Pique Newsmagazine 3330

OUR PURPOSE IS THIS PLACE

Communities are defined not by how they show up when everything goes right, but by how they come together when things don’t. To our friends, neighbours, colleagues, first responders, volunteers, and everyone affected by the Pemberton wildfires, thank you for showing the strength and spirit that make this place so extraordinary.

We are proud to have been a part of this community since 1978.

—CreativeSalmon producetheirownbroodstockandsmolts, raiseandharvestthefish,andprocessthem in aplantlocatedrightonthedockin Tofino, VancouverIsland,BC.

Rhapsody in Whistler

A rebranded slopestyle competition and a new World Championship on Crabapple Hits headline Crankworx Whistler 2026. - By David Song

06 OPENING REMARKS Crankworx serves as an annual reminder that Whistler wasn’t built despite the dirt, writes editor Braden Dupuis—it was built because of it.

08 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR This week’s letter-writers share gratitude for firefighting efforts in Pemberton, and offer solutions for wildfires.

16 RANGE ROVER The rocks around Saint John, New Brunswick tell a billion years worth of stories, writes Leslie Anthony.

38 PIQUE’N YER INTEREST As tensions ramp up again between Canada and the U.S., Vince Shuley reflects on a recent trip south of the border.

COVER Joyride was so 2005. - ByJon Parris // @jon.parris.art

Publisher SARAH STROTHER - sstrother@piquenewsmagazine.com

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Art Director JON PARRIS - jparris@piquenewsmagazine.com

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Reporters

10 WARMING TRENDS Whistler could be headed for an unusually warm and rainy ski season as a rapidly strengthening El Niño takes hold in the Pacific.

11 IN THE RUNNING Mayor Jack Crompton has announced his intention to seek a third term in October’s election.

22 PROVINCIAL PRIDE A new Whistler girls rugby team found immediate success, qualifying for provincials in their first year.

26 RAISE A FLAG Whistler’s beloved Flag Stop Theatre and Arts Festival returns for its 15th instalment Aug. 5 to 8.

LUKE FAULKS - lfaulks@piquenewsmagazine.com

DAVID SONG - sports@piquenewsmagazine.com

Classifieds and Reception - mail@piquenewsmagazine.com

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

Empire of dirt

DIRT IS A funny thing to celebrate. At least on the surface.

And yet, this week, Whistler will once again welcome the world as tens of thousands descend on the resort for the biggest, dirtiest party of the summer in Crankworx Whistler.

Spectators will line the courses to watch the world’s best riders launch

BY BRADEN DUPUIS

themselves over towering jumps, carve impossibly fast corners and, inevitably, finish the day caked in dust. It’s grandma’s worst nightmare—and all part

It’s no secret Whistler seems to pride itself on polish these days. Funny thing is, polish only exists because somebody got dirty first.

Long before Whistler became synonymous with multi-million-dollar mansions, ultra-fancy fine dining and the phrase “world-class,” this place was practically defined by dirt. Think less designer ski fashion and more hard hats, shovels and chainsaws.

The ski runs that now snake down Whistler and Blackcomb mountains didn’t just appear. They were carved from dense forest by people like the legendary Seppo Mäkinen, who cut the first runs on Whistler Mountain by hand in the mid-’60s while sleeping in a mountainside tent.

The bike trails now legendary among riders around the globe weren’t carved

by Mother Nature. They were imagined, dug, shaped and refined by countless hands over countless hours—people like Dave Kelly and Dan Raymond.

Even the village itself, before it was anything resembling a village and was actually just a garbage dump, began as little more than dirt waiting to become something more.

If cutting ski runs by hand and repurposing a literal dump doesn’t sound like glamorous work, that’s because it’s not.

In many cases, it wasn’t particularly visible work either. But it was the work that made everything else possible.

Our glossy, three-million-visitors-ayear reality might suggest otherwise.

But Whistler wasn’t built despite the dirt.

It was built because of it.

manicured flowerbeds and trees lining the Village Stroll, the luxury hotels and carefully curated public spaces. Fair to say none of those three-million-odd visitors arrive in town thinking about the dirt underneath it all (and if they do, they’re probably the consensus “weird one” in their friend group).

Maybe that’s why Crankworx is such a natural fit in Whistler.

On the surface, it’s a celebration of elite mountain biking. The world’s best riders pushing themselves—and the sport—to new heights before packed crowds.

But it’s also something more: a celebration of trail builders, dig days and volunteers. Of the people who spend countless hours maintaining the terrain long after the cameras have gone home. It celebrates a culture that has never

Long before Whistler became synonymous with

mansions,

bags of swag collected by the kids, and more in the chance to watch their real-life MTB superheroes up close and in person.

How many Whistler kids have been inspired to chase their own dirt-devil dreams after watching the best of the best throw down in their own backyard? Too many to count. There’s something inspiring about that, and worth preserving.

In a place that seems to want to be known exclusively for its polished, pristine image, Crankworx serves as an annual reminder that Whistler’s identity wasn’t born in the gleam of hotel lobbies and multimillion-dollar homes. It was forged on mountainsides by people willing to put in the dirty work—often long before anyone else could appreciate or even see the finished product.

So when the final dust has settled, the

fine dining and the phrase “world-class,” this place was practically defined by dirt.

None of this is to say Whistler should outright reject the polish it has worked so hard to refine in recent decades. Communities evolve, expectations change, and our world-class reputation wasn’t built by accident, either.

But polished places have a way of hiding their foundations.

For the uninitiated, it’s probably easy to arrive in Whistler today and notice only the finished product—the perfectly

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been afraid to get its hands dirty, quite literally, in pursuit of building something worth sharing.

For one week every summer, Whistler embraces that side of itself.

The cynics will point out that Crankworx is also a celebration of consumerism, brand awareness and embarrassing influencer culture. And that’s a fair criticism.

But the lasting effect lies less in the

sponsor tents are packed away and the crowds return home, Whistler will settle back into the immaculate mountain resort the world has come to expect.

But the dirt won’t have gone anywhere. It will still be there beneath the trails, the ski runs and the old garbage dump we now call Whistler Village— an unspoken reminder that before this incredible place earned its polish, it first had to be built. n

Pemberton fire highlights strength of community

As I write this, the little red dot on the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) dashboard has changed from red to yellow, meaning the Signal Hill fire south of Pemberton is now being held. What a relief. I know we’re not out of the woods yet, but it’s a sign that we’re on the right track.

Thank you to the BCWS staff, both those on the frontlines of the firefight and those behind a computer relaying all the important information residents need to know. Thank you to the pilots who flew continuously, dropping water and fire retardant in an effort to slow the spread of the flames.

Thank you to Pemberton Fire Rescue for working with the wildfire teams as needed and for continuing to respond to other medical and fire emergencies. Thank you to all the first responders who came from other communities to help. Thank you to the local staff of the Village of Pemberton and the SquamishLillooet Regional District, who worked around the clock to keep us all informed during an evolving situation. Thank you to neighbouring communities for offering to house livestock and residents if needed.

It’s during situations like this that you see Pemberton come together as a community. Neighbours helping neighbours. Offering to pick up groceries if they were heading into town, lending air purifiers, and extending a helping hand to whoever needed it. Everyone checked in on one another. Employers and coworkers reached out to see how they could help, whether that meant sending staff home early or simply providing the support of normalcy.

Thank you, Pemberton! We rallied

together, and I have faith that we will come through this even stronger. While our landscape may be changed, our sense of community and togetherness has grown even stronger.

Carmen Praine // Thankful Pemberton resident

The solution to wildfires

The science is very clear; we need to stop burning fossil fuels to curb the impacts

of climate change including wildfires, glacier melt, reduced snowpack and drought. Wildfire seasons now regularly hit the highest national preparedness level, closing trails, rivers, and mountains for weeks at a stretch.

For outdoor communities, the government’s announcement to move forward with a new one-million-barrel-a-day pipeline isn’t an abstract Ottawa story. It’s a direct threat to the mountains, snowpack, forests, and rivers that our community, our businesses, and our way of life depend on, funded in large part by us.

Asia, the destination market for our new $35-billion, taxpayer-funded pipeline, is transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy faster than any other region. India, Brazil, Europe and Scandinavia are also making massive investments and progress in transitioning their energy systems and economies to clean energy. In 2025, Pakistan installed more solar power in one year than Canada’s entire accumulated capacity!

We don’t need Ottawa to gamble tens of billions of taxpayer dollars on a project private industry won’t fund and the market is already turning away from. As we continue to witness first-hand, climate change is already reshaping the outdoor recreation economy and our community. We need Ottawa to invest in the things that will actually protect our winters: clean

energy and a national wildfire strategy. With 40 per cent of Canada covered by forests, increased wildfire activity will be the new norm in a hotter, drier climate, yet Canada is the only G7 country that doesn’t have a national agency to respond to wildfires. Our recent submission to the federal government, backed by scientists and thought leaders, calls for modernizing Canada’s wildfire strategy and response

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

with decision makers to push for more ambition on climate action to protect Canada’s $102-billion outdoor recreation sector. But the government will only make these changes if they believe there’s support from voters. Canada’s outdoor communities need to become hotspots for ambition on the two most pressing issues facing our economies: climate change and wildfires. Winter is in our hands.

“[T]he government will only make these changes if they believe there’s support from voters.”

- DAVID ERB

capabilities by investing $4.1 billion in monitoring, surveillance, training and equipment for suppression capacity.

Protect Our Winters Canada has a credible policy plan to advance clean energy and increase our resilience to wildfires. We regularly take Olympians, resort and business leaders, scientists and policy experts to Ottawa to meet

Protect Our Winters Canada is a community of 43,200 skiers, snowboarders, climbers, paddlers, trail runners, and outdoor business owners working to protect the places and seasons we love. Membership is free. Please join us at protectourwinters.ca.

David Erb // executive director, Protect Our Winters Canada n

Write to us! Letters to the editor must contain the writer’s name, address and a daytime telephone number. Maximum length is 450 words. Pique Newsmagazine reserves the right to edit, condense or refrain from publishing any contribution. Letters reflect the opinion of the writer and not that of Pique Newsmagazine. Send them to edit@ piquenewsmagazine.com before 11 a.m. on Tuesday for consideration in that week’s paper.

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‘This will be a doozy’: Researcher warns strong El Niño could bring difficult Whistler winter

A NEW CLIMATE DATABASE DOCUMENTS WARMER NIGHTS, MORE UPPER-MOUNTAIN RAIN AND DECLINING VILLAGE SNOW DEPTH SINCE THE 1970S

BY LUKE FAULKS

WHISTLER COULD BE headed for an unusually warm, rain-affected ski season as a rapidly strengthening El Niño takes hold in the Pacific.

Michael Pidwirny, an associate professor of environmental science at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus, said the developing weather pattern could redirect storms away from southern B.C. while increasing the risk of warm-air inversions and rain at coastal resorts.

“This El Niño coming up, this will be a doozy for Whistler,” he said. “Their big problem will be the number of rain events and inversions.”

Pidwirny cautioned that weather remains variable and no seasonal prediction is certain. However, he said the combination of a powerful El Niño and Whistler’s steadily warming climate makes a poor winter increasingly likely.

“Warm temperatures and rain events could make this one of the most dismal seasons that Whistler’s ever seen,” he said. “You can’t say with absolute certainty, but, with a probabilistic guess, it’s highly likely it’s going to be a really crappy winter.”

The warning is consistent with the latest outlook from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration (NOAA). As of July 9, NOAA said El Niño was strengthening, had a 97-per-cent chance of continuing into early spring 2027 and an 81-per-cent chance of becoming “very strong” from October through December—potentially ranking among the largest events measured since 1950.

NOAA stressed that even a powerful El Niño does not guarantee typical effects in every region.

Pidwirny plans to begin publishing monthly, seven-month forecasts on climatebcski.ca in September, with early-season updates examining how far temperatures and precipitation may depart from normal.

NEARLY FIVE DECADES OF WARMING

The forecast will build on a new online database analyzing daily records from weather stations at Whistler Village, at 659 metres, and Roundhouse Lodge, at 1,835 metres.

The Village record runs from 1977 through 2026. Over that period, average winter minimum temperatures increased by 2.4 C, rising at 0.49 C per decade— almost four times faster than maximum temperatures, which rose 0.7 C overall, or 0.14 C per decade.

Greenhouse gases slow the release of heat after sunset, meaning overnight lows often rise faster than daytime highs. Less snow cover can eventually accelerate daytime warming as darker ground absorbs sunlight that snow would otherwise reflect.

“Whistler is getting warmer,”

Pidwirny said. “We’re getting to a situation now where the warming is influencing precipitation patterns and daily temperatures.”

Average Village snow depth has also declined. Between 2011 and 2026, winter snow depth averaged just 67 per cent of the 1981-to-2010 norm. Sixty-four per cent of those recent winters fell below 75 per cent of normal, compared with about 40 per cent during the baseline period.

