SEPTEMBER 4, 2026 ISSUE 33.36
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WHISTLER PU B L I C LIBRARY MAR KS
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TAX TENSION Whistlerites weigh in on taxes, housing and services
12
Whistler’s
living room
CLEAN SWEEP Bike-towed sweeper could offer solution to debris-strewn highways
44
DYSTOPIAN DIVIDE Stella Harvey launching fourth novel, Disruption
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THIS WEEK IN PIQUE
38
32
44
From the basement to Whistler’s living room Whistler Public Library marks 40 years. - By Luke Faulks
06 OPENING REMARKS Canada’s fractured political landscape makes the case for
10 TAX TENSION Whistler residents want strong services and more employee housing,
electoral reform harder to ignore, writes editor Braden Dupuis.
according to a pre-budget survey—but aren’t eager to pay much more for them.
08 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR This week’s letter-writers share thanks for a
12 CLEAN SWEEP A bike-towed sweeper could offer a local solution to Highway 99’s
successful Parkinson event, and call for “absolute focus” on waste management.
debris-strewn shoulders.
26 RANGE ROVER Leslie Anthony digs into the dynamic geology that shaped—and
38 OLYMPIC AMBITION Whistler Sailing Association alum Valentino Blewett sets his
continues to shape—the Sea to Sky.
sights on the 2028 Olympic Games.
54 PIQUE’N YER INTEREST A teenage Stampede job offers a memorable lesson in 44 DYSTOPIAN DIVIDE Stella Harvey explores fear, belonging and political division in her fourth novel, Disruption.
labour, exploitation and the freedom to walk away.
COVER I miss those creaky old floors. - ByJon Parris // @jon.parris.art
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OPENING REMARKS
The winner takes it all WELL, THAT DIDN’T take long.
Barely a year after the federal election renewed calls for electoral reform—and inspired (yet another) argument in this space that Canada’s distorted results had rendered its electoral system indefensible—the political ground has shifted again. On Aug. 31, Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberals swept three federal byelections, holding Beaches–East York in Toronto and North Vancouver– Capilano while taking Chicoutimi–Le Fjord from the Conservatives.
BY BRADEN DUPUIS All three Liberal candidates won more than 50 per cent of the vote. But the most damaging result for Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives came in Quebec, where their support collapsed from 34.1 per cent in the 2025 election to just 12.5 per cent. The party fell to third place in a riding it had held since 2018. The Conservative share also fell from 23.5 to 15.5 per cent in Beaches–East York, and from 33.7 to 29.2 per cent in North Vancouver–Capilano, according to preliminary Elections Canada results. Three byelections do not constitute a national referendum, particularly when two were held in comfortably Liberal ridings. Local candidates and circumstances matter, turnout is lower and governing parties can sometimes outperform expectations between general elections. Still, losing a riding the party had held since 2018 by more than 38 percentage points—and finishing behind the Bloc Québécois—is not exactly a sign of robust Conservative health. Nor is the continuing erosion of the party’s federal caucus. Former Chicoutimi– Le Fjord MP Richard Martel became the fifth Conservative to leave since the 2025 election when he accepted a Senate appointment, following four colleagues
who crossed the floor to the Liberals. Those four floor crossings turned Carney’s narrow minority into a majority—a substantial transfer of political power accomplished without voters in any of those ridings being consulted. Things are somehow even messier here in B.C. The BC Conservatives came within three ridings of forming government in 2024, electing 44 MLAs. Less than two years later, their caucus has been reduced to 30 amid expulsions, defections, resignations and open revolt over the party’s ideological direction and the leadership of Kerry-Lynne Findlay. Dallas Brodie’s OneBC emerged to the right of the Conservatives. CentreBC is trying to establish itself closer to the middle. Former BC Conservative caucus members Ian Paton and Peter Milobar have announced plans to create yet another party for British Columbians who feel “politically homeless,” while several of their former colleagues now sit as Independents. In principle, more political choices should be a healthy thing. British Columbians do not neatly divide themselves into two ideological camps. Neither do Canadians. A legislature containing several parties representing distinct but genuine currents of public opinion should be more democratic than one dominated by two increasingly unwieldy coalitions. Sadly, we insist on plodding along
under an electoral system that punishes precisely that kind of political diversity. Under first-past-the-post, the rise of several parties on the right does not necessarily mean more right-leaning voters will be represented. More likely, those parties will divide their shared pool of voters in a handful of competitive ridings, allowing another candidate to win with considerably less than majority support.
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than half the public’s support. It would also more often require parties to cooperate—to negotiate, compromise and assemble genuine majority support in Parliament instead of treating every disagreement as a fight to the death. Last year, B.C.’s all-party Special Committee on Democratic and Electoral Reform heard from 987 participants through presentations and written submissions. According to an analysis by Fair Vote Canada, 93 per cent of submissions addressing the voting system recommended proportional representation. Asked in an interview about establishing a people’s assembly on electoral reform, Premier David Eby was blunt: “No, I have no interest in that,” he said. Because of course he doesn’t. Firstpast-the-post presently works rather well for his party. It also worked well for Justin Trudeau in 2015, when the Liberals promised that election would be Canada’s last conducted under the existing system— then abandoned reform after winning a majority with 39.5 per cent of the vote. Was anyone shocked by that particular flip-flop? Carney’s Liberals are now enjoying their own favourable turn at the tables. But political fortunes change, as the federal Conservatives and the disintegrating B.C. opposition are learning in real time. A fair electoral system should not depend on who happens to be winning under the unfair one.
A fair electoral system should not depend on who happens to be winning under the unfair one.
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The same principle applies on the left. New Democrats and Greens have spent decades watching Liberals appeal for strategic votes by warning that supporting a smaller party could elect a Conservative. The result is less a free expression of political preference, more a recurring hostage negotiation. Vote for the party you actually support, voters are told, and you may help elect the party you oppose most. That is not a minor defect. It is the central organizing principle of Canadian elections. It is also why nobody should celebrate the distortions of first-past-the-post merely because their preferred party appears positioned to benefit from them. The BC NDP may currently look like the obvious winner from the collapse of its principal opponent. But the splintering parties could merge, disappear or gain momentum before the next election. A divided right could hand the NDP a commanding majority with less than half the vote—or one of the smaller parties could reach the point where the same system that once punished it suddenly delivers wildly disproportionate power. That is the winner-take-all casino we continue to call democracy: political parties wagering the country’s governance on where their votes happen to be distributed rather than how many citizens actually support them. Proportional representation would not guarantee anyone’s preferred
outcome. And that’s the point. It would give smaller parties a realistic chance to establish themselves without functioning primarily as spoilers. It would allow Conservatives in downtown Toronto, Liberals in rural Alberta, New Democrats in Atlantic Canada and Greens nearly everywhere to cast meaningful votes. It would make it harder for one party to wield nearly all the power after earning considerably less
It should give voters genuine choices, translate those choices into representation and ensure the power granted in our legislatures bears some reasonable relationship to the votes Canadians cast. That is not a partisan demand. It is the bare minimum we should expect from a modern democracy. And yet—the winner takes it all. n
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Whistler Parkinson event ‘exceeded our expectations’
Whistler waste management requires ‘absolute focus’ As our local bear population enters hyperphagia—the phase of intense, constant eating to prepare for winter hibernation—Whistler’s waste management requires our absolute focus. While we don’t have systemic, town-wide trash overflows, minor hot spots do occur. Some of these are on private property, like the disappointing job being done managing the commercial bins at Marketplace, but our own municipality
should be operating at a level far above the private sector. The issue isn’t a lack of effort from our elected officials. I deeply appreciate the immense time and hard work the mayor and council put into guiding our community through complex issues. However, there is a widening disconnect between high-level council intent and ground-level municipal operations. We saw this gap clearly during the neighbourhood park garbage can closures.
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A heartfelt thank you to Bruce Stewart and the team at Nesters Market Whistler for their incredible generosity in supporting and organizing the opportunity for our recent fundraising barbecue for the Parkinson Society British Columbia. Thanks to this generosity and the tremendous response from the community, the event exceeded our expectations. Seeing so many people stop by, donate, share stories and offer encouragement was truly inspiring. A special thank you to Jim Budge for the nudge that got things rolling and for his encouragement and enthusiasm throughout. We’d also like to recognize Peter GG (a.k.a. Redbird), Kelly, Wynne and Will, Mike McLellan, Janalee Creative and Cutting Edge Signs for their time, energy and support. We hope to carry that spirit forward at the Whistler Parkinson SuperWalk on Sunday, Sept. 13 at 9 a.m. at the Lost Lake PassivHaus. Join us for either a 2-km or 5-km walk, with proceeds supporting the Parkinson Society British Columbia. We hope to see you there! With sincere gratitude, Mike Varrin // Whistler Parkinson SuperWalk
The operational choice to wrap up bins to save a modest $55,000 resulted in unintended consequences, leaving scattered trash next to shuttered locations into the spring thaw. During high-risk hyperphagia seasons, even minor operational lapses create food-conditioning hazards that get local bears destroyed. The math becomes particularly difficult to reconcile when looking at executive compensation. The Resort Municipality of Whistler recently advertised for a General Manager of Infrastructure Services with a salary topping out at $220,173. When a single management role commands that level of public investment, taxpayers expect flawless execution on basic, ground-level services like neighbourhood sanitation. When concerns are raised, the common refrain is that council “doesn’t instruct staff” due to provincial frameworks. While technically true, council holds the ultimate power over our $114-million operating budget. Ahead of this October’s municipal election, the conversation shouldn’t be about dismissing council’s dedication. Instead, we need to elect leaders committed to using their budget authority to demand tighter operational accountability from senior management—ensuring our massive investment in top-tier administrative payroll translates directly into reliable, bear-safe service for local neighbourhoods. Emma Mullings // Whistler n
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9
NEWS WHISTLER
Whistlerites put core services, employee housing at top of 2027 budget wish list NEARLY HALF OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS FAVOURED KEEPING NEXT YEAR’S PROPERTY-TAX INCREASE BETWEEN FOUR AND SIX PER CENT, EVEN IF THAT MEANS HIGHER FEES AND MORE BORROWING
BY LUKE FAULKS
it offers an early snapshot of residents’ priorities and tolerance for trade-offs.
WHISTLERITES WEIGHING in ahead of
CORE SERVICES LEAD THE PACK
the 2027 budget season want the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) to look after what it has, keep pushing on employee housing and hold the line on tax increases where possible. Those are among the clearest takeaways from the RMOW’s latest Your Budget Insights survey, which drew 279 responses between June 22 and July 20 and was presented to the committee of the whole on Sept. 1. Staff noted residents’ comments exposed a familiar tension. “Many comments on that survey were, ‘Lower taxes.’ And many comments on that survey were, ‘We need more services,’” general manager of community engagement and cultural services Jeff Maynard explained. “Well, those things don’t go hand in hand, and so we around this table and our staff need to work through what are the best ways to meet all those needs, and it’s not a clear path.” Staff stressed the voluntary survey is not statistically representative, but said
TALKING TAXES The survey is just the first way for residents to weigh in on the 2027 budget. PHOTO BY OISIN MCHUGH
10 SEPTEMBER 4, 2026
Of those ranking the RMOW’s seven broad priorities, 52.7 per cent put “deliver highquality services and infrastructure for residents” first. Employee housing was a clear second, followed by emergency management and preparedness.
affordable for most. As Whistler matures as a destination, it is crucial to support the front-line workers and professionals who make Whistler a destination worth visiting,” they wrote. Staff said housing comments leaned toward more Whistler Housing Authority (WHA) ownership opportunities and affordable family housing rather than simply adding rentals. Councillor Cathy Jewett said that
“Affordable housing in Whistler continues to be an issue. Even recent builds are too expensive...” - SURVEY RESPONDENT
Then, there was a sizable drop to infrastructure and services supporting tourism and the local economy, followed closely by responding to the climate emergency. Social, supportive and seniors housing came next, with enabling an inclusive and equitable community taking last place. One respondent argued Whistler’s affordability problem extends even to its newest housing. “Affordable housing in Whistler continues to be an issue. Even recent builds are too expensive to be considered
preference also warrants more context about how Whistler’s housing stock has evolved. “There was a lot of feedback on forpurchase housing, employee housing,” she said. “[Only] until recently have we really made a lot of investments into rental—or WHA has made a lot of investments into rental housing. [Forpurchase] housing, once it’s bought, it generally does not move. It’s fairly static, whereas rental housing offers different opportunities for different people.” Transportation also surfaced
repeatedly, including Highway 99 congestion, transit, active transportation and parking affordability. “[Something] needs to be done about the highway safety,” another resident wrote. “More affordable and more frequent options for buses, and/or bring the passenger train back. Highway infrastructure. Continued Cheakamus development [will] continue to put pressure on traffic and the highway south of town.”
MODERATE TAX INCREASES FIND THE MOST SUPPORT
Of 228 respondents to the tax question, 47.4 per cent preferred a four- to six-percent increase—the lowest option offered. That would likely mean higher user fees and transit fares, along with borrowing to fund major “Big Rock” expenditures like policing, fire, and transit. Another 37.7 per cent supported a sixto eight-per-cent increase, maintaining service levels while adequately funding those expenditures. Just 14.9 per cent opted for eight to 10 per cent, which would also put more money into reserves. Some comments were considerably sharper about reducing spending. “The past practices of tax increases that far exceeded the rate of inflation [are] not sustainable,” one respondent wrote. “The sooner we learn to be more fiscally disciplined the better. Otherwise, we are headed down a double black
NEWS WHISTLER
PANORAMIC MOUNTAIN VIEWS
BUILT ENVIRONMENT Employee housing remains a high priority for Whistler voters, according to a recent prebudget survey. PHOTO BY LUKE FAULKS
diamond with 10-year-old bindings and with no helmet.” Coun. Jessie Morden singled out the ski analogy, while disagreeing with the thrust of the comment. She noted the annual push-and-pull over services and taxes is unlikely to disappear, and suggested future engagement ask residents what services they would sacrifice for lower taxes. Morden also pushed back on criticism of municipal staffing and pay. “Another theme that I hear online and in this survey is that we have too many employees and we pay our employees too much, which I so much disagree with,” Morden said. “[If residents] think that we are spending too much, then what service would you take away in order to reduce the taxes by however much to make you comfortable, and what effect would that have on the municipality as a whole, or the community as a whole?”
WHO ANSWERED THE SURVEY?
The survey was overwhelmingly filled out by locals: 269 of 278 respondents, or 96.8 per cent, identified as residents, compared with nine business owners or operators. Among 270 respondents who provided their age, 44.1 per cent were 41 to 59, 35.9 per cent were 25 to 40 and 17 per cent were 60 to 75. Seven were 76 or older, one was 19 to 24, and none were under 19. Market homeowners were the largest housing group, at 76, followed by employee-housing owners at 71, market renters at 57 and employee-housing renters at 47. Just six were second homeowners, one a seasonal or temporary resident and two underhoused. “The survey primarily captured the views of working age and older permanent residents, particularly those aged 41 to 59,” communications manager Jennifer Smith said. “There is a notable gap in responses from younger residents under 25. As a result, survey findings show a greater emphasis on the priorities and perspectives
of middle-aged and older residents.” Budget understanding was another theme. About 52 per cent described themselves as somewhat or very aware of how municipal dollars are spent, while roughly 32 per cent were somewhat or very unaware. Asked what they wanted to understand better, 77.2 per cent selected how tax dollars are allocated between departments and services. Another 51.7 per cent wanted more on RMOW revenue sources, 48.7 per cent on how and when the public can provide input, and 46.4 per cent on how budgets and council decisions are made. Mayor Jack Crompton said making those finances easier to understand would also benefit council.
