictofSquamishand ElectoralAreaD (the “ServiceArea”)

Thepurposeof theBylaw isto authorizetheSLRDtorequisitionfundsto support agricultural planning,coordination,andimplementationactivities thatalignwiththe objectivesof theSquamishValleyAgriculturalPlan,whethersuchactivitiesare undertaken bySLRD,DistrictofSquamish,externalorganization(s)or acombination thereof(the“Service”)

TheBylawauthorizes theSLRDtorequisitionannuallyuptothegreaterof $75,000 or $0.00483per $1,000 of nettaxable assessedvalueoflandandimprovementsinthe ServiceArea(notincludingtheprovincialfeeapplicableto ElectoralAreaD). Thecostof theServiceisbornebyalltaxablepropertiesintheServiceArea.

Somemaximum annual requisitionscenarios forresidential propertiesarenoted below.(Scenarios fornon-residential properties have notbeen developedbecauseof thevarioustaxrates fordifferentpropertyclasses.)

Macbeth initiative.

“[Kees and Claire] was built with the cooperation of the Alpine Club of Canada’s Whistler section, the Alpine Club of Canada’s Vancouver section and the BCMC,” Woodland said. “Those three organizations got the idea started in concept. They negotiated the agreement with BC Parks. They raised the money. They got volunteer time to build the first hut.

“Without the community of people that likes to go to the mountains and do these things, we wouldn’t be able to do it. We’re very grateful to the BCMC for their support, not just in terms of dollars but in terms of people power.”

Iain Sherriff-Scott, Kees and Claire’s operations manager, also played a key role in the aforementioned summer camp by recruiting volunteers who participated.

‘FAR MORE THAN A SINGLE BUILDING’

New developments have also unfolded at Kees and Claire during the last several months.

More than 70 volunteer custodians now greet guests, sort out bookings, clean and perform routine maintenance on the hut’s propane generator, stove, heaters and other mechanical equipment. Guests will also find copies of John Baldwin’s Coast Mountain High Routes guidebook, a popular read for outdoor adventurers.

“The [custodians’] training is around the systems of how to keep the hut running, but really, I think they provide guests with a good experience,” Woodland opined. “They’re shown to their bunk. They get a little speech about hut culture, what to do and what not to do because when it’s full, it’s quite crowded. There’s an ethic of sharing the space when you’re up there. I got involved with the hut in 2019 when it was first built … I was a volunteer custodian. Every time I go up there, I always meet interesting

ForDistrictofSquamish,theestimated taxation cost per$1,000,000 of converted residentialassessedvalueofland& improvementsis$3.85.Thisestimateisbasedon the2026CompletedAssessmentRolland assumesa 10%residential propertyclass taxation rate.Someresidential property valuescenarios forDistrictofSquamishare below:

ScenariosforDistrictofSquamish

ForElectoral AreaD, theestimated taxation cost per$1,000,000ofconverted residentialassessedvalue of land &improvementsis$3.85(consistentwithDistrictof Squamishasnotedabove),but on topofthisisthe5.25%feecharged bytheProvince for collectingelectoralarea taxes. Therefore, includingtheprovincial fee, theestimated costper $1,000,000 of convertedresidentialassessedvalueofland& improvements increases from $3.85to$4.05.Someresidential property valuescenarios forElectoral AreaD (includingtheprovincialfee)arebelow:

ScenariosforElectoralArea D(includingprovincialfee)

AveragevalueofresidentialpropertyEstimatedannualresidentialtaxrequisition

TheSLRDBoardis seekingparticipating areaapprovalofelectorsintheServiceArea by wayofAlternative ApprovalProcess(“AAP”).Thenumberofeligible electorsinthe ServiceAreahas been determined tobe22,976 andthenumberofelector responses required topreventtheSLRDBoardfromproceedingwithoutthefurtherassent of the electorsis2,297. ThedeadlineforelectorresponsesforthisAAPis4:30p.m.on April27,2026.TheSLRDBoardmay proceed withtheBylaw unless, bythedeadline statedabove,at least10%(being2,297) of theelectorsoftheServiceAreaindicatethat theSLRDBoard mustobtain approval by assent vote(referendum) Electorresponsesmust be submittedintheform establishedbytheSLRDBoard. ElectorresponseformsareavailableontheSLRDwebsite(www.slrd.bc.ca/insideslrd/current-projects-initiatives/new-SVAP-service), at theSLRDoffice(1350AsterSt., PembertonBC) andatDistrictofSquamishMunic ipal Hall(37955SecondAve., Squamish BC).Theonlypersons entitled to signtheformsareelectorsoftheService Area

FormoreinformationaboutResidentElectorandNon-Resident Property Electorqualifications as well as theAAP,pleasesee the SLRDwebsite(www.slrd.bc.ca/inside-slrd/current-projectsinitiatives/new-SVAP-service)orcontactCorporateOfficerA Belshamat(604)894-6371(ext.240) orabelsham@slrd.bc.ca.

Reuse Whistler program reaches 100 cups a week as cafés roll out drink discount

THE PROGRAM ENCOURAGING RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TO DITCH DISPOSABLE CUPS OFFERS 50-CENT DRINK PROMOTION THIS MONTH

BY LUKE FAULKS

WHISTLER’S REUSABLE cup initiative is gaining traction, with organizers reporting the program has reached about 100 reuses per week as it rolls out a new incentive aimed at encouraging more coffee drinkers to make the switch from disposable cups.

Throughout March, customers who choose a Reuse Whistler cup at participating cafés will receive 50 cents off their drink, a promotion organizers say is designed to introduce more residents and visitors to the system.

“This promotion is a great opportunity for people to try the program for the first time,” program coordinator Ella Morrice said in a press release. “By making reuse convenient and rewarding, we hope to make choosing a reusable cup part of the everyday coffee routine in Whistler.”

The program offers a simple alternative to single-use takeaway cups: customers ordering at participating cafés can check out a reusable cup by scanning a card or app at the till, then return it within five days to any participating business or designated return bin around the village.

Participating businesses include Mount Currie Coffee Company, Blenz Coffee, Alpha Café and Naked Sprout Café & Eatery, with additional locations expected to join the program.

A full map of participating locations can be found on Reuse’s website.

Returned cups are collected, washed and recirculated through the system—an approach program manager Claire Ruddy has previously described as creating a circular system similar to restaurant dishware rather than disposable packaging.

Organizers say convenience, particularly having enough return locations, is key to driving adoption. Smart return bins are currently located at Whistler Public Library, Blackcomb Day Lodge and Carleton Lodge, allowing users to drop off cups without going back into a café.

The initiative also targets what organizers say is one of Whistler’s most persistent waste challenges.

“Using 500 paper cups consumes nearly 370 gallons of water, whereas washing one ceramic cup 500 times consumes only 53,” Ruddy explained to Whistler council in September 2025. “Coffee shops here go through up to 1,000 cups every morning. Reusables will

beat single-use every time.”

On March 6, Reuse celebrated Alpha Café for reaching 300 reuse cup checkouts, saying, “That’s 300 single-use cups avoided.”

Ruddy said early uptake is encouraging, but building long-term behaviour change will take time as more businesses and return points are added.

The long-term vision extends well

MACBETH HUT FROM PAGE 15

people and have good experiences. That’s why I’ve become so committed to the [Macbeth] project.”

Kees and Claire features 38 bunks divided into half a dozen sleeping areas, while Macbeth is planned to house 24 bunks.

Woodland remarked in a late December email: “Every contribution made now helps us sustain momentum as we move into the next phase of a project; one that represents far more than a single building. The … Macbeth Hut would build on the legacy of the Kees and Claire Memorial Hut, expanding opportunities for safe travel along the Spearhead Traverse and supporting responsible recreation

beyond coffee cups. Over the next two to three years, Reuse Whistler hopes to expand the system to include takeout food containers, partnerships with restaurants and hotels, and reusable options for events and community programs.

Businesses interested in participating can learn more or sign up at reusewhistler.ca. n

in Garibaldi Provincial Park for generations to come.

“Moments like this are shaped by people who choose to step in, even when the path ahead is still unfolding. A gift at this time will help sustain momentum and keep this shared vision moving forward. Every contribution is a signal that this community believes in something bigger: providing safe shelter, opening more terrain to recreationalists, and strengthen public access to the Whistler backcountry.”

Tickets to the SHS fundraising event on March 20 cost $81.41 and can be purchased at eventbrite.ca/e/ build-the-macbeth-hut-fundraisertickets-1981805613940. n

RegionalDistrictsarerequiredtoadopta five-yearfinancialplan, settingouttheproposedexpendituresandfundingsourcesfor eachservice.Thedraftfinancialplanistobemadeavailablefor publicconsultation.

Accordingly,membersofthepublicareinvitedtoprovidewritten submissionsandcommentsontheSquamish-LillooetRegional District’sDraft2026-2030FinancialPlan.

SubmitYourComments

SubmissionsandcommentsmaybeforwardedtotheSquamishLillooetRegionalDistrictbyoneofthefollowingmeans: 2026-2030Five-YearFinancialPlan InvitationforPublicConsultation

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TheSLRDBoardwillconsider abylawtoadoptthe2026-2030 FinancialPlanattheMarch25,2026Boardmeeting.

Lil’wat Nation sues BC Hydro over allegations of unfair electricity rates

LIL’WAT

NATION

AND

ITS SMALL HYDROPOWER

COMPANY SEEK JUDICIAL REVIEW, ALLEGING CROWN CORP’S ELECTRICITY BUYING POLICY UNDERMINES THE INDIGENOUS OWNERSHIP IT CLAIMS TO CHAMPION

BY STEFAN LABBÉ

BIV

BC HYDRO mandates Indigenous ownership for new clean energy projects and pays a premium for it—but a First Nation that already owns a majority stake in an existing hydro project said the Crown corporation is using a rigid renewal policy to effectively price them out of the industry.

Details of the souring relationship between the BC Hydro, the province, the Lil’wat Nation and one of its businesses were detailed in a request for judicial review filed this week in the B.C. Supreme Court.

According to the court challenge, BC Hydro has purchased electricity from the Rockford Energy Corporation since 2001. The company owns a run-of-river hydro project on the Brandywine River less than a kilometre off the Sea to Sky highway near Whistler.

Capable of powering 3,500 homes a year, the project is one of 119 independent power producers—which include municipalities and First Nations— that BC Hydro had signed electricity purchasing agreements with as of 2025.

A couple of years ago, the Lil’wat Nation sought to add its name to that list.

Based in Mount Currie, Lil’wat has roughly 2,300 members and is the third largest First Nation in the province. It claims roughly 800,000 hectares of unceded territory centred around Mount Currie, extending south toward Vancouver, including Whistler, and north towards the town of Lillooet.

In 2023, Lil’wat bought a 51 per cent stake of Eco Flow Energy Corporation— which wholly owns Rockford—with options to buy the rest of the company within roughly five years.

Under an initial electricity purchasing agreement, Lil’wat received $69.48 per megawatt-hour, which along with royalty payments, gave the nation

about $200,000 in annual income.

That rate is much lower than what BC Hydro has offered new Indigenous-run power projects in recent years.

In 2024 and 2025, BC Hydro put out two calls for power in an effort to boost the province’s electricity supply and meet growing demand. In an explicit step to advance reconciliation, the utility mandated that any new project must have at least a 25 per cent Indigenous ownership stake.

“When we embarked on this initiative, we committed to meaningful economic reconciliation by requiring all projects to include First Nations ownership,” then BC Hydro CEO Chris O’Riley said in a Dec. 9, 2024 statement.

The 2024 call secured 10 renewable energy projects—nine wind and one

utility offered to buy electricity at an average price of $86 and as high as $109 per megawatt hour—far more than the existing run-of-river agreement in Whistler, court documents allege.