The upper mountain presents a more complicated picture.

The Roundhouse received an average of 566 centimetres of snow during December, January and February between 1974 and 2026, with no meaningful longterm decline detected.

But the proportion of precipitation falling as rain appears to be changing. From 1974 through 2000, only three of 27 winters recorded more than 60 millimetres of rain at the Roundhouse. From 2001 through 2026, 12 of 26 winters crossed that threshold—an increase from 11 to 46 per cent.

“[Overall,] the precipitation has remained generally the same from year to year, but the proportion that falls as rain and the proportion that falls as snow is changing,” Pidwirny said.

Rain can turn small, soft snow grains into larger ice particles that are difficult to restore through grooming, he added. “Rain is going to really screw up the experience.”

A GLIMPSE OF FUTURE WINTERS

Whistler received an early preview during the 2023-24 El Niño season.

The resort opened in November with a 57-centimetre base, compared with typical late-November accumulations of roughly 150 centimetres. By Dec. 21, only 38 per cent of its trails were open, as rain left rocks, slush and ice across some lower runs. A 50-centimetre storm finally drew huge crowds in late February after months of mild conditions.

The 2025-26 La Niña winter also underperformed expectations.

Poor early snowfall helped drive a 20-per-cent decline in visits across Vail Resorts’ North American properties through Jan. 4.

Pidwirny said that season illustrated how long-term warming can weaken the colder conditions normally associated with La Niña.

His modelling projects continued warming through 2090. Under a highemissions scenario, average winter minimum temperatures in the Village would rise to approximately -0.1 C, while average Roundhouse maximums would reach 2.6 C. Under a more moderate scenario, those figures would reach -1.6 C and 1.2 C, respectively.

Pidwirny said resorts should reconsider their dependence on fullseason passes and offer more flexible five- or seven-day products during unreliable winters. But operational changes and snow farming can only go so far.

“The ultimate thing is to change the way that we generate energy,” he said. “We’ve got to get away from fossil fuels and go to renewables—and stop that trend of increasing temperatures.” n

NO THANKS, NINO Winter 23-24 marked one of the worst seasons on record for Whistler snowfall. FILE PHOTO BY SCOTT TIBBALLS

Jack Crompton to seek third term as Whistler mayor

THE INCUMBENT IDENTIFIED HOUSING AND THE NORTHLANDS RECREATION OPPORTUNITY AS PRIORITIES AHEAD OF THE OCTOBER ELECTION

BY LUKE FAULKS

WHISTLER MAYOR Jack Crompton will seek a third term this fall, saying unfinished work on housing and affordability made the decision an easy one.

“I love the work. I love Whistler, and there’s a lot more work to do,” Crompton told Pique after announcing his re-election campaign.

Crompton, who has served as mayor since 2018 after previously sitting on council, said Whistler is approaching a consequential stretch of decisions around employee housing, recreation and tourism in a changing climate.

“The decisions we make over the next four years will shape our community for generations,” he said in a campaign release. “At this moment of opportunity and change, leadership matters. I have the experience Whistler needs now.”

Crompton said one of the conversations that shaped his decision to run again was with his four children, whom he and his wife, Carolyn, raised in Whistler.

“Their main advice was that I should continue to work hard on making Whistler a place where young people like them can make a life,” he said. “They’re concerned about the cost of living and access to housing. They love Whistler, and they want to grow old here.”

THE RECORD ON HOUSING

Crompton’s campaign cited the Resort Municipality of Whistler’s progress on housing.

Since 2018, Crompton and council have prioritized the build-out of Cheakamus Phase 2. Work is currently underway to prepare land for the next phase of housing at 1825 Mount Fee. The municipality has also begun a review of underused municipal properties for possible housing and development opportunities.

“There’s an enormous amount of housing left to build, and we need to ensure that our housing models meet the moment,” Crompton said.

He said the next phase should include more WHA ownership opportunities, alongside continued rental construction and improvements to the municipality’s housing programs.

“We’ve done great things on housing, but the work isn’t finished,” he said.

His campaign release also highlighted a number of municipal initiatives launched or advanced during the term—including the planned reimagining of Creekside, the Northlands Boulevard redevelopment proposal and a broad modernization of Whistler’s building and zoning bylaws.

Crompton is presenting himself as an advocate for institutional innovation. He

pointed to the municipality’s use of tourismtax revenue to support employee housing, the review of underused municipal land and the introduction of Add Your Voice public engagement sessions.

His campaign also argues another term would provide continuity as new CAO Chris Vick and other municipal leaders settle into their roles.

NORTHLANDS AND CLIMATE ACTION

Another defining issue is the proposed redevelopment of the 5.2-hectare Northlands property at the northern edge of Whistler Village.

Council voted July 14 to continue negotiations with developer Beedie Living, subject to the two sides resolving a handful of outstanding issues, including the amount and timing of the project’s community amenity contribution and how to address the removal of the on-site racket sports facility.

Crompton said the negotiations could give Whistler an opportunity to create an indoor recreation facility that serves residents for decades.

“Done right, it will be a place where children learn and play, athletes train, families recreate, and seniors connect with one another,” he said in his announcement.

He also linked the recreation discussion to Whistler’s changing climate and the need to provide activities during poor snow years and increasingly hot summers.

“If through this process we’re able to realize an indoor recreation facility that’s available to residents and to visitors, we will have done something very important to weatherproof our town,” Crompton said.

While climate change did not figure prominently in his campaign release, Crompton told Pique it would remain a significant part of his work if re-elected.

He described his preferred approach as “practical and pragmatic,” focused on measures local government can realistically deliver while drawing on provincial and federal funding.

“We are increasingly seeing the impacts in our day-to-day life,” he said. “We need to make sure that the community has the tools to respond themselves.”

Municipalities cannot address the issue alone because they lack both the money and authority required to make many large-scale changes, Crompton added. He cited expanded transit, changes to building practices and programs supporting upgrades to hotels and other large commercial buildings as being within the municipality’s wheelhouse.

British Columbia’s general local election takes place Oct. 17. The formal nomination period runs from Sept. 1 to 11. Find the full story online. n

Racket groups welcome Northlands direction

WHISTLER TENNIS ASSOCIATION AND RACKET CLUB REPRESENTATIVES FAVOUR SPRUCE GROVE, BUT OFFER DIFFERENT FACILITY VISIONS

BY LUKE FAULKS

WHISTLER’S TENNIS advocates and the operator of the Whistler Racket Club (WRC) are welcoming council’s latest direction on the Northlands redevelopment—though the two sides differ over how broadly a replacement facility should serve the community.

WRC owner Jamie Grant said he was “excited” by the July 14 decision, which he sees as recognition that the club now serves a much wider group than tennis players alone.

“I think we’ve convinced them the town needs a club,” Grant said. “When the Northlands conversation started, it wasn’t really on the municipality or council’s radar. That was step one, and that was our mandate. I’m proud that we pulled it off, seemingly.”

Whistler Tennis Association (WTA) director Guy Darby likewise called the decision “progressive,” particularly an amendment directing municipal staff to explore a municipally owned recreation facility at a location yet to be determined.

Grant is advocating for a multi-use facility accommodating tennis, pickleball, children’s programming, events, food-andbeverage service and community groups.

Darby said the WTA wants a facility designed first and foremost around tennis and other racket sports, rather than a generic multi-use building where court space must compete with activities like basketball or floor hockey.

“We’re not competing with housing,”

Darby said. “This isn’t a head-to-head with housing. This is simply replacing a facility that is there and that is home to so many community members.”

COUNCIL SENDS NEGOTIATIONS BACK TO STAFF

Council voted July 14 to continue negotiations with Beedie Living over its proposal for the 5.2-hectare property at the northern edge of Whistler Village, rather than immediately begin preparing rezoning bylaws.

The unresolved issues include the value and timing of Beedie’s community amenity contribution, an existing floodway covenant and the developer’s proposed use of municipal land at the end of Northlands Boulevard.

Councillor Jen Ford amended the

latest direction to have staff explore the possibility of a municipally owned facility at an as-of-yet-undetermined location.

The current Racket Club is expected to remain during the first two phases of Beedie’s redevelopment, but its eventual demolition has left players pressing for a replacement before the doors close.

“Continuity of play [is] absolutely vital,” Darby said. “We have a big slice of this community that use that place, and for it to be shut down and then reopened at some stage in the future—it’s a non-starter.”

The WTA wants council to guarantee the current facility remains available until a replacement opens. Darby said a new club should also be operated by people with experience programming and filling courts, regardless of whether that operator is a non-profit or a private partner.

“I think it would be run by people who’ve experience in operations of a racket facility—that is the key,” he said. “I think that’s almost vital, really, for this thing to be a success.”

DIFFERENT VISIONS OF A NEW FACILITY

The WTA is concerned that a multi-use facility could produce a building that accommodates racket sports without being designed around them.

“This is not, I don’t know, one court with basketball, floor hockey, pickleball,” Darby said. “It’s just not good enough.”

Grant takes a broader view.

Since taking over the club in 2020, he has expanded its offerings beyond tennis to include pickleball, children’s programming, roller discos, live music, corporate events and other social activities.

“Without all these multi-use programs and community-friendly programs, there will be no new tennis club,” Grant said.

The current WRC dome must alternate between tennis, pickleball, tournaments and special events, meaning one use often displaces another. Grant is preparing to present the municipality with preliminary plans and business projections for a more efficient facility containing two separate covered spaces, allowing racket play and other programming to occur simultaneously.

Although the plans remain under development, Grant said the two-dome, modular concept could potentially expand over time as demand and funding allow. He hopes to meet individually with council members and municipal officials over the coming months.

COMMON GOAL ON LOCATION

Both Grant and Darby identified Spruce Grove as their preferred location. Whistler Waldorf School is preparing to vacate its municipal site there, after council extended its lease for a final time earlier this year.

Grant said the existing parking, Valley Trail connection and surrounding recreational uses make the area attractive. Darby likewise described it as the most obvious option, although he acknowledged land-use and approval questions would need to be resolved.

“Part of the beauty of Spruce Grove— it’s connected,” Darby said. “You’ve got the Valley Trail [in] in the summer, you’ve got the mountain biking, the hiking. In the winter, you’ve got the cross-country skiing. And it’s got the space.”

Read more online at piquenewsmagazine.com. n

Whistler is getting electric buses. When will the Pemberton commuter follow?

BC TRANSIT SAYS ROUTE 99’S HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND ENERGY DEMANDS MAKE ELECTRIFICATION MORE DIFFICULT—BUT NEWER DIESEL BUSES ARE EXPECTED LATER THIS YEAR

BY LUKE FAULKS

IF YOU REGULARLY commute between Pemberton and Whistler, you’ve probably seen the Route 99 bus belching thick, dark exhaust as it works its way along the highway.

Now, as BC Transit prepares to introduce 15 battery-electric buses in Whistler, Pemberton commuters may be wondering when their heavily travelled link to the resort will receive the same treatment.

The answer, at least for now, is not yet.

Construction of charging infrastructure at the Whistler Transit Centre is underway, with BC Transit planning to begin delivering the new buses after work is completed this winter. However, the agency said those buses will not initially operate on the Route 99 Pemberton Commuter because of the additional energy required for the

highway trip.

“Electric bus operations will initially focus on more urban and suburban routes, with lower speeds and frequent stops,” BC Transit said in an emailed response. “Future operations will be assessed as the electric buses obtain real world operational experience in Whistler.”

Whistler is one of eight BC Transit systems included in the current phase of electrification, along with Kamloops, Kelowna, Nanaimo, Nelson, Powell River, the Sunshine Coast and Victoria.

“Future electric bus deployment locations have not been determined at this time,” the agency said.

NEW DIESEL BUSES EXPECTED

The two buses currently serving Route 99 are expected to be replaced with newer diesel models later this year.

“These replacement buses are equipped with more advanced emissions technology that reduces NOx

emissions by over 80 per cent as well as delivers up to seven per cent better fuel economy and in turn reduces CO2 emissions,” BC Transit said.

Newer diesel buses generally produce less nitrogen oxide and particulate pollution than older models, but still emit greenhouse gases. Compressed natural gas (CNG) buses can reduce some pollutants compared with diesel, while battery-electric buses produce no tailpipe emissions.

Route 99 poses different operating demands than Whistler’s local routes. It travels at sustained highway speeds, operates in winter conditions and covers hilly terrain, all of which increase energy use.

BC Transit said the CNG buses displaced by Whistler’s incoming electric fleet will be redeployed elsewhere in its province-wide fleet, but did not identify their destinations.

“The fleet replacement program

is designed to maximize resources to maintain service reliability in all transit systems,” the agency said.

The Pemberton commuter is funded and overseen through a partnership involving BC Transit, the Village of Pemberton, the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District’s Area C and Lil’wat Nation.

The Village said decisions about the service are made collaboratively by the four partners.