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“I think the most important conversations aren’t some line item deep, deep, deep in the middle of the document, but it’s the priorities that are happening across the organization and where finances are being invested,” he said. “For a lot of people, it is understanding what they are paying for. I think that that’s the big question that a lot of people come to the budget process with is, ‘What am I paying for?’”
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WHAT COMES NEXT?
The survey is the first public input point in the 2027 budget process. Staff will use the feedback while drafting departmental budgets for council later this year. Once operating and project budgets are released in late 2026, residents can weigh in through a virtual drop-in, the RMOW’s “Borrow a Councillor” program and an Engage Whistler question-and-answer tool. n
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NEWS WHISTLER
WHILE MY BIKE GENTLY SWEEPS The club estimates the device and an accompanying e-bike that would allow anyone to take it for a spin would cost roughly $7,000.
PHOTO BY LUKE FAULKS
Whistler Cycling Club tests biketowed sweeper on Highway 99 THE CLUB IS EXPLORING WHETHER THE MACHINE COULD HELP KEEP HIGHWAY 99 SHOULDERS CLEANER AND SAFER FOR CYCLISTS
BY LUKE FAULKS ON A CLEAR SEPT. 1 morning, locals travelling between Function Junction and Nita Lake may have spotted an unusual vehicle making its way down Highway 99. Shortly after 8:30 a.m., Whistler Cycling Club (WCC) board member—and 2025 GranFondo Whistler winner—Tyler Eardley was pedalling south along the shoulder with a metal contraption in tow. Beneath the device, a battery-powered brush spun across the pavement, collecting accumulated gravel and debris into two bins at the back of the device. For Eardley and the WCC, the test was the latest attempt to tackle a problem the club has already spent years raising with the province: highway shoulders that are often wide enough to ride are frequently littered with winter grit and other debris that make riding uncomfortable or downright unsafe. “I think more people would ride the road if it was better,” Eardley told Pique shortly before the test ride. “I feel like once [the province’s sweepers] get to the fog line, they just forget that that’s also the road. “But there’s also users [on the] shoulder, and there’s more every year. Not just because of e-bikes, but road cycling’s booming [and] gravel bikes are coming into trend. So there’s way more people riding who would like to use this space, partly to not take up the Valley Trail.” Now, the club is considering whether part of the solution could fit behind a bicycle.
FROM ADVOCACY TO A POSSIBLE HANDS-ON SOLUTION
In a Jan. 23 letter to the provincial Ministry of Transportation, the WCC laid out findings from its 2025 assessment of cycling infrastructure between Pemberton and Squamish. Among its chief concerns was sweeping frequency. The club found most Whistler
12 SEPTEMBER 4, 2026
highway shoulders received an initial sweep in April 2025, but narrower sections beside concrete barriers and around the Mons overpass were not cleared until June, while some tight sections remained unswept until July. According to the WCC, those conditions can force riders out of the shoulder and into live traffic. Eardley said the existing large-scale highway sweeping schedule leaves too much time for debris to build back up. He said the problem is particularly frustrating because much of the highway’s basic cycling infrastructure is already there. “The shoulder is pretty good. It’s wide,” Eardley said. “And the roads are pretty quiet once you start going north— just have to pick the right times.” He noted that the problem doesn’t end at the highway. Tight turns in hilly neighbourhoods around the resort municipality can make for dangerous conditions for riders, regardless of their age or experience levels.
A SUNSHINE COAST-BUILT SWEEPER
The machine being tested Tuesday was developed on B.C.’s Sunshine Coast by mechanical engineer Cedric Eveleigh in collaboration with California inventor Pierre Lermant. The design can operate in two configurations. On open roadside shoulders, the rotating brush pushes grit and debris off the riding surface. Where curbs, barriers or other obstacles prevent that, a rear collection system can capture material to be emptied later. Eveleigh has said the idea grew out of volunteering with Transportation Choices Sunshine Coast, where locals manually sweep road shoulders with brooms. “It was while sweeping debris with a broom that I got thinking about better ways to sweep bike lanes,” Eveleigh told Bicycle Broker in an interview published earlier this year. Eardley said the machines sell for
SEE PAGE 14 >>
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NEWS WHISTLER
Sea To Sky Road Conditions page returns to active moderation after period of chaos AFTER A TWO-WEEK HIATUS, MODERATORS OF THE POPULAR FACEBOOK FORUM ARE RETURNING TO ACTIVE DUTY
BY JENNIFER THUNCHER The Squamish Chief WHAT HAPPENS when arguably the most popular Facebook page in the Sea to Sky corridor is no longer moderated? In a word, chaos. About two and a half weeks ago, moderators of the Sea To Sky Road Conditions page, which boasts almost 100,000 members, stopped controlling what was posted. By Aug. 31, it was filled with memes and posts utterly unrelated to traffic on the Sea to Sky highway. The page is often turned to by locals and visitors alike to determine how heavy traffic is along the highway. When there are crashes, the feed is turned to for first-hand accounts of how long it takes to get through the snarl. So why did the volunteer moderators pull back? “We decided to step back from actively managing the road conditions page after receiving ongoing criticism that we were taking things too far and dictating too much,” moderator Matthew Paugh told The Squamish Chief. “Rather than arguing about it, we decided to let the page run with no admin/moderator involvement so people
could see what that would look like. Unfortunately, it quickly became chaotic and the page fell apart,” he said. “It really demonstrated that moderation wasn’t about controlling people or conversations. It was about keeping the page organized, respectful, useful, and focused on its purpose—providing reliable road condition information to the community.” The pressure on moderators isn’t unique to the Sea to Sky, of course. Nor is it new. The negative mental-health impacts
of social media moderation on journalists is well documented, for example. The issue has also ended up in court. In 2021, Facebook reached a US$85million settlement with about 10,000 of its internal content moderators, a large chunk of which was for mental-health treatment as a result of their jobs. On the Sea To Sky Road Conditions page, Paugh posted on Aug. 31 that moderation of the page is returning. “The rules are coming back, and as
before one of them covers insulting the mods,” he posted. “That isn’t limited to what happens inside this group. If you insult, dox, harass or threaten the people volunteering here—and this has been going on for a couple of years now— why would you still be entitled to the information they provide? “When you make those choices, you live with the consequences. So instead of choosing to be cruel, choose to be kind.” n
BICYCLE SWEEPER FROM PAGE 12 about $6,500 to municipalities and forprofit operators, or roughly $4,500 to individuals and non-profits. The battery powers the brush, rather than propelling the sweeper itself. Eardley said Eveleigh recommends towing it at roughly 10 to 15 kilometres per hour, with about three hours of battery life. “You can pedal it,” Eardley said. But for a community program, “you would get a bike and a machine together in one grant, and then it would be a readyto-go system that anyone can jump on, because it kind of needs an e-bike.” A low-maintenance belt-drive e-bike could cost another roughly $3,000, he
estimated.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
The machine being tested is on loan from Eveleigh. The WCC has not yet decided how a permanent program would work. Grant funding is one possibility. Another is finding a local business willing to buy or sponsor the machine in exchange for advertising space on its large rear panel. Eardley said Eveleigh has also demonstrated another possible model on the Sunshine Coast, where cyclists and other supporters contribute small recurring payments through Patreon that have raised
enough to pay for a regular sweeper. He estimated sweeping once a month could ultimately be enough, though Tuesday’s ride was partly about learning what the machine can do and how often it would realistically be needed. Eardley said better shoulder maintenance could also help make the corridor more appealing to road cyclists. “Whistler already attracts people who bring their road bikes here and want to ride,” Eardley said. “If the shoulders were cleaner and better maintained, I think you’d see even more people using the highway, [and] more [potential for] the Sea to Sky as a road-cycling destination.” n
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NEWS WHISTLER
Ralph Forsyth pitches experience, dissent and a housing ‘pivot’ in re-election bid GENERAL LOCAL ELECTIONS TAKE PLACE ON OCT. 17
BY LUKE FAULKS WITH FOUR TERMS under his belt,
Ralph Forsyth is asking voters to return him to the council table this fall. “When I honestly thought about it and asked my friends and family what they thought, I decided,” Forsyth said. “It’s because I still love it, and I’m good at it.” Forsyth is seeking re-election in Whistler’s Oct. 17 municipal election, pointing to his experience, willingness to dissent and work on Smart Tourism, housing and making council more transparent and accessible. “I think it’s more important than ever to have someone with my leadership skills, someone that will ask the difficult questions,” he wrote in a campaign release. “I’m not willing to just go with the flow; I still have a lot of enthusiasm for the job, and I’m optimistic about our future. That said, I’m not naive about potential pitfalls, and importantly, I have the experience to know the difference.” Away from council, Forsyth is a ski instructor and small-business owner who has written for both Pique and the former
Whistler Question. He spends much of his free time skiing and biking with his wife, Stephanie, and trying to keep pace with sons Jack and Liam—though he has given up trying to catch them on mountain bikes.
HOUSING AND TOURISM THAT WORKS FOR WHISTLER
On housing, Forsyth said Whistler may need to pivot from concentrating so much employee-housing growth in Cheakamus Crossing toward opportunities elsewhere, while pointing proudly to the hundreds of homes delivered there through the Whistler Development Corporation. “I think the people in Cheakamus are feeling like, ‘Wow, man, we’re a bit overwhelmed at the moment,’” he said. “So, let’s take a breath, but let’s not stop working towards housing.” A 2025 assessment identified “significant” or “substantial” development potential across the resort municipality’s neighbourhoods. “When we saw those reports about the priority sites, council was clearly most excited about sites that are north of the Village,” Forsyth said. “We haven’t cracked the nut of housing. Vacancy rates aren’t going up, right? So we need to continue to look [for new sites].” Forsyth is also eager to continue
chairing Whistler’s Smart Tourism Committee, focused on ensuring tourism delivers greater benefits for residents. “It’s more about stakeholders than shareholders, and that the benefits of tourism accrue to the people who work in tourism,” he said. “What are we doing about congestion? What are we doing about traffic? How can we make that not just a better resident experience, but improve the guest experience too?” He pointed to online accommodationprovider tax revenues directed toward affordable housing, as well as ideas like a valley-bottom gondola as examples of that approach.
TAXES, TOWERS AND ANOTHER FOUR YEARS
Forsyth said managing municipal costs will remain a concern, while arguing Whistler’s growing permanent population is putting greater pressure on services. “You go to Meadow Park, and we used to go there and pick up whatever weight you wanted, work on whatever machine you wanted, and walk out,” he said. “Now it’s packed—but it’s not packed with tourists. It’s packed with us.” Forsyth also embraces his reputation as a dissenting vote. Asked for an issue he would draw
a line on next term, he pointed to the proposed 10- and 12-storey buildings in Beedie Living’s Northlands redevelopment. Forsyth put forward an ultimately defeated motion seeking to cap the development at eight storeys. “When I showed my kids that—the kids who are going to inherit the views of this town—they’re like, ‘No way, man,’” he said. “That was one where people came up to me at Nesters and said, ‘Yeah, man, no big tower there.’” Asked how voters should measure another Forsyth term, he returned to experience. “I hope people feel like they’re getting good value from my representation,” he said. “I think that even people who either don’t like me personally or don’t like my policies—or both—won’t argue that I don’t do the job and that I’m not good at the job.” And he wants residents to call him. “My cell phone’s on my website. It’s on the internet. Call me. I love to chat,” he said. “I’ll meet you anywhere, anytime—pre- and post-election. Not just during election time.” Whistler voters head to the polls Oct. 17, with prospective candidates required to submit their nomination papers between Sept. 1 and 11. n
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NEWS WHISTLER
Whistler council backs tax breaks for Arts Whistler, Tyrol Lodge NEXT YEAR’S ESTIMATED PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTIONS FOR COMMUNITY GROUPS TOP $977K
BY LUKE FAULKS WHISTLER COUNCIL is moving ahead
with two new permissive property tax exemptions for 2027, including a one-year reprieve for the Tyrol Ski and Mountain Club that was not recommended by municipal staff. Council unanimously advanced an amended permissive tax exemption bylaw Sept. 1 that adds Arts Whistler to the municipality’s existing roster of exempt organizations and grants Tyrol an exemption on the non-profit-owned portion of its Alta Lake Road property. “The core aspect of this is to review whether the organization service benefit with a resident aligned with Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) goals, demonstrate the financial need, and represent a justifiable taxpayer expense,” manager of financial services Isabelle Chouinard told council. Permissive tax exemptions (PTEs) allow municipalities to waive property taxes for qualifying non-profits whose work benefits the community. The resort municipality formalized its approach in 2023 to bring greater transparency and consistency to the process.
ARTS WHISTLER GETS STAFF BACKING
Arts Whistler’s exemption is new because its lease at the municipally owned Maury Young Arts Centre is being registered on title, making the organization responsible for property taxes on the space it occupies. Based on 2026 assessments, staff valued the exemption at $36,882. Staff found Arts Whistler met the municipality’s criteria, citing its yearround performances, exhibitions, workshops, festivals, film screenings and free gallery access. Arts Whistler reported roughly $1.4 million in revenue in 2025, with more than half coming from external funding. Staff said imposing property taxes “could reduce resources available for community programming and cultural services.”
COUNCIL GIVES TYROL ANOTHER LOOK
Tyrol Ski and Mountain Club has been operating on Alta Lake Road since 1966, providing low-cost accommodation for members and guests. Council rejected its exemption request last year, and staff again recommended against it for 2027 despite acknowledging the club had responded to concerns around affordability, access
and its contribution to mountain culture. Only three-fifths of its property qualifies because the remainder is corporately owned. Tyrol said its propertytax burden climbed from roughly $31,830 in 2024 to $91,606 in 2026—about a third of annual operating expenses. The club argued it preserves access to Whistler’s mountain culture, supports families who might otherwise be priced out, contributes volunteerism and hosts a wildfire-detection camera. “Tyrol does not need to create programming to contribute to Whistler’s community. It already produces members who do,” Tyrol wrote in its PTE application. Staff nevertheless found its benefits remain concentrated among members and guests, most of them Lower Mainland families, rather than the broader Whistler public. Councillors ultimately disagreed. Councillor Jeff Murl, who opposed Tyrol’s request last year, proposed granting the club one year of relief while it pursues rezoning and seeks changes that could affect its tax treatment. “I see that this is a unique property. They have a lot of history here, far beyond even the municipality,” Murl said. “I feel like one year they can come back, and we’ll see what those changes are proposing to be.”
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Council approved both the Tyrol amendment and the amended motion. The bylaw still requires final adoption.