APPLICATION CLAIMS BC HYDRO DECISION ‘DEVOID OF LOGIC’

When Rockford’s electricity purchasing agreement was up for renewal in 2025, Lil’wat went to BC Hydro seeking rates similar to what new projects had been offered.

But BC Hydro refused to consider the Lil’wat Nation’s ownership interest in the project and responded with a nonnegotiable “take-it-or-leave-it” position on the renewal of the electricity purchasing agreement, claims the nation and Rockford in their application to the court.

“Throughout this process, BC Hydro has used its position of dominance to dictate terms that are neither commercially reasonable nor sustainable...”

- PETER ZELL AND MAXINE BRUCE

solar—together producing nearly 5,000 gigawatt-hours per year with 50 per cent average First Nation ownership.

“These new wind projects represent up to $3 billion of ownership by First Nations, marking a historic step forward in energy partnership and reconciliation,” said O’Riley at the time.

In January 2026, BC Hydro said the 2025 call has received 14 wind and solar project proposals involving First Nations, with the potential to produce more than 9,100 gigawatt-hours per year.

As part of the calls to power, the

Instead of offering to pay the previous $69.48 per megawatt-hour of electricity, BC Hydro allegedly insisted on a $58 purchase price “without regard” to how the demand would impact the Lil’wat Nation’s ability to maintain its ownership of the hydro project.

In a Sept. 5, 2025 meeting, court documents claim a BC Hydro representative told Rosemary Stager, president of the Lil’wat Business Group, that reconciliation could only be pursued “if there were no impacts on ratepayers” and that ratepayer concerns “override” the UN Declaration on the Rights of

Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).

A month later, Eco Flow president Peter Zell and Lil’wat Councillor Maxine Bruce told BC Hydro that its refusal to treat the project like those in the Crown corporation’s calls for power was “devoid of logic.”

“An electron is an electron,” they wrote. “Treating [independent power producers] like this is simply bad. Treating First Nations like this is unconscionable and foolish.”

The letter also questions how the utility’s logic fits with its mantra to do what is best for ratepayers when the energy that the Brandywine hydro project produces would have to be replaced at a higher $97 per megawatt-hour.

In an affidavit, Bruce added that the $58 per megawatt-hour price is much lower than the price BC Hydro charges for power sold to the United States, and is nearly half the roughly $115 per megawatt pricethe nation’s members pay to buy grid electricity.

“Throughout this process, BC Hydro has used its position of dominance to dictate terms that are neither commercially reasonable nor sustainable for a small independent power producer,” Zell and Bruce wrote in a second letter in October 2025.

“We believe this price was selected not based on fair market conditions, but as a coercive measure to force acceptance of unfavourable terms …”

Peter Gall, a lawyer for the Lil’wat Nation, said in a call with Business in Vancouver that he is “hopeful that BC Hydro will recognize its legal obligations to the Lil’wat Nation.”

Reached for comment, BC Hydro said in a statement that it valued its relationships with independent power producers as “important” and remained “committed to working closely with Indigenous Nations.”

“We are committed to keeping rates affordable for our customers, which includes

managing costs related to independent power producers,” the statement added.

BC Hydro spokesperson Kyle Donaldson declined to comment on the specifics of the lawsuit “as this matter is now before the courts.”

LOWER PRICE WOULD CAUSE ECONOMIC RUIN, CLAIMS APPLICATION

According to the court challenge, the lower $58 per megawatt-hour electricity price demanded by BC Hydro would reduce the Rockford hydro facility’s gross annual revenues by about $380,000 and collapse the project’s estimated value to $8.5 million from $33 million.

The Lil’wat Nation alleges that would make it impossible to finance its ownership in the project, and prevent it from buying out the other 49 per cent stake. The lack of revenue would also limit the nation’s ability to carry out proper maintenance and reduce the funds that back the nation’s community, social and economic programs.

Further fallout from the lower electricity fees would also sink the prospects of a hydrogen project Rockford proposed to BC Hydro, claims the application.

“The capital cost for that project is estimated to be in excess of $80 million,” one court document said. “But the Lil’wat Nation’s ability to invest in the hydrogen project is dependent on the ability of Rockford to continue to supply power to BC Hydro at a reasonable price.”

Despite multiple letters, BC Hydro consistently refused to deviate from the original terms, the application said.

The Lil’wat Nation agreed to a temporary extension of the electricity purchasing agreement until Feb. 11, 2026, but at an even lower rate of $50 per megawatt-hour. It’s a rate, said Zell and Bruce in a 2025 letter included in the court documents, that reflects an “abuse of dominance by BC Hydro.”

A January 2026 meeting with B.C.’s deputy Minister of Energy produced no intervention, and BC Hydro only agreed to extend the electricity purchasing agreement until April 15, 2026, with the understanding that it would be the last extension, the application said.

If the electricity purchasing agreement is left to expire, Lil’wat warns that Rockford’s water licence would require a years-long re-application process. Meanwhile, the company’s land leases would expire and it would fail to maintain loan payments in a process that would also trigger significant decommissioning costs.

An impact benefits agreement with the Squamish and Lil’wat Nations would also allegedly expire. The Squamish Nation, which has overlapping territorial claims and receives royalties from the project, filed a support letter to the court expressing concern that BC Hydro’s position could set a damaging precedent.

NATION CITES CONTROVERSIAL DRIPA LEGISLATION

In their application to the court, Lil’wat and Rockford claimed BC Hydro failed

to uphold the “honour of the Crown” and breached its duty to consult a nation that has a strong Aboriginal title claim on the lands the project operates on.

BC Hydro allegedly violated the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) by refusing to consider the nation’s right to economic self-determination and failing to obtain free, prior and informed consent when it insisted on a nonnegotiable lower price for power.

The application repeatedly cites the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, or DRIPA, which passed unanimously in 2019 and spells out how the B.C. government will implement UNDRIP.

The legislation also provides a mechanism for the province to enter into agreements with Indigenous governments to share or delegate statutory decisionmaking authority. In certain areas, that process is expected to lead to joint or consent-based governance.

More recently, it has proved a political lightning rod as First Nations seek to wrestle a degree of decision-making authority away from the province and business interests.

In late 2025, the B.C. Court of Appeals handed down a landmark decision that found UNDRIP is not merely aspirational policy, but is incorporated into B.C. law.

In that case, the Gitxaala Nation challenged B.C.’s mineral claims regime as “inconsistent” with DRIPA.

The appeals court agreed, and in a 2-1 ruling, found courts could legally enforce DRIPA as an “interpretive lens” through which B.C. laws must be viewed and measured.

The B.C. government has since said it is seeking leave to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court of Canada and will simultaneously introduce a bill to re-write DRIPA.

In its request for a judicial review, Lil’wat and Rockford are seeking a declaration that BC Hydro breached its duty of consultation under both DRIPA and a section of Canada’s Constitution Act that affirms existing Aboriginal and treaty rights.

The petitioners are also seeking an order that the existing electrical purchasing agreement remains in force until BC Hydro’s obligation to consult is satisfied or until they agree on a new purchasing agreement.

And in a final request, Lil’wat and Rockford are asking the court to direct BC Hydro to engage in meaningful, good-faith consultation that seeks to accommodate the Lil’wat Nation’s ownership interest in the Whistler hydro project on economically viable terms.

In an affidavit, Lil’wat councillor and Rockford director Bruce stated that the April 2026 expiry of their electricity agreement leaves insufficient time for a judicial review. To protect their ownership interest, she argued the Lil’wat “need an injunction.”

The nation’s lawyer said it will seek the injunction at a hearing scheduled for April 15 in Vancouver.

None of the claims in the application for judicial review have been tested in court. n

Sure-footed

THERE ARE ABUNDANT examples out there of people who’ve immersed themselves in something very particular for a very long time becoming very jaded about it. They’ve gained expertise but lost enthusiasm, finding themselves going through the motions of their vocation but not really feeling they’re helping change much of anything.

BY LESLIE ANTHONY

Sam McDonald is not one of those

Though the affable 45-year-old has seen it all when it comes to the age-old battle between the human foot and ski boots, McDonald still vibes the kind of zeal that sees every appendage as a new challenge, and every new technology as a way to address it. Manager of Whistler’s iconic boot-fitter, Surefoot, for some 15 years now, and a decade-long employee of the world’s largest custom ski-boot company before that, McDonald comes by his orthopedic omnipotence honestly. Kicked off by brothers Bob and Russ Shay in Park City, Utah, in 1982, Surefoot’s proprietary fitting process scans feet with digital precision, selects the most suitable boot shell, and molds a custom orthotic and liner. In these days of digital derring-do, of course, an integrated

heater can also be added and controlled from your phone. Forty-some years into it, with almost a million pairs of boots walked out the door of 29 worldwide locations, the company’s mission of ensuring warm, comfortable feet on the slopes is the difference between a good day and a great day for many skiers— something McDonald, who started his affiliation with the company at the Toronto location in 1997, takes pride in.

“I was 17 and just out of high school,” he recalls. “I worked there six months and really liked the whole process—though obviously it was much different than now. Then I moved to New Zealand and fit boots for a year.”

2009, just before the 2010 Olympics— though that five-ring circus wasn’t the only stress visited upon him. He also had to organize moving the store and its contents from a poor location in a retail back-eddy to the heart of the village. “The old place had been leased in the early ’90s when the resort plan was different,” he says. “The space was supposed to be really central, but then the village grew right past it.”

Obtaining the lease for a new location on January 1, 2010, the store needed to be fully operational by the 19th of that month in time for the big show. “Those were busy times,” says McDonald, raising his eyebrows in visible understatement.

“It’s company mantra that if there’s a problem, we work really hard to fix it.”

- SAM MCDONALD

Returning to Canada, he continued at Surefoot in Toronto through the summer of 1999 on the understanding that he’d move to Whistler for the winter to begin work in that resort’s outlet. “It was a fun time to be in Whistler because so much was going on and places like The Boot [an infamous bar] still existed.”

While season-kickoff keg parties and mushroom-fuelled moonlight cat-skiing missions were de rigeur in those heady days, life also moved quickly off the hill. In 2007, McDonald and his wife migrated south to Squamish, where they eventually raised two children. McDonald took over as Whistler store manager in September

The store would move again to its current spot on the village stroll in 2018, which now feels like home. “We couldn’t have a better space,” he says, patting a footscanning machine like a faithful dog.

As a de facto part of the Whistler landscape through several watersheds in the sport of skiing—particularly the freeski revolution of the late 1990s and early new millennium—what kinds of changes has McDonald seen in the boot-fitting world? “Well, our products are better than ever before but the processes involved have become simpler and smoother for customers,” he notes. “For instance, we learned a lot from COVID about using

web-based appointments.” Also easing the demands of his job from how things were a decade ago are improvements in boot and ski tech that have actually made it easier and more fun to ski.

And what of boot-fitting’s future, with space-age materials and AI on the horizon? Fortunately, given the everlasting tussle between feet and plastic, McDonald’s is likely to be an evergreen industry. “I think boot-fitting is something that will always be required and I’m lucky enough to work for people passionate about making sure their products remain necessary and always improve the experience,” he says. “It’s company mantra that if there’s a problem, we work really hard to fix it; if there’s a need, we work really hard to fill it.”

Of course, being a heralded international resort, Whistler’s retail scene is also like no other, where folks in McDonald’s rarified service-position meet, greet and seat royalty, famous actors, and world-class athletes both local and exotic. Still, McDonald finds it easy to keep his feet on the ground. “All that stuff is an interesting and cool part of the job,” he admits, “and I know it sounds cheesy to say, but making local connections—whether ski instructors, hotel managers, people who’ve lived in town forever, or their kids—has been the most enjoyable part of the job.”