BC Transit said buses in Pemberton and Whistler undergo inspections every 5,000 kilometres. The agency also strengthened maintenance of diesel exhaust-treatment systems in 2020.

“This involves regularly scheduling inspection of all safety and mechanical systems on buses,” BC Transit said.

For now, Route 99 commuters can expect newer diesel buses later this year, while BC Transit evaluates how its first Whistler electric buses perform. n

IN A PICKLE The WRC says a new facility needs to accommodate the club’s expanded multi-use nature. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WHISTLER RACKET CLUB

Whistler plans sand swap to improve Rainbow Park volleyball courts

RMOW STAFF PROPOSE MOVING EXISTING COURT SAND TO THE BEACH AND REPLACING IT WITH A MORE DURABLE GRADE

BY LUKE FAULKS

WHISTLER’S RAINBOW Park volleyball courts are expected to receive new sand after players raised concerns about clouds of dust forming during warm, dry weather.

The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) is considering relocating the existing sand to Rainbow Beach and using money budgeted for beach-sand replacement to purchase a heavier, more suitable material for the volleyball courts.

The issue was raised in a July 7 letter from the Whistler Outdoor Volleyball Association (WOVA), which thanked the municipality for the redesigned park but said the sand selected for its courts has proven too fine.

“When the weather is warm and dry, the fine grains are easily displaced by foot action and kick up into large clouds of dust—difficult both to breathe and to see through during play,” wrote WOVA founder and executive director Scott Rogers.

According to the association, players began raising the issue last year, with the same conditions continuing through the first four weeks of the current season. The courts have otherwise become a gathering place for WOVA members and recreational players following the park’s redevelopment, Rogers wrote.

WOVA suggested blending a heavier, coarser grade into the existing sand. Rogers said a different grain could improve drainage while retaining the soft surface players prefer and reducing the amount of material that becomes airborne or is lost during play.

“A coarser grain would drain more effectively, retain the soft underfoot

composition that players value, and be considerably less prone to becoming airborne,” he wrote.

EXISTING SAND TO FIND A NEW HOME

Council considered WOVA’s letter at its July 14 meeting.

General manager of climate action, planning and development services Dale Mikkelsen said staff had met with WOVA and agreed the sand originally chosen was not the best option.

“The sand that was specified by the designer is probably not the most durable for our climate in our dry summers,” Mikkelsen told council.

Rather than disposing of it, the municipality will likely reuse the material at Rainbow Beach, which Mikkelsen said needs more sand next year.

“What we will likely do is—we build in budget for sand top-up and replacement on an annual basis—this is actually quite a nice beach sand,” Mikkelsen said. “We will move this likely to Rainbow Beach, which needs more sand next year, and then the sand we would have bought for Rainbow Beach, we will buy for volleyball courts.”

Councillor Ralph Forsyth described the proposed arrangement as a “win, win, win.”

Mikkelsen did not provide a specific timeline or cost for the work during the meeting.

WOVA said it is willing to continue working with the municipality and will share feedback from players about how the courts perform throughout the season.

Council voted to receive the letter and refer it to staff. n

Whistler overhauls building permit fee system

A NEW, PER-AREA CALCULATION IS PROPOSED FOR SEPT. 1

BY LUKE FAULKS

WHISTLER WILL change how it calculates building permit fees this fall, replacing a system based on an applicant’s declared construction cost with a formula tied to the size and scope of the proposed work.

Council gave first three readings July 14 to amendments introducing the new fee structure, which, once adopted at a later council meeting, is scheduled to take effect Sept. 1.

Under the revised system, permit fees will be calculated by multiplying the total floor area involved by a “permit scope index,” or PSI, assigned according to the building type and proposed work. The municipality currently calculates fees using construction-cost estimates declared by applicants.

Building department manager Melissa Hollis told council the existing approach has long created friction between applicants and municipal staff.

“The approach removes the discretionary portion of hoping and assuming that the applicant provides a reasonable and honest declared cost of construction,” she said. “This has, for a long time, been a topic of

conflict between the department and the [building] community.”

Hollis said the new model is intended to make permit costs more consistent, predictable and transparent.

“This is not a fee increase exercise, per se,” she said. “However, the change will see some increases in some permit fees and decreases in others, depending on the scope of work and the type of building.”

An accompanying staff report said that the overall intent is to keep fees aligned with current values rather than increase municipal revenue. Historical permit information was used to set the new rates, and staff are not forecasting a significant change in permit revenue.

SIMPLER FEE CATEGORIES, PAYMENT REQUIRED UPFRONT

The proposed fee schedule was also simplified following engagement with builders and community members. Staff reduced the number of PSI classifications from more than 65 to 38 and consolidated standalone permit charges where possible.

Applicants will be required to pay 50 per cent of the total permit fee before municipal staff begin their initial review.

Council had previously considered automatically raising permit fees each year

according to inflation, but that provision was removed following public feedback.

Councillor Jeff Murl questioned why staff were abandoning the annual adjustment, noting it was originally intended to avoid repeatedly bringing routine fee increases back to council.

“There were a lot of engagement comments specifically around that,” Hollis said. “We feel at this moment we would just like to propose to remove that and then to just commit to coming back on a more regular cadence, so it’s not 2003 to 2026 again.”

Staff plan to retain a declaredconstruction-value field on permit applications, even though it will no longer determine the fee. Hollis said that information will allow the municipality to compare the old and new systems and is also requested by BC Assessment for statistical purposes.

“They will still provide the declared value of construction, and then they will provide the area for their permit, and we will calculate the fees,” she said. “They don’t have to calculate the fees upfront; we’ll do it for them.”

The municipality will track both methods through the remainder of 2026 and may recommend further adjustments in 2027.

WINDOW REPLACEMENTS AND OTHER BYLAW FIXES

The amendments also addressed a number of “housekeeping” issues identified after Whistler adopted its first major building bylaw overhaul since 2003.

Those include clarifying permit issuance, expiration and inspection requirements; reinstating sewer and water burial-depth provisions inadvertently omitted from the previous bylaw; and adding exemptions for some special-event facilities.

Coun. Cathy Jewett said she had heard from a resident who was told architectural drawings were required for a window replacement and that the project was being treated like a complex renovation.

“You do require a building permit to replace all of the windows in your property,” Hollis said. “The windows in your property are part of the building envelope, so there are some code requirements that need to be considered as part of that.”

Hollis said initial reviews for singlefamily-home applications were then taking approximately six to eight weeks, while standalone heat-pump applications follow a separate review stream.

Council unanimously supported first three readings of both amendment bylaws. n

DUST IN THE WIND Players at the Rainbow Park outdoor volleyball courts have raised concerns about clouds of dust forming during warm, dry weather.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WHISTLER OUTDOOR VOLLEYBALL ASSOCIATION

Response to Pemberton’s Signal Hill fire ‘absolutely unbelievable,’ mayor says

‘PEOPLE

HAVE OFFERED SUPPORT IN EVERY SORT OF WAY’

BY BRADEN DUPUIS

THE STRENGTH of Pemberton’s community was on full display this week as a massive wildfire encroached on the borders of the town.

The Signal Hill fire, as it came to be called, was ignited Wednesday, July 15, quickly growing from four hectares to 10 and resulting in evacuation alerts for parts of Pemberton and the SquamishLillooet Regional District’s Area C.

By July 17, the fire, suspected to be human-caused, had grown to 97 hectares.

A parade of water bombers could be seen refilling on Whistler’s Green Lake en route to the fire, as ground crews worked amongst the smoke and flames to get the blaze under control.

As of Pique’s weekly press deadline, the fire was classified as being held at 105.5 hectares, with associated

evacuation alerts rescinded. The Village of Pemberton asks the public to stay away from One Mile Lake Park as fire crews are still working hard in that area.

“Being held” refers to a wildfire “that is projected, based on fuel and weather conditions and resource availability, to remain within the current perimeter, control line or boundary,” according to the BCWS.

“Significant hazards remain within the burned area on Signal Hill including danger trees, ash pits, unstable rock, and areas of unburned fuel that may continue to burn at rank 1, 2, and 3 under current and forecast weather conditions,” the BCWS said on July 21.

“Until the wildfire is declared out and the evacuation order for One Mile Lake park is rescinded, access to the area is prohibited under provisions of the Wildfire Act and WorkSafeBC regulations. Members of the public are asked to stay out of the area and respect all closures and restrictions.”

The BCWS reminds the public that drones of any size are prohibited “within a radius of five nautical miles around the fire and to an altitude of 3,000 feet

above ground level. The operation of any aircraft not associated with fire suppression activities within this area, including drones, is illegal.”

Following the change in classification, Mayor Mike Richman shared a heartfelt thank you and update in a video shared on Facebook.

“I’ve lived here for 36 years. I’ve lived through a number of events, pandemic, several floods. My house was three feet underwater when my wife was pregnant, my daughter was two years old. And I’ve always watched this community come together in times of need,” Richman said.

“So it’s not surprising or shouldn’t be surprising to me, but I’ve never experienced this. We had a fire burning in our backyard, threatening everything that we love and care about in this community. And I watched people stand up and stand together in a way I’ve never seen before. It’s been absolutely unbelievable. People have offered support in every sort of way.”

The mayor said Pemberton’s response was inspiring—how neighbours checked in on each other, stayed connected, and stayed prepared.

“I have never lived through a situation

like this, where a fire burns in our backyard, threatening what we love,” Richman said. “And to watch all of you over the last few days has really inspired me to do my job, and I thank you for all that.”

With that said, Richman reminded the public the fire is still burning. As of Pique’s weekly deadline, a heat warning was in effect for the region, with highs of 35 C expected.

“What we’ve learned in the last few days and the last years is that things can change quickly. So I’m just asking everybody to stay informed. Stay connected, stay together, stay calm,” Richman said. “There’s almost a bit of a struggle when we want to take a breath now, but there’s still a layer of anxiety that exists.”

Meanwhile, a fire east of Lillooet Lake, a short drive east of Pemberton, had grown to 287 hectares as of July 22. The fire is classified as out of control, and believed to be lightning-caused.

“The fire continues to burn in steep and challenging terrain, which is limiting access for ground crews,” BCWS said Tuesday. “Crews are establishing containment guard to the west of the fire.” Stay up to date on the wildfire situation in B.C. at bcwildfire.ca. n

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Pemberton payroll climbs as major projects reshape 2025 spending

EMPLOYEE REMUNERATION ROSE FIVE PER CENT WHILE COUNCIL EXPENSES NEARLY DOUBLED

BY LUKE FAULKS

THE VILLAGE of Pemberton (VOP) paid its employees roughly $4.66 million in 2025, up more than $225,000 from the previous year, according to its latest Statement of Financial Information (SOFI).

The annual disclosure, approved by council at its May 12 meeting, lists remuneration and expenses for elected officials and employees, along with payments of more than $25,000 to individual suppliers.

Council remuneration rose 3.4 per cent to $128,848, while elected officials’ expenses nearly doubled, increasing from $6,845 to $13,238. Mayor Mike Richman received $42,949 in remuneration and reported $5,307 in expenses.

Employee remuneration increased about five per cent from $4.43 million in 2024. Employee expenses grew more sharply, climbing 53 per cent from approximately $76,900 to $117,300.

Chief administrative officer Elizabeth Tracy remained the VOP’s highestpaid employee, receiving $211,294 in remuneration and $6,220 in expenses. Her remuneration was up from $199,813 the previous year.

Twenty-five employees earned more than $75,000 in 2025, compared with 24 in 2024. Fire Chief Cameron Adams received $138,837, while manager of operations Tom Csima received $143,421.

Overall payments to suppliers

declined slightly, falling 1.7 per cent from $18.7 million in 2024 to $18.38 million in 2025. However, the mix of spending changed substantially as Pemberton advanced major equipment and infrastructure projects.

The largest project and servicerelated payments included $884,348 to Fort Garry Fire Trucks, $841,801 to BC Transit and $782,678 to Neptune Technology Group Canada, which supplied equipment for the Village’s water-metering program.

The VOP also paid $383,628 to Murphy Construction, $376,243 to the Pemberton Valley Dyking District and $267,342 to Alpine Paving. Its listed payment to the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) increased from $2.6 million to $2.9 million, while school-tax payments collected and remitted to the province rose from $1.89 million to $2.43 million.

The SOFI also records $23.6 million in assets transferred to the Village by the SLRD, reflecting Pemberton’s acquisition of the community centre and youth centre.

Chief financial officer David Ni told council the buildings were transferred for a nominal amount, but their ownership will bring added costs. Insurance alone increased by approximately $113,000, he said, while annual depreciation associated with the buildings could exceed $450,000 beginning in the 2026 financial statements.