NEARLY $1 MILLION IN FOREGONE TAXES
With Tyrol added, the estimated value of Whistler’s 2027 PTEs rises to roughly $977,000, based on current staff estimates. Staff had projected $923,051 in PTEs with Arts Whistler added. Tyrol’s exemption adds an estimated $54,430, though both figures remain subject to 2027 assessments and tax rates. That would be the highest total shown in the municipality’s historical analysis. Existing recipients include the Audain Art Museum, Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre, Whistler Community Services Society, Whistler Mountain Ski Club, Whistler 360 Health Society, Whistler Children’s Centre Society, Zero Ceiling, local churches, Whistler 2010 Sport Legacies facilities and the Emerald Forest lands. Collectively, those were worth about $802,000 in 2026. Previous line-ups were valued at $613,000 in 2025 and $533,000 in 2024. Over the past decade, exemptions have averaged 1.3 per cent of Whistler’s municipal property-tax budget. n
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NEWS WHISTLER
Judge reserves decision after police officer’s voyeurism trial wraps MICHAEL PHILIP ENGLISH PLEADED NOT GUILTY
BY PIQUE STAFF THE JUDGE in the trial of a Stl’atl’imx Tribal Police Service officer charged with voyeurism reserved decision Aug. 28 after hearing closing arguments in North Vancouver from Crown and defence lawyers. Michael Philip English pleaded not guilty before the Provincial Court trial, which ran Aug. 17 to 19. English was charged with secretly recording a consensual sexual encounter with a woman on Feb. 27, 2021 in a room at the Georgian Court Hotel in Vancouver. English testified that the woman knew his plans after he said “are we recording tonight?’” during dinner at the hotel’s Italian restaurant. He said she consented by giggling and looking at him in an “enticing and sultry” manner. But the woman, whose identity is protected by a publication ban, testified that she never would have agreed to the recording. She felt betrayed by her then-lover when she discovered his smartphone when she went to the bathroom after intercourse. Crown lawyer Katherine Fast told Judge Tim Hinkson that English was not
believable because his testimony was full of inconsistencies and contradictions. “His evidence that the so-called conversation they had at dinner about the recording was a product of a clear agreement between them—i.e. we agreed to do something as a couple, a team—is nonsensical and incapable of belief,” Fast said. If English clearly communicated at the dinner table or in the elevator to their room about recording them in bed, then Fast wondered why she would ask him the next morning if he had recorded the encounter. “His explanation that, ‘oh, I thought she was, you know, checking in to see if it actually recorded,’ to me, is not credible,” Fast said. Fast also wondered why English did not mention the recording while they were in bed for five or 10 minutes after sex and before the woman left for the bathroom. Why didn’t he get up and stop the recording? “Unless he’s waiting for her to leave to go to the bathroom, so he can stop the recording and bring the phone back to the bed, without [the woman] knowing that it had been over to the right of the television against the wall in the otherwise dark room,” Fast said. Additionally, the woman was never
engaged in the setup of the smartphone, she was not told where the smartphone was located and she was not told that it was recording. Defence lawyer Garen Arnet-Zargarian, however, said English did not act like a man who was trying to hide something.
“The Crown must prove beyond reasonable doubt that he ... was trying to be secretive.” - GAREN ARNET-ZARGARIAN
“The Crown must prove beyond reasonable doubt that he, in his own mind, was trying to be secretive,” ArnetZargarian said. “It’s insufficient for them to simply show that [the woman] was either unaware or did not consent. We say that they’ve not met that threshold.” Arnet-Zargarian said there were three broad points for the judge to consider about his client, any of which can independently raise a reasonable doubt. Even if the woman did not hear English
ask “are we recording ourselves tonight?” or if they did not specify exact acts to be recorded, “our position is that if he asked that question, he suggests he wasn’t trying to be secretive; he was being forthright.” The second issue, the position of the smartphone: Upright on the desk, in selfie mode and plugged into a charger. Finally, English, during sex, never obscured his smartphone nor did he try to draw the woman’s attention away from it. He left the room, unconcerned about whether she might see it. “He had nothing to hide. When she asked him the next day whether he recorded, he said quite simply ‘yes.’” Arnet-Zargarian said. “If he was trying to hide his intention, trying to keep his video secret, he had ample opportunity to get rid of it, send it some other means, hide it from her, and then answer no. He didn’t do any of those things.” English, on leave since he was charged in 2024, is still employed as a police officer, but now lives in Surrey and works as a construction site occupational health and safety coordinator. Hinkson adjourned the parties to the case manager to schedule a date for his verdict. He did not offer an estimate. “It will take some time,” Hinkson said. n
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NEWS PEMBERTON
Tourism Pemberton report explores Whistler-style visitor tax THE THREE-PER-CENT TAX COULD GENERATE UP TO ROUGHLY $363,000 A YEAR FOR PEMBERTON AND AREA C TO MANAGE TOURISM AND INVEST LOCALLY
BY LUKE FAULKS WHAT IF SOME OF the money visitors spend staying in Pemberton could be put back into local trails, recreation, events and visitor services? That’s the question behind a new Tourism Pemberton report examining whether Pemberton and SquamishLillooet Regional District Area C should introduce the Municipal and Regional District Tax (MRDT), a levy of up to three per cent on short-term accommodation. The report estimates a three-per-cent tax could generate between $281,400 and $363,300 a year. Like in Whistler, the money would be restricted to provincially approved tourism-related uses—ranging from marketing and visitor services to recreation stewardship, research and some infrastructure. “Tourism is already part of the fabric of Pemberton and Area C, but it also brings pressures,” said Tourism Pemberton executive director Gus Cormack in a release. “If we want to get the best from this important part of our economy, we need the tools to manage it thoughtfully, maximizing the benefits that stay in our
TOURIST TAX Accommodation providers must back the proposal before it can move ahead. PHOTO BY VISUALCOMMUNICATIONS / E+/ GETTY IMAGES
22 SEPTEMBER 4, 2026
community while minimizing impacts on residents, infrastructure, recreation and the places we all value.” At present, the tax is still only a proposal. The report is intended to kick-start a broader discussion with accommodation operators, local governments and the community before the plan is submitted for provincial approval.
Tourism Pemberton argues the revenue gives communities a steady funding source rather than forcing tourism organizations to rely primarily on grants or annual funding decisions. Some possible uses identified in the report include events and shoulderseason tourism, maps and wayfinding, responsible-recreation education, trail
“If we want to get the best from this important part of our economy, we need the tools to manage it thoughtfully...” - GUS CORMACK
WHAT IS THE MRDT?
In simple terms, the MRDT is an extra tax visitors pay when booking short-term accommodation. Communities can set the rate at up to three per cent. Hotels, motels, lodges, bed and breakfasts and short-term rentals collect it alongside other taxes, and the Province returns the revenue to an approved local recipient. Tourism Pemberton hopes to become that recipient. That organization must spend it according to a provincially approved five-year tourism plan and report on where the money goes.
and recreation partnerships, tourism research, business development and visitor infrastructure. Pemberton wouldn’t be the first Sea to Sky community to use the tool. Whistler and Squamish already levy the tax. Whistler currently charges a threeper-cent MRDT on short-term tourist accommodation, on top of the eightper-cent provincial sales tax. The Resort Municipality of Whistler receives the revenue and, under agreements with Tourism Whistler, the two organizations share it equally and reinvest it in tourismrelated programs.
The RMOW describes the tax as an important way of making the visitor economy help pay for the services and amenities needed to support it. Since 2019, the municipality has also put its share of MRDT revenue collected through online accommodation providers toward affordable housing at Cheakamus Crossing Phase 2, under a provincial provision allowing those revenues to be used for housing.
HOW MUCH MONEY COULD IT RAISE?
Tourism is already a sizable part of the local economy. A 2019 economic-impact study cited in the report, using 2018 data, estimated roughly 325,000 visitors generated $31.2 million in economic output in Pemberton and Area C, supported 234 jobs and produced $8.5 million in labour income. Tourism Pemberton argues the issue is therefore less about attracting visitors from scratch than finding “a dedicated funding mechanism to strategically invest in and manage the visitor economy.” The report’s conservative estimate assumes annual occupancy of 50 per cent across commercial accommodation and short-term rentals. Under that model, the organization estimates a three-per-cent MRDT would leave approximately $281,400 a year for local tourism investment after provincial
SEE PAGE 24 >>
TO P 2 F I N A L I S T
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NEWS PEMBERTON
GoFundMe launched for Pemberton family as father faces cancer surgery THE FUNDRAISER IS MEANT TO HELP EASE FINANCIAL STRESS AS THE FAMILY PUTS ITS BUSINESS ON HOLD
BY LUKE FAULKS A GOFUNDME campaign has raised more
than $61,000 for a Pemberton family after local father and business owner Justin Davies was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. The fundraiser was launched to support Davies, his wife Alyssa and their family as he prepares for extensive surgery to remove a rapidly growing sarcoma in his abdomen. “For anyone who knows Justin, you know he’s the kind of guy who would be there in a heartbeat if someone else needed help,” the fundraiser reads. “He’s a devoted dad, a loving husband, and despite everything he’s facing, he’s still cracking jokes and being Justin.” According to the campaign, the operation will involve removing the tumour, a kidney and portions of several surrounding organs affected by the tumour. Davies is expected to face a significant hospital stay followed by a lengthy recovery. The family expects to put Pemberton Backhoe Service, the business Justin and Alyssa operate, on hold for approximately six months while they focus on his treatment and recovery.
As of Pique’s weekly press time, the fundraiser had collected approximately $61,948 toward its $70,000 goal. Money raised will help the family cover regular living expenses, bills, travel and other costs related to Davies’ treatment and
recovery while their business is paused. Organizers are also asking the community to give the family space as they process the diagnosis and prepare for the months ahead. “Let’s help take one thing off their
PEMBERTON VISITOR’S TAX FROM PAGE 22 deductions—about $23,450 a month. Its higher estimate is approximately $363,300 annually. The report’s model includes 152 rooms in hotels, motels, lodges and bed and breakfasts and 96 short-term-rental units. That higher figure is based partly on B.C.’s 2025 hotel occupancy rate of 70.4 per cent and a 57-per-cent year-to-date short-term-rental occupancy rate for Pemberton, with the latter extrapolated to Area C. Tourism Pemberton cautions actual revenues would fluctuate with room prices, accommodation supply and visitor demand. For Tourism Pemberton chair Andy Meeker, the report is a starting point rather than a final decision. “MRDT has been discussed locally for many years,” he said. “This assessment gives our community a clearer picture of the potential impact this widely used visitor-funded tool could have in
Pemberton and Area C, and provides a foundation for an informed conversation about what it could make possible here.”
HOW WOULD IT HAPPEN IN PEMBERTON?
There are several hurdles to clear before a Pemberton-area MRDT could appear on anyone’s hotel bill. First, Tourism Pemberton needs support from at least 51 per cent of eligible accommodation providers, representing at least 51 per cent of eligible accommodation units. For that approval process, the report defines an eligible accommodation provider as one with four or more units in the proposed tax area. If those thresholds are reached, Tourism Pemberton would seek to become the designated organization responsible for the money, which would require support from both the Village of
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plate so Justin can put his energy where it belongs,” the campaign reads. “Healing, getting home to his family, and getting back to building and racing shit with his kids.” Donate at gofundme.com/f/justinsgot-this-lets-help. n
Pemberton and the SLRD. The next steps would include wider consultation—including with Lil’wat Nation, N’Quatqua Nation, tourism businesses, recreation groups and residents—and creation of the required five-year tourism strategy. An application would then go to Destination BC and the Province for approval. If the accommodation-sector thresholds are not met, the current application cannot proceed. Those with questions or comments about the report or its findings can submit their queries through Tourism Pemberton’s website. Public information sessions are also forthcoming, with representatives from Destination BC and neighbouring tourism organizations expected to participate. n
RANGE ROVER
Rocks in my Head VI: The Sea to Sky BECAUSE WE BOTH shape and are shaped by where we live, it’s unsurprising that residents of the Sea to Sky corridor share a high degree of topophilia—emotional connection to a place or landform. Those who’ve dwelt here over the ages have always had to adapt to a dynamic landscape that can both support and impact livelihoods, engendering both awestruck endearment and respectful caution for the power of the land. However, with the increasing spectre of extreme weather due to climate change—and a demonstrable spike in geohazard risk accompanying it—it has
BY LESLIE ANTHONY become crucial to more fully appreciate the role this area’s unique, internationally significant geology and real-time hazards play in our lives. Such are the themes underlying the Fire & Ice GeoRegion, an initiative that began a decade ago with a small group who felt that a thematic concept focused on natural values might fill a gap for the corridor, inspiring much-needed respect for the land and its people among visitors, while also sharing vital knowledge for locals. Let’s start here: how many of us are aware we live in the country’s most geologically active area? A landscape in motion shaped by 200 million years of uplift and subduction (tectonic plates sliding over and under each other, thrusting up mountains and creating
DEEP APPRECIATION With topophilia, the deeper you go, the deeper you get. PHOTO BY LESLIE ANTHONY
26 SEPTEMBER 4, 2026
volcanic hotspots), terrane accretion (the sequential pasting of Pacific islands onto the continent—e.g., Whistler Mountain), episodic volcanic activity (columnar lava along the highway is hard to miss), cycles of continental glaciation (we’re currently 2.5 million years deep into one), and largescale wasting (erosion/collapse) events that include debris flows, glacial lake outburst flooding, and rock/landslides resulting from the interaction of natural processes, coastal weather, and, as noted, a rapidly changing climate. I’ve been referencing geoparks throughout this series, so you’re probably wondering about the term “GeoRegion.” In the same way Átl’k_a7tsem/Howe Sound Biosphere Region avoided echoing the colonial construct referenced by
lava formations. Black Tusk—the iconic spire of andesite lava long believed the remnant plug of a large stratovolcano, but whose cooling patterns suggest a subglacial eruption that never reached the surface—would be the most visible and famous; The Barrier—a hang-fire wall of ice-dammed lava above Highway 99 near Daisy Lake, reason for the town of Garibaldi to be evacuated and abandoned in 1980—would be the most nefarious; and Nch’Kay/Mount Garibaldi—source of 20-some catastrophic landslides that built the Cheekeye Fan—of most lingering concern. Significantly, the deep-time GeoRegion story has unfolded across what became the unceded, shared traditional territories of the Squamish Nation and Lil’wat Nation,
How many of us are aware we live in the country’s most geologically active area?