Still, does he have any longing for the wild, uninhibited scene that greeted him when he first moved to Whistler? “Well, things have certainly changed, and it’s definitely not as loose around here as it once was,” he says. “But I think that’s probably a good thing for everyone.”

Leslie Anthony is a Whistler-based author, editor, biologist and bon vivant who has never met a mountain he didn’t like. n

PembertonFarmers'Market -GrowingtheHeart of Pemberton

Join us for our AGM Sunday, March 29th from 3-5pm

7318 Industrial Way, Pemberton

ThePemberton Farmers'MarketAssociationis welcominginterestedcommunitymemberstoget involved,shareideas,andjointheboard!

LandAct:

NoticeofIntentiontoApplyforaDispositionofCrownLand

Takenoticethat the GaribaldiHighlandsLandsLtd. of Pemberton,BC, has appliedtotheBritishColumbiaMinistry of Water, LandandResourceStewardship (WLRS),Surreyforatenureforutilityelectricpowerlinepurposesituatedon ProvincialCrownLandlocated at PembertonCreek WLRSinvitescommentsonthis application.TheLands Fileis 2413091.Written commentsconcerningthis applicationshouldbedirectedtotheSeniorLand Officer,LowerMainland,WLRS, at 200–10428153rdStreet,Surrey, BCV3R 1E1.CommentswillbereceivedbyWLRSuptoMay1,2026.WLRSmaynotbe abletoconsidercommentsreceivedafterthisdate.Pleasevisitthe Applications, CommentsandReasonsforDecisionDatabasewebsite at http://comment.nrs.gov.bc.ca/formoreinformation.

Beadvisedthat anyresponsetothisadvertisementwillbeconsideredpartofthe publicrecord.Accesstotheserecordsrequiresthesubmissionofa Freedomof Information(FOI)request.Visithttp://www.gov.bc.ca/freedomofinformationtolearn moreaboutFOIsubmissions.

2026 SEASON

FRIDAYS

May 16th - October 17th 3-6 PM

Downtown Pemberton Barn Fresh Food. LiveMusic. Community

By Stefan Labbé

Hundreds of young athletes from all over British Columbia descended on the Monashee Mountains the last week of February to compete in the province’s winter games.

On the street, coach buses cruised through Rossland, B.C., dropping people off at hotels. Restaurants filled up. Shoppers dipped into stores to pick up souvenirs. Others headed off to alpine or cross-country events at nearby Red Mountain resort.

In many ways, the multi-sport event is a culmination of a two-decade transformation that has reversed the community’s fortunes.

Twenty-five years ago, Rossland was falling into a demographic tailspin. In 2006, the community was designated a resort municipality, and after 15 years of investment, its population grew 26 per cent by 2021. Today, the tourism sector is worth an estimated $40 million a year, according to the local tourism society.

“The shops are bursting with people,” said resident Melanie Mercier, who lives near city hall. “It’s non-stop all year.”

Much of that success is built on Rossland’s reputation as a doorway to outdoor adventure sports. Visitors can ski through deep drifts of powder one season and cruise down world-renowned mountain-biking trails another.

But according to several local business leaders, that vision of economic success is under threat as it is put on a collision course with a mining company seeking to extract and ship magnesium ore overseas.

Located about seven kilometres outside of town, the Record Ridge deposit is estimated to contain more than 10.8 million tonnes of recoverable magnesium, making it one of the largest undeveloped high-grade magnesium deposits in the world.

West High Yield Resources Ltd. (CSE:WHY) holds mineral claims over 8,972 hectares at the site—equivalent to roughly the entire City of Burnaby. In October 2025, the B.C. government approved the company’s mining permit.

WHY Resources claims the project will bring about 50 seasonal jobs to the region. But critics warn the mine—which sits next to a major ski resort and overlaps with a popular mountain-biking trail—threatens many jobs that already exist.

As the mine nears operation, opponents are backing a legal bid to halt its construction.

It comes as B.C. and Canada seek to fast-track mine approvals and ramp up Canada’s critical mineral supply. The idea, according to the national critical mineral strategy, is to move the country away from a mine-and-ship jurisdiction and toward becoming a central hub for high-tech manufacturing, including green energy, advanced technology and defence.

Listed as a critical metal by the Canadian government, magnesium is used in the automotive sector to produce hydrogen fuel canisters for zero-emission transportation, and is regularly used to build crucial components for aircraft, missiles and satellites.

It’s also used in green construction, in life sciences as biodegradable screws, and in agriculture as high-efficiency fertilizers to boost crop yields and soil health.

But those seeking to block the mine say it will do nothing to strengthen Canada’s critical mineral supply chains.

They point to WHY Resources’ current plan to send the crushed ore in trucks to Northport, Wash., where it will be transferred to rail and sent to the coast (possibly the Port of Tacoma).

From there, the rock will be shipped overseas to be processed as part of an offload agreement with Galaxy Magnesium, confirmed Frank Marasco Jr., president and CEO of WHY Resources, in a call with BIV

Most of Galaxy’s processing operations are centred in Yulin, China—a place known as “China’s Magnesium Valley.” The company claims to unite 12 of the most productive magnesium companies in China, giving it access to 20 per cent of the world’s supply of the critical mineral.

Marasco said his company doesn’t “know exactly” where the magnesium ore will go once it leaves Washington state, but that the processed magnesium would not be shipped back to Canada.

“It’s coming back to the U.S.,” he said.

Marasco said the company is also pursuing a pilot project in Mississauga, Ont., to test whether it’s feasible to build a larger processing plant.

Barry Baim, the company’s corporate secretary and a member of the board of directors, said there’s no plant in North America that can currently process the magnesium ore, which also contains critical minerals silica, nickel and iron.

Once the mine is up and running, Baim said the company is seeking to leverage its position to eventually build a $300-million processing plant using techniques developed in its pilot.

“We’d love to build a plant in Canada,” Marasco added, pointing to nearby Trail, B.C. “That’s where it belongs.”

“But it took me 22 years to get this far.”

BIV asked B.C.’s Ministry of Mining and Critical Minerals how the Record Ridge export-oriented mine project would bolster Canada’s critical mineral supply chains.

A ministry spokesperson did not directly answer the question, instead stating the province is working with Ottawa and the private sector to “create an environment where extraction companies have economically viable options here in Canada.”

It’s a message Bain said WHY Resources has been waiting on for years.

“I think a lot of people forget that the core existence of the human race comes from agriculture and mining,” he said.

Mine’s claimed capacity ‘masks’ potential scale-up

Several Rossland locals say they have been confounded by what they see as abnormalities in the siting and permitting of the mine. Many have united under the banner of the nonprofit Save Record Ridge Action Society (SRRAC).

At one point, WHY Resources sought to remove up to 200,000 tonnes of ore per year but later reduced that amount to 63,500 tonnes per year—below the 70,000tonne limit that often triggers an environmental assessment.

In a May 2025 letter to the province, the Ktunaxa Nation Council argued alongside SRRAC that the mine project footprint only dropped by 5.7 per cent, despite a 68-percent cut in proposed production.

The lower purported production capacity “masks and understates its true capacity” and environmental footprint, added the nation, and is designed to scale-up later while avoiding initial regulatory hurdles.

SRRAC requested Ottawa carry out an environmental review of the Record Ridge mine project.

A report issued last month from the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada rejected that request. It found the mine project did not require federal designation, and that existing laws were enough to manage the potential impacts on fish, migratory birds and Indigenous rights.

Benjamin Isitt, a lawyer for the SRRAC, said the group would seek a judicial review of the decision in Federal Court.

“There’s been inadequate sampling for impacts on groundwater and surface water. There’s been inadequate modelling on air quality. There’s been inadequate sampling on impacts on species at risk and old growth,” said the lawyer.

“People come to Rossland because it’s a beautiful part of B.C.—not to breathe asbestos-laden dust,” Isitt added. “For us, it’s no question that it’s not worth the risk to Rossland’s existing economy.”

On March 11, a B.C. Supreme Court judge granted the local group’s request to pause work on the mine. The temporary injunction will apply until at least May, when the court is scheduled to hear a judicial review over the province’s decision to approve the project without an environmental assessment.

In court documents filed by Isitt, SRRAC argues that by waiving an environmental assessment for the Record Ridge mine, B.C.’s Minister of Environment and Parks risks causing irreparable harm to human health, the local tourism economy and sensitive ecosystems.

The document also cites expert evidence on asbestos dust exposure, contamination of licensed water supplies and the potential economic ruin of the region’s tourism economy.

The non-profit’s application seeks a court-ordered interim stay to halt the development of the proposed mine as it pursues a judicial review of its permit approval.

Nils French, a Rossland resident and SRRAC’s president, said at this stage, it’s not

about being for or against the mine.

“People just want a proper process. People want to have an environmental assessment done. And a human health assessment done as part of that,” he said.

“For a lot of folks in town, myself included, it’s about protecting our family, livelihoods and way of life.”

The court application leans on roughly a dozen affidavits from local business owners and experts.

Dr. Brenna Eldridge is a Rossland resident and pediatric physician at Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital in Trail.

She was one of 112 physicians from around the Kootenay-Boundary region who signed a letter to B.C.’s mining minister in 2024 that raised concerns the mining project could expose local people to dust, silica and asbestos particles.

“It only takes one asbestos fibre to cause mesothelioma which is a lethal condition,” states the letter.

In a recent affidavit, Eldridge cites 20 studies—part of a body of evidence the doctor states has led her to have “significant concerns” that active mining at the proposed Record Ridge mine could trigger asthma and lead to the aerosolization of dangerous asbestos fibres.

“The Kootenay Boundary region already has the highest incidence of mesothelioma cases in B.C.,” wrote Eldridge.

Other affidavits filed with the court application raise concerns over Rossland’s “fragile tourism-based economy.”

That includes Red Mountain, a ski and mountain bike resort that acts as the “primary driver” of the town’s tourism economy and “the heart and soul of Rossland’s mountain culture,” as the resort’s president Mark Schroetel put it in his affidavit.

If allowed to proceed, the construction and mining operations would “completely disrupt” the mountain resort, its revenues, employees, visitors and the broader tourism sector in Rossland, the affidavit claims.

Red Mountain has invested more than $150 million in infrastructure over the last two decades, and plans to spend another $45 million in the next five years, Schroetel’s affidavit says.

The four-season mountain resort generates more than $20 million a year from its ski resort operations, and this fiscal year, expects to employ 585 people on a projected payroll of more than $12.6 million.

Beyond direct tourism revenue, the mountain’s property management division has sold $150 million in real estate over the past three years, according to court documents.

Jodie Ouimet, a Rossland real estate broker and property manager, warned the proposed Record Ridge mine poses a significant threat to the community’s property values.

“As a brokerage representing both locals and non-resident investors, we are already hearing hesitation from stakeholders seeking clarity about the Record Ridge mine’s long-term implications,” said Ouimet in her affidavit.

In an interview, Schroetel told BIV there has been a lack of regulatory scrutiny over the mine, and that further development would damage the image of the town. Already, he said, parts of the mining operation would be visible from town.

“We think we’re unnecessarily putting the area’s tourism economy at risk,” Schroetel said. “I don’t see how they can sit side-by-side and co-exist.”

Rossland is also home to an expanded 18-hole championship golf course and more than 160 kilometres of biking and hiking trails. That includes the “world-famous” Seven Summits Trail, one of three “Epic” designated trails in Canada, according to the International Mountain Biking Association.