The Village reported no severance agreements with non-unionized employees in 2025. n

FINE FINANCE CAO Elizabeth Tracy was the Village’s highest-earning employee in 2025 at $211,294. PHOTO BY LUKE FAULKS

Rocks in my Head III: Stonehammer

THE ROCKS AROUND Saint John, New Brunswick tell many stories. A billion years worth, according to the tagline of Stonehammer Geopark, a 2,500-square-kilometre swath of the province’s southern tier that gathers in a huge diversity of geological features. There are Precambrian stromatolites (the fossilized remains of early blue-green algae colonies), Cambrian lava flows, Ordovician trilobites (including some of

BY LESLIE ANTHONY

the world’s largest), Carboniferous sea caves, Triassic flower-pots (not really, but chunks of sea cliff separated from shore that take that shape through wave erosion), the fault along which North America and Europe once parted ways, and a beach where Pleistocene glaciers played ice volleyball with the Atlantic Ocean some 15,000 years ago. Add in the world’s highest tides along the Bay of Fundy and the Saint John River’s famous reversing falls (well, rapids actually) and it’s a veritable earth-science party.

This litany of geosites is rivalled only by the ways in which one might experience them: hiking, biking, kayaking, rock-climbing, zip-lining—not to mention plumbing the cultural and

historical milieus of each site in local industrial facilities, museums, galleries, and markets. The former may deliver on outdoor experience and the geological wow-factor, but the latter forms the heart of the geopark concept: landscapes and geomorphology dictate where humans settle and how; resources extracted and energy used; food that’s available and how it’s gathered, cultivated and consumed; even art and architecture. In other words, the rocks beneath our feet are responsible for the convergences of land and labour upon which a community turns.

Defined by UNESCO as a unified area with geological heritage of international significance, geoparks leverage these attributes to promote awareness of key issues facing society. By referencing and contextualizing planetary dynamics through outreach and education, a geopark can highlight geohazards as a way to aid communities in preparing mitigation (if Italy’s Mount Vesuvius had been in an ancient geopark, for example, Pompeii may have had an evacuation strategy). Likewise, a geopark’s paleontological novelties may include records of past climate change that can inform on present trends, reinforcing the need for sustainable use of natural resources while promoting ecological and landscape integrity. By putting a piece of the Earth into context for the multiple stakeholders who live there, geoparks suggest a pride-of-place model for ecotourism at the regional level. All of which were reasons why Stonehammer became Canada’s first geopark.

The geopark movement began in 2000 with four areas in Europe. In 2004, with ad hoc support from UNESCO, European and Chinese geopark groups merged to form the Global Geopark Network (GGN),

blossoming in a decade to 100 geoparks spanning 30 countries, mostly in Europe and the Asia-Pacific. Stonehammer became the GGN’s first North American member in 2010. While geoparks are ad hoc designations, it’s always hoped that key sites within them can be protected under local, regional or national legislation. Stonehammer’s creation was indeed instrumental in New Brunswick instituting geodiversity protection laws.

The Bay of Fundy that Stonehammer traverses was already a well-trod destination, so it’s hard to measure what effect its newfound geopark status may have had on either new or existing tourism. But one thing was for sure, organizing regional tourism around a coherent geological theme infused the visitation of geosites with purpose, context and a greater depth of both wonder and appreciation—like worldfamous Reversing Rapids, a phenomenon linked to geology and the Bay of Fundy’s record 15-metre tides.

Twice a day, the Saint John River— here tumbling over a deep underwater ledge to cause a downstream series of waves and whirlpools—appears to reverse its flow, rising 4.5 metres to create similarly dynamic riffles and eddies running upstream. Reversing Rapids’ most famous tourist was Charles Darwin’s geologist buddy Charles Lyell, who visited in 1852 after digging the world’s earliestknown reptile out of sea cliffs at the head of the Bay of Fundy near Joggins, Nova Scotia. Pausing, quite literally, in Lyell’s footsteps, you can contemplate the rapids’ compelling geologic backstory, unknown to him at the time.

The gorge constricting the Saint John River is a shear zone between two stray continental fragments, or

terranes. Although both originated in the southern hemisphere, they differ in age by some half-a-billion years, meeting here as the ancient Iapetus Ocean closed during the final assembly of supercontinent Pangaea over 300 million years ago. Though conjointly welded to the North American plate, a line of weakness remained between these two distinct terranes; during later crustal movements, a fault developed along this boundary in which the river now flowed. Most importantly, this very spot is where modern-day Europe and North America said their long goodbye as the Eurasian and North American plates pulled apart during Pangaea’s final breakup some 100–80 million years ago.

With so many geological epochs represented, a landscape further shaped by glacier and sea, a celebrated history of geological exploration, and industry and tourism threading it all together, Stonehammer was also a fitting host for the 6th International UNESCO Conference on Geoparks in September 2014, where 500 delegates—including myself—gathered to compare notes and watch impassioned presentations of aspiring geoparks from around the globe.

Among the aspirants was a remote Canadian area whose ascent seemed especially tectonic: Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, was up for one of the handful of new geoparks designated at each conference—and they would get it. The site of B.C.’s first dinosaur find, few other places in Canada are as paleontologically rich and geologically diverse, and that’s where I’ll take you next.

Leslie Anthony is a biologist, writer and author of several popular books on environmental science. n

ACROSS THE POND The sea caves in Stonehammer are cool, but knowing that the other half of this red sandstone formation made it all the way to Scotland might be cooler.

PHOTO BY LESLIE ANTHONY

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Rhapsody in Whistler

A REBRANDED SLOPESTYLE COMPETITION AND A NEW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ON CRABAPPLE HITS HEADLINE CRANKWORX WHISTLER 2026

PHOTO BY ROB PERRY / COURTESY OF CRANKWORX

Jordy Scott

Sabina Kosarkova

BY DAVID SONG

Let’s not bury any ledes here: the biggest piece of news about Crankworx Whistler 2026 is the abolishment of Red Bull Joyride… in a manner of speaking.

Crankworx managing director

Darren Kinnaird insists that Red Bull is still a major tour partner, even though it’s no longer the title sponsor for Whistler’s flagship slopestyle event. That contest has officially been renamed Rhapsody Slopestyle, but according to Kinnaird it’s the same iconic program fans know and love in all but name.

Rhapsody will return to its familiar locale in the Boneyard on Aug. 2 at the bottom of the Whistler Mountain Bike Park. Athletes get two runs to link high-flying, high-scoring tricks together in pursuit of validation from judges and glory in front of the mountain bike world.

Yet Rhapsody won’t serve as a terminus for this year’s festival. Instead another brand-new offering receives the honour: the Crabapple Hits World Championships (CHWC) set to kick off later that afternoon. It is designed to be a rider-driven undertaking that pays tribute to one of mountain biking’s most revered zones while complementing—not replacing—the Whip-off World Championships.

Whip-off is slated to go on July 31 in the Boneyard, and several other beloved favourites round out the lineup: the Canadian Open Enduro (July 26), Air DH (July 27), OG CDN OPN DH (July 28), Canadian Open Downhill on the World Cup-rated 1199 venue (July 31), and dual slalom (Aug. 1).

A notable absence is the marathon Garbanzo DH, which had returned in 2024 and 2025 after a five-year hiatus. Kinnaird explained that this decision was made “allowing [organizers] to focus on events that drive stronger athlete engagement, participation, and overall event growth.”

PERFECT ALIGNMENT

Superseding a moniker as revered as “Joyride” was never going to be easy, but why “Rhapsody”?

“The name represents the rare state achieved when preparation, creativity, risk, style and execution align perfectly,” Kinnaird said. “Rhapsody is the feeling of crossing the finish line in front of thousands of fans watching in the Whistler Boneyard and from across the globe: a sensation many aspire to achieve but only a few of the best slopestyle athletes in the world will ever be able to experience.”

With the course build process well underway, Kinnaird added that larger features will grant elite riders a chance to push boundaries even further than usual.

Rhapsody serves as a regular-season finale for the Slopestyle Super League (SSL). Itself a novel format, SSL is a revamped competitive framework that unites the sport’s top events beneath one banner. All Gold and Diamond-level Freeride Mountain Bike Association (FMBA) contests in 2026 yield points towards an athlete’s cumulative total, with Rhapsody determining who advances to the SSL Playoffs, who gets a bye directly to the Finals, and whose journey ends in Whistler.

Said Playoffs will be held Aug. 8 in Silver Star, B.C., and the Finals will grace Mont-Sainte-Anne, Que. on Sept. 5.

Harriet Burbidge-Smith, a six-year Crankworx veteran from Australia and one of the first half-dozen female slopestyle riders on tour, is excited about what the SSL has brought into play.

“A bigger tour for us is great for sure, especially with the women’s field,” she opined. “Being able to have events in New Zealand, Europe as well as stuff coming up in Canada gives a lot of opportunities to progress. A lot of the times in previous years we never got the chance to ride the courses, so riding as much as possible now in the competition environment has been really good.”

Newfound opportunity has bred eyebrow-raising progression in the realm of ladies’ slopestyle. BurbidgeSmith’s 1,936 points have her second overall going into

Rhapsody behind tour leader Shealen Reno (2,124.8), while 2025 Rookie of the Year Johanna Nussbaumer lurks in third (1,720). Two-time Joyride victor Alma Wiggberg is also a threat in fourth (1,456) as she and Nussbaumer represent the next generation of female slopestylers.

Meanwhile, defending men’s Joyride champ Emil Johansson will not be back as he tries to recover from a litany of health issues. Instead Dawid Godziek, who completed his Triple Crown of Slopestyle at Red Bull Joyride 2024, leads the ranking (2,350) ahead of Canadian Chance Moore (2,010) and another former Triple Crown man in Nicholi Rogatkin (2,000).

If you’re worried about how Rhapsody might measure up to Joyrides of summers past, maybe an encouraging word from Burbidge-Smith will help set you at ease.

“I’ve seen a lot of leaked info about the event and what the course is going to be like, and I think it’s all going in the right direction … which I’m really excited about, and I feel like Whistler is always going to bring in a great crowd,” she said. “We have a really sick lineup this year. I know them all so well … everyone has different strengths and different riding styles. We always collaborate and practice getting through the course.

“Second to me doing my dream run, I want everyone else to do theirs too.”

‘AN ICONIC PIECE OF DIRT’

If you’re a mountain biker, Crabapple Hits likely needs no introduction.

It is the gnarliest pro-line jump track Whistler has to offer, and arguably among the very best of its kind on Earth. Spanning just over 450 metres in length with gap and tabletop features maxing out at 20 metres, it rides the line between thrilling and terrifying.

That is, of course, why it’s so beloved.

“I remember the first time I went to Whistler on a family holiday when I was 10 years old,” commented reigning and two-time King of Crankworx Ryan Gilchrist. “I had to get forcibly removed from trying to send myself down Crabapple Hits. I think it’s an iconic piece of dirt.”

The CHWC breaks from traditional freeride contest formats because there will be no judges, brackets or scorecards. Instead, athletes drop into a two-hour jam session where every feature on course is open for interpretation and progression.

This winner-takes-all event places creativity and style at the forefront, with riders themselves voting to determine top performances. This approach is meant to reward originality, progression and technical execution, reflecting the collaborative spirit that has long defined freeride mountain biking. Victorious male and female athletes will each receive $5,000 in prize money.

“Crabapple is pretty iconic in terms of it being the first Whip-Off [venue] and that was the original big jump line in a bike park,” said Whistler’s Georgia Astle, who means to partake in both the CHWC and Whipoff in addition to Air DH. “Now I think a lot of other bike parks and riding spaces have evolved because of Crabapple … even though Crabapple hasn’t changed a ton, it just has the bones of being the original spot.”

Others announced to participate in the new event as of this writing include Vinny Armstrong, Janelle Soukup, Alessio Tonoli, Jaxson Riddle, Reed Boggs, DJ Brandt, Johny Salido, Kirsten Van Horne, Graham Agassiz, Kurt Sorge, Jon Simek, Matt Begg, Reece Wallace, Cameron Zink, Talus Turk and Vaea Verbeeck.

“This jump has a lot of history on it. I won my first world championship Whip-Off title [on Crabapple Hits], which probably helped me get sponsored and noticed on the world scene,” Armstrong noted in a release.

Although he’s happy to leave mid-air whips to the steezier cats on tour, Gilchrist feels there’s room for both the CHWC and Whip-Off to shine.

PHOTO BY CLINT TRAHAN / COURTESY OF CRANKWORX

“An amazing show gets put on no matter where it is, and I’ve seen insane whips done everywhere in the world,” he elaborated. “I think it’s not so much about where [the contests are], it’s what it is. It’s the community.”

DYNAMIC LEADERBOARDS

Crankworx Whistler is no longer a grand finale where the season’s best overall male and female riders will be crowned, but valuable points will still be available.

It ought to surprise nobody that Gilchrist lords over the King standings yet again. He established a stranglehold on his second consecutive overall title last August and defended the throne in spite of a tumultuous final week in Whistler (Garbanzo DH silver, ninth in pump track, 62nd in Air DH). The Aussie ace feels he’s learned much over his last two championship campaigns, which have removed much of the uncertainty from his mind.