“Biosphere Reserve,” GeoRegion skirts the colonial delineation of “park,” with its overwhelmingly exclusionary connotation. Instead, GeoRegion suggests a borderless entity defined solely by something that already exists—geology. Thus, the Fire & Ice GeoRegion encompasses several nodes of geological significance, stretching north from the Porteau Cove Sill, a submarine terminal moraine of the last Cordilleran ice sheet, to the Bridge River Cones. Within this area, dozens of geosites tell an end-toend story of ongoing mountain-building, glaciation, volcanism and collapse—four distinct geological pillars around which education and interpretive outreach might be woven. Of particular note are examples of volcanic eruptions both beneath and atop Pleistocene glaciers resulting in a variety of nifty but inherently unstable ice-contact
whose historical experience included joint experiences of the four geological pillars—a landslide from The Barrier that wiped out the trading village of Spo7ez, tsunamis that inundated coastal villages, a volcanic dike (on The Stawamus Chief) and mountainsides (Tszil/Mount Currie) that prescribe mythologies involving transformers and other supernatural beings. The stunning metal sculpture “Big Flood” by Xwalacktun outside the Audain Art Museum is testament to the importance in oral tradition of geological dynamism. After the usual careless wave of resource extraction by Europeans left little else to build on, the corridor’s inherent geological diversity supported development as a tourism destination with an abundance of activities and attractions. Over decades
of piecemeal efforts, interpretive materials informing about geological phenomena, geohazards, biodiversity, ecology, and post-contact industrial history popped up throughout the corridor, irregularly disseminated on the landscape and discordant with relation to content (the Resort Municipality of Whistler gets a silver star for mostly bucking that trend). Thus, an important utility of the GeoRegion concept would be to offer a single thematic umbrella under which these efforts could unite to highlight their connectivity—the relationship of geodiversity to biodiversity and to cultural diversity—instilling a collective sense of stewardship in preserving the area’s natural and cultural values as part of a more integrated and sustainable tourism vision. But first, it’s connect-the-dots of geology. This is currently coming together with interpretive signs in select locations and cutting-edge digital tools—such as replacing a Fire & Ice GeoRegion app with a newer web-based version, updated website, and plans for a mobile GeoTrailer that will incorporate an immersive 360film experience for visitors. Because, of course, there’s always more to learn in a Geopark/GeoRegion beyond famous rocky gewgaws visible from a highway. Stories to drill down into of rivers and lakes and waterfalls. Of glaciers and icefields and snowlines. Of bedrock batholiths and fault lines and lava flows. Landslides where house-sized chunks of rock travelled more than 200 km/h down one side of a valley and up the other. And, of course, the human dimension: mines and markets and maps; art and attractions and outdoor pursuits. As in love, with topophilia, the deeper you go, the deeper you get. Leslie Anthony is a Whistler-based author, editor, biologist and bon vivant who has never met a mountain he didn’t like. n
Whistler Office info@wrec.com 604 932 5538 1 800 667 2993
Pemberton Office pemberton@wrec.com 604 894 5166 1 877 242 2448
Keith McIvor PREC*
9004 Sun God Mountain Way
#26-4000 Sunstone Way
7232 Vistas Drive
$1,500,000 • Vacant Land Lot size: 0.87 acres
$1,749,000 • Duplex SQ FT: 2,022 • Beds: 3 • Baths: 3
$499,000 • Vacant Land Lot size: 5,177 sq ft
Azura, Pemberton
Elevate, Pemberton
Parkside, Pemberton
604 935 2650 keith@wrec.com
Set high above it all, this estate property offers unmatched seclusion This end-unit offers unobstructed views, bright open-concept living Foundation-ready fully serviced, flat building lot offering flexibility and over 460 sq. ft. of deck and patio space. Enjoy the spectacular to build a single-family home or duplex. Design your forever home, and sweeping scenery. Blending luxury with nature, giving you a setting and endless outdoor recreation. No GST. build for family or create a property with rental income. place to unwind, recharge, and truly call home.
Danielle Menzel PREC*
7744 Owl Ridge Road
7677 Cerulean Drive
7569 Oberson Road
$2,299,000 • Chalet on Acreage SQ FT: 2,266 • Beds: 4.5 • Baths: 3.5
$474,000 • Vacant Land Lot size: 12,378 sq ft
$2,199,000 • Chalet SQ FT: 2,833 • Beds: 5 • Baths: 3.5
A private and sun-filled 4.99-acre Owl Ridge estate featuring a custom log home, stunning Mt. Currie views, shared amenities, and a detached garage with a self-contained one-bedroom loft suite.
This lot offers stunning valley and Mount Currie views with flexibility A family oasis with a pool, outdoor living, mountain views and a to build a single-family home with a secondary suite and accessory separate rental suite, this is the kind of special home where families building in one of Pemberton’s fastest-growing neighbourhoods. put down roots and create memories for years to come.
Mount Currie
Sunstone
Pemberton
604 698 5128 danielle@wrec.com
Lindsay Graham 9220 Wedgemount Plateau Drive
8648 Lakewood Court
8594 Ashleigh McIvor Drive
$1,299,000 • Vacant Land Lot size: 1.927 acres
$1,799,999 • Vacant Land Lot size: 12,956 sq ft
$1,999,000 • Vacant Land Lot size: 10,977 sq ft
This expansive estate lot offers an extraordinary opportunity to create a private mountain retreat with expansive views.
Nestled in a tranquil cul-de-sac, this magnificent home site boasts breathtaking view potential of Whistler and Blackcomb mountains.
Perched above Green Lake, envision constructing your dream residence in an exclusive community that effortlessly fuses luxury, natural grandeur, and modern comforts.
WedgeWoods, Whistler
Alpine Meadows, Whistler
whistlerrealestate.ca
Baxter Creek, Whistler
*Personal Real Estate Corporation
604 935 9533 lindsay@wrec.com
SOLD
Damien Amirault
604 932 7925 damien@wrec.com
#9 – 2101 Whistler Road
8214 Mountain View Drive
9135 Wedge Creek Rise
$629,000 • Condominium SQ FT: 368 • Beds: 0.5 • Baths: 1
$1,350,000 • Vacant Land Lot size: 10,890 sq ft
$1,349,000 • Vacant Land Lot size: 1.473 acres
Perfect for first-time buyers or staff! Bright corner unit near Creekside Gondola, shops, trails. Exceptional value, prime Whistler location including private patio, storage, parking.
This property boasts views of Whistler, Blackcomb & Wedge mountains, located walking distance to all amenities. Perfect opportunity to build your custom retreat!
Cleared and ready to build, allowing for a custom home up to 5,920 sq. ft. plus auxiliary building of up to 2,150 sq. ft. giving the flexibility to create the ultimate mountain retreat. No GST!
Highpointe, Creekside
Alpine Meadows
Wedgewoods
NEW PRICE
Katelyn Spink
604 786 1903 katelyn@wrec.com
#7 – 7450 Prospect Street
7596 Taylor Road
$699,000 • Condominium SQ FT: 827 • Beds: 2 • Baths: 1
$1,299,000 • Chalet SQ FT: 2,218 • Beds: 4 • Baths: 2
D’A rcy $439,000 • Serviced Lot Lot size: 1.927 acres
This home offers a relaxed and easy-going lifestyle just steps from everything the village has to offer, complete with its own separate garage.
Two fully contained 2 bedroom 1 bath suites in an iconic Pemberton building, keep them together or explore joining them in to one larger home.
The perfect place to start your dream build. A rare opportunity to secure a serviced rural property and build the lifestyle you’ve been looking for. RR1 zoned.
Pemberton
NEW PRICE
Pemberton
9665 Devine Street
NEW PRICE
Tracey Cruz
604 905 9552 tracey@wrec.com
2 Walkerville Road
1423 Willow Drive
8207 Merlot Peak Drive
$1,849,000 • Chalet on Acreage SQ FT: 3,137 • Beds: 4 • Baths: 2.5
$1,380,000 • Chalet SQ FT: 1,740 • Beds: 3.5 • Baths: 2
$639,000 • Vacant Land Lot size: 11,087 sq ft
Exquisite custom residence on 2.5 acres with vaulted ceilings, artisan log elements and expansive windows. Detached lofted studio cabin for rental potential and workshop/storage for outdoor gear.
A beautifully cared-for 3-bedroom plus den mountain home offering incredible Mount Currie views, all-day sun, multiple outdoor living spaces, a hot tub, oversized garage and more.
Build your dream home with incredible mountain views. House plans available with double garage & suite. Easy access to Pemberton’s trails, recreation, amenities and Whistler.
Pemberton
whistlerrealestate.ca
Pemberton
Sunstone, Pemberton
Whistler Office info@wrec.com 604 932 5538 1 800 667 2993
Pemberton Office pemberton@wrec.com 604 894 5166 1 877 242 2448
Lisa Hilton PREC*
#17 - 7416 Flint St
9660 Devine Street
2841 Blackwater Road
$715,000 • Townhouse SQ FT: 1,035 • Beds: 3 • Baths: 2
$999,000 • Chalet Lot size: 1.84 acres • Beds: 4 • Baths: 2
$749,000 • Chalet Lot size: 2.32 acres • Beds: 1 • Baths: 1
Family-friendly living in Chelsea Place with a fenced backyard, mountain views, and room for kids to play. Walk to schools, parks, and shopping from this move-in-ready 3-bedroom townhome.
Nearly two private acres of sunny, level green space, plus generous outbuilding and garage space, make this a dream property for the mountain enthusiast.
Private off-grid cabin near Blackwater and Birkenhead Lakes, just 40 minutes from Pemberton, with new windows, new solar system, loft bedroom, wood stove, and spring-fed water.
Pemberton
Pemberton
604 902 4589 lisah@wrec.com
Pemberton
Jill Notman Colpitts #325 Lost Lake Lodge
#4 Lupin Rock
38 Englewood Green
$1,595,000 • Condominium SQ FT: 805 • Beds: 2 • Baths: 2
$1,629,000 • Townhouse SQ FT: 1,249 • Beds: 3 • Baths: 2.5
$3,175,000 • Townhouse SQ FT: 1,722 • Beds: 3 • Baths: 2.5
Beside Lost Lake Park and Fairmont Golf Course, enjoy trails, swimming, skiing, and biking. Amenities include a pool, hot tub, fitness centre, shuttle, and parking. No GST.
Private end-unit townhome in a hidden enclave near Valley Trail, Creekside, and Alta Lake Parks. Features hot tub, large mudroom, and a mountain of potential.
Beautifully crafted mountain home, offering refined Whistler living. Found in a four season neighbourhood and loved by those who call it home. Golf, XC ski, trails, and best patio in town! No GST
Benchlands
Nordic
604 932 1372 jill@wrec.com
Green Lake Estates
SOLD
Jane Heim
8633 Forest Ridge Drive
9480 Emerald Drive
7661 Cerulean Drive
$3,188,000 • Chalet SQ FT: 3,820 • Beds: 6
$2,799,000 • Chalet SQ FT: 3,198 • Beds: 7 • Baths: 7
$575,000 • Vacant Land Lot size: 13,132 sq ft
Beautifully maintained gothic-arch chalet with views of Wedge + Armchair Glaciers on 13,063 sq ft of mature gardens. Stunning family home with strong suite revenue.
Corner lot with stunning Mt. Currie views. Flexible design potential with dual street frontage. Zoning allows one detached residence + an accessory dwelling unit.
Alpine Meadows, Whistler
Baths: 5
Alpine Meadows gem on a quiet street with Whistler + Blackcomb views on a flat 14,400 sq ft lot with huge back yard. Separate 3-bed suite generates strong rental income.
Emerald Estates, Whistler
Sunstone, Pemberton
*Personal Real Estate Corporation
604 935 0802 jane@janeheim.ca
Whistler Office info@wrec.com 604 932 5538 1 800 667 2993
Pemberton Office pemberton@wrec.com 604 894 5166 1 877 242 2448
Elizabeth Chaplin 604 932 1311
elizabeth @elizabethchaplin.com
#320 - 4368 Main Street
#4 - 2235 Sapporo Drive
#303 - 4368 Main Street
$929,000 • Condominium SQ FT: 455 • Beds: 0.5 • Baths: 1
$799,000 • Townhouse SQ FT: 405 • Beds: 1 • Baths: 1
$875,000 • Condominium SQ FT: 460 • Beds: 0.5 • Baths: 1
This studio has been thoughtfully renovated and beautifully maintained, offering a turnkey opportunity for invevstors or those seeking a personal mountain retreat with strong revenue potential.
This bright and inviting 1-bedroom, 1-bathroom residence enjoys peaceful, forest-like views, an updated kitchen, and unbeatable location right across the street from the Creekside Gondola.
A bright, comfortable, and functional studio right in Whistler Village. Phase I zoning allowing for unlimited owner use as well as short- and long-term rentals.
Market Pavilion, Whistler Village
Gondola Village, Whistler Village
SOLD
Market Pavilion, Whistler Village
ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS
Olly Duquemin 604 938 4011 olly@wrec.com
#H205 - 1400 Alta Lake Road
#638A - 2036 London Lane
$950,000 • Condominium SQ FT: 710 • Beds: 2 • Baths: 1
$239,900 • Condominium SQ FT: 594 • Beds: 1 • Baths: 1
Inviting 2-bedroom plus den lakefront home. Just minutes from Creekside conveniences and suitable for full-time residence, weekend retreat or rental.
This top-floor corner penthouse ¼ share features high vaulted ceilings and breathtaking views of the ski hill. Enjoy one week of use every month, plus two weeks every fourth Christmas.
Tamarisk, Alpha Lake
Erica Lawson
604 966 7181 erica@wrec.com
Legends, Creekside
Hilton Grand Vacation Points Selling and listing 20,000 points, $16,000.
Hillary Lawson
613 862 9768 hillary@wrec.com
Whistler Property Sisters Team propertysisters@wrec.com
Call an agent if you want it listed. Call the Property Sisters if you want it sold.
whistlerrealestate.ca
2317 - F Brandywine Way
#972 - 4090 Whistler Way
$1,349,000 • Townhouse SQ FT: 1,365 • Beds: 3.5 • Baths: 2
$644,000 • Condominium SQ FT: 511 • Beds: 1 • Baths: 1
Spacious end-unit offers a hot tub, flexible living space. Ideally located within walking distance of Creekside Village, the gondola, and Alpha Lake.
Steps from both gondolas, this bright suite features a cozy fireplace, fully equipped kitchen, elevated mountain and village views.
Bayshores, Whistler
*Personal Real Estate Corporation
The Westin Resort & Spa
FEATURE STORY
From base
ment boo
kshelves to
Technology soon changed the work. The library bought its first computer about a year after opening, and by the 1990s Richoz was helping move Whistler toward automated circulation. Public internet access changed who came through the door, too. “What was amazing was how many people came to the library to use the internet. That’s all they came for,” Richoz said. “And then they came in and they thought, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s not just a bunch of dusty old paperbacks.’ [A] lot of those people that came just to use the internet, then they got the library card, and they became library users.” Growth quickly exposed another problem: space. By 1990, Whistler already counted 1,157 registered borrowers—exceeding the 704 and 261 recorded borrowers at the time in Squamish and Pemberton. The original basement was overflowing, and in December 1994 the library moved into former Canada Post trailers and relocated to Main Street. The move doubled the Library’s space, and helped more than double visits to about 50,000 in 1995. The trailers were supposed to last three to five years. They lasted 13.
WHISTLER PU LIBRARY MAR BLIC KS By Luke F aulks Whistler’s
living room
The Whistler Public Library opened in 1986 with roughly 4,600 books and almost 400 registered cardholders.
A permanent home and Olympic transformation By the early 2000s, the temporary library had leaks, crowded shelves and so little storage that the library purchased a shipping container for its growing collection. Plans for a permanent facility had been discussed for years, but shifting proposals, construction costs and delays repeatedly pushed it back. Ground WHISTLER QUESTION COLLECTION
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WHISTLER PUBLIC LIBRARY
When Joan Richoz moved to Whistler in 1973, there was no public library waiting for her.
The Library’s second location, operating out of former Canada Post trailers in 1994.