Tyler Derringer, co-owner of Revolution Cycles & Services Inc. in Rossland, said in court documents that the proposed mine would require the Seven Summit Trail on Record Ridge to undergo “frequent closures” and re-routing. The mine, he said, would ruin the appeal of a trail that’s on the bucket list of riders around the world.

“This mine proposal, if approved, would forever alter the experience of every rider on the trail, if not chop it in half outright,” he added.

A spokesperson for B.C.’s Ministry of Critical Minerals and Mines said it is still reviewing concerns around the proposed Record Ridge mine.

“As this matter is now before the courts, it would be inappropriate to comment further,” read the statement.

None of the claims have been tested in court.

First Nations divided

As legal action over the Record Ridge mine moves forward, the project appears to have divided First Nations.

The Osoyoos Indian Band supports the mine and is expected to participate in its construction.

Last summer, Osoyoos Chief Clarence Louie said he was “pleased” after B.C.’s Environmental Assessment Office deemed the mine not to be a reviewable project.

In a statement at the time, Louie said his nation would work with WHY Resources “to ensure this project is of the highest standards in keeping with the traditions and expectations of our people.”

The Ktunaxa and three other Indigenous nations have expressed concerns about the mine project and back an environmental assessment alongside SRRAC, according to Isitt.

That includes the Sinixt Confederacy, whose members in nearby Washington state were historically pushed off their B.C. territories. In 1956, Canada declared the nation extinct.

It was only in 2021 that the Supreme Court of Canada acknowledged what happened and ruled the Sinixt are an “Aboriginal people of Canada” under Section 35 of the Constitution.

Jarred-Michael Erickson’s grandparents were among the Sinixt forced from their traditional territory near Arrow Lake, B.C.

Living among the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Erickson said the nation has spent decades dealing with pollution flowing from B.C. mines down the Columbia River.

“They’re not taking a hard enough look at this,” he said of the Record Ridge project. “We’re not saying we’re opposed to all mining. But not at the cost of impacting our water, our fishing, our health.”

The Osoyoos Indian Band, for its part, slammed SRRAC for bringing the Sinixt into the mine consultation process. In a May 2025 letter, Louie said the move was “an affront to our leadership and people.”

That same month, the B.C. government implemented a policy that would notify the Sinixt of decisions, instead of providing deeper consultation.

In September 2025, the Sinixt announced they had sued the province, claiming its policy breached their constitutional rights. The legal challenge is still before the court.

‘Drill, blast, crush and ship’

In an interview, WHY Resources’ Baim said the company has worked hard to follow provincial permitting and address the community concerns.

He said resistance to the mine and concerns it will impact the local tourism sector are overblown.

The company has no intention of driving trucks laden with ore through the town of Rossland and the mine itself will not create a tailings pond filled with potentially toxic mine waste, he said.

“I understand there are people that have concerns. We’ve done what we can to mitigate those concerns,” Baim said, adding that mining and tourism can “coexist.”

“We’re out of sight and out of mind from Rossland,” he said. “It’s drill, blast, crush and ship.”

That hasn’t satisfied resident Mercier, who sits on the board of SRRAC and spent years as a geologist working for mining companies. One of her concerns is that WHY Resources lacks experience mining.

Both Marasco and Baim are based in Calgary, while other senior directors and engineers are based in Toronto. Record Ridge would be the company’s first project.

Without a proven track record or environmental assessment, Mercier said she worries the province is underestimating how the mine could hurt Rossland.

“I understand we need mines. But if an area is already thriving, why would you compromise that economy?” Mercier said.

“It just doesn’t make sense.” n

Sea to Sky kayak community pushing for upgrades to Upper Cheakamus whitewater boating site

A GRANT PROPOSAL HAS BEEN SUBMITTED BY THE MAMQUAM RIVER ACCESS SOCIETY

BY DAVID SONG

ALTHOUGH KNOWN primarily for its skiing, snowboarding and mountain biking, the Sea to Sky corridor is also a global destination for kayakers. They flock to Whistler to experience the Cheakamus River’s pulse-pounding currents, often launching boats from the House Rock location at the south end of the Cheakamus Community Forest’s Riverside Trail.

Scott Patterson is one of many who noticed that House Rock has fallen into disrepair over time. The Pembertonian approached the Mamquam River Access Society (MRAS), a non-profit organization based in Squamish that shares his desire to upgrade the area.

MRAS submitted a proposal for grant funding dated Dec. 12, 2025 to the Whistler Blackcomb Foundation, the Ministry of Forests, the Resort Municipality of Whistler, Ministry of Environment and Parks, Outdoor Recreation Council of British Columbia, various retail sponsors and the Cheakamus Community Forest.

The document anticipates a total of

$90,000 in financial aid. It is signed by MRAS executive director John Harvey, MRAS president Pierre Friele, Whistlerite boater Archer McLeay and Patterson.

Desired upgrades include maintaining the road and parking lot at the House Rock Take-Out, improved signage, rearranging the parking layout to accommodate more vehicles, shoring up nearby trails to enhance safety, adding a semi-private changing area,

‘A PRETTY SMALL INVESTMENT FOR SOMETHING THAT WILL LAST’

Lyall Fetherstonhaugh has resided in Whistler since 1969, the year he won the National Junior Slalom Championship as a 17-year-old. He represents a group of pioneers who first popularized paddling the Upper Cheakamus and was involved in House Rock’s initial development to accommodate the 1977 Canadian National

“[T]he goal is to reorganize existing space rather than expand the available area.”

- MAMQUAM RIVER ACCESS SOCIETY

expanding another put-in location along the Cheakamus River at Branch 3 Forest Service Road, and visible messaging that indicates House Rock is prioritized for kayaker use.

“Upgrade of the Take-Out is our first priority,” states the MRAS proposal. “As a cost savings, the goal is to reorganize existing space rather than expand the available area. The goal is to maximize the desires of the community overall … with the philosophy to do the most within the existing footprint.”

Slalom Championships.

“I think it’s been overlooked, and the parking lot really hasn’t changed much since 1977,” said Fetherstonhaugh. “I think just bringing it up to a minimum standard would really be good. [Upgrading House Rock] would show that this community appreciates all different types of athletic endeavour, and so I really support that 100 per cent.

“Whistler tends to do things up in a first-class style, whether it be [multi-million]-dollar toilets in the

village or new mountain bike trails.

The whitewater community is small and doesn’t get a lot of publicity, even though it is a very, very extreme highend sport. I don’t think a lot of people understand just how much athletic ability some of these paddlers have.”

Some view the House Rock area with sentimental importance. There is a Memorial Rock where individuals often place commemorative plaques to honour their loved ones, and during summer months it is regularly used for wedding photos.

Fetherstonhaugh also emphasized that, while kayaking is a niche sport, it attracts practitioners from far and wide.

“Almost everybody knows Whistler, and in the kayaking community if you [discuss] running the Upper Cheakamus, people know at that level what you’re talking about,” he said. “If you go up there in July or August to the House Rock parking lot, you’ll see license plates from Maine, Colorado, California and Idaho. I was in Chile this winter, and an American guy who started a store in Pucón—where there’s a lot of whitewater kayaking—had been to Whistler, knew the Upper Cheakamus and had run it. So it’s basically famous.

“I think what’s being asked here is a pretty small investment for something that will last for years to come.”

Visit mras.info to learn more about the MRAS and its fundraising efforts regarding House Rock and beyond. n

Brin Alexander punches into second at Natural Selection Revelstoke 2026

BILLY PELCHAT LOCKS DOWN THIRD AMONG WOMEN

BY DAVID SONG

A PAIR OF born-and-bred Whistlerites achieved career-elevating results on March 14 at the Natural Selection Tour (NST) finale in Revelstoke, B.C.

Clad in his distinctive unzipped vest, Brin Alexander took down both Winter X Games podium king Mark McMorris and ex-Freeride World Tour (FWT) champ Blake Moller en route to a finals date with Nils Mindnich. The American Mindnich emerged victorious with a high score of 82 points across both runs, but Alexander (60) clinched runner-up position in front of Torstein Horgmo.

Amalia “Billy” Pelchat likewise acquitted herself well in a showdown versus Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, who became the most decorated Olympic freestyle snowboarder in history with two medals in Milano Cortina last month and five total. Sadowski-Synnott (73.6) advanced and beat Šárka Pančochová (66.6) in the ladies’ final, but Pelchat’s best semifinal effort (78.3) delivered her into third overall.

“So grateful for this opportunity and the chance to ride this amazing venue with the most insane group of boarders,” Pelchat wrote on social media. “Biggest shoutout to whole [NST] crew, [Robin van Gyn] and [2025 NST champ Spencer O’Brien] for being the best mentors and helping me the whole week, and [Sadowski-Synnott] just cause she’s the goat and a lit roomie. Thank you to snowboarding.”

‘DIFFERENT AND UNPREDICTABLE’

Alexander bested McMorris during the quarterfinal in a clash of styles, using his big mountain prowess (85.6) to narrowly overcome his opponent’s massive 1080: the first ever landed at NST (83.6).

Next, Alexander realized the event’s second-highest score among men (92)

in a semifinal breakthrough over Moller. Unfortunately, the local wasn’t able to put down a clean run against Mindnich.

“If you look back to 2021 in Jackson, I got the fourth highest scoring run of the day, and I had two 360s. And now, if you’re not doing a seven, a nine, trying a double cork, hitting, like, a 50 foot cliff, you might not even make the cut,” said Mindnich, known for his snowboarding IQ, in a press release. “I wanted to lean into my strengths, and I knew that my advantage is feeling super comfortable going switch, and not only is it kind of fun, because it lets you experience the course in a different way and have different moments on every feature, but it also scores well and helps set me apart from the crowd.”

Mindnich threw down a 95, the day’s best score, in his semifinal against Horgmo. About that performance, he explained: “it came from a run that I had been kind of envisioning on qualifiers day, and every time that I would go in to do a run, and this goes back years, I would have a pretty clear vision of what I wanted to do, and then maybe I would kind of back off and play it safe. Then that 95 run came about because I felt like I didn’t have a whole ton to lose, and I just went for it.”

And while Pelchat displayed competitive maturity beyond her 18 years of age, she couldn’t equal SadowskiSynnott’s top run (93.3) that featured a backside 720.

“There’s no other time, not even when you’re freeriding, that you get anything remotely close to this venue, and these hits. It is really fun in there,” commented the Kiwi in a release. “This contest is so different from any other contests that I do. I just came from the Olympics and spent a year preparing for that. And it’s so structured and very regimented and then to be at Natural Selection, is more creative and free-flowing. It gives riders a chance to show their strength in terrain that’s different and unpredictable.” n

Three cheers for sweet relief

JUJUBES? HALVAH? TOFFEES? CANDY STILL RULES—NOW MORE THAN EVER

“HUMANKIND,” wrote T.S. Eliot, “cannot bear very much reality.” It’s a famous line from one of his most famous works, Four Quartets, which were published between 1935 and 1942—basically the time of the Second World War.

They weren’t as famous or popular as his earlier The Waste Land, a gem from 1922. The Roaring Twenties were in full swing in North America then, while Europe had much to worry about as they rebuilt from the ashes of the First World War, with Mussolini (a journalist turned “revolutionary,” ahem) leading his black-

BY GLENDA BARTOSH

shirted believers to an ominous election victory in Italy for the reactionary political creed he called fascism.

Still, the Quartets reflected the zeitgeist of their times, what with Hitler’s Nazis bombing the sheisen out of Britain, and people seeking any measure of hope and strength they could find.

I shouldn’t have to remind us that while the form may vary, history does indeed repeat itself. And so it seems a perfect time—what with our current dark zeitgeist—to turn our attention to sweeter, gentler human creations. Like poetry—and candy!

ARE YOU A ‘SWEET’ OR A ‘SALTY’?