Gilchrist boasts 531 points as of this writing due to victories in Christchurch for pump track as well as dual slalom, Air DH and pump track in Rotorua. His nearest rival, Pemberton’s own Tegan Cruz, finished second overall in 2025 but is still looking for his campaign’s inaugural win (338). Daniel Butterworth of New Zealand, who hasn’t previously been a factor here, is third (205).

Jackson Frew, who is coming off back-to-back runner-up results in each of the last two years, languishes in 13th (106) but has authored clutch lateseason podiums before.

“Absolutely crazy to say [I’m in the running] for a third straight year in the overall,” Gilchrist remarked. “Tegan’s formidable. He’s brutal, and at Whistler especially he’s got that hometown advantage. Whenever you line up in a head-to-head race against Tegan and you’re in Canada, you can guarantee they’re yelling for him, but that’s part of it and I almost feed off it a little bit.”

He went on: “I couldn’t really ask for a better start to the season. Given the amount of races I’ve done and the points lead I have at the moment, I’m in the best position I’ve been in over the last three years—which is amazing, but it never [means] I take my foot off the gas. I want to win this thing again, and if given the opportunity to, I want to bury it. Currently I’m chasing the Enduro World Cup overall as well … so I’ve got a very full plate and all eyes on Whistler as I come to try and make it a three-peat.”

Meanwhile Jenna Hastings, 2024’s Canadian Open DH champ, has parlayed her velocity into a slim lead in the Queen ranking (496). The Kiwi triumphed in both the Redemption and Specialized Kārearea Downhill events to go with Christchurch’s Air DH.

Sabina Košárková ranked second overall among women last year in an effort that saw her be named Breakthrough Athlete of the Year. The Czech BMX rider and Olympic hopeful is cut from a different cloth than

Hastings, but lurks right behind (450) with a chance to overtake in Whistler.

Reigning Queen Jordy Scott is third at the moment, but has a lot of work to do to get back into contention (191).

Hastings also leads the women’s downhill series (200) in front of her younger sister Kate (105) and Košárková, who has found another gear in a discipline she didn’t grow up practicing (90).

Among male speedsters it is Australian Luke MeierSmith on top (200). The incumbent OG Canadian Open DH victor leads a pair of Kiwis: Lachie Stevens-McNab (109) and former King Tuhoto-Ariki Pene (96). Gilchrist has battled into fourth (81), and if he keeps that momentum rolling he’ll be even more difficult to depose.

Ultimately, Crankworx Whistler will look somewhat different than it has in recent memory. Perhaps there are still cynics wondering if Rhapsody can even approach the former heights of Joyride. Others might have been looking forward to the unique spectacle that was the

“WHISTLER

Garbanzo DH—as punishing as it is to do.

Astle, for her part, still views Crankworx like it’s Christmas for mountain bikers.

“My first year at Crankworx and my first year in the Bike Park, I was riding laps with pros and didn’t even really know who they were,” she reminisced. “I remember riding with [multi-time X Games champ] Travis Pastrana and these celebrities who are actually just super down to ride bikes. The fact that you can just go catch a lap on A-Line with all these pros, I don’t think that really exists in many other sports.”

Gilchrist expressed his unequivocal appreciation too: “Whistler holds a special place in the hearts of a lot of the mountain bikers who have been there or not been there. With the biggest show on two wheels coming every single year, I think it just keeps on building that legacy … I don’t really see there ever being a change to that.”

Visit crankworx.com/schedule/#whistler for the full schedule of proceedings. n

Gilchrist

PHOTO BY CLINT TRAHAN / COURTESY OF CRANKWORX

Fromslopestyletosmiles—

Crankworx!

AtWhistlerDental,we’re getting readyforanotheraction-packed weekofracing,riding,andcommunityspirit.Ledbyourowner andprincipaldentist,Dr.Torabian(Dr.T),ourteamiscommitted toprovidingexceptionalcare tobothlocalsandvisitorsduring oneofthebiggestweeksoftheyear.We’re proudtooffer afull rangeofmoder ndentalservices,frompreventivecaretoadvanced treatments,in awelcomingandprofessionalenvironment. We are delightedto WelcomeNewPatientsandareexcitedtoofferNO WAITHYGIENEappointments.Ifyou’vebeenputtingoff avisitto

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Whetheryou’re here towatchtheprossendit orjustenjoyingtheCrankworxatmosphere, we’dlovetobepartofyourdentalhealthjourney. Frompodiumstopearlywhites— enjoythefestival,andsmilebright!

We always WelcomeanddoourbesttoaccommodateNew Patientsfortheirinitial HygieneappointmentaswellasComprehensiveExamandTreatmentplanning.

604-932-3677 orsmile@whistlerdental.com

ResortMunicipalityofWhistler NOTICE | 2027 Regular Council Meeting Dates

ExperienceWhistlerMountainlivinginthisbeautiful2-bedroom, 2-bathroomcondooffering1,170sq.ft.ofbright,openlivingspace. Designedtocomfortablyaccommodateuptosixguests,thisexceptionalhome showcasesbreathtakingviewsofBlackcombandWhistlerMountains, alongwiththeconvenienceofdedicatedparkingand aprivatestoragelocker. Ideallylocatedjust a6-minutebusridetoWhistlerVillageand ashort5-minute walktoAltaLake,you'llenjoyeffortlessaccesstoworld-classskiing, hiking,biking,dining,andyear-roundrecreation.

After adayofadventure,unwindinthespaciousopen-conceptlivingand diningareafeaturinglargewindows, acozyfireplace,and afullyequippedkitchen—perfectforrelaxingorentertaining.

Whetheryou'researchingfor aluxuriousmountaingetaway,a full-time residence,or apremiuminvestmentproperty,thishomeofferstheideal combinationofcomfort,location,andspectacularalpineviews. Offeredat$1,295,000.

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Councilwillmeet inthe Franz Wilhelmsen Theatre at Maury Young Arts Centre,4335 Blackcomb Way, Whistler, British Columbia,starting at 5:30p.m.onthe following Tuesdays in2027:

January5 January19 May4 May18 October5 October19

February2 February23 June1 June15 November2 November16

March9 March23 July6 July20 December7 December21

April6 April20 August31 September14

Notice of the2027 Council Meeting Scheduleisgiveninaccordance withsections94and127 of the CommunityCharter.

Pauline Lysaght, Corporate Officer

ResortMunicipalityofWhistler Whistler.ca/councilmeetings

‘We really started to understand the game a lot more’

WHISTLER WALDORF AND WHISTLER SECONDARY GIRLS RUGBY TEAM QUALIFIES FOR PROVINCIALS IN THEIR MAIDEN YEAR

BY DAVID SONG

AT LAST, high school girls in Whistler who want to play rugby have a chance to do so.

Whistler Waldorf School and Whistler Secondary School (WSS) united earlier this spring to offer a collaborative rugby sevens program. The idea had been percolating in the mind of Waldorf student Harriet Crompton and her dad Jack, Whistler’s mayor, for some time. Both were ecstatic to see it become reality.

Staff members from both institutions and their communities jumped on board. Waldorf outdoor education and athletics coordinator Susie Moore, WSS teachers Elise Dube and Peter Train, as well as Jack have filled key coaching roles.

The Axemen Rugby Club also pitched in, mainly ladies’ team coach Mel Michener and Dube, who plays for that squad. Men’s player-coach Steve List has supported training sessions for the girls as well.

“It’s a great team sport. It’s a great tactical sport,” Moore said about rugby. “I think it’s so important for the girls in terms of their confidence, just believing that they’re stronger, quicker and that

they’re able to do more tactical thinking than they’ve ever necessarily done.

“Whistler’s got a lot of single-person sports like a lot of skiing, a lot of biking, not so much emphasis on team sports. I think that’s what’s been really exciting for some of these girls. They’ve never played on a team before.”

Harriet was introduced to rugby via an Axemen program at eight years old, and going into this spring she was the only

provide new uniforms.

“In the beginning, we were a little bit of a mess,” Harriet admitted. “No one really knew how to play the game. We were rucking the wrong way. We were passing the ball the wrong way, but… we’ve had so many amazing coaches. Obviously, all of the girls—being from Whistler—are super athletic. We really started to understand the game a lot more, and something just clicked

“I think it’s so important for the girls in terms of their confidence...”

- SUSIE MOORE

team member with previous experience. The 11th-grader was honoured to receive the captaincy, is impressed by the ability of her peers and views leading them as “one of the best experiences” of her life.

Of course, growing pains were inevitable for a brand-new roster with members from Grades 8 to 12. Waldorf and WSS’ joint team managed just a pair of regular season wins and a 2-6-1 record, placing them secondlast in their division ahead of the 2-9-0 West Vancouver squad. An initial dearth of resources forced the girls to wear borrowed boys’ jerseys with duct-taped numbers before X-Treme Sports Gear stepped up to

between the regular season and Zones. It was crazy, the improvement.”

‘I THINK EVERYONE WAS REALLY PROUD’

Whistler achieved a second-place finish during Zones action on May 14, grinding out victories over division leader and host Sentinel Secondary (10-0-1), Handsworth (3-8) and Howe Sound (5-2-1) to set up a finals date with Rockridge Secondary (6-2-1). Scores from these games have not been released as of this writing, but Moore recalls that it was a close loss for her group.

Next came the Girls Rugby Sevens Provincial Championships on May 28 and 29 in Abbotsford, B.C. Waldorf and WSS avenged their previous defeat to Rockridge with a 17-10 victory en route to finishing 14th place overall.

“Oh my gosh, Provincials were so much fun,” Harriet gushed. “The teams that we played, it’s very clear why they were at Provincials…but winning against Rockridge, we knew we were on the same level as them. We knew how they played, had lost to them two or three times—so everyone [gave] their all and it was just an amazing, amazing feeling. I think everyone was really proud of their performance in that game.”

Moore added: “The progress the girls have made has been remarkable. Their teamwork, commitment, and sportsmanship have been commendable, and it has been a pleasure to be part of their journey. Beyond the physical aspects of the sport…they have strengthened their communication, learned to think tactically under pressure, and demonstrated increasing leadership both on and off the field. Watching their confidence and decision-making grow has been just as rewarding as seeing their development as rugby players.”

Now the girls are hungry for more. Several aspire to compete at the upcoming BC Summer Games, and a few graduating seniors are exploring their options at the university level. n

PROVINCIAL PRIDE Whistler Waldorf and Whistler

Secondary girls’ rugby players produced an inaugural season to be proud of.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SUSIE MOORE

‘Electric mountain bikes can be an avenue that gets more people riding’

BOSCH EMTB CHALLENGE RETURNS JULY 31 TO CRANKWORX WHISTLER

BY DAVID SONG

THE BOSCH eMTB Challenge is returning to Crankworx Whistler’s lineup after a generally successful 2025 debut, which was the first time Bosch had taken the circuit anywhere in North America.

Crankworx organizers describe the event as less of a full-on race and more like “a challenge” as its name would suggest: a unique and structured opportunity to experience Whistler’s trails uphill in a social context.

Jocelyn Vande Velde, marketing director for Bosch eBike Systems North America, concurs.

“Like all kinds of mountain bike racing, eMTB racing is about having fun, spending time in nature, and building community,” she said. “We also think electric mountain bikes can be an avenue that gets more people riding and enjoying the outdoors for a longer time and longer in life.

“Some people may think that in eMTB racing, the bike is doing the work, but as soon as you ride or race an eMTB, you immediately see that if you’re pushing hard it’s still challenging, you just get to cover more ground. Also, we see a greater number of riders competing who wouldn’t line up for a race without the confidence boost you get from having pedal-assist motor support.”

Numerous traditional mountain bikers have used electric bikes for various reasons like training or specific excursions—particularly as an alternative to lifts and shuttle buses for getting back atop the mountain. Locals Georgia Astle and Yoann Barelli are known to employ both motorized and non-motorized bikes, as are freeride great Brandon Semenuk, Scotland’s Danny MacAskill, married pros Kyle and Rachel Strait, et al.

‘HONOUR THE HERITAGE’

Last August, more than 110 people braved some rain during Whistler’s maiden eMTB Challenge (which remains Bosch’s only non-European stop). Vande Velde felt that highlights included “seeing eMTB athletes from all over the world experiencing Whistler and Crankworx for the first time, and seeing people who had never before raced an eMTB in this multi-stage style realizing what a fun, challenging experience it could be.”

Sea to Sky veteran Remi Gauvin, who clinched silver behind his former teammate Jesse Melamed at the 2024 Canadian Open Enduro, triumphed in the pro men’s race.

A trio of competitive divisions will be offered this July: five stages for amateurs, six for advanced riders and seven for professionals. Course details are going to be revealed the night of July 30, approximately half a day before the event itself takes place (unlike last year

PHOTO BY STERLING LORENCE

when registrants were kept in the dark until the morning of).