A group of kids sit on the floor of the old Whistler library in the basement of municipal hall listening to librarian Joan Richoz in 1991.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WHISTLER PUBLIC LIBRARY
finally broke in 2005. When Lauren Stara arrived as director in 2006, she inherited what she called “a Instead, the avid reader relied on trips to family in Vancouver, or the libraries in Pemberton and Squamish. Whistler itself was still a fledgling municipality growing hole in the ground.” She also brought an unusual qualification for the job: alongside being a librarian, around a booming ski resort, with many civic institutions yet to take shape. Stara was a registered architect. That began to change in 1985, when the Whistler Community Arts Council started “My first year and a half were basically working with the [Resort Municipality looking into what it would take to establish a library. The Whistler Public Library Association followed that December, and by May 1986, more than 2,000 books and of Whistler],” she recalled. “I went to the construction meetings every week, and I insisted on that because a lot of decisions are made in the weekly construction tens of thousands of dollars had been donated. The result wasn’t overly showy: about 1,400 square feet in the basement of municipal meetings. And if a librarian isn’t sitting at the table, a lot of decisions can get made hall, shelving built with help from the Whistler Rotary Club and a library open just 16 that reduce the functionality of the building.” One decision still shapes how Whistler uses the library today. hours a week. But on Aug. 27, 1986, the Whistler Public Library officially opened for The original plans called for fixed bookshelves across both wings. Stara pushed borrowing with roughly 4,600 books and almost 400 registered cardholders. instead for movable shelving—a relatively modest change that allows much of the Forty years later to the day, Richoz was back—this time seated inside the spacious Main Street building that eventually replaced the basement—to help tell the story of collection to be rolled aside and the building transformed into a large event venue. “The fact that we were able to move these shelves out of here and use this space for how a small-town collection grew into one of Whistler’s most-used public institutions. events like this with no trouble at all, it was just a complete game changer,” she said. “The fact that we had a meeting room that only fits 60 people, [but] we can do events for 800 in this space. I’m very proud of that.” The last day in the trailers was Jan. 6, 2008. A week later, residents formed a Richoz had been elected a trustee on the library’s original board before stepping down “Books on the Move” brigade, passing books person-to-person into their new home before professional movers handled the rest. in May 1986 to become its first chief librarian. By the time she retired 20 years later, the The building officially opened Jan. 26. Library use more than doubled again collection had grown from a few thousand books to more than 40,000 items. But before digital catalogues and self-checkout machines, adding a single book during its first year there. Then, two years later, the building became something else entirely. could mean typing several separate index cards. During the 2010 Winter Olympics, shelves were moved and the library was “Every book—we only had books when we opened the library—every book had at least four cards that I could type: one for the title, one for the author, one for converted into Whistler Canada Olympic House, a hospitality centre connected to any subjects, and another one for inventory,” Richoz recalled during the Aug. 27 the Games. Stara had initially resisted closing regular library operations. anniversary panel discussion. “I thought library services are for everyone. It doesn’t matter what’s going on,” she “So imagine 2,500 brand new books, and each one of them had at least four cards said. “But as it turned out, nobody would have come to the library those two weeks that I [had to] type.”
Catalogue cards to the internet
SEPTEMBER 4, 2026
31
DISCOVER THE DIFFERENCE THE RIGHT AGENTS CAN MAKE IN SELLING YOUR WHISTLER HOME
DAVID LEWIS
$629,000 $6,700,000
$629,000 $5,548,000
$629,000 $3,549,000
Personal Real Estate Corp.
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WHISTLER –––
SQUAMISH –––
WHISTLER –––
A remarkable WedgeWoods retreat combining striking architecture, expansive mountain views and refined interiors, complete with a private carriage house and exceptional outdoor living.
A striking BattersbyHowat-designed residence. Experience refined contemporary architecture, exceptional indoor-outdoor living and breathtaking mountain and ocean views.
A spacious four-bedroom Taluswood residence offering ski-home access, classic mountain architecture, private hot tub and exceptional rental potential—all moments from Creekside.
6 bed I 6 bath I 4,932sqft I Luxury Chalet
4 bed I 4 bath I 4,137sqft I Luxury Home
4 bed I 3.5 bath I 2,380sqft I Townhome
9304 Steller’s Way
RUBY JIANG
$11,200,000 $629,000
38574 High Creek Drive
$629,000 $2,790,000
6-2240 Nordic Drive
$629,000 $2,350,000
Personal Real Estate Corp.
(778) 834 2002 rubyjiangtao@yahoo.ca whistlerhome.com
WHISTLER –––
WHISTLER –––
WHISTLER –––
Sunridge Plateau Is a luxury neighborhood in a walking distance to Village Center. You can ski back home from Whistler Mountain.
Carleton Lodge! With a patio and windows that showcase stunning views of two worldclass peaks, this unit put you right in all the excitement Whistler has to offer.
Woodrun on Blackcomb Mountain is a ski-in/ ski-out concrete building that provides peaceful vacation accommodations. This beautifully renovated unit allows nightly rentals.
2 bed I 2 bath I 960sqft I Condo
2 bed I 2 bath I 1,050sqft I Condo
3803 Sunridge Place
6 bed I 10 bath I 7,400sqft I Single house
DOUG TRELEAVEN
$629,000 $1,788,000
303-4280 Mountain Square
$629,000 $499,000
415-4910 Spearhead Place
$629,000 $339,000
Real Estate Agent
(604) 905-8626 douglas.treleaven@gmail.com dougtreleaven.com
WHISTLER –––
WHISTLER –––
WHISTLER –––
#25 Bluffs offers exceptional slopeside ownership with effortless ski-in/ski-out access to Creekside Gondola, plus Phase 1 zoning for personal enjoyment and investment potential.
Exceptional opportunity to own a Phase 2 unit that sleeps 6; just steps from the gondolas. Resort amenities include an indoor pool, hot tub, and sauna.
Take advantage of this outstandingl opportunity to purchase a Phase 2 unit right in the heart of Whistler Village, featuring full resort amenities such as an indoor pool, hot tub, and sauna.
2 bed I 2 bath I 1,002sqft I Townhouse
1.5 bed I 1 bath I 495sqft I Condo
0.5 bed I 1 bath I 344sqft I Condo
25 2301 Taluswood Place
227 4220 Gateway Drive
229 4220 Gateway Drive
– CONTACT ONE OF OUR TOP WHISTLER REAL ESTATE REPRESENTATIVES TODAY –
ANGELL HASMAN & ASSOCIATES REALTY LTD. 604-305-2420
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ANGELLHASMANWHISTLER.CA
DAVID NAGEL
$629,000 $9,500,000
$629,000 $4,175,000
$629,000 $2,795,000
Real Estate Agent
(604) 906-0026 davidnagelwhistler@gmail.com davidnagel.com
WHISTLER –––
WHISTLER –––
WHISTLER –––
Step into sophistication in Whistler’s coveted White Gold neighbourhood. This magnificent residence captures breathtaking views of both Whistler & Blackcomb Mountains.
A magnificent modern residence and carriage house offering vaulted ceilings, light-filled interiors, and versatile living spaces designed for privacy, income potential, and entertaining.
This family friendly Whistler chalet sits on a spacious 13,000+ sq ft lot with sweeping mountain views, offering warmth, character, privacy and the ultimate alpine lifestyle.
4 bed I 6 bath I 3,577sqft I Chalet
5 bed I 5 bath I 3,523sqft I Chalet
5 bed I 3 bath I 2,106sqft I Chalet
7313 Toni Sailor Lane
SHERRY BAKER
$3,699,000
8224 Alpine Way
$629,000 $1,699,000 $1,775,000
2748 Coyote Place
$629,000 $1,150,000 SOLD!
Personal Real Estate Corp.
(604) 932-1315 sherry@whistlerrealty.homes whistlerrealty.homes
WHISTLER –––
PEMBERTON –––
WHISTLER –––
This home was thoughtfully designed to bring the outdoors in, opening to a private patio complete with hot tub, sauna, cold plunge and breathtaking forest and mountain views.
Newly constructed in the coveted Sunstone community, this refined modern home blends architectural simplicity with elevated design and sweeping mountain views.
Whistler Creek townhome home enjoys a private, peaceful setting while being just a short walk from Creekside’s shops, restaurants and amenities.
4 bed I 4 bath I 2,878sqft I Chalet
4 bed I 4 bath I 2,363sqft I Chalet
3 bed I 1.5 bath I 1,105sqft I Townhouse
9149 Wedge Creek Rise
DAN SCARRATT
$8,950,000
7666 Cerulean Drive
$629,000 $1,665,000 $1,775,000
12-2301 Cavendish Way
$629,000 $329,000
Personal Real Estate Corp.
(604) 938-4444 dan@danscarratt.com dansellswhistler.com
WHISTLER –––
WHISTLER –––
PEMBERTON –––
Gather around the fire, dine beneath the stars, and walk to the lake from this exceptional Whistler chalet designed for family and friends.
This exceptional Snowridge location puts the slopes at your doorstep for effortless winter days. Step out, clip in, and ski.
From morning coffee on your patio to afternoons by the pool, this ground-floor retreat makes enjoying Pemberton effortless.
6 bed I 7.5 bath I 6,367sqft I Chalet
3 bed I 2 bath I 1,177sqft I Townhouse
1 bed I 1 bath I 528sqft I Condominium
3205 Archibald Way
11-2556 Snowridge Crescent
124-1490 Highway 99
VISIT OUR WHISTLER BRANCH OFFICE AT 4314 MAIN STREET, UNIT 20, WHISTLER, BC, V8E 1A8
Librarian Joan Richoz rifles through the card catalogue before it was replaced by computer terminals in 1995.
Join the Whistler Public Library Board of Trustees! The Library Board helps determine strategic priorities, develops policy and oversees fiscal responsibility of the Whistler Public Library, and seeks to reflect the diversity of our community. • We’re recruiting for a two-year term starting in January 2027. • Interviews will take place on September 28 and 29, 2026. • Successful applicants will be appointed by Resort Municipality of Whistler Council.
For more information and to apply visit us at the following: • in person at the Whistler Public Library, 4329 Main Street • online by scanning the QR code below
For further information contact publicservices@whistlerlibrary.ca
Scan the QR code to learn more
Deadline for applications is 4 p.m. on Monday September 14, 2026
Douglas First Nation Forest Licence A99995 Notice of Public Viewing Forest Stewardship Plan
The Douglas (Xa’xtsa) First Nation have developed a new Forest Stewardship Plan (FSP) for the Forest Licence A99995. The licence area is located within the Chilliwack Natural Resource District, within the Lower Lillooet Valley and covers the Tipella Creek, Tretheway Creek, and Big Silver areas. The FSP is required to allow for the issuance of permits authorizing road construction, harvesting, and other forest development activities. The FSP has been prepared to conform and comply with applicable higher-level plans, the Forest and Range Practices Act and the associated regulatory framework. As per Section 20 of the Forest Planning and Practices Regulation, notice is hereby given to all guide outfitters, trappers, private landowners, water users, other stakeholders, as well as the general public that a 60-day public review and comment period is commencing and input from stakeholders and the general public is requested so that any concerns or comments relating to the proposed FSP can be addressed. This FSP will be available for public review and comment during the 60-day period commencing August 28th, 2026 through October 28th, 2026. The FSP can be viewed online by contacting wstaven@crgl.ca, or in person during regular business hours at: Kintera Solutions (Formerly Chartwell Resource Group) #201 – 1121 Commercial Place, Squamish, BC V8B 0S5 Comments should be directed to Wes Staven, RPF, at Kintera at wstaven@crgl.ca and by telephone at (604) 390-3426.
anyway. There was no way to get into the village.” The transformation demonstrated an oft-celebrated flexibility designed into the building—and offered a preview of another lesson subsequent directors would repeatedly confront: sometimes serving the community meant changing what a library looked like.
When opening the doors was no longer possible
For Elizabeth Tracy, who led WPL from 2012 to 2022 and now serves as chief administrative officer for the Village of Pemberton, the defining challenge came in March 2020. One of the elements she valued most about a resort-town library was its unusually broad public: permanent residents, seasonal workers and visitors from around the world could all walk through the same doors and ask for help. Then COVID-19 made the open door itself a risk. “I can remember those first few days I was here in the office. The entire team was at home at that time,” Tracy said. “I was also the chair of the Association of BC Public Library Directors, so we were having meetings almost every single day [trying] to figure out what the path forward was going to be.” The library closed its doors March 16. Staff were temporarily seconded to Whistler Community Services Society’s food bank while the library built a new way of operating. There were various incarnations of library “takeout,” stacks of paper bags, changing rules around handling materials and eventually huge Plexiglas barriers around desks. Protocols evolved almost as quickly as staff could implement them. For Tracy, however, the difficult part was less logistical than philosophical. “I think that for libraries in general, the most difficult thing about that situation was that we are a place that opens our eyes and welcomes and serves everyone, no matter who you are—this is the palace for the people,” she said. “The other thing, in the case of this library, that was really challenging, was that we had spent the entirety of the time that I had spent in the organization building a service model that was all about being able to say yes to the person in front of you, and this was the antithesis of that.” Staff nevertheless shifted programs online. Program and communications coordinator Jeanette Bruce noted at the anniversary event that the library missed only one monthly book club meeting; by April 2020 it was online, and the virtual version continues today. Then came another test: a cyber breach roughly a year later. “We became really dependent on that technology, Joan,” Tracy joked. “And we got really intuitive without it. We did things like we pilfered the Wi-Fi off the museum. We figured out Getting computers and the ways to check books in and out internet got more Whistlerites without having a computer.” The word of the era, she said, interested in the Library. was “pivot.” PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WHISTLER PUBLIC LIBRARY
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WHISTLER QUESTION COLLECTION
Thank You
Dance Fitness for Life would like to thank everyone who made our first annual event a great success! Special Thanks to:
MC Chris Quinlan • Volunteer coordinator Donna Savage • Olympian Julia Murray GQ Dance Fitness Powerhouse • Hitotose Samurai Cinema Club Fairmont Chateau Whistler • Pique Newsmagazine • Mountain FM
Thanks also to our generous auction sponsors:
Adele Campbell Fine Art • Caramba/Quattro/Lorette • Keir Fine Jewellery • Backcountry Brewing Sushi Village • Harajuku Izakaya/Oyama Ramen/Fuji Market • 21 Steps • Nesters Market Rimrock Café • Samurai Bowl • Ziptrek Ecotours • Whistler Bungee • The Adventure Group Whistler Blackcomb • Four Seasons Resort Whistler • Squamish Canyon Sea To Sky Gondola • Sunwolf Riverside Resort • Sandman Hotel in Squamish Funds raised will support Whistler Community Services Society (Sea to Sky) mental health and dementia support programs.