So what do you reach for when you need a soothing distraction? A bag of Werther’s caramels (originally from Germany, circa 1919), or a bag of chips?

While the sweet/salty snack debate will go on forever, I’ll ’fess up now that I’m a sweet-head—one who comes by it naturally.

My mom’s gene pool is to blame. Growing up, we kids knew she’d trade her first-born (that would be my older sister), for a box of chocolates. Her parents, and their parents, invariably had candy on hand in a pretty little bon-bon dish: Bridge Mixture; licorice allsorts; Rob Roy mix with those funny nuggety peanuts that looked like little brown space satellites; English toffees in bright wrappers. They also all had false teeth.

In spite of my mouth full of fillings, or perhaps because of it—after all, almost all my tooth surfaces are impermeable now—I love my candy. So here’s the scoop on two classics, whose histories are surprising and relevant, even today.

JUJUBES: The name alone is enough to make you smile. My sister and I loved just saying “jujubes,” never mind their fascinating filling-pulling texture and delirious sugar high. (American readers note: Our Canadian jujubes are quite different, and arguably more delicious, than yours.)

Everybody has his or her favourite. In days of early discovery, mine was green and my sister’s was black, allowing us to pick through a bowl of them in relative peace.

The original jujubes are also known as Chinese dates or Chinese jujubes. These dark red, plum-like fruits are

from the Ziziphus jujuba, a thorny tree native to Asia, but now grown around the world, including Texas and Mexico. The jujube fruit is a bit dry and spongy— sweet, with maybe a bit of tartness, packing double the amount of vitamin C of an equal weight of oranges. In the Orient, it was traditionally valued for its restorative qualities, and its ability to soothe sleepless nights. Perfect for today’s world.

Candy jujubes, on the other hand, are a dental and nutritional nightmare of sugar, corn syrup, starch, gelatin and flavourings. Don’t read the ingredient list or you may never buy them again. The coating to prevent them from sticking together is petrolatum—isn’t that Vaseline? Oh well… They’re so much fun to eat and pick out of your teeth, who cares?

HALVAH: If there’s a piece of this tasty little treat in the house, I can’t leave it alone till it’s gone. Again, it has as much to do with the flavour as the texture, in this case a delight of grainy, compressed layers with a pleasant resistance. Something like a soft Crispy Crunch bar.

We have the Muslims to thank for halvah, and so many other treats. The Muslim fondness for, and expertise at, making sweets spread throughout their newly expanded kingdom in the 5th and 6th centuries faster than you can say “candy”—which is derived from the Arabic word for “sugar.”

The kingdom ranged from India, across the Middle East, Persia and North Africa, to the Pyrenees and Iberian Peninsula. People in the areas we now call Spain and southern France learned the pleasures of marzipan and nougat, two other all-time favourites, from their

Muslim conquerors.

In other Muslim regions, the sweet of choice was halava (Sanskrit), or halvah (Hebrew, and the preferred spelling in The Canadian Oxford Dictionary), or halawa (Arabic transliteration). The spelling varies from place to place as much as the treat itself. However one spells it, it originally was a “sweetmeat” first made in Baghdad, similar to fudge dotted with almonds.

Following the spread of Muslim food and culture, we were pretty much left with two main types of halvah today.

In the Indian subcontinent, it’s more a dessert, made with semolina wheat, sugar or honey and oil. In Pakistan, it’s a sweet wheat or carrot pudding called halwahgajar. Iranian halvah is a pastry mixture of browned butter and flour blended with syrup, coloured and flavoured with saffron, served as a dessert or spread on bread. Halvah served at home in Greece is an egg and semolina cake topped with a sizzle of hot syrup.

The commercial “candy” version is a firm paste of puréed nuts and seeds, predominantly almond and sesame. This variety we associate with the area around the Mediterranean, the Balkans and much of the Middle East. Key ingredients are tahini and sugar or honey, with flavouring and colour from things like chocolate, pistachios, vanilla or oranges.

So have I got you obsessing now about what you’re going to treat yourself to before dinner, or bedtime tonight? Whatever it is, enjoy—and sweet dreams.

Glenda Bartosh is an award-winning journalist who figures that a trip to the Great Glass Elevator Candy Shop in Whistler Village is a great idea anytime. n

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Whistler Valley Quilters’ Guild hosts its second Stroll on the Stroll March 21

CO-PRESIDENT ANITA WINKLE SAYS THE EVENT IS A GOOD WAY FOR MEMBERS TO CONNECT WITH THEIR COMMUNITY

BY DAVID SONG

WHISTLER VALLEY Quilters’ Guild (WVQG) co-president Anita Winkle found herself scrolling through Instagram a few years ago when she found a novel idea.

An organization similar in principle to her own, the Lake Superior Modern Quilt Guild, held an event for its members to wrap themselves in their creations and walk over a bridge in their hometown of Duluth, Minn. Winkle and her peers elected to do something similar last year, and the Stroll on the Stroll was born.

The Westin Resort and Spa offered up their mezzanine for WVQG folks to drape the fruits of their labour over the railings. Fifteen members set off from the Westin at a meandering pace towards Olympic Plaza with quilts draped around their shoulders.

“There was lots of laughter, chatting and interactions with visitors along the way. We wanted to bring attention to our guild and the beauty and comfort that quilts bring to people,” Winkle recalls. “Many people just looked and smiled at us, but a good number of people stopped us to admire our quilts and to share with us their memory or connection to their own quilts.

“Comments were often along the lines of: ‘my mom/grandmother/aunt made quilts and I now have one,’ but there was even a young fellow who mentioned that his brother had taken up quilting—and that he himself had no idea how much was truly involved in the making of a quilt.”

Met with that positive experience, the WVQG has planned another Stroll on the Stroll for March 21 from 11 a.m. until noon, again proceeding from the Westin to the Olympic rings. They invite any and all passersby to greet them and chat.

TACTILE CREATIVITY

For those unaware, the WVQG has existed for more than three decades, with a current

membership of approximately 40 people. Winkle and fellow longtime member Sarah Leyshon-Hughes have shared the presidency for almost two years.

They consider quilting to be “a very tactile form of creativity.”

“We choose fabrics that give us what I describe as ‘the warm fuzzies,’ we choose how we want to best showcase these fabrics in an interesting pattern, we sandwich the front, the batting and the back together with an interesting top stitching pattern—the actual quilting stitching—that holds it all together and then we bind the edges to give a nice finish,” describes Winkle. “This is not an inexpensive hobby. Fabric and supplies are costly

and a sewing machine can range from hundreds to many thousands of dollars but, as all artists feel, when you need to create, you need to create.”

The WVQG is also known for giving back to its neighbours, donating quilts to organizations like the Whistler Blackcomb Foundation, PearlSpace, Audain Art Museum, Whistler Search and Rescue Society, Lil’wat Transition House, Sea to Sky Hospice and Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre.

Other donations go to private individuals and families experiencing hardship, or take the form of tote bags available at the Whistler Community Services Society Food Bank. Guild members also create cloth covers for the

ice bags used by the Whistler Health Care Centre to treat patients.

Since COVID-19, WVQG meetings have taken place on Zoom: normally September through May on the first and third Tuesdays of the month. This enables members who don’t live near Whistler to participate, and guest speakers from other parts of Canada to share insights about sewing.

In-person get-togethers do happen throughout each year, most often in the Sea to Sky (like their March 14 event at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler) but occasionally further afield: such as a recurring five-day retreat in Sechelt. Visit whistlerquilters.com to learn more about the WVQG. n

‘It’s just something that kind of happened’

SEA TO SKY POET LAURA SHARP REFLECTS ON THE LAUNCH OF HER SECOND BOOK, STEADY AS SHE KNOWS

BY DAVID SONG

LAURA SHARP never intended to be a poet, or a published writer of any kind.

In early November 2025, she released her second poetry book: Steady as She Knows.

How did that materialize?

“It’s just something that kind of happened, I think,” the Scottish expatriate remarks. “Seems like this one in particular just wanted to write itself.”

Sharp is a massage bodyworker, yoga instructor and breathworks facilitator. She loves nature, as do many others who live in and around Squamish. Despite not writing as a professional, she journals avidly, filling three pages of A4 paper each morning. Various thoughts and emotions surface in the process, and they gradually coalesce in her brain.

At times, they become poems.

When asked what her latest book is about, Sharp replies: “There is no straight answer. You can’t really understand Steady as She Knows unless you understand [my first book] Places You Catch Yourself, which for me was my chaotic 20s, my party-girl era. It was searching for home in new places, strangers’ faces. It was a lot of questions about life. My best friend was the first one to order Steady as She Knows and she sent me a message once she’d read it: ‘this book is the big sister to Places You Catch Yourself.’

“I guess I am the big sister to the girl who wrote that book, too. It’s a connection back to intuition, feminine wisdom, redefining what it means to be a woman and honouring all parts of the journey, all parts of the fragile beginnings and then endings we’re forced to face, especially in transient towns like this— jobs, relationships, friendships, being able to let them go and still keep moving forward steadily.”

MAGIC MOMENTS

Sharp applied for the Point Artist-Run Centre’s (PARC) Artist-in-Residence program in late 2024. She began with just a title and eventually brought the work to life by writing every day during her month-long stay.

“I had no idea what was going in it. I had no themes. I just knew that something was trying to come through,” explains the Squamolian. “For me, the poetry or end product of a book has never been the goal. I’m trying to write my way to a resolution every morning, or write my way to truth, or write my way to understanding a situation that’s going on in my life … the book is just a byproduct at the end. It’s never really a question of poetry or poems, but way

more a question of truth or therapy.”

Sharp believes in the importance of timing and will often write or engage in other activities at deliberate moments each month. Even though her PARC residency was not kind to her bank account, she cherished the opportunity to commit to a creative process.

As she penned her book, other reflections bubbled to the surface as well.

“When you give that much space to the creative voice, other things want to be heard, too,” says Sharp. “I got so much momentum from even being selected for that [Artist-in-Residence] program, having a glimmer of people believing in me and being given that opportunity that gave so much fuel to the fire—just knowing what could be possible at the end.”

At one point Sharp dreamed of collaborating with a major publisher and going on a large book tour, but feels that what happened with both of her titles was “way more beautiful.” Local businesses like Armchair Books, the Sea to Sky Gondola and Book Mountain began selling Places You Catch Yourself, as did her employer Purebread Bakery and local coffee shops. Naturally, the Whistler Writers Festival generated additional exposure.

“There were so many people who would come into [Purebread] to buy a coffee and they’d be like: ‘oh, you’re the poet’ and that was always such a magic moment. [I love] little moments like that in day-to-day life where people can hold up a mirror to you of who you are and what you’re doing.”

Visit amazon.ca/Steady-she-Knowsbreathe-remember/dp/B0FWZRCLBW to learn more about Steady as She Knows, which is also available at Armchair Books. n

Savethedateandgetyour ticketsearlyto ArtsWhistler's annualfundraiser

TheAnonymousArtShowBuying Nightreturns onApril10,2026.