This year’s route will differ from its 2025 counterpart, but it is still expected to cover 35 kilometres of distance and 1,200 to 1,800 metres of elevation gain in the vicinity of Whistler Village. Organizers have also learned to shorten transitions between each stage based on feedback from last summer.

“This is Whistler, so it’s important that the course honour the heritage of challenging North Shore riding that this community expects and demands,” said Vande Velde. “We should be clear that even the amateur division in this race is not for completely new riders, but we think that even people newer to eMTB can have fun if they have some experience with Whistler’s trails.

“Bosch and Crankworx will be offering an organized ride the day before to help introduce riders to tips for getting the most of their eMTB during the stages. We’ll have news on that soon.”

Uphill “no-feet” zones will put riders’ balance and technical precision to the test, with a five-second penalty assessed each time a competitor puts a foot on the ground.

Final standings are determined by cumulative times recorded via bikemounted transponders. Participants must complete the course in an entirely self-supported manner, as outside assistance (including battery changes) is not permitted.

Registration will close on July 26 at 11:59 p.m. local time, with the Challenge itself kicking off July 31 at 8 a.m.

Visit crankworx.com/whistler/ events/bosch-emtb-challenge for more details and to register. n

James RichardCook JamesRichardCook

December5,1939 -July16,2026December5,1939- July16,2026

James(“Jim,“Jimmy”)Cookpassed awayJuly16,2026 at the ageof86after alongbattlewith ayJul theageof86a ongbattlewith dementia,withhiswife, Fredabyhisside. dementia,withhiswife,Fredabyhisside.

JimwasborninKirkmichaelAyrshire,Scotlandandtrainedas acarpenter. In1964Jimmarried arpenter.In1964Jimmarried CatherineAnneGrayinGolspie,Scotland.In1966theyimmigratedtoCanadaandsettledinNorth Vancouver.In1970theyseparatedandlaterdivorced.

SoonafterarrivinginVancouver,JimdiscoveredhispassionforskiingandforWhistlerMountain. SoonafterarrivinginVancouver, JimdiscoveredhispassionforskiingandforWhistlerMountain. WhileworkingasacarpenterforRutlandEngineering,hehelpedbuildtheMedievalInninGastown. Whileworkingas acarpenterforRutlandEngineering,hehelpedbuildth ThecompanylaterbuiltRutlandManorinPembertonandthenmovedontotheAdventures West developmentonAltaLake.

Ratherthanreturnto Vancouver,JimchosetoremainatAltaLake,wherehebuilthis ownhomeand Vancouver,JimchosetoremainatAltaLake,wherehebuilthisownhomeand partneredwithJames(Jazza)KiddtoformCommandoConstruction.Theyframedhomesthroughout theareauntilJazzareturnedtoAustralia.JimmarriedFredain1973andtheyshared ahappylife theareauntilJazzareturnedtoAustralia.Jimmarried Fredain1973andtheyshared togetherfor52years.

JimshiftedhisfocusfromframingtofoundationworkandestablishedCallaghanConcreteProducts. In1980andeagertoprovide abetterservicetothethennewlyincorporatedResortMunicipalityof hennewl ncorporatedResortMunicipalityof Whistler,Jimaddedconcretepumpingtohiscompany andeventuallya fleetoffivepumptrucks. andeventually afleetoffivepumptrucks. Hewas asuccessfulbusinessmanuntilheretiredatthe ageof75. asuccessfulbusinessmanuntilheretired at theageof7

JimlovedWhistlerandWhistlerlovedhimback.Knownaffectionatelyas“Cookie”heleavesbehind countlessfriendsandcherishedmemories.Hislegacy livesoninthestoriesandlaughterand countlessfriendsandcherishedmemories.Hislega livesonint adventuressharedbythosewhoknewhim.

Jimwas aCharterMemberoftheWhistlerRotar yClub.Jimdown-hillandcrosscountr yskied,played lub.Jimdown-hillandcros ,played hockeyonAltaLake,lovedtobikerideandhikein PalmSprings,grew abeautifulvegetablegarden, ab lvegetablegarden, tookupdeepseadiving,windsurfed,fished,hunted,likedtodanceanddrinktheodd“weedram”, tookupdeepseadiving,windsurfed,fished,hunted,likedtodanc nddrinktheodd“weedram”, playedsoccer,golfed,was apilotandcommercialultra-lightpilot,andlovedhisCorvette.Notoneto playedsoccer ilotandcommercia ltra-lightpilot,andlovedhisCorvette.Notoneto shy awayfrom achallenge,hebuilthis owntwo-seat ultra-lightandtookhismaidenflightonthe9th owntwo-se fairwayoftheWhistlergolfcourse(withpermissionofcourse!).Hespentmany happyhoursflying fairwayoftheWhistlergolfcourse(withpermissionofcourse!).Hespentmanyhappyhoursflying aroundthemountaintopsandlandingonGreenLake.

Jimlovedtotravel,especiallytoHawaii,FloridaandCaliforniawhereheenjoyedexploringnewgolf Jimlovedtotravel,especiallytoHawaii loridaandCaliforniawhereheenj ewgolf courses.Inhislateryears,Jimfulfilledhisdreamof owning ahomeinCalifornia,wherehespent courses.Inhislateryears,Jimfulfilledhisdreamofowning manyhappywintersgolfing,hikingandsoakingupthesunshineuntilhewas79.

Following astrokein2017JimandFredaleftWhistlerandmovedto West Vancouver. astrokein2017Jimand FredaleftWhistleran

In2024ashisdementiaprogressed,Jimbecame aresidentoftheBerkleyCareCentre.In2024ashisdementiaprogressed,Jimbecamea residentoftheBerkleyCareCentre.

InCanada,JimwaspredeceasedbyhisnephewMarcusNegrin,andislovinglyrememberedbyhis wife Freda;nephewJamesClark(Lesley)andgreatnephewsAlexanderandCallum;Sister-in-laws JuanitaClarkandDawne(Garry)NegrinandtheirchildrenNatasha,Britta,Anna,Joseph, AlexandraandSophia.

InScotland,JimwaspredeceasedbyhisparentsJamesEcclesCook,JoeannaBryceCook InScotland,Ji aspredeceasedbyhisparentsJamesEc esCook,JoeannaBryceCook (neeCrighton)andsistersJeanJardineandElizabethMacmorland.Heislovinglyrememberedbyhis sistersRosannaHunterand FionaGilmour,andmany niecesandnephewsincludingAmanda, Tony, dnephew ncludingAmanda,Tony, Susan,Sharron,Malcolm,Joeanna,WilliaminHollandandJohninAustralia. Jim’sfamilywouldliketoextendtheirgratitudeandthankstothenursesandcaregivers at Berkley Jim’sfamilywouldliketoextendthei ratitudeandthankstothenurse fortheirexceptionalcare,kindnessandlovetheygavetoJim. Aspecialthankyoutohisprivatefortheirexceptionalcare,kindnessandlovetheygavetoJim.A specialthankyoutohisprivate caregiversespeciallyCaroline,SharonandYiotafortheirdevotionalongwiththecaregivers caregiversespeciallyCaroline,Sharonand Yiotaforthei evotionalongwiththecaregivers at theComfortKeepersCareAgency.

Jimlivedlifewithlaughter,curiosity,determinationand awonderfulsenseofadventure. Jimlivedlifewithlaughter,curiosity eterminatio onderfulsenseofadventure. Whetherbuildinghomes,flyingovermountains,golfingorsharingstorieswithfriends, heembracedever yopportunitywithenthusiasm.Hewillbedeeplymissedandfondly rememberedbyallwhohadtheprivilegeofknowinghim.

Inlieuofflowers,pleasesenddonationstotheAlzheimer’s SocietyofB.C. Inlieuofflowers,pleasesenddonationstotheAlzheimer’sSocietyofB.C. DateofacelebrationofLifetobedecided. Dateof ac

ELECTRIC AVENUE Pro men’s and women’s medallists at the 2025 Bosch eMTB Challenge in Whistler.

Abrupt U-turn at the most dangerous point in the road

MICHELIN GUIDE STOPS ITS COVETED GREEN STAR AWARDS AMIDST A WARMING WORLD OF WILDFIRES

COUGH, COUGH. Excuse me, cough, cough, as I close the window, what with all this smoke in the air. But I have some (more) bad news to share.

I have to admit, though, in light of all the other bad news lately, albeit sprinkled with some good bits—like, as I write, the

BY GLENDA BARTOSH

Signal Hill wildfire near Pemberton is being held, hip hip hooray!—it might not seem that awful in the greater scheme of things. But it is. Mainly because you’d be hard-pressed to dream up a better reflection of the huge shift in our attitudes and actions about the climate crisis.

Not exactly a canary in the coal mine. More like a dead green budgie flopped at our feet.

BYE-BYE GREEN STAR, HELLO P.R.

A few months back, Michelin, purveyor of the famous Michelin Guide, abruptly announced it was ending its coveted Green Star program. Started six years ago to promote sustainability in light of the climate crisis, restaurants that used eco-

friendly ingredients and reduced waste while creating excellent fare were eligible.

True, Michelin is replacing the Green Star program with a new one, something called Mindful Voices—a “global editorial platform” about sustainable restaurants and the people “pioneering new approaches in the fields of gastronomy, hospitality and wine,” explains The Guardian. The “platform” won’t bestow official accolades on any restaurant featured, so people don’t view it as a replacement. Sounds more like a P.R. ploy to me.

But before you cringe in mock horror or, worse, stop reading, let me explain, starting with the not-so-crazy concept that started the Michelin Guide and its star rankings in the first place. All a lesson in irony, and good marketing.

Michelin published its first soon-tobe-famous guide in 1900 to tell drivers about very good places to eat they might not otherwise know about while they were out cruising the highways and byways. It was a pretty obvious business strategy to encourage people to drive more. Wear out your tires more, you gotta replace them more often, right? So, just say yes to more oil, gas and tires—all from fossil fuels.

You’ve probably heard of the usual, more coveted Michelin-star program that restaurateurs are usually over the moon to garner, since the accompanying press and prestige pretty much boost business. Although some say not. As for the Green Star program, apparently current owners of Green Star restos in the U.K. are mortified at its demise since it means so much to them. But I don’t think it’s been on our radar much, gastro or otherwise, in North America.

Green Star ratings have been delisted by Michelin, so they’re hard to track, plus winners are now forbidden to advertise

their Green Star or keep the accompanying green plaque by their front door, but it seems that Quebec received three of the 300-plus awarded globally, including Espace Old Mill in Stanbridge East. CBC also reports that a Niagara region resto with a regenerative garden, Pearl Morissette, also earned a Green Star in 2024. But far as I can tell, Quebec was tops with the most Green Stars allocated in Canada. No surprise there.

While B.C. is still largely seen as Canada’s greenest province, Quebec and Ontario are right behind. Plus when you factor in Quebec’s traditional focus on gastronomy, winning Green Stars for sourcing locallyproduced ingredients and supporting regional, sustainable agriculture all makes sense. Fans of Pemberton Valley’s recently closed Laughing Crow organic farm, take note. Maybe the Sea to Sky could start its own “Green Star” system.

As for Whistler, restaurants like the award-winning Araxi are listed in the Michelin Guide, but none have received a coveted star, green or otherwise. According to Wikipedia, Vancouver, on the other hand, boasts 12 Michelin-star eateries as of 2025, two of them surprisingly in the infamous Downtown Eastside. This after Destination Vancouver partnered with Michelin for an undisclosed sum of money to start a Vancouver Michelin Guide in COVID-wracked 2022. Michelin guides for Toronto and Quebec also popped up that year. Who said Michelin doesn’t know anything about marketing?

Meanwhile, a recent Abacus Data poll shows that only 13 per cent of Canadians surveyed rank climate change and the environment as a “top-three” issue facing the country today. The rising cost of living, the economy and health-care were tops. But only three years ago, 29 per cent

of Canadians identified climate change as a top-three issue.

What a change—in the wrong direction. Just as scientists are telling us we have to act now, and should have decades ago, and that fossil fuel use is the No.1 culprit driving climate change and a future with evermore wildfires.

Still, 80 per cent of Canadians surveyed said they’re concerned about climate change and its future impacts. But our attention is obviously waning, here and beyond. For one, the Trump-riddled U.S. has just nuked more than $83 billion for clean energy projects. Like I said a while back, where’s Greta Thunberg—and Fridays for Future—when we need them most?

Meanwhile, if you’re planning a road trip this coming BC Day long weekend, maybe try a little greening, like take a train, keep things closer to home, or share the journey with friends so there’s one less vehicle on the road, Michelin tires or not. (To their credit, Michelin’s pledging to mass produce all-sustainable tires by 2050.)

BTW, if you’re interested in how old cars looked back when the Michelin Guide started at the turn of last century, you can check out one beauty, likely from 1900, in a posh Vancouver neighbourhood— and much more—at vancouverguardian. com. Also, if you’re feeling a bit generous, Whistler Museum and Archives welcomes donations, large or small, towards their beautiful new facility that will preserve ever more Whistler photos and stories.