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Notice of Proposed Zoning Amendment Bylaw - No Public Hearing to be Held Zoning And Parking Amendment Bylaw (Social and Supportive Housing on CLBA Lands) No. 2536, 2026 (the “proposed bylaw”) Purpose: The purpose of the proposed bylaw is to change the Residential Multiple – Comprehensive Development Two (RM-CD2) zone and Athlete Centre Three (AC3) zone to add ‘Apartments for Supportive Housing’ as an allowable land use in addition to the already permitted Employee Housing Use. The Bylaw also proposes to add a definition of Supportive Housing and Social Service Agency to Part 2 (Interpretations) of Zoning and Parking Bylaw No. 303, 2015. “Supportive Housing” means a type of housing that provides onsite supports and services to residents who cannot live independently. The relevant housing agreements will be updated to align with the zoning amendment. Subject Land: The lands that are the subject of the proposed bylaw are shown on the map attached to this notice, and are legally described as LOT A DISTRICT LOT 8073 GROUP 1 NEW WESTMINSTER DISTRICT PLAN EPP125575 (1400 Mount Fee Road) and LOT 2 DISTRICT LOT 8073 NEW WESTMINSTER DISTRICT GROUP 1 PLAN XXXXXX (1100 Legacy Way). Bylaw Readings: Consideration of the first, second, and third reading(s) of the proposed bylaw will be at the Regular Council Meeting on September 22, 2026. To learn more: A copy of the proposed Bylaw and background documentation are available for review from September 7 to September 22, 2026 at:
FEATURE STORY
‘How are we going to continue to be relevant?’ When Mikale Fenton took over as director in 2022, she described inheriting a “Ferrari”: a purpose-built facility, experienced staff, an engaged board and decades of community goodwill. The challenge was deciding where to drive it next. Coming out of COVID, Fenton saw libraries confronting a different cluster of pressures: the digital divide, misinformation, affordability, climate anxiety and now artificial intelligence. “COVID, as Elizabeth said, it taught us so much,” Fenton said. “For me, it taught me that you can’t take anything for granted. Our assumptions that we’d held for decades were upturned overnight, and yet certain things also remain constant.” Whistler’s modern library bears little resemblance to the 16-hours-a-week basement operation of 1986. In 2025, the library recorded 178,150 visits and circulated nearly 145,000 items, up 20 per cent from 2024. The 2025 Report to the Community also points to hundreds of programs, expanded Sunday hours and new services, including a soundproof study pod. Today, the library also offers online courses, language-learning tools, streaming media, laptops and technology kits, a sound booth and digitization equipment alongside its physical and digital collections. The 40th anniversary is being used to look ahead as much as backward. WPL launched its 40 Books for 40 Years reading challenge in January, asking people to finish 40 physical books, ebooks or audiobooks during 2026 and log their progress online or on a banner inside the library. Its board has also launched a $40-for-40 fundraising campaign. Donations will go toward custom acoustic panels depicting the Spearhead Traverse in the fireplace lounge, intended to reduce sound travelling between the building’s lively gathering areas and quieter spaces. And on anniversary night, Fenton announced another step: the establishment of a Whistler Public Library Foundation. “The idea with the foundation is that it’s going to create an opportunity or a pathway for individuals or families or community partners to essentially invest in the library’s long-term impact and allow us to think about projects and initiatives that are beyond our core operations,” she said. “This is just a chance for us [to] be bold and to be ambitious, and to think about how [we are] going to continue to be relevant in people’s lives for the next 40 years.” The panel ended by looking back once more, with each of the library’s directors asked to name a proudest moment from their time in Whistler. For Richoz, the answer was easy: “Opening the first public library.” n
• Municipal Hall at 4325 Blackcomb Way, Whistler, BC, during regular office hours of 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday to Friday (statutory holidays excluded) • Online on the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) website at: whistler.ca/publicnotices
Mikale Fenton, Lauren Stara, Joan Richoz and Elizabeth Tracy.
SCAN THE QR CODE FOR A COPY OF THE PROPOSED BYLAW AND BACKGROUND DOCUMENTATION
PHOTO BY LUKE FAULKS
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REAL ESTATE ON YOUR MIND? LE T ’S CHAT
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Takao Tanabe, Inside Passage 1/04: Malacca Strait (detail), 2004, acrylic on canvas, 132.1 x 304.8 cm. Collection of Polygon Homes Ltd, Vancouver.
SEPTEMBER 4, 2026
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SPORTS THE SCORE
‘It’s hard, but it’s definitely doable’ WHISTLER SAILING ASSOCIATION PRODUCT VALENTINO BLEWETT EYES OLYMPIC BERTH AT LOS ANGELES 2028
BY DAVID SONG IQFOIL HAS BECOME the newest of
Olympic windsurfing disciplines, and that means Whistler Sailing Association (WSA) alum Valentino Blewett has his sights locked on qualifying for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, Calif. His most viable path to representing Canada on sport’s biggest stage may come at next year’s Pan American Games, where a limited number of Olympic berths will be awarded. “It’s hard,” he said in an interview with the WSA. “But it’s definitely doable.” Blewett’s confidence is based on more than just bravado. He’s established himself as a top windsurfer in the last two years, placing first at the 2026 Canadian iQFOiL Championships and 17th at French Olympic Week (one of the Olympic circuit’s premier regattas) in mid-April against a field of elite senior sailors.
WITH THE WIND Whistler Sailing Association alum Valentino Blewett trains on Alta Lake in summer 2026. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WHISTLER SAILING ASSOCIATION
38 SEPTEMBER 4, 2026
While the overall result was encouraging, one race in particular left a lasting impression. “I decided to take a risk,” Blewett recalled. “I started on port tack, went all the way right, got a good shift, and ended up finishing second.” The experience reinforced a lesson that
Training takes him across Europe, to renowned sailing destinations such as Lanzarote and Palma in Spain or Italy’s Lake Garda. Blewett additionally works with a mental performance coach to ensure that he remains sharp and focused for every competition.
“It’s cool to be back where it kind of started. Whistler teaches you how to have fun while still pushing yourself.” - VALENTINO BLEWETT
extends beyond the racecourse: sometimes success comes from committing fully to a decision, trusting one’s instincts and accepting necessary risks. Standing at close to 6-5, Blewett possesses the physical bearing one might expect from a high-level athlete. He maximizes those genetic gifts with a dedicated training regimen: five to six days per week on the water and regular gym sessions to foster strength, endurance and injury prevention.
EVOLVED WINDSURFING
When asked what separates the world’s best sailors from the rest, Blewett candidly remarked: “I’m still trying to figure that out.” Speed, fitness, technique, decisionmaking and equipment prep are very much part of the formula, but the margins of error have also become razor-close. Any of the world’s top 20 athletes have a fighting chance to win any given day. Races at the highest level can be
decided by the smallest details: one decisive manoeuvre, a slightly better start or a perfectly timed shift in the wind. The evolution of IQFoil racing has tightened things up even further. Sailors can now complete advanced movements like full foiling tacks and gybes while remaining airborne and mitigating losses in velocity. In other words: if you don’t fall into the water, you’ve got a shot. An increasing number of Sea to Sky denizens are now being exposed to the joys, skills and nuances of windsurfing. The WSA recently launched its first-ever wingfoil camp, and Blewett stopped by Alta Lake earlier this summer to train. No doubt many who observed him operate were inspired. He’s come a long way from his childhood in the WSA’s introductory WetFeet program, where an accidental capsizing taught the young man not to panic when things go awry. “It’s cool to be back where it kind of started,” Blewett said. “Whistler teaches you how to have fun while still pushing yourself. I think that shaped me as an athlete. Sailing here is beautiful: the mountains, the snow, the scenery. It’s pretty special.” n
SPORTS THE SCORE
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STAY GOLD Jackson Goldstone soars to victory during the 2026 UCI World Championship downhill race. PHOTO BY ALICE RUSSOLO / COURTESY OF UCI
‘I have no words’: Jackson Goldstone slays the Black Snake for his second straight downhill World Championship VALENTINA HÖLL REALIZES FIFTH CONSECUTIVE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS TITLE AMONG WOMEN
BY DAVID SONG
Gets. This time Alran was 21st, and his compatriot Antoine Pierron led their team in seventh.
JACKSON GOLDSTONE’S last name
‘I DIDN’T THINK IT WAS POSSIBLE’
evidently fits him like a glove, because he just keeps winning when it matters most. On Aug. 29, Goldstone stared down a familiar nemesis: the renowned and brutally challenging Black Snake downhill track in Val di Sole, Italy. Once again he realized an athletic masterpiece, navigating its twists, turns and woods with daredevil speed and surgical precision. It all added up to a time of three minutes and 28.785 seconds: a fruitful defence of his World Championship crown. Lachlan Stevens-McNab fell just short of Goldstone’s heroics (+0.695), but the Kiwi turned many heads by establishing himself as a world silver medallist and a force to be reckoned with among mountain biking’s elite racers. Bronze landed around the neck of World Cup downhill overall leader Jordan Williams (+0.702). “I have no words. Winning the UCI World Championships twice in a row is a dream come true,” said Goldstone in a press release. “I am still trying to recover from an incredible run. I had the feeling I could do it, and I simply tried to draw my own lines without mistakes. Val di Sole is the place of my dreams, this track suits my characteristics perfectly and the conditions were perfect. You are so beautiful: I love you, Val di Sole!” The Squamolian now owns four career triumphs in Val di Sole: the 2021 Junior World Championships and multiple World Cups preceding his latest breakthrough. Yet in a life full of epic moments on two wheels, Goldstone described this Saturday’s achievement as “some of the most fun [he’d] ever had on a mountain bike, ever.” Conversely, France’s men fell back down to Earth a week after Max Alran delivered a hectic World Cup win in Les
Valentina Höll is a machine. By accomplishing a fifth straight World Championship victory—no, that’s not a typo—she elevated her place in the history books with another grand result (4:01.558). Only French legend AnneCaroline Chausson possesses more world titles with 12. Höll’s margins of success were once again notable: 1.728 seconds ahead of runner-up Lisa Baumann and 2.046 quicker than Harriet Harnden in third place. “I didn’t think it was possible to win five UCI World Championships in a row. It’s simply incredible,” Höll told the media. “It drained me physically and mentally. It’s so difficult to keep performing at this level, but fortunately I managed to do it. I’ve had an incredible season between the UCI World Championships and the UCI World Cup. Now I can’t wait to go on holiday.” Said holiday is going to be welldeserved after the Austrian gave maximum effort to build separation from her opponents through the middle of the Black Snake. Two rivals who might have pushed her hard, Gracey Hemstreet and Myriam Nicole, both withdrew: Hemstreet to recuperate for the upcoming Whistler World Cup and Nicole due to illness. Meanwhile, 35-year-old Eleonora Farina sang her swan song with one last run. She’s the only Italian woman to ever prevail at a downhill World Cup, and despite placing 26th was embraced heartily by home fans upon reaching the finish corral. Visit tissottiming.com/2026/ mtbwch/event-12/phase-2/results for more results from Val di Sole. n
The Whistler Adult Soccer Club truly thanks CORONA EXCAVATIONS LTD. for sponsoring the 2026 Whistler Adult Soccer League and supporting our Whistler sports community.
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SEPTEMBER 4, 2026
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SPORTS THE SCORE
Ella MacPhee fights to World Championship 16th despite untimely sickness VALENTINA CORVI PREVAILS, COLE PUNCHARD GRABS BRONZE AND MARIN LOWE WINDS UP 29TH IN VAL DI SOLE
BY DAVID SONG REFUSING TO ALLOW illness to knock
her out of Sunday, Aug. 30’s World Championship cross-country Olympic (XCO) race for U23 women, Ella MacPhee ground out a 16th-place result in one hour, 26 minutes and 39 seconds. It wasn’t her best effort, and it was seven minutes back of triumphant Valentina Corvi whose banner year on the bike continues (1:19:34). The next three athletes to finish behind Corvi were all Swiss as Anina Hutter clinched silver (1:20:17) and Monique Halter wrapped up bronze (1:21:19). “365 days of the year all lead to one,” MacPhee reflected on social media. “You do everything to arrive physically and mentally strong and then some silly virus comes and steals all the fun. That’s my World Champs story … but I played the cards I was dealt and decided to start. I felt empty, it was hard, but I fought with everything I had today. Lucky for me there are more big races ahead and I can’t wait!” Corvi had this to say in a press release about earning her rainbow stripes at home in Val di Sole, Italy: “It is incredible.
GUT CHECK Ella MacPhee competes in the 2026 UCI World Championship cross-country Olympic race for U23 women. PHOTO BY ROSS BELL
“I fought with everything I had today.” - ELLA MACPHEE
I had been looking forward to this race for so long, and winning here today was a dream. I knew from the moment I moved into the U23 category that the UCI World Championships would be held here. At
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the beginning of the season I told my coach that we had to win, and I marked the date on the calendar straight away. “I am proud of myself and particularly happy with the progress I have made
mentally. The crowd was fantastic and gave me an extra boost. At one point I could not feel the fatigue any more. I could only hear the people.” Rafaelle Carrier paced Team Canada in fifth (1:23:08) and Marin Lowe wound up 29th. “Really not my day, but there are plenty more days to slay,” quipped Lowe on her Instagram account. “Super grateful for the support from Liv Cycling and Cycling Canada, especially on the frustrating days. Also I’m so proud of my teammates for some seriously inspiring performances!” Canadians did have one crosscountry medal to get excited about in Val di Sole: Cole Punchard’s bronze in the elite men’s XCO. Punchard started in 27th position and mounted a breathtaking eight-lap attack to podium (1:25:57) behind gold medallist Thomas Pidcock (1:25:26) and his fellow Brit Charlie Aldridge (1:25:43). Punchard remains eligible for U23 competition but decided to join the elites. The Novar, Ont. native said during an interview with Canadian Cycling Magazine: “It was a bit scary because, I mean, you’re just going to get the crap kicked out of you for an entire year. But I thought that in the long term, this would be better for me.” n
FORK IN THE ROAD
Spilling the beans THE REAL PEOPLE’S FOOD AND LABOUR DAY GO HAND-IN-HAND THERE’S AN OLD PRAIRIE saying that used to roam around our neighbourhood: Good enough for cowboys, good enough for me. And you’d have to say that about two great North American traditions that both grew out of combined efforts any old cowboy around these parts might have reckoned with: Pork ‘n’ beans and Labour Day. Both are right around the corner as we all face up to quick, fuss-free meals that fill our bellies and fuel our brains as summer fun fades once we pass that double-edged long weekend comin’ up. We’re all smiles at the thought of
BY GLENDA BARTOSH another three-day holiday, then wince the minute we remember it also means back-to-school, back-to-work. Us Albertans were no strangers to the joys of eating a tin of beans around a campfire. And they sure served me well starting out on my own first time away from home when I didn’t know real spaghetti sauce from a hill of beans. Give me some good hot, buttered toast with pork ‘n’ beans slathered over top, and I’ll give you a uni or college student with a smile on her face. Thing is, I never knew we have our Indigenous neighbours in eastern North
BEAN THERE, DONE THAT Round about the time chuck wagons were rolling across North America, Canada enjoyed its first Labour Day in 1894. PHOTO BY NARONGRIT SRITANA/ ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS
42 SEPTEMBER 4, 2026
America to thank for this time-honoured, nutritious, easy-peasy tradition. They were cooking native beans with maple syrup and other seasonings in clay pots or ember pits long before Europeans arrived. Early explorers and colonists in New France (Quebec) and New England (the northeastern U.S.) modified this First Nations’ classic, adding salt pork or sometimes switching up the maple syrup for molasses. A case of collaboration at its finest. Voilà, baked beans in clay pots and, ultimately, commercial pork ‘n’ beans in tins, first produced in the late 1880s in the U.S. and early 1900s in Canada. The real people’s food. Think hobos riding the rails during the Depression; cowboys out on the range; or a bunch of hungry loggers, all cooking a tin of beans over a crackling campfire.
ANOTHER COOL COMBO
According to one of my favourite sources, The Canadian Encyclopedia, Canada got its Labour Day holiday in 1894. But it was an American labour leader and activist, Peter J. McGuire, who organized the first Labour Day in New York on Sept. 5, 1882. President and founder of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, Mr. McGuire had been inspired by what he witnessed in Toronto that same summer: One of the many annual labour festivals that had grown out of the parades held in support of the printers strikes that started in Toronto in 1872, and the Nine Hour Movement, which began in Hamilton years before. It was all about workers fighting for a workday shorter than 12 hours. The Toronto Typographical Union was one of the first advocates in the
MOM’S PATIO BAKED BEANS Preheat your oven to 350º. Mix together in a saucepan and heat over low for 5 minutes: 1/4 c. brown sugar 1 tsp. instant coffee 1 tbsp. vinegar 1 tsp. dry mustard 1/2 c. water 1/2 tsp. salt In the meantime, thinly slice a fairsized onion, then arrange it in a 2-qt. casserole dish in alternate layers with 2 large (796 ml.) or 3 small tins (398 ml.) of pork ’n’ beans. Pour over the hot sauce. Cover and bake 45 min. Now comes the fun part: Stir in 1/4 c. cognac (dark rum will do) and place 4 slices of bacon cut into 1-inch pieces on top. Bake for another 30 min. without a lid. Serves 6 to 8. Add a crisp green salad and some good bread, and you’ve got a meal fit for a Labour Day party. If anyone complains, just pour them a cognac. And if you don’t have any cognac, mom says don’t worry. Tastes fine without it. n industrialized world for a shorter work week. Think of that next time you clock in, and/or wonder what Canadians can achieve. Mr. McGuire intentionally chose the first Monday in September to celebrate all things labour. Halfway between the Fourth of July and American Thanksgiving—“a most pleasant time of year”—it also filled a
gap in the chronology of legal holidays. Much like Family Day did years later in B.C. and beyond.
