PRE-WINTER Weather Forecast OCT 27—OCT 31 Rain and snow
NOV 1—NOV 4 Rainy periods, mild
Volume 15 Issue 11 > OCTOBER 27 — NOVEMBER 23
NOV 5—NOV 11 Sunny, cool
NOV 12—NOV 23 Rainy, snow showers, mild
FILMERS NOMINATED FOR INTERNATIONAL AWARDS “It feels great to finally be at iF3 with so many other great films,” Nikula said. “Nominated for Film of the Year and Best Cinematography is a huge amount of validation and we are just excited to participate in this year’s festival.”
>> Read more on Page 10
Dayton before he overdosed on a drug tainted by fentanyl. He was active and enjoyed the outdoors but now struggles to walk or speak. | PHOTO SUPPLIED
Preparing for the worst Ski industry moves to prevent fentanyl overdoses by JEAN STRONG
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ast fall Whitecroft resident Tate Holowatiuk got the phone call no parent wants to answer. His son Dayton had overdosed in Vancouver; fentanyl was later found to
be the cause. Dayton had struggled with substance abuse since Tate met him at the age of 15. Over the years he moved between cities and treatment centres but always found himself relapsing. Now, over a year later, Dayton is clean but still struggles
in his everyday life. He has trouble walking forward and cannot walk backward. The overdose also damaged his palette and he is in therapy to overcome Aphasia, a disorder caused by damage to the brain that renders him nearly unable to speak. “I was ashamed...I felt like a failure as a father,” Tate said. It’s stories like this which have galvanized the ski industry to move to protect their staff and guests as 2017 overdoses have already surpassed 2016’s staggering numbers. In what has been labelled a provincial
health crisis, 914 people died by overdose last year and by this August 1,013 deaths had already been recorded. Fentanyl has been detected in 81 per cent of illicit drug deaths in B.C. this year. At a September Canada West Ski Areas Association (CWSAA) meeting at Sun Peaks, fentanyl was an important topic to the attendees from around B.C. and the Yukon. CWSAA president and CEO Christopher Nicolson said the conversation was continuing from last year. “It was a reminder for the in-
NEW SKI CROSS TEAM >> Read more on Page 19 dustry to be diligent,” he said. “A reminder to communities of what is available.” According to Nicolson, the industry association took a stance against the drug with fact based information in a blunt, honest way. “I’m pleased to say last year we took a really hard line on it... ski areas did likewise with factual presentations at orientations in a direct manner. “It’s a very important issue, the biggest concern would be that of complacency.” continued on next page
Vol 15 Issue 11 October 27 — November 23
sunpeaksnews.com
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