Now, oops—please excuse me again. I have to open that window. It’s too damn hot!

Glenda Bartosh is an award-winning journalist whose great-grandfather Burke is reputed to have owned the first car in Vancouver Island’s Oak Bay—a 1911 Humber. Tire brand unknown. n

WHEN NO RUBBER HITS THE ROAD Some 30 years after the first Michelin Guide, local legend Myrtle Philip met two PGE executives with their posh 1930s Ford the company modified with flanged wheels to run on the rail line, which had operated from Squamish to Pemberton since 1914.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WHISTLER MUSEUM / PHILIP COLLECTION

MEADOWPARKSPORTSCENTRE

SWIM • SKATE •

SWEAT • SQUASH

F FLEXIBLEREGISTRATION Flex-reg’classeshavea separatefeeand allowyoutoregisterfor classesonthedaysthatfit yourschedule.

R REGISTEREDFITNESS Registeredfitnessclasses haveaseparatefeeanda definedstartandenddate. Pre-registrationisrequired fortheentire setofclasses.

I INCLUDEDFITNESS Theseclassesareincluded withyourpriceofadmission fornoextracharge.

Point Artist-Run Centre marks 15 years of Flag Stop

THE UPCOMING THEATRE AND ARTS FESTIVAL RUNS FROM AUG. 5 TO 8 IN WHISTLER

BY DAVID SONG

SINCE ITS INCEPTION, the Flag Stop Theatre and Arts Festival has been the biggest, most diverse event run by the Point Artist-Run Centre (PARC). This year’s festival is built, as usual, around a play held at the floating stage on Alta Lake.

Sunshine Coast-based poet, author and playwright Jim Christy unites with Squamish director Kathryn Daniels to present Jackie and Jack: a period piece set in the 1950s that depicts a potential love affair between eventual First Lady of the United States Jacqueline Kennedy and her compatriot Jack Kerouac, a novelist and pioneer of the Beat Generation literary subcultural movement.

“It’s a deep dive into beatnik culture and the highs and lows of fame and fortune,” says Daniels in a press release.

There aren’t many places where you can watch a play unfold on a lake, and PARC artistic director Stephen Vogler feels that such productions grant a unique experience for actors and viewers alike.

“A traditional theatre is a very secure and quiet setting that is protected, so this is the antithesis of that,” he comments.

“We’ve got the audience covered and we’ve

got the actors covered, but there’s wind and potential for atmospheric sounds, weather and whatnot. I see it as an amazing testing ground for actors and even for the playwright. [The performance] has to really be capturing the attention of the audience, despite any potential disturbances.

“It’s a magic setting with the backdrop of the lake and mountains. There’s some interesting challenges just walking around … and moving around backstage. The actors are behind the wall

will be on hand to cap off opening day.

A new addition to this year’s festival, Aug. 6’s Cabaret Night at The Point expands the lineup to four consecutive evenings of activity. The event features host band Whistler Cowboy Jazz, poet Laura Sharp, actors Emma Strong and David Francis, along with a variety of other performers.

“What I really love about [Flag Stop] is that it has connected artists working here, including myself, with so many other

“It’s a magic setting with the backdrop of the lake and mountains.”

- STEPHEN VOGLER

of the tent, but they have a metre and a half back there to do costume changes. It’s a real rigmarole and a challenge, but really rewarding to pull it off.”

EXPRESSING THE CULTURE OF A PLACE

Flag Stop begins on Aug. 5 in Whistler Village town plaza. Representatives of the Squamish and Lil’wat Nations will hold a welcome ceremony, followed by a performance by East Vancouver’s party orchestra Balkan Shmalkan—a familiar sight at PARC festivals. As proceedings transition to Florence Petersen Park, Lil’wat reggae rock group The Spiritual Warriors

artists from Vancouver, the Sunshine Coast, the Island and the Interior,” says Vogler. “It creates a sense of community that goes beyond the Whistler Valley among artists who are working in this province.

“I think it’s important for a community to have that expression of its own artists and visiting artists. Lots of things have come and gone, things that sort of parachute in from somewhere and tend not to last, but I think [grassroots things] which really … express the culture of a place can continue on for a long time. That’s what we aim to do.”

Programming on Aug. 7 and 8 begins with dinner and live music before Sea to Sky

comedy troupe Laugh Out Live presents its own take on beatnik culture. Guests can subsequently watch the Western Canadian premiere of Jackie and Jack. Friday’s lineup concludes with the return of Balkan Shmalkan, while Saturday wraps up with western swing and rockabilly band The Rocket Revellers.

Dinner on both the 7th and 8th will feature a seasonal menu prepared by one of PARC’s rotating roster of guest chefs. Expect a curated selection of wines, craft beers, non-alcoholic beverages and other refreshments to also be available.

Admission to Wednesday evening’s Village performances is free or by donation, while Thursday’s Cabaret Night operates on a pay-what-you-can basis. Tickets are available for Friday and Saturday evening performances in three varieties: full program ($55, 6 p.m.), theatre and live music ($30, 7 p.m.), or live music only ($20, 9 p.m.). PARC members receive a 15-per-cent discount.

PARC organizers wish to thank presenting sponsors Nesters Market, Gibbons Whistler, Whistler Hardware and Sue and Bob Adams, as well as the BC Arts Council, the Province of BC, the Resort Municipality of Whistler and each volunteer involved with Flag Stop.

Organizers are still looking for volunteers to help with the festival. Interested parties can email thepointinfo@gmail.com. Visit thepointartists.com for tickets and more information. n

FLOAT ON Cast members from The Conversation by Bronwyn Preece at the 2025 Flag Stop Festival in Whistler.

PHOTO COURTESY OF STEPHEN VOGLER

Citizen of the Year

BY ANNA DONALDSON ROBERTS

AS NOMINATIONS for this year’s Citizen of the Year award come to a close, let’s take a look back on the history of this award. The Citizen of the Year award is an annual honour presented to a single member of the community or a couple by the Whistler Chamber of Commerce, and also happens to be the longest-standing award in the community, even predating the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW).

The RMOW became Whistler’s official government, and Canada’s first resort municipality, when it was established on Sept. 7, 1975. Before incorporation, community organization and representation were largely carried out through local groups such as the Alta Lake Ratepayers Association and the Whistler Chamber. The Ratepayers Association provided residents with a collective voice on local issues, while the Chamber helped coordinate businesses, promote the area, and support community initiatives. Together, these organizations played an important role in bringing residents and businesses together and shaping the development of Whistler prior to municipal government.

The Citizen of the Year award was created in 1968 with the intent to recognize those who contribute to the community that otherwise would not be recognized for their work. People who volunteer to make Whistler a better place with their longstanding contributions are eligible for this award. Anyone is eligible to be nominated, and the person who nominates them must be backed up by three other people. Although the specific criteria has changed slightly since the creation of this award, the basic standards still apply. Nominees for the Citizen of the Year award can be any age and live anywhere in B.C., as long as their contributions to the community have impacted Whistler in a positive, lasting way.

Nominees in the past have been recognized for all sorts of generous

donations to the community. The first winner of Citizen of the Year, Bob Walker, drove busloads of children to the high school in Squamish in all sorts of weather, dependable when other drivers ran into trouble. The 1972 winner Dick Fairhurst was chief of the volunteer fire department, even going so far as to create a makeshift fire truck out of an old milk truck. Florence Petersen, the founder and president of the Whistler Museum, won in 1986 for her wealth of contributions to all sorts of organizations around Whistler including the creation of the Whistler Museum. Past winners have founded the Whistler Public Library, helped reestablish the lives of flood victims, served on the Parent Advisory Committees of various schools, and so much more.

Each year more impressive citizens of Whistler are nominated, and the decision of who will be recognized becomes harder to make. This decision is never made lightly, which is evident in the 1977 award. That year, 10 equally impressive citizens were up for the award, but the committee, who was made up of the three most recent winners, decided that each nominee was as good as the last. To avoid hurting feelings, no specific person was chosen that year. This is one of the unique things that makes Whistler such a great place to live, that there are so many people who want to volunteer and contribute to the community that this award can be given to someone new and deserving each year, with plenty more nominations.

This award is still presented annually at the Whistler Chamber of Commerce Excellence Awards Gala along with many others. This year’s Excellence Awards, the 60th instalment, is set for Thursday, Oct. 22. To this day, these awards recognize the positive impact these volunteers have had and continue to have on the Whistler community.

Anna Donaldson Roberts is the Summer Program Coordinator at the Whistler Museum through the Young Canada Works Program. n

MODEL CITIZEN John Howells (left) receiving the 1978 Citizen of the Year award from 1976 winner Paul Burrows (right) as Drew Meredith and Grace McCarthy look on in the background.

WHISTLER QUESTION COLLECTION, 1978

ENTERTAINMENT LISTINGS & ASTROLOGY

CRANKWORX WHISTLER

Crankworx Whistler is the ultimate celebration of mountain biking, featuring world-class competitions, amateur races, Kidsworx events, bike demos, and more. Each year, riders and fans from around the globe gather in Whistler to ride, compete, and celebrate bike culture.

» July 24 to Aug. 2

» Whistler Mountain Bike Park

COUNTRY BARN DANCE

Holler on down to Dusty’s summer season barn dances! There’ll be drink deals and specials all night to keep you nice and watered. The Big Love Band will keep those country vibes high all night, so get on down early to secure your spot. See y’all in the barn!

» July 24, 8 p.m.

» Dusty’s Bar and Grill

ART OF THE COCKTAIL: NAUTICAL EDITION

Experience Art of the Cocktail: Nautical Edition, an immersive evening inspired by the coastal works of E.J. Hughes and B.C. Binning. Enjoy expertly crafted cocktails, art, and West Coast atmosphere at the Audain Art Museum.

» July 24, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

» Audain Art Museum

MOUNTAIN TOP MOVEMENT

Engage in outdoor yoga and Pilates sessions against a breathtaking mountain backdrop every Friday this summer. Classes are led by different instructors, so no two are the same. Whether you’re here to stretch, sweat, or take in the scenery, you’ll be among others who value movement and the mountains. Complimentary Celsius will be on hand to keep you fueled, and mats

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

WHISTLER FARMERS’ MARKET

will be provided. Open to all levels.

» July 24, 10 to 11 a.m.

» Roundhouse Lodge

WHISTLER FARMERS’ MARKET

A feast for your senses, the Whistler Farmers’ Market features local produce, tasty food, local artisans, live entertainment and family activities. Markets happen every Sunday until Thanksgiving on Oct. 11, with the addition of select Saturday markets.

» July 26, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

» Upper Village Stroll

ARAXI LONGTABLE DINNER

Araxi Restaurant’s Culinary Director Chef James

Free Will Astrology

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Authentic love songs are rare. Much of contemporary music leans toward infatuation, sex, heartbreak, and fury, while few artists seem interested in singing unabashedly about unique expressions of tenderness and enduring devotion. In the months ahead, Aries, your inner life will be gloriously out of step with that trend. Your heart is poised to wake up in sometimes surprising ways. Even if you’re not a trained vocalist, you may feel regular urges to express your passion and adoration in song. If I could give you a gift, it might be a curated playlist packed with the most radiant love songs of the last 60 years, so you’d have a soundtrack worthy of the lush emotions that I suspect will bloom in you.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Nobel Prize-winning Taurus physicist Richard Feynman kept a notebook titled “Things I Don’t Know About.” When he came across a question he couldn’t answer, he added it to the collection. I recommend a similar discipline for you now, Taurus, but with a twist. Keep a log of “Beautiful Mysteries I Don’t Really Need to Solve.” Rejoice that not every paradox and puzzle needs resolution. Savour the fun fact that some riddles enrich your life precisely because they remain open-ended. Hooray for not knowing! My theory is that some of your finest qualities will flourish in the presence of productive uncertainty.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In the early days of radio broadcasting, engineers sometimes spoke of “tuning the receiver.” Even when a station was transmitting clearly, a listener might hear static until their radio dial was adjusted to exactly the right frequency. The message was present and clear; the challenge was homing in on it. There’s a similar phenomenon going on in your life, Gemini. Useful information, fun inspiration, and interesting possibilities may be circulating in your vicinity. But you will need to adjust your attention so you can actually receive it. To bring the signals into focus, listen differently. Or pose alternate questions. Or pay attention to sources you don’t usually notice.