AND ANOTHER...
For the better part of civilization, beans—or, more correctly, pulses, which are the seeds of legumes, and include peas, lentils, etc.—have been a staple in countless cultures, especially where animal protein is scarce. They’re nutritious, easy to grow and store, versatile to use and, invariably, inexpensive. In a word, perfect for these wild times. If you want to get healthy, get beans. They’re super low in fat and contain a huge amount of fibre, iron and protein— not quite a complete protein, but if you add grain or a little animal protein like cheese you’ll get the right balance. Besides, Canada is one of the largest producers and exporters of pulses in the world. So buy away in these ElbowsUp-Higher-Than-Ever days. Like Three Farmers in Saskatchewan make the best snacks ever from all kinds of pulses. If you’re wary of all the “tooting” that goes along with beans, try eating smaller portions. Some swear by cooking them only in earthenware containers, or serving them with alkaline vegetables like chicory, spinach or chard. Game to get beaned? Here’s one of my all-time favourite recipes that’s been in our family for ages. The delicious results belie its working class status. Don’t wait for your next campfire or another Labour Day to serve them. Glenda Bartosh is an award-winning journalist who was often told she was full of beans when she was a kid. n
MEADOW PARK SPORTS CENTRE SWIM • SKATE • SWEAT • SQUASH OPEN DAILY: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. *some exceptions apply
FITNESS CLASS SCHEDULE SEPT 4 FRIDAY
SEPT 5 SATURDAY
SEPT 6 SUNDAY
SEPT 7 MONDAY
MPSC CLOSED
SEPT 8 TUESDAY
SEPT 9 WEDNESDAY
SEPT 10 THURSDAY
I Function Strength and Conditioning 7:30-8:30 a.m. Francesca
I Strength & Cardio 7:30-8:30 a.m. Sylvie
I Strength & Stability 7:30-8:30 a.m. Andy
I Strength & Stability 9-10 a.m. Francesca
I Build & Burn 9-10 a.m. Sylvie
I Low Impact Strength 9-10 a.m. Andy
R Mom & Baby 10:15-11:15 a.m. Sara
R Prenatal Fitness 12:15-1:15 p.m. Sara
I Gentle Fit 12:30-1:30 p.m. Mel K
F FLEXIBLE REGISTRATION
Flex-reg’ classes have a separate fee and allow you to register for classes on the days that fit your schedule.
R REGISTERED FITNESS Registered fitness classes have a separate fee and a defined start and end date. Pre-registration is required for the entire set of classes.
I Full Body HIIT 5:30-6:30 p.m. Andy
I INCLUDED FITNESS These classes are included with your price of admission for no extra charge.
I Strength & Mobility 6:45-7:45 p.m. Julia
The pool area is closed, scheduled to reopen on Monday, September 28.
POOL HOURS SEPT 4 FRIDAY
LAP POOL LEISURE POOL SAUNA & STEAMROOM
SEPT 5 SEPT 6 SATURDAY SUNDAY
SEPT 7 MONDAY
SEPT 8 TUESDAY
SEPT 9 SEPT 10 WEDNESDAY THURSDAY
POOL AREA CLOSED SCHEDULED TO REOPEN SEPTEMBER 28 ARENA SCHEDULE
Please see whistler.ca/recreation for the daily arena hours or call 604-935- PLAY (7529).
whistler.ca/recreation |
@RMOWRecreation | 604-935-PLAY (7529)
The entire facility is currently closed and will re-open on Tuesday, September 8, at 6 a.m.
ARTS SCENE
Stella Harvey poised to publish fourth career novel, Disruption THE DYSTOPIAN TALE WILL BE RELEASED SOMETIME IN SEPTEMBER
BY DAVID SONG STELLA HARVEY is on the cusp of
releasing her fourth novel. This new book, Disruption, features a girl named Kitianna who lives in a fictional country rife with civil war. Against the orders of a draconian state, Kitianna wonders about how things are on the other side of the wall that bisects her nation. To avoid seeing her pressed into a re-education camp, the girl’s parents send her away—but a growing underground movement resists the status quo, eliciting further government crackdowns. Disruption is Harvey’s initial foray into the dystopian fiction genre. Her previous novels, Nicolai’s Daughters, The Brink of Freedom and Finding Callidora, run the gamut from historical to contemporary and explore themes related to her Greek heritage, but her latest work was inspired by questions like “what would we be prepared to accept in order to be secure?” and “what does more
BREAKING BARRIERS Whistler-based author Stella Harvey. PHOTO BY JOERN ROHDE
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security mean?” Recent political developments in the United States also influenced her creative process. “The country that’s our neighbour, they started building walls and I wondered: would we as human beings build concrete walls if we didn’t have
has long wrestled with questions of belonging. This topic is a key factor in Disruption, where violence and political upheaval have essentially generated a migrant diaspora within the borders of Kitianna’s homeland. At one point, the protagonist says: “How is it that people forget our past?”
“I’m quite an open person naturally, and I just wonder: what makes us as human beings want to be safe and secure?” - STELLA HARVEY
walls inside of ourselves, between us and others?” Harvey muses aloud. “I’m quite an open person naturally, and I just wonder: what makes us as human beings want to be safe and secure? And what makes us fearful of others or questioning others or whatever? I just don’t think that as a society, we would build concrete walls if we didn’t fear things like, for example: immigration or refugees.” As both an immigrant to Canada and a social worker by training, Harvey
‘FICTION DOES SOMETHING THAT A HEADLINE CAN’T’
Harvey believes that fiction has the power to explore themes relevant to modern society in a unique way. Years ago, she was invited to a book club of young mothers who had read The Brink of Freedom, a story about refugees fleeing into Greece in search of a better life. One person told Harvey: “you made me feel for people I don’t even see.” While factual news can have a similar
effect—Harvey became emotional when she read about the passing of American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton, who died on Aug. 25—compelling fictional narratives often elicit deeper feelings of sympathy and empathy in their audiences. “What story does is: it helps you remember history that we simply forget,” opines Harvey. “I think fiction does something that a headline can’t. It personalizes and makes you feel a character’s experience and puts you in that place.” Now a veteran of penning and publishing original work, Harvey reminds both herself and her students that a novel requires a lot of time and a lot of drafts to come to fruition. She also believes that one must be patient with stories, especially the particular story they want to write. Despite her age, she still describes herself as “naive” because she expects the best out of her fellow human beings. Disruption will become available sometime in September, with the exact date to be determined as of this writing. Harvey plans to read from the book on Sept. 28 at Simon Fraser University, where she once taught creative writing, and launch it Nov. 7 at the next Whistler Writers Festival (WWF). n
ARTS SCENE
‘A feeling of standing inside something immeasurable’ DECORATED NATURE PHOTOGRAPHER PAUL NICKLEN REVISITS WHISTLER ON SEPT. 13 TO PRESENT HIS NEWEST BOOK, REVERENCE
BY DAVID SONG PAUL NICKLEN has always been passionate about documenting and advocating for Earth’s biosphere. He hopes that his latest book will resonate with existing followers and newcomers to his work alike. The work in question, Reverence, includes 160 striking photographs presented across 360 pages. It was inspired by the scores of images he took since 2018 (when his last book Born to Ice came out) and the thousands of unreleased photos amassed from previous expeditions. Nicklen felt ready for an intensely personal undertaking rather than just a catalogue, and he wished to share the “genuine reckoning” with what nature has taught him. Twenty years of working for National Geographic conditioned Nicklen to rely on his left brain when preparing previous books. He thought like a journalist, organizing his material by geography, species and topical relevance. Yet with Reverence, he adopted a very different approach. “I went through two and a half million images from three decades of work and I didn’t ask what they were of or where they were taken,” says the International Photography Hall of Famer. “I asked what they made me feel, which ones still did something to me. And what I found, the thread running through every frame that mattered, was reverence—not for a place or a species, but for all of it.” The book contains marvellous depictions of things most people have never personally witnessed: a narwhal surfacing among sea ice, a 53-yearold elephant standing in the shade, a humpback whale mother resting on the ocean floor with her newborn calf pressed against her side, et cetera. “My brain is constantly running, and the only place I’ve ever truly found peace is in the wild,” elaborates Nicklen. “Underwater. On the ice. Standing in old growth forest with rain coming through the canopy. That’s not a metaphor. That is genuinely sacred ground to me. Reverence captures that sentiment and describes what I felt while making every image in this book. “The feeling is the same. It’s a kind of sacred attention. To me, reverence is what happens when you finally stop trying to possess an experience and simply let it be larger than you. I hope that’s what readers take from the book: a feeling of standing inside something immeasurable and being grateful you’re alive to know it.”
‘WE CANNOT MISS WHAT WE DON’T KNOW’
Wildlife populations around the globe have decreased by close to 70 per cent over
SAVOURING SUMMER...
On the Patio
IN REVERENCE International Photography Hall of Famer Paul Nicklen with his latest book, Reverence. PHOTO COURTESY OF JOANNA WORONOWICZ / WHISTLER CONTEMPORARY GALLERY
the last five decades, but Nicklen argues that the core problem with such a status quo is neither political nor environmental. Instead, it is relational: humanity has lost its connection to the natural world, and therefore the will to safeguard it. Yet Nicklen grew up in a remote Baffin Island community and has always retreated to nature to feel connected with something larger than himself. As of this writing he’s on expedition to document the newly-established Marine Protected Area in the Alor Archipelago of Indonesia. Nicklen reports that there is no coral bleaching, virtually no trash, abundant groups of marine mammals and local fishermen who are happily going about their business. “It’s proof that ocean protections work when they’re given the chance,” he says. “That matters to me deeply right now, when it can feel like every headline is bad news. This is a good news story, and we need more of them.” To spread that news, Nicklen is heading back to Whistler on Sept. 13 in partnership with the Whistler Contemporary Gallery. From noon until 2 p.m. that day, he will engage in a book signing and meet-and-greet with patrons at the Fairmont Chateau. “We cannot miss what we don’t know,” he reiterated. “I want someone to open Reverence and feel what I felt in Tonga with a humpback mother and her calf, or standing in the Great Bear Rainforest watching a spirit bear move through the light. I want people to be reminded that they are as much a part of this Earth as it is a part of them. “This book is genuinely unlike anything I’ve done before. I’ve been hands-on at every stage, right down to being there when the sheets came off the printer. When you spend thirty years making images, there’s something profound about finally holding the physical object that contains all of it.” Visit e v e n t b r i t e . c a /e / paul-nicklen-in-whistler-book-signingtickets-1993571159002?aff=oddtdtcreator for more details on Nicklen’s book signing. n
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CRY ABOUT IT Issues of The Whistler Town Crier. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WHISTLER MUSEUM
The Whistler Town Crier BY ANNA DONALDSON SINCE WHISTLER became a Resort
Municipality in 1975, the community has had a handful of newspapers, from the Whistler Question to the Whistler Answer, and of course, Pique Newsmagazine. One of these was The Whistler Town Crier, a biweekly newspaper first published on Sept. 7, 1994. Edited and published by Jacquie McCarnan, with Peter O’Donnell as assistant editor, the paper ran for just one volume of approximately 17 issues. McCarnan and O’Donnell moved to Whistler in 1992 near the end of the recession that hit Canada in the early 1990s. They quickly secured jobs in Whistler, but noticed there was a “gap in the reporting.” The Whistler Answer closed down in August of 1993, and the only news was coming from the Whistler Question. McCarnan herself remembered the Question being more of a “corporate” newspaper. McCarnan and O’Donnell saw an opening for a newspaper that covered the news McCarnan believed the Question was neglecting, and that focused on different aspects of the local community. McCarnan had a degree in political science with a minor in English, and O’Donnell had a history degree. They had no experience running a newspaper, but were determined to try. In an interview, McCarnan stated that they “wanted to put something out there that was positive and reflective of the community that we were living in.” In 1994, Whistler had about a third of its current population, and McCarnan and O’Donnell aimed to make a newspaper that connected with the locals. Most of the articles and columns in the Town Crier focused on local issues no matter how small. The Whistler Town Crier had a few local columns, but one of the newspaper’s most notorious columns was “Ask Uncle Willie.” This was a satirical column where readers could write in about problems in their lives and ask Uncle Willie for advice. Readers would write under silly pseudonyms, and Uncle Willie would respond with ironic answers. McCarnan revealed that Uncle Willie was written by Bill
Pauline, whom she worked with at Wild Willies. McCarnan stated that Bill was her own “Uncle Willie” in a sense, giving her advice that didn’t need to be taken seriously. When she was looking for more contributors to the Town Crier, he was happy to write his own regular column. While the “Ask Uncle Willie” column was satirical, the rest of the newspaper was sincere. Even when writers covered topics that didn’t focus on Whistler, they always managed to tie in a local perspective. For example, O’Donnell’s article “What The Hell Is the Internet” explained how citizens would benefit from the newly incorporated invention of the internet (in 1995). The article highlighted Armchair Books as a local business where residents could pick up the Canadian Internet Handbook. It also referenced how people moved to Whistler from all over the world, and that the internet could help keep them connected to their friends and family, as well as news from home. When the Town Crier was only four issues in, Pique Newsmagazine started. Pique had Bob Barnett, former editor of the Whistler Question, and other financial resources the Town Crier lacked. Funded largely from McCarnan and O’Donnell’s own pockets, the Town Crier struggled to compete for advertising dollars with the Question and Pique, eventually forcing it to close. “When you’re in competition, like in a small town, the stores … [and] the restaurants aren’t making a ton of money and they have three different people asking them for money for the same thing. They’re going to pick the one they think is going to get the most eyeballs,” McCarnan stated. Though The Whistler Town Crier was short-lived, its impact on McCarnan lasted longer. She recalled that the paper “informed the way that [she] lived the rest of [her] life,” allowing her future projects to be “positive and reflective of the community” around her. Looking back more than 30 years later, McCarnan felt that despite the paper’s limited resources, “we did a great job for what we did.” Anna Donaldson is the Summer Program Coordinator at the Whistler Museum through the Young Canada Works Program. n
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1+2 JAM ALERT Competitors, sponsors and staff celebrated Zero Ceiling’s 3rd annual All Aboard Skate Jam & Fundraiser on Aug. 26. Read more and find ways to get involved at zeroceiling.org. PHOTOS BY OISIN MCHUGH 3 MUSICAL CONNECTIONS Walter and other members of Whistler’s “Making Connections” group enjoyed some music therapy lessons with the handpan last Wednesday. Find more info about the group (and other activities for seniors) at whistlermac.org. PHOTO BY NANCY KNAPTON 4 STILL CARING Whistler’s 100 Men Who Care recently announced donations for three local organizations. Whistler Recreate Our Community Kitchen Society (ROCKS) received $16,337 towards its Transporting Hot Meals Program, while Mountain Muskox and Whistler Waldorf School each received donations of $2,000. Since its inception in November 2024, the local group has donated more than $141,000 to local charities. For more info or to become a member, head to 100MenWhistler.com or call 604-202-6104. PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRIS PATRICK 5 JUST DANCE A Dance Fitness For Life event at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler’s Woodlands Rooftop Terrace on Aug. 30 raised funds for the Whistler Community Services Society. PHOTO COURTESY OF KIMIKO TAGUCHI