Eachparticipatingartist'sidentity –establishedcreativeoran up-and-comingtalent–iskept secretuntilyouselectyourart. Learn moreat

On March 18 - May9

| 19+

EventSuppliers

EventSponsors SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2026

5 ARS 0FW HISTLER 1975 2025 TICKETS PIES• CASH BAR• SILENT AUCTION

Join u apres ski fashion celebration and fun’raiser feat f Whistler legends, characters and athletes 3PM APRES SOCIAL • 4PM-5:30PM SHOW

Whistler EldersEnrichmentSocietypresents FA N SHOWFUN’RAIS ER MAURY YOU G ARTS CE TRE In honour of Isobel MacLaurin, Whistler ’s first professional artist and a lady of fashion in her own right, who was a very gregarious and generous member of Rotary and the Arts

Proceeds raised will support the Whistler Elders Enrichment Society, which is raising funds to operate a Whistler Seniors facility where all individuals can be accommodated for fitness, social activities and resources that will allow them to remain in their community and age in place s for a festive uring a cast o e SHIO 0 Y E MUSIC • AP

ARTS SCENE

PIQUE’S GUIDE TO LOCAL EVENTS & NIGHTLIFE

Here’s a quick look at some events happening in Whistler this week and beyond. FIND MORE LOCAL EVENT LISTINGS (and submit your own for free!) at piquenewsmagazine.com/local-events

PUBLIC SKELETON

OAKLEY COMMUNITY DAYS

Oakley returns for a winter stop at Whistler Blackcomb with Oakley Community Days. From product demos and giveaways to customizations and athlete appearances, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. You’ll have the opportunity to try out Oakley’s gear for yourself.

> March 20 to 22, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

> Various locations

PORTOBELLO FAMILY APRÉS

Inspired by Whistler’s ski culture, Family Après brings together live music, kid-friendly activities, and tasty bites for the whole family every Saturday. After a day on the slopes, it is the perfect way to celebrate and start a new tradition of mountain weekends. Highlights include complimentary maple taffy, cookie decorating kits with the purchase of a kids’ meal, and a variety of games and coloring kits.

> March 21, 3 to 5 p.m.

> Portobello

IVAN DECKER: MILLION DOLLAR COMEDY TOUR

Just For Laughs Vancouver is proud to present Ivan Decker live across Western Canada. Ivan is an awardwinning stand-up comedy powerhouse, recognized as one of the best in the country. His sharp wit and impeccable timing have earned him a JUNO Award win, a Netflix half-hour special, and appearances on CBC, CTV, TBS, CONAN, The Debaters, and Just For Laughs, along with headlining spots at festivals across North America and Europe. Two show times to choose from, so don’t miss out!

> March 21, 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m.

> Maury Young Arts Centre

PUBLIC SKELETON EXPERIENCE

Try Whistler’s most unique activity and slide like an Olympian! Ride solo on your skeleton sled through six corners with speeds of up to 100 km/hr. Don’t worry that your run might be over too fast; you get to go twice! Public Skeleton runs rain, snow or shine. No experience required and limited availability. Ages 16-plus.

> March 22

> Whistler Sliding Centre

THE STAND-UP STANDOFF

Welcome to Whistler’s Ultimate Stand-Up Comedy Competition & Show! The night kicks off with a standup comedy showdown like no other, as the finalists hit the stage, each delivering their tightest 6 minute sets in pursuit of cold hard cash and a coveted spot on the Laugh Out LIVE! main stage. Once the dust settles and the standoff is done, the headlining act steps up to close out the night with a knockout set. It’s a bareknuckle comedy brawl where the only thing hitting harder than the competition… are the punchlines!

> March 25, 8 to 10 p.m.

> Dusty’s Bar & Grill

AFTER SCHOOL ART (GRADES 3-6)

After School Art offers students discourse and activities, which will deepen their knowledge and understanding of the history and methods of artmaking in British Columbia.

> March 26, 3 to 4:30 p.m.

> Audain Art Museum

Commercialservicesopportunity in Whistler ’s parks

TheRMOWisofferingqualified operatorstheopportunity to expresstheirinterestinproviding commercialservices, for example mobileorseasonalsaunaservices, innon-peakseason at select Whistlerparks.

Expressionsofinterestaredue by 2 p.m.on Thursday, April9,2026.

ResortMunicipalityofWhistler Whistler.ca

Resort MunicipalityofWhistler

Liquid WasteManagement Planupdate

TheResortMunicipalityofWhistlerisupdatingitsLiquid WasteManagement Plan(LWMP)toincludetheestimatedcostandscheduleforaplanned Wastewater TreatmentPlant Tertiary Filtrationupgrade.Thisupgradewas previouslyidentifiedintheLWMPasafuturerequirement.Theproposed updateaddstheestimatedconstructioncostof$14.2milliontotheLWMP.

The Tertiary Filtrationupgradeisnecessarytoimprovethequalityoftreated wastewaterdischargedtotheCheakamusRiverandcomplywithmunicipal wastewaterregulations.

Iftheprojectproceeds,theRMOWisprojectingtoincreasesewerratesbyan additionalonepercentin2027.Constructionistargetedfor2027to2028. Avirtualpublicmeetingwillbeheldon Wednesday,April1,2026,from 6–7p.m. topresenttheprojectupdateandgathercommunityfeedback. Meetingdetailsatengage.whistler.ca.

Ifyouhavequestionsinadvanceofthemeeting, pleaseemailprojects@ whistler.ca.

ResortMunicipalityofWhistler whistler.ca

Whistler weasels into business: mink, marten and mountain movers

BY BRONWYN PREECE

ONE HUNDRED-and-one years ago, the first fur farm was established in Whistler. One hundred years ago, the local industry doubled, with a second business setting up shop.

The currency of furs was always one of the mainstays of early residents. The hills were set with traplines extending into the surrounding ranges, however the establishment of farms where animals were raised in captivity—not caught in the wild—began in 1925.

The Lineham Mink Farm was developed on Green Lake—a half mile from where the Pacific Great Eastern Railway ran past the 40-mile post (signifying 40 miles from the Squamish station). P.D. Lineham was a retired businessman from Vancouver who sought out a simpler life in the vast outdoors. His answer to his wilderness quest-for-quiet was to start farming wily weasels.

Lineham’s breeding animals were registered stock—imported from Québec—that had been bred in captivity for generations. By the following spring, the farm had 40 mink and this number was expected to steadily increase.

“The climate of this district is particularly suited to mink and the best pelts are taken from here. They are very little trouble to raise and the losses among the pups are practically nil,” Alex Philip (of Rainbow Lodge renown, the first visitor destination in the valley, established in 1915) reported to Country Life in B.C magazine in 1926. That same year, The Nita Lake Fur Farm began: the first and only marten farm in the province.

Marten are relentless chewers and diggers. Owner-operator Russell Jordan had his work cut out for him. He rose to the challenge posed by the notorious beasts by constructing pens with 16-gauge wire mesh. The cages were built on the rise of land between Alpha and Nita Lakes and filled with miniature trees. He started with eight pairs of marten, described as being “the finest stock that have ever been obtained through careful selection during two trapping seasons.”

Russell first moved to the community of Alta Lake in 1915 with his wife and two children. He worked as a logger and the family purchased the Alta Lake Hotel. In an unusual move for the time, Russell was soon divorced by his wife—and she left for Vancouver with the children. The divorcé continued to operate the hotel (which later burned down in 1933) while venturing into the pelt-rearing business.

Both Whistler weasel ventures were proving to be worthy investments… but their prosperity was short-lived. The Wall Street Crash of 1929 marked the end to both local businesses and times turned suddenly much leaner in the valley.

Fast forward to the 1970s and, locally, the name “Weasel Workers” suddenly takes on a much different meaning. No mink, no marten, no furs, no pelts… but behind every major ski race held on Whistler, it has been said, “there was a pack of Weasels.”

The Whistler Weasels was a volunteer organization that began as a group of six, led by Bob Parsons, who prepped the courses for the first World Cup Ski Races on the mountain. The crew earned its moniker—not for being “deceitful or treacherous” as the name implies when referring to a person—but rather due to its work on the “Weasel” section of the Dave Murray Downhill, which was too steep for the snowcats of the time to make it up. These weasels would flatten the course by foot. The organization was formally registered as the Coast Alpine Event Club in 1984, but the name didn’t stick. What did stick around was the continued volunteer efforts of the group. The Whistler Weasel numbers soared into the thousands during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games, proving the polecats to be a vital and invaluable component for the execution of the Games. Weasels, simply put, form an integral part of the historical, communitysustaining efforts of this place.

The Whistler Museum’s current Special Exhibition is titled Building the Spirit: Whistler’s Volunteers of the 2010 Games. The Weasel Workers feature as part of the exhibit. We look forward to welcoming you! The exhibit runs until March 29. Find more info at whistlermuseum.org. n

ASTROLOGY

Free Will Astrology

WEEK OF MARCH 20 BY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): In 1960, Aries primatologist Jane Goodall arrived in Tanzania to study the social and family lives of chimpanzees. Her intention was to engage in patient, long‑term observation. In subsequent months, she saw the creatures using tools, a skill that scientists had previously believed only humans could do. She also found that “it isn’t only human beings who have personality, who are capable of rational thought and emotions like joy and sorrow.” Her discoveries revolutionized our understanding of animal intelligence. I recommend her approach to you in the coming weeks, Aries. Your diligent, tenacious attention can supplant outmoded assumptions. Let the details and rhythms of what you’re studying reveal their deeper truths. Your affectionate watchfulness will change the story.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Ancient Romans had a household deity called Cardea, goddess of hinges and thresholds. She protected the pivot points, like the places where the inside meets the outside and where one state transforms into another. In the coming weeks, you Tauruses will benefit from befriending a similar deity. I hope you will pay eager attention to the metaphorical hinges in your world: the thresholds, portals, transitions, and in‑between times. They may sometimes feel awkward because they lack the certainty you crave. But I guarantee that they are where the best magic congregates.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You are fluent in the art of fruitful contradiction. While others pursue one‑dimensional consistency, you thrive on the fact that the truth is too wild and multifaceted to be captured in a single, simple story. You make spirited use of paradox and enjoy being enchanted by riddles. You can be both serious and playful, committed and curious, strong and receptive. In the coming weeks, Gemini, I hope you will express these superpowers to the max. The world doesn’t need another person who separates everything into neat little categories. Your nimble intelligence and charming multiplicity are the gifts your allies need most.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): In traditional Japanese aesthetics, wabi-sabi celebrates imperfection, impermanence, and the soulfulness that comes with age. A weathered wooden gate may be considered more beautiful than a new one. Its surface has a silvery grain from years of exposure to rain and sun. Its hinges creak from long use by countless passersby. Let’s invoke this lovely concept as we ruminate on your life, Cancerian. In my astrological estimation, it’s important that in the coming months you don’t treat your incompleteness as a deficit requiring correction. Consider the possibility that your supposed blemishes may be among your most interesting features. The idiosyncratic aspects of your character are precisely what make you a source of vitality.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In medieval Japan, swordsmiths would undertake spiritual purifications before beginning work on a new blade: abstinence, ritual bathing, prayer, and fasting. They believed that the quality of their consciousness influenced the quality of their creation— that the blade would absorb the maker’s mental and spiritual state. I bring this to your attention because you’re in a phase when your inner condition will have extra potent effects on everything you build, develop, or initiate. My advice: Prepare yourself with impeccable care before launching new projects. Purify your motivations. Clarify your vision. The creations you will be generating could serve you well for a long time.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Master chess players don’t necessarily calculate more moves ahead than amateurs. Their years of study enable them to perceive the developing trends in a single glance, bypassing complex analysis. What appears to be stellar intuition is actually compressed expertise. You’re in a phase when you can make abundant use of this capacity, Virgo. Again and again, your accumulated experience will crystallize into immediate knowing. So don’t second guess your first assessments,