WEEK OF JULY 24 BY ROB

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Neuroscientists have found that remembering the past and imagining the future rely on many of the same brain networks. That overlap helps explain why vivid visualization may influence our emotions and behaviour. When we repeatedly simulate alarming scenarios about what could conceivably happen, our brains treat them much like memories. This makes us prone to spotting “threats” in places that may be relatively safe. The good news is that the coming months will be an excellent time to retrain this habit, Cancerian. More than ever, your imagination can be a precision instrument you use to recalibrate yourself away from fear and toward possibility. Fantasize about wonderful possibilities with the same intensity that in the past you have dwelled on scary speculations.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Oak trees produce far more acorns than could ever grow into trees. Squirrels bury thousands and forget many of them, preparing the way for the next generation of forest. The trees succeed through strategic overproduction. I invite you to adopt their method, Leo. In the coming weeks, overproduce. Make more than you can track. Release more than you can manage. You don’t need to be perfect, just abundant. PS: This expansive capacity is yours to explore with delight and confidence, I guarantee it.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In the 19th century, Virgo naturalist Alexander von Humboldt helped launch the modern science of ecology. While exploring South America, he came to a revolutionary conclusion that’s obvious to us now: Nature isn’t a collection of separate objects but an intricate web of relationships. Mountains shape the weather. The plants and pollinators rely on each other. Underground mycelial networks perform many services for the trees. I propose that you channel your inner Humboldt, Virgo. Shift your focus away from isolated problems and instead observe the larger systems. Solutions may be elusive when you’re bound to a narrow view but strikingly

IN ADDITION TO THIS COLUMN, ROB BREZSNY

Walt welcomes guests to the annual Araxi Longtable Dinner nestled under Mount Currie at the picturesque North Arm Farm. Guests will enjoy live entertainment and a cocktail reception followed by a four-course family style menu with wine pairings from British Columbia’s top producers.

» July 26, 3 to 7:30 p.m.

» North Arm Farm

SUMMER KIDS’ DROPIN ART CLASSES

The Summer Kids Drop-In Art Classes with Debra Hillary, offer a fun, flexible way for young artists to get creative during the summer holidays. Designed for all skill levels, these drop-in sessions invite

BREZSNY

clear when you perceive the wider pattern. If you’d like to take bold action, rely on the spacious perspective.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): The coming months will be a favourable time to triple your devotion to the art of rowdy fun. I urge you to attend more revels and celebrations than usual, and always be ready to energize social functions with infusions of festive wit and gleeful conviviality. You will also have extra power to inject buoyant amusements into your intimate liaisons. Therefore, dear Libra, I designate you to be the Party Maestro of the Zodiac. I hope you will carry out your role with maximum exuberance, ingenuity, and joy.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): What if I told you that your most personal and potent dream can come true—but only through months of persistence, disciplined sacrifice, and stretches of bewildering but fascinating uncertainty? Would you reorder your priorities to chase it with every ounce of creativity you have? Or would you set it aside in favour of a safer and easier possibility? Between now and the end of October, I predict the moment will arrive to choose one path or the other.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): On some occasions, you just don’t have the power to act with impeccable integrity and do the totally right thing. Doing the partially right thing may, however, be a useful and compassionate option. I bet this will soon be helpful advice for you. Blunt truth: There are moments when the “perfect” ethical, emotional, or practical choice simply isn’t available: The timing is off, resources are thin, or someone else’s limits block the ideal outcome. In those situations, waiting around for the flawless solution is a kind of paralysis that keeps you stuck in guilt or indecision. Instead, you can aim for the best available good.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In botany and gardening, there is a practice called “companion planting.” Certain plants thrive when grown near each other because they

children to explore a variety of materials and techniques in a relaxed, supportive environment. Registration is required.

» July 27 and 30, 11 a.m. to noon (Grades K-2), 2 to 3:30 p.m. (Grades 3-6)

»-Audain Art Museum

DISCOVER NATURE AT LOST LAKE PARK

This pop-up museum explores Whistler’s unique natural history and includes visual displays with on-site interpreters. Different themes and aspects of Whistler’s natural history are rotated and explored daily from Monday to Friday in July and August.

» July 27 to 31, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

» Lost Lake Park

DUSTY’S ROCK THE PATIO

Rock the Patio at Dusty’s Bar & BBQ brings the Creekside Concert Series outdoors with live music, BBQ favourites and cold drinks every other Tuesday from 6 - 9 PM. Catch performances by Red Chair and The Hairfarmers while enjoying a fun summer evening on the patio.

» July 28, 6 to 9 p.m.

» Dusty’s Bar and Grill

GARFINKEL’S KARAOKE

Sing your heart out every Thursday at Garfinkel’s Locals Night Karaoke. Join residents and visitors for a funfilled evening of throwback hits, crowd favourites, and great energy. Whether you’re performing or cheering from the crowd, everyone is welcome to grab the mic.

» July 30, 8 to 11 p.m.

» Garfinkel’s Night Club

share nutrients, repel or distract pests, or improve soil and microclimate. Here’s an example: Indigenous peoples of the Americas planted the “Three Sisters” together: Corn gave beans a living trellis, beans added nitrogen to the soil, and squash shaded the ground to hold moisture and deter weeds. This principle may be useful for you to contemplate now, Capricorn. The people, tools, and influences you place near one another will influence your productivity and wellbeing. By blending complementary energies, your efforts will flourish without strain.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Author Alain de Botton observed that “the person we marry is always far more remarkable, frightening, and complex than we quite realized when we first declared our love.” Rather than feeling alarmed by this revelation, I invite you to find it thrilling as you apply it to your best allies. The fact that they contain mysteries you haven’t yet plumbed means the relationships aren’t likely to grow stale. There are undiscovered depths in those you may think you know completely. My advice: Approach even your most familiar intimacies as ongoing discoveries.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Do you ever fear or distrust your own desires? Are you suspicious of achieving “too much” success? Do you ever feel starved for hope, but belittle yourself for wanting it? Do you go emotionally blank in the face of possibilities that should thrill you? If so, the coming weeks could bring healing and a breakthrough. You will have a chance to perform a rare kind of exorcism—not of garish demons or foolish ghosts, but of the quiet defeatism and lack of faith that dull your brilliance. Seize this moment, dear Pisces! Purge the automatic doubts that the world has trained you to mistake for wisdom.

Homework: Name an unnecessary taboo and how you would violate it if it didn’t hurt anyone. https://tinyurl. com/s9s9s9s9.

InsidePassage1/04: MalaccaStrait (detail),2004,acryliconcanvas,132.1x304.8cm.Collection of Polygon Homes Ltd, Vancouver.

Takao Tanabe,

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TuningShopSupervisor

SpicySports,Whistler,BC

Jobdetails

Company: SpicySports

Location: 110-4557Blackcomb Way, Whistler,BC

EmployeeHealth &WellnessPlanavailable

CONSTRUCTIONADMINISTRATOR-

Supportactiveprojectsthroughdata entryanddocumentcontrol.Strong organizationalandcomputerskills required. 2+yearsadministrativeexperience preferred.$27-$35perhour.

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Start: November1,2026

Language: English

Abouttherole

SpicySportshasbeenWhistler’slocally ownedski,snowboardand cycleshopsince 1992. We arerebuildingourtuningandserviceshopandseekinganexperienced Tuning ShopSupervisortoleadityear-round— running the bench,restoringour customerand partner-shoptuningservice,andtrainingateamoftechnicians.

Responsibilities

•Superviseandcoordinatetheday-to-dayoperationsofthetuningandserviceshop; setthedailyworkflowandmanageturnaroundduringpeakperiods.

•Lead,scheduleandtrainateamofthreetofourtechnicians,includingbringinglessexperiencedtechsuptospeed.

• Operate,calibrateandmaintainourcomputerized/automated stone-grindingand tuningmachines;diagnosefaultsusingcomputerizedtestingequipmentandservice orreplacecomponents.

• Performhands-onski and snowboard tuning,waxing,edgeand basework, and bindingmountingandtestingtomanufacturerspecifications.

• Coordinatepickupanddelivery ofpartner-shopdemofleetsand customerequipment (includingoccasionaleveningruns).

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•Hands-onexperienceoperatingandmaintainingcomputerized/automatedtuningor grindingmachines(calibration,faultdiagnosis,componentservice).

•Supervisoryorleadexperience.

• Tradescertificate/diplomaorequivalentexperience.

• Validdriver’slicence(theroleincludespartner-shoppickupsanddeliveries).

• Willingnesstocomplete a criminalrecordcheck (theroleinvolveshandlingthird-party equipment).

•FluentEnglish.

WhoCanapplyforthisposition

•Canadiancitizens

• PermanentresidentsofCanada

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•Donot applyifyouarenotauthorizedtoworkinCanada.

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Emailyourresumeandcoverletterto hiring@spicysports.com with“Tuning Shop Supervisor”inthesubjectline,or apply at www.spicysports.com/careers

We thankall applicantsfortheirinterest;however,onlythoseselectedforaninterview willbecontacted.

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Below the line

LIKE A LOT of Canadians, I’ve had a beef with the U.S. over the last while. The shenanigans during the FIFA World Cup were just a recent display of American exceptionalism. United States striker Folarin Balogun was issued a straight red card during the United States’ roundof-32 game against Bosnia-Herzegovina,

BY VINCE SHULEY

but after the Asshat-in-Chief decided to insert himself into the centre of the world’s attention (again) and made a phone call to FIFA boss Gianni Infantino, the international soccer association’s disciplinary committee suspended Balogun’s one-match ban for a year. Team America was then taken to the proverbial cleaners by Belgium 4-1, the fury of the world at the backs of the European nation. Whoever thought that Belgium, with its history of brutal colonization, resource exploitation and well-documented atrocities in 19th-century Central Africa, would have the world behind it in a World Cup football match? Such is the disdain for Trumpian America.

I’ll have to admit my own hypocrisy that, despite said beef, I haven’t abstained from setting foot in America. Twice in

the last year, I flew to Park City, Utah at the invitation of the tourism folks down there wanting journalists to experience the skiing and biking on offer. I’ll refrain from blowing the horn in this editorial space, but I will say Park City is the most liberal town in Utah.

The third time I crossed the border was last month. I needed to collect a sizable, valuable package of truck parts that I couldn’t ship to Canada, so I had them couriered to an American friend who lives just over the border in Blaine.

weekend half-expecting to feel like I was doing something faintly disloyal to Canada, like I’d crossed a picket line I didn’t remember signing up for. That strange expectation came from months of news headlines, passionate anti-America conversations and my own social feed insisting that heading south right now simply isn’t something Canadians should do anymore, or at least until the U.S. gets a new leader and some fresh foreign policy. The new 50-per-cent blanket tariffs announced

I’ll have to admit my own hypocrisy that, despite said beef, I haven’t abstained from setting foot in America.

I wanted to utilize the Canada Border Services Agency’s $800 tax exemption rule, so I needed to stay a couple of nights in the U.S. To make a trip of it (one that wasn’t going to cost the money I was trying to save), I convinced a buddy to join me for a weekend of biking and camping in Bellingham.

The weekend was a success. We rode beautifully buff trails on Galbraith Mountain, visited a few breweries and had the best kind of weather mountain bikers could ask for—rain overnight, sunny during the day. Other than longerthan-usual wait times at the border, we experienced very little friction ducking down to the States for the two days.

Here’s the thing: I went into that

last week are yet another reason to avoid travelling south.

Canadian trips to the U.S. have been down by double digits for well over a year, with car crossings off by roughly a third and air travel sliding just as steadily, month after month. American border towns have lost billions in tourism spending from Canadians and airlines have quietly cut hundreds of thousands of seats on Canada-U.S. routes. The effect is real, it’s sustained and it may be the most effective consumer boycott Canada has ever pulled off. Whistler has been more or less insulated from the drama, with Americans happily entering Canada for their vacations, and other international tourists perhaps rethinking

their travel plans to the U.S. and choosing Canada instead (FIFA World Cup matches notwithstanding).

I understand the attitude of the Canadian snowbirds. They usually spend months in warm states like Florida and California, but now they’re facing pain points such as having to register with USCIS for staying more than 30 days, not to mention the weak loonie, political tension in their American communities and border-crossing anxiety. A Canadian boomer selling their American property or cancelling tens of thousands of dollars worth of vacation plans probably sends a clearer economic signal than a couple of mountain bikers living out of a truck for 48 hours stateside.

I’m not going to tell you, or any of my proud Canadian friends, to break their oath of avoiding the U.S. What I will say is before you revoke any U.S. travel plans under a matter of principle, look at the facts. It’s expensive to spend money there right now, but I think many of the headlines around harassment at the border are taken out of context. And while I won’t rule out the possibility, I seriously doubt any Canadians travelling in the U.S. experience any MAGA-led intimidation.

My weekend crossing the 49th parallel wasn’t a capitulation. It was a package, a couple of bikes on the truck, and a border that, when I actually showed up at it, didn’t care one bit about my politics. With the tariff threat once again rearing its ugly head, I prefer to give my tourism dollars to Canadian communities. But I’ll still go where I want to go next weekend.

Vince Shuley had a great weekend stateside. n

NO KINGS Tourism to the U.S. is not popular with Canadians, but shouldn’t be blacklisted.

PHOTO BY VINCE SHULEY

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