ROB BREZSNY

OK? Trust the pattern recognition that you have cultivated through the years.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): The cosmic powers have granted you a triple strength, extra long, time‑release dose of sweet, fresh certainty. During the grace period that’s beginning, you will be less tempted to indulge in doubt and indecision. A fountain of resolve will rise up in you whenever you need it. Though at first the lucid serenity you feel may seem odd, you could grow accustomed to it—so much so that you could permanently lose up to 20 per cent of your chronic tendency to vacillate.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Crows can hold grudges against individual humans for years. But they also remember acts of kindness and bring gifts like shiny objects and buttons to those who’ve helped them. They’re capable of both revenge and gratitude, and they never forget either. I suspect you’re entering a period when you’ll need to decide which of your crow like qualities to emphasize, Scorpio. You have legitimate grievances worth remembering. You have also received gifts worth honouring. My counsel: Spend 20 per cent of your emotional energy on remembering wrongs (enough to protect yourself) and 80 per cent on remembering what has helped you thrive. Make gratitude your primary teacher, even as you stay wisely wary.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): More than any other zodiac sign, you Sagittarians can be both a discontented rebel and a sunny celebrant of life. You can see clearly what’s out of alignment and needs adjustment without surrendering your wry, amused tolerance. This double capacity will be especially useful to you in the coming days. You may not find many allies who share this aptitude, though, so you should lean on your own instincts and heed the following suggestions: Be joyfully defiant. Be a generous agitator and an open hearted critic. Blessings will find their way to you as you subvert the stale status quo with creativity and kindness.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Your persistence and endurance are among your greatest gifts to the world. You’re committed to building useful structures that outlast transitory moods and trends. On behalf of all the other signs, I say THANK YOU!, dear Capricorn. You understand that real power comes from showing up consistently and doing unglamorous work, refraining from the temptation to score quick and superficial victories. May you always recognize that your pragmatism is a form of loving faith. Your cautionary care is rooted in generosity. Now here’s my plea: More than ever before, the rest of us need you to express these talents with full vigour.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): One of your power symbols right now is the place where two tributaries blend into a single river. A second is where your favourite tree enters the earth. Here are other images to excite your imagination and stimulate your creativity: the boundary between cloud and sky; the darkness where your friend’s shadow overlaps yours; and the time between when the sun sets and night falls. To sum up, Aquarius, I hope you will access extra inspiration in liminal areas. Seek the vibrant revelations that arise where one mystery coalesces with another.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Poet Mark Doty wrote, “The sea doesn’t reward those who are too anxious, too greedy, or too impatient. We should lie as empty, open, and choiceless as a beach—waiting for gifts from the sea.”

This quote captures your Piscean genius when it’s working at its best. Others may exhaust themselves trying to force results, but you know that the best gifts often come to those who are patient, open, and relaxed. This is true right now more than ever before. I hope you will practise intense receptivity. Protect your permeability like the superpower it is. Be as supple and responsive as you dare.

Homework: What message will you send the person you’ll be in three years? Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com. n

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

Connect, learn and share insights

JoinCouncilandstaffatAddYour VoiceonApril 2tolearnabout upcomingmunicipalprojects,connect withyourcommunity,andshareyour ideas.

Learnmoreabout: 2026MunicipalElections

MeetingourZeroWastegoals

Gettingreadyforbuildingand constructionseason

Makingyourpropertyresilientto wildfire

ProtectingWhistler’sbearsthrough BearSmartpractices

ProvidingfeedbackontheTree

ProtectionBylaw

Date:Thursday,April2

Time:5 to 7p.m.

Location:WhistlerConference Centre

Foodanddrinkwillbeservedtokeeptheconversationflowing. Moredetailswillbesharedinthecomingweeks.Seeyouthere!

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HEAVYEQUIPMENTOPERATOR– Minimum5yearsor5,000hoursoperatingexperienceon excavator.CrushingExperiencepreferred. Full-time,Monday –Friday.$33-$46perhour.

CONSTRUCTIONLABOURER– Greatopportunitytolear non-the-job.Staminaforphysically demandingworkandperseverancetobraveinclementweatherrequired.Previousexperience preferredbutnot required. Trainingprovided.$28-$33perhour.

PIPELAYER –Minimum 5yearsexperienceincivilconstruction. Full-time,Monday –Friday.$33-$43perhour.

TRUCKDRIVER –BCDLClass 1orClass3withairbrakes required.Manualtransmission. 2yearsexperiencepreferred.$35-$41.50perhour.

CRUSHING &EARTHWORKSMANAGER– Musthaveexperiencewithcivilconstruction. $33-$46perhour.

Gentle Chair Yoga sessions de‐signed to improve mobility, bal‐ance, and overall well-being.

Benefits include:

• Better flexibility

• Improved balance

• Reduced stiffness and stress

• Safe, supportive movement

Sessions are private and person‐alized, ideal for seniors or anyone with limited mobility.

Optional fresh vegetable juice preparation to support healthy liv‐ing.

�� Serving Whistler

�� Contact: 604-213-2458 / narayanitsai@icloud.com

I9:00-10:00a.m.FunctionalStrength -Anna

I10:30-11:30a.m.Zumba-Andrea

Monday

F9:00-10:00a.m. Yin&Yang Yoga-MelK

Tuesday

I8:45-9:45a.m.AquaFitDeep-M-A

Wednesday

I6:30-7:30p.m.Zumba-Carmen

Thursday

I6:30-7:30p.m.MountainReady-Francesca

Lovely 1 -bed / 1 bath Marquise condo with sunny westward views over the valley to Rainbow Mountain. Ideal for a couple. Furnished. Small balcony. Wellequipped kitchen with updated appliances. On Blackcomb bench on free bus route #5. Walking distance to Village, Lost Lake, golfing. Includes utilities (Internet). Non-smoking building. No pets. Spa and pool. Available from May 1st to Sept. 30 2026. 2600$/month 6048095398 camasse4@gmail.com

STEWARD

FourSeasonsResortandResidences WhistlerisseekingafulltimeSteward tojointheteamforthesummerto helpmaintain,cleanandsanitizechina, glasswareandsilverusingadishmachine.

•24.75/hour

Whatweoffer:

•Employeemeals, wellnessbenefitsand engagingemployee events

•Exclusiveinternational TravelBenefitswith FourSeasons

•CareerDevelopmentOpportunities

•Fun,Engaging workenvironment

•Affordablehousingavailable!

Ifthis excitingopportunitysoundslikeafit for you,pleaseapplydirectlyonthe Four Seasons website

www.fourseasons.com/careers

Orthroughthe QRcode below:

www.whistlerwag.com

Critical Care Fund

Our Critical Care Fund helps animals who require extra medical help. This fund is supported 100% by community donations. Please support this fund and be a savior for an animal in need.

BLAC K COMB

HELI C O P TERS

JOBTITLE: DISPATCH/CUSTOMERSERVICE AGENT

ABOUTUS

BlackcombHelicopters(ADivisionofSummitHelicopters)delivers remotehelicopteraviationsolutionsinWesternandNorthernCanada withoneofthelargestandmostdiversefleetsintheindustry.

JOBSUMMARY

ReportingtotheBaseManager,the CustomerService Agent serves asthemainpointofcontactforWhistlerhelicoptercustomers, providingexceptionalserviceinperson,byphone,andviaemail.This rolemanagesthefullcustomerjourneyincludingreservations,checkin, paymentprocessing,waivercompletion,andsafetybriefingswhile coordinatingsightseeingandcharterbookings.TheCustomerService Agentalsomaintainstheflightcalendarandonlinebookingsystem, supportsdailyoperationsthroughflight-followingandcoordination, andplaysanessentialroleinensuringefficientbaseoperations,guest safety,andapositivecustomerexperience.

ESSENTIALRESPONSIBILITIES

•Greetandassistcustomersinperson,byphone,andviaemailwith professionalismandenthusiasm.

•Provideaccurateinformationontourpackages,charterflights, pricing,schedules,andsafetyprocedures.

•Processreservations,changes,andcancellationstoensurea smoothcustomerexperience.

•Applycheck-inandsafetyprotocolsconsistentlytoupholdsafety standards.

•Performflight-followingdutiesandmanageradiocommunications tosupportdailyoperations.

•Coordinatewiththeoperationsteamtoassistwithdailyworkflow andadministrativeneeds.

•Supportsafeandcompliantflightactivitiesthroughroutine administrative tasks.

QUALIFICATIONS

•Officeandadministrativeexperiencepreferred

•Proficiencywitharangeofcomputerprograms,includingthe MicrosoftOfficeSuite.

•Stronginterpersonalskillswithacommitmenttodeliveringsuperior customerservice.

•Abilitytoworkindependentlywithminimalsupervisionwhile maintaininghighaccuracyandprofessionalism.

WORK CONDITIONS

•Full-time,on-sitepositionbasedinWhistler,BC

•Thispositionrequiresweekendcoverage.

•Thispositionoffersa9day,80hourworkcycle.

•LocatedatWhistlerHeliport(9960HeliportRoad)

Ifyouareinterestedinthisposition,pleasesendyourresume to amcdo we ll@black co mbhelic opters. co m notingDis p atch /C SA Applicationinyoursubjectheader.

SECURITYOFFICER

Joinourdynamic,diverse teamat theFourSeasonsasaSecurityOfficer where youwillplaya keyrolein ensuringthesafety,securityand well-being of allguestemployees, andproperty.

What we offer:

•$27.00/hour

• Leisurebenefits passorallowance

• Comprehensive health,dentaland retirementsavings plans

• Employeemeals, wellnessbenefits andengaging employee events

• Paidtimeoff; vacationdays and additionalfloating holidays per year

• Exclusive International Travel Benefitswith Four Seasons

• Career Development Opportunities

• Fun,Engaging work environment

• Affordable housingavailable!

Ifthis excitingopportunitysounds likeafit for you,pleaseapply directlyonthe FourSeasons website

www.fourseasons.com/careers

Come buildandgrow withthebestteam.

Ourteamofpeopleis whatsetsusapartfromotherbuilders.As wecontinue to growasthe leaderinluxury projectsinWhistler,ourteamneeds to expand withus.

We are currentlyhiring:

Labourers ($20-$30hourly)

CarpentersHelpers/Apprentices1st to 4th year ($25-$35hourly)

ExperiencedCarpenters ($30-$45hourly)

Carpentry Foremen ($40-$50hourly)

SiteSupervisor

Rates vary basedonexperience andqualifications.RedSealisabonusbutnot required.Crane Operatorexperienceconsideredanasset.

EV R is commit te d to th e long-t er m re tent io n an d sk ills deve lopm en t ofou r te am .We are passionateaboutinvestinginourteam’s future

WE OFFER:

• Top Wagesanda Positive WorkEnvironment

•FlexibleSchedule- WorkLife Balance (Wegetit, we love to skiandbike too.)

• Training& TuitionReimbursement(Needhelpgetting yourRedSeal?)

•Support with workvisaand PermanentResidency (We canassist)

BENEFITS &PERKS:

• AnnualLeisure& ToolBenefit – Use toward ski/bike pass, toolpurchase, etc. – you choose!

•ExtendedHealthandDentalBenefitsfor youand yourfamily

We promotefrom withinandarelooking to strengthenouramazingteam.Opportunitiesfor advancementinto managementpositionsalwaysexistfortheright candidates.Don’t missout onbeingable to build withtheteamthatbuildsthe mostsignificantprojectsinWhistler. Send your resume to careers@evrfinehomes.com. We lookforward to hearingfrom you!

SeniorPlanner

Full-tim e| Temporar y

Salary:$109,965-$123,768annually

Full-tim e| Regula r

Salary:$98,142-$110,458annually

HeadquarteredinPemberton,theSquamish-LillooetRegionalDistrict(SLRD) serves four membermunicipalities—Squamish,Whistler,Pemberton, and Lillooet—andfour electoralareas.Located in oneofBritish Columbia’s most scenic regions, theSLRDoffersa supportive,hybridworkenvironment and anexceptionalplacetoliveandwork

•Chief FinancialOfficer($140,240.00to$201,595.00peryear)

•Directorof Finance($107,520.00to$154,560.00peryear)

•ExecutiveAssistanttoChiefsandCouncil ($62,160.00to$81,585.00peryear)

• Title&RightsCoordinator($38,038.00to$53,599.00peryear)

•HumanResourcesGeneralist($57,330.00to$64,610.00peryear)

Child& FamilyServices

•Social Worker($80,371.20–$91,673.40peryear)

TszilLearningCentre

•LanguageProgramCoordinator($46,683.00to$63,973.00peryear)

Xet’òlacwCommunitySchool

•HighSchool Teacher($60,015.00to$109,520.00peryear)

•BusDriver($20.90to$29.45perhour)

• FoodProgramAssistant–Casual($17.85to$20.90perhour)

Pleasevisitourcareerpageformoreinformation:https://lilwat.ca/careers/ ÚlÍusCommunityCentre

SPECIALIST, FINANCE &ASSESSMENTS

PartTime, Year Round

Love agoodchallenge?Passionateaboutthe placeyoucallhome?TourismWhistlerislooking forcommunity-loving,mountain-appreciating, environment-respectingindividualstojoinourteam.

TheSpecialist,Finance &Assessmentsprovides operationalsupportacrosstheFinanceand Assessmentsdepartments,includingmaintaining accurate Member records,administeringassessment fees,andcoreaccounts receivableactivities. As afront-linecontact,the Specialistprovidesclear communicationand exceptionalcustomerservice whileupholding TourismWhistler’sbylaws and policies.

Theidealcandidateishighlyorganizedanddetailoriented,with experienceinaccounts receivableand financial systems, excellentcommunicationskills, and acommitmenttooutstandingcustomerservice.

What We Offer:

•Parttime (24hoursper week)flexibleschedule

•Whistler-basedwith ahybridapproachthat balancesin-officeand remote work

•Acommitmenttohealthand wellness,and afun andsupportiveteamenvironment

•Starting wage range:$28 -$30perhour TO VIEWOURCAREEROPPORTUNITIES, AND TO APPLY, VISITUSONLINEAT: WHISTLER.COM/CAREERS.

CA rVe Ou T ANEW

COORDINATOR, TRAVELMEDIA

FACILITIESENGINEER

Full Time, Year Round

Full Time, Year Round

Love agoodchallenge?Passionateaboutthe placeyoucallhome?TourismWhistlerislooking forcommunity-loving,mountain-appreciating, environment-respectingindividualstojoinourteam.

TheFacilitiesEngineeris responsible fortheoversight,maintenance,repairs and efficientoperations of allmain mechanical,electricalandplumbing systems,andtheoverallcommonareas at theWhistlerConferenceCentre, WhistlerGolfCourseand DrivingRange

Thisposition requiresanindividual whopossesses a4thClass Power EngineeringCertificate (oriscurrently enrolled),complimentedwithfive yearsofrelated experiencegained in acommercialbuildingorhotel. Experienceandknowledge of direct digitalcontrols,energymanagement systemsandgreeninitiativesis alsoimportant.Previousleadership experience,withknowledge of applicablebuildingscodesandhealth andsafetypracticesisanasset.

With excellent writtenandverbalcommunication skillsand ahighlyorganizedapproach,the Coordinator,Travel Mediais responsible for supportingthedelivery of engagingandpositive editorialcoverage forWhistleranditsmembers. This includesmanagingthedepartment’smediadatabase andonlinemedia room,trackingand reportingmedia coverage,distributingmediacommunications,and coordinatingin-resortmediavisits.The rolealso providesadministrativeandlogisticalsupporttothe Travel Media Managers

WhatWeOffer:

•A nine-dayfortnightschedule

•Whistlerbasedwith ahybridapproachthat balancesin-officeand remote work

•A commitmenttohealthand wellness,and afun andsupportiveteamenvironment

TO VIEWOURCAREEROPPORTUNITIES, AND TO APPLY, VISITUSONLINE AT WHISTLER.COM/CAREERS

•Startingsalary range:$50,000 -$54,000annually TO VIEWOURCAREEROPPORTUNITIES, ANDTOAPPLY, VISITUSONLINE AT: WHISTLER.COM/CAREERS.

Email resumeto:

SeatoSkyCorridor|32hrs/wk|$72,000-$80,000 Want to make our communitya placewhere everyonethrives?

We’rehiringanExecutiveDirectorwhowillgrowourimpactby raising,investing,andgrantingfundstoaddressvital communityneeds—fromtheenvironmentandfoodsecurityto theartsandreconciliation.

WorkingwiththeBoard,youwillleadthreestrategicpillars:

•MaximizeCommunityImpact. Bridgedonorintentwith localneedstoensureeverygrantcreatesameaningful legacy.

•StewardStrategicAssets. Overseefinancialplanningand operationswiththehighestintegrityandtransparency.

•GrowtheEndowment. Leadbold fundraising effortstoexpandour permanentfunds,securingthe region’sfutureforgenerations.

CHIMNEY PATROL LTD.

Seeking outlets for love and rage

I INTERVIEWED mountain biker Casey Brown 14 years ago, and have never forgotten the thing she shared, that her dad taught her, that powered her racing. When you ride, he advised, “Put all your love and hate into it.”

The thing that struck me in this Wise-Dad-Counsel was the baseline acknowledgement to his daughter, that:

BY LISA RICHARDSON

of course you have hate or rage. Don’t bury it. Don’t deny it. Don’t try and make it go away. Channel that, alongside your love. Don’t wait until it wears off before you do your thing. It can all be your fuel.

We are living in rage-making times. Bewildering, heart-breaking, worrying. I won’t give you the litany of proof points—before I get to the end of the list, we’ll all have to crawl back into bed, pull the covers up over our heads, and revert to doing whatever it is we do to numb out and stop feeling at all. But what if we stay with the feelings… not let any particular one get stuck, but allow them, even greet them, with varying degrees of warmth or cool courtesy, as you do when you’re moving through the world encountering humans you variously love and loathe.

Ray Bradbury wrote Fahrenheit 451 in 1953 while living through the McCarthy-era “Red Scare” during which a small, venal man witch-hunted artists, intellectuals and thinkers who didn’t toe the party line. Bradbury wrote on a typewriter you could rent by the hour in a local library. The novel is set in a dystopic near future where books are burned to maintain the “intellectual peace” that comes when no-one thinks anything other than what the government wants them to think, what’s being broadcast to them through their screens.

Bradbury later said: “I tell people, ‘Make a list of 10 things you hate and tear them down in a short story or poem. Make a list of 10 things you love and celebrate them.’ When I wrote Fahrenheit 451 I hated book burners and I loved libraries. So there you are.” And here we are: the creative work cracked open revealing the white and the yolk that are his love and his rage.

I’ve been thinking a lot about creative work and resistance, lately. Resistance, in the way Steven Pressfield talks of it, is like magnetic repulsion, a kind of creative block, that stumps and silences you, and keeps you from sitting down to the blank page/canvas/starting block. If you don’t turn to consider it, (“hello, Newman”), it can shut you down. But if you track it, notice it, identify it, it becomes data, a kind of signpost, that alerts you to the fact that something important is happening, that something matters to you. That a force field is at work. And you somehow need to flip the magnets so you can get closer to this thing that is exerting such a charge on you.

Resistance, too, means defying an

oppressive, powerful and unjust regime, even when the balance of might is against you. Creative work matters here, too. Resistance, in the way Rebecca Solnit speaks of it, is about coming together, refusing to be divided, conquered, overwhelmed, or beaten before you get out the gate. She told the New York Times recently, “I think the counter to Trump always has been and always will be civil society. Maybe changing the world is more like caregiving than it is like war. Too many people still expect it to look like war.”

War, or resistance that actively and forcefully pushes back, in any contest of domination, adds power to the strong man, it gives the bully permission to double down, roll out tanks, level up the violence that somehow fuels him even more. The best and most inspiring responses to the crazy things happening in the world right now, for those of us who don’t have economies or armies at our command, have been the creative and care-rich ones… the deep winter street corner singing circles, light shows projected on walls. The poetry folded into Ukrainian first-aid kits. Packedout poetry readings in bomb shelters. The humanity. The dignity. The care. The gestures of people resisting the urge to get under the covers and not come back out.

One of the best things my dire social media feed served up in the last month was a story of women who were out on the streets during anti-ICE neighbourhood protests in Minnesota, offering people cups of tea. “You look cold, have a cup of tea.” They even offered tea to agents in uniform, successfully de-escalating moments

that could have gone sideways fast. At least, that’s what it has become in my mind… a scene in which a teapot becomes the vessel for transmuting all our love and rage into something more civil, something we can actually recover from.

When I asked ChatGPT to serve as my counsellor, and analyze Carney’s and Trump’s World Economic Forum speeches, it offered to also write me a personal 10-point plan on how to live the “middle powers” way, as an ordinary citizen. “Don’t overlook the power of the boring things,” it advised. “It is not your job to outsmart geopolitics. But you are positioned to stabilize your local system. Support boring organizations like local libraries, schools, art institutions and credible journalism. These are legitimacy factories. They’re what foreign manipulation tries to erode first.”

In other words, our community culture is our resilience. The ways we channel and express our love and rage, in and among each other, matters. So, make your art a vessel like a small rubber raft for the sorrows you amass. Make your art your medicine, your herbal apothecary, your psychic garden. Make your art through thick or thin. Make your art no matter what, no matter what size it is, no matter how insignificant it feels. Put all your love and hate into it. Let it have it all.

Lisa Richardson is a longtime contributor to Pique whose writing, speaking and creative workshops are propelled by the idea that attention, imagination and community are where resilience and future flourishing is at. n

3205 Arbutus Drive, Whistler

4 Bed | 2 Bath | 2,047 sq.ft.

$2,850,000 (GST exempt) 604-616-6933

Kathy White PREC* kathy.white@evrealestate.com

#4320-315 Sundial Crescent, Whistler

1 Bed | 1 Bath | 536 sq.ft.

$699,999 604-910-1103

Connie Spear connie.spear@evrealestate.com

#1-2166 Sarajevo Drive, Whistler

1 Bed | 1 Bath | 396 sq.ft.

$699,000 604-719-7646

Carmyn Marcano carmyn.marcano@evrealestate.com

8409 Big Sky Terrace, Whistler

3 Bed | 2.5 Bath | 3,152 sq.ft.

$4,395,000 604-902-3335

Steve Legge PREC* steve.legge@evrealestate.com

8373 Mountain View Drive, Alpine Meadows

$4,300,000

Perched atop one of the quietest streets in Alpine Meadows, this home provides everything that makes Whistler magical. Inside, the post-and-beam architecture and vaulted ceilings provide an authentic mountain soul, complemented by the crisp, clean finish of recent updates.

Maggi Thornhill PREC* +1-604-905-8199

maggi.thornhill@evrealestate.com

Maggi & Max Thornhill Team

#401-2202 Gondola Way, Whistler 2 Bed | 2 Bath | 1,234 sq.ft

$2,450,000 778-320-2426

Javier Hidalgo javier.hidalgo@engelvoelkers.com

1352 Judd Road, Squamish

4 Bed | 3 Bath | 2,499 sq.ft

$1,690,000 778-318-5900

Angie Vazquez PREC* angievazquezrealtor@gmail.com

30-2110 Whistler Road, Vale Townhomes

$1,250,000

Whether you’re looking for your full-time Whistler home, a weekend base for mountain & outdoor adventures, or a smart staff-housing investment, this townhome offers a combination of comfort, convenience, and value that is increasingly hard to find.

Maggi Thornhill PREC* +1-604-905-8199

maggi.thornhill@evrealestate.com

Maggi & Max Thornhill Team