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ENTERTAINMENT LISTINGS & ASTROLOGY DÎNER À ST-TROPEZ Dîner à St‑Tropez brings the Riviera to Nita Lake with a chic evening of welcome cocktails, canapés, a family‑ style three‑course dinner paired with Miraval Rosé, live DJ entertainment, and an after‑party at Lakeside Lounge. Riviera‑inspired attire encouraged. Guests must be 19‑plus. » Sept. 4, 6 to 9 p.m. » Nita Lake Lodge
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
SPO7EZ ARTIST MARKET The Spo7ez Artist Market celebrates the incredible talents of artisans from the Squamish Nation and Lil’wat Nation. It takes place on the Mezzanine Patio on the first Sunday of each month during summer. » Sept. 6, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. » Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre
FAIRMONT FRIDAYS Start your weekend on a high note with Whistler’s favourite Friday tradition. Set against the backdrop of the mountains, Fairmont Fridays bring together handcrafted cocktails, live music and a feature food menu designed for sharing and celebrating the start of the weekend. Each week discover a new signature cocktail alongside specially curated culinary offerings, creating an elevated après experience filled with flavour, atmosphere and a little extra magic. » Sept. 4, 5 to 7 p.m. » Mallard Lounge
COUNTRY BARN DANCE Holler on down to Dusty’s summer season barn dances! There’ll be drink deals and specials on 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! » Sept. 4, 8 p.m. » Dusty’s Bar and Grill
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,
entertainment and family activities. Markets happen every Sunday until Thanksgiving on Oct. 11, with the addition of select Saturday markets. » Sept. 6, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. » Upper VIllage Stroll
WHISTLER FARMERS’ MARKET FILE PHOTO
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 will be provided. Open to all levels. » Sept. 4, 10 to 11 a.m. » Roundhouse Lodge
ALTA LAKE BIRD WALK Join the Whistler Naturalists on the first Saturday of the month for a walk to Rainbow Park. Open to anyone interested in learning about birds and contributing as a citizen scientist. Connect with experienced birders who are happy to share their knowledge. » Sept. 5, 8 a.m. » Meet at the bottom of Lorimer Road
5 PEAKS TRAIL RUNNING SERIES 5 Peaks Whistler Blackcomb is a racer favourite,
starting with a scenic Blackcomb Gondola ride. Run through alpine meadows, past lakes and boulder fields, with panoramic mountain views. Distance options include the 1 and 3 KM Kids’ Runs, 7 KM Sport, 11 KM Enduro and 14 KM Grit. » Sept. 5, 8 to 11:30 a.m. » Various locations
AUDAIN LONG TABLE Enjoy an elegant evening at the Audain Art Museum’s Long Table Dinner en Blanc. Dressed in white, guests will enjoy cocktails, canapés, exclusive exhibition access, curator‑led tours, a three‑course outdoor dinner, wine pairings, and live music. » Sept. 5, 6 to 9 p.m. » Audain Art Museum
WHISTLER FARMERS’ MARKET
WHISTLER SINGERS REHEARSALS The Whistler Singers are looking forward to welcoming new and returning members this September. The choir will be preparing to sing at the annual Remembrance Day service held in Olympic Plaza and host a Christmas concert, Christmas Eve carol service and several carolling opportunities at Holiday Markets and events. No audition or experience necessary. » Sept. 8, 7 to 9 p.m. » Myrtle Philip Community Centre
TEENY TINY ART PARTY Come and celebrate the incredible 85 local artists behind this year’s Teeny Tiny Art Show. The only thing tiny is the artwork, featuring 200 original 3 x 3‑inch pieces available to view and purchase. Meet the artists, mingle with fellow art lovers, enjoy appetizers and explore this wonderfully small showcase. » Sept. 10, 6 to 8 p.m. » Maury Young Arts Centre
A feast for your senses, the Whistler Farmers’ Market features local produce, tasty food, local artisans, live
Free Will Astrology WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 4 BY ROB BREZSNY ARIES (March 21-April 19): Most of us are surprisingly clueless about the inner workings of our own bodies. Do you know where your gallbladder and spleen actually live or what jobs they perform on your behalf? Can you trace the journey your breath takes after it slips into your lungs? Have you ever experimented to discover in detail which foods best suit your one‑of‑a‑kind system? Do you know, from experience rather than guesswork, how much sleep you require to stay vividly awake and emotionally balanced? The current astrological climate favours you becoming a curious apprentice of your body’s gorgeous mysteries. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The English idiom “cut to the chase” comes from the silent films of the early 20th century. When the plot dragged, directors would literally switch to a chase scene to restore audience interest. Various languages have other ways to say “get to the point” or “skip to the crux.” Spanish: ir al grano. French: aller droit au but. Italian: venire al dunque. Japanese: hondai ni hairu. In accordance with astrological omens, Taurus, I suggest you do that in the coming days. Skip the boring parts. Jump to the action scenes. You can return later and fill in the story details, but for now you’re best served by moving toward the exciting essence or the crucial core of things. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): This is one of those unusual times when laziness and apathy work in your favour. Life is organizing a relaxing renewal on your behalf, and your main job is to not interfere. So I advise you to skip the hustle and enjoy the thrill of being still. Put a pause on doing and indulge in the fine art of simply being. Please, Gemini? Set aside your ambitions for now. Hide your to‑do list. Inform your chattering monkey mind that it’s on temporary leave from its usual jumping and squawking. Feel guilt‑free as you immerse yourself in the most relaxed versions of feeling good and welcome whatever fresh vitality wants to flow in.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): In the 17th century, Dutch inventor Christiaan Huygens discovered that two pendulum clocks hanging on the same wall gradually synchronized their swings. Why? He eventually realized that tiny vibrations travelled through the wall and made the clocks influence each other. Scientists call this “entrainment.” Now is prime time for you to capitalize on this phenomenon, Cancerian. I urge you to be extra alert for how your moods, rhythms, and intentions subtly affect the people around you, and vice versa. If you cultivate qualities you’d like to predominate in your relationships, you will find others unconsciously aligning with your rhythm. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Now is an ideal time to have fun cultivating the art of receptivity. Have fun being as open to influence as you can imagine. Be innocent! Be amenable! Be willing and eager to be surprised! It doesn’t mean surrendering your drive or drifting aimlessly while life happens around you. I’m talking about an active, alert sensitivity that invites wonder and transformation. You think boldly, act with purpose, and radiate what’s uniquely yours, and yet you also remain humbly aware that learning never ends and that wisdom can arrive from unpredictable directions. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You’ve been extra reasonable lately. How do you manage to be so responsible, measured, and composed? I’m not complaining. I admire your integrity. But now the cosmic omens are clear that it’s time to address your soul’s needs for more wonder and awe and reverence. So I will slip you a tantalizing prod: What’s the best, most healing trouble you could provoke right now? I’m not referring to recklessness and chaos, of course. I mean twists and tweaks that stir up inspiration and liberate creativity. Are you bold enough to follow the truth and beauty that thrills and intrigues you? LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I am asking you to give yourself slack in situations where you sometimes treat yourself
carelessly or unkindly. Instead of tightening, loosen. Instead of cornering yourself, offer an escape hatch. Ask: “What if I give myself 20 per cent more mercy, 20 per cent more time, or 20 per cent less pressure?” Maybe you’ll get an extension on a deadline or allow yourself to be a learner instead of an expert. Rather than calling yourself a failure because you’re less than perfect, you’ll decide, “It’s good enough for now.” As you slip away from the traps you set for yourself, you’ll teach your nervous system a fresh truth: You can be gentle with yourself but still be responsible. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Scorpio, you rarely need to be lighter and breezier. Your assignment is almost always to delve deeper and explore further. This is true now even more than usual. Other people might shiver and cower in the face of your intensity, but I celebrate it because it drives you to excavate the rich, messy truths and complicated feelings that really shouldn’t stay hidden. Regard this horoscope as your authorization to wield your emotional X‑ray vision with precision, and to trust that the treasures you seek are often buried in places that scare others away. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In classical music, composers often develop a simple motif into a complex symphony. A short sequence of notes becomes the foundation for an entire composition. A key passage gets rearranged and elaborated in multiple ways. You will have a comparable opportunity in the coming weeks, Sagittarius: a seed of potential that seems modest at first could expand into more substantial riches if you cultivate it patiently. Your visionary aplomb and optimism can transform a core cell into a full orchestration. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You seem to be wandering in a frontier for which there are no maps. You’re hovering in liminal zones, between worlds. So for now, I guess you will have to steer without your usual guidance. That’s a good thing! What I can do is name the gifts that
are likely to come your way as you explore the unknown: 1) turbo‑charged intuitions about your best possible future; 2) a talent for spotting surprising connections you didn’t even know you were looking for; and 3) a provocative unpredictability that magnetizes allies who can help tease out and illuminate your hidden and buried desires. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The placebo effect has a lesser‑known counterpart called the nocebo effect: Negative expectations can create negative outcomes. If you’re told a harmless pill might cause headaches, you’re more likely to develop them. Your belief in harm creates actual harm. I bring this up, Aquarius, because I’m worried you may be nocebo‑ing yourself right now. Your conviction that certain outcomes are inevitable is encouraging them to manifest. So here’s my counsel: Which negative expectations or predictions are you treating as facts? Consider the possibility that the problems you’re so skilled at identifying are being called into existence by your identification of them. And if you find that’s happening, STOP! Formulate some healing alternatives. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): “Dear Rob: Your horoscopes delight me in a spooky way. They make me feel as if you’re watching me from afar, not like a stalker, but like an eccentric guardian angel who gives me a heads‑up before I do something foolish, tells me about opportunities I haven’t noticed, and shakes awake the part of me that’s inclined to quit. Thanks a million times! —Deep Pisces.” Dear Deep: You have exquisite timing, because now is an ideal moment to pour out gratitude for the people who’ve lifted you up and helped you. Offering appreciation now will function as a potent prayer that will be far more effective than pleading for what you don’t have. It will set in motion an irresistible magic that draws even more blessings in your direction. Homework: What’s the most important thing you’ve never done? https://tinyurl.com
IN ADDITION TO THIS COLUMN, ROB BREZSNY CREATES EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES In-depth weekly forecasts designed to inspire and uplift you. To buy access, phone 1-888-499-4425. Once you’ve chosen the Block of Time you like, call 1-888-682-8777 to hear Rob’s forecasts. www.freewillastrology.com
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ONE MONTH
FREE*
Page 3 of 25
Apply to the Resort Municipality today: whistler.ca/careers
HOUSEKEEPING STAFF Front Desk Staff knows your name! 4/11/2005
Our small, friendly Whistler lodge is seeking full- and part-time housekeeping staff.
604.932.1948
Daytime hours • Free parking • Starting at $22/hour
Program Leader
Casual position with a starting wage of $28.53 an hour.
Rentals:
We’re looking for reliable, positive, detail-oriented people who enjoy helping others, work efficiently and take pride in their work. Join a supportive team while enjoying the independence to get the job done.
Skate Host - Meadow Park Sports Centre
Lifeguard/Instructor
3 1 6 8 2 9 5 7 4 7 8 9 1 5 4 2 3 6 2 5 4 6 3 7 8 9 1 5 4 2 7 9 1 3 6 8 9 6 1 2 8 3 4 5 7 8 3 7 5 4 6 9 1 2 1 2 8 3 6 5 7 4 9 Greystone 4 7 5 9 Lodge 1 2 6 8by 3 Acer Vacations 9 3 4 7 8 1Lodge, 2 5 At6 Greystone everybody
* PREPAY 3 MONTHS GET 4TH FREE
Casual position with a starting wage of $23.23 an hour. Casual position with a starting wage of $28.53 an hour.
8 4 5 3 6 2 7
# 12
1209 Alpha Lake Rd., Function Junction
www.a1ulock.com
Email your resume to: Please send resumes to: or info@acervacations.com drop itinfo@acervacations.com off at the Greystone Lodge Front Desk SEPTEMBER 4, 2026
49
Lil’wat Nation
Governance • • •
Employment Opportunities
Community Safety Officer ($67,040.00 to $92,180.00 per year) Senior Human Resources Generalist ($76,560.00 to $105,270.00 per year) Human Resources Generalist ($67,040.00 to $92,180.00 per year)
Title & Rights • •
Referrals Manager ($76,560.00 to $105,270.00 per year) Title & Rights Researcher ($54,720.00 to $71,820.00 per year)
Health & Healing + Pqusnalhcw Health Centre • • • • • •
Community Health Nurse ($41.42 to $52.81 per hour) + $2.15 hourly premium) Peer Support Worker ($47,120.00 to $61,845.00 per year) Bus Driver ($22.86 to $30.00 per hour) Office Administrative Assistant ($47,120.00 to $61,845.00 per year) Custodian ($22.86 to $30.00 per hour) Trauma Therapist ($80,160 to $115,230 per year)
Child & Family Services •
Ziptrek Ecotours is now hiring for an: IT Administrator This could be a Full-time or Part-time position. Pay is $70,000–$85,000 based on experience per year for full-time. Excellent compensation, great perks & benefits.
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Key Worker ($54,720.00 to $71,820.00 per year)
Community Programs • • •
Aboriginal Supported Child Development Worker ($25.89 - $33.98 per hour + eligible for wage enhancement top up) Bus Driver ($22.86 to $30.00 per hour) Youth Center Coordinator ($50,480.00 to $66,255.00 per year)
Xet’òlacw Community School
Apply for details and to apply online by scanning the QR code now Please note, we currently do not offer staff housing.
• • • •
High School Teacher - Special Education ($63,670.00 to $116,19.00 per year) Education Assistant ($38,038.00 to $53,599.00 per year) Custodian ($18.25 to $20.90 per hour) Bus Driver ($20.90 to $29.45 per hour)
Please visit our career page for more information: https://lilwat.ca/careers/
This role serves as a senior HR practitioner and trusted advisor to leadership, with a primary focus on employee & labour relations. The role manages complex employee relations matters and supports performance management, workplace investigations, recruitment, accommodations & return-to-work, compensation & classification, HRIS, and organizational change - all in alignment with Lilwat Nation’s values, cultural teachings, and community priorities
Experience:
What We Offer:
• Relevant degree or diploma, or a combination of education & experience • CPHR designation is an asset • 5-7 years of progressive HR experience • Solid experience in labour relations and knowledge of labour laws • Employee relations: Investigating and resolving complex or critical issues. • Experience in federally regulated, Indigenous, public sector, government or similarly complex organization preferred
• Salary Range: $76,560 to $105,270/year • Full-Time, Regular Position • 6% vacation pay • Up to 5 wellness days per year • Up to 10 paid sick days per year • Extra stat holidays including one week off between Christmas and New Year’s • Extended health and wellness benefits • Registered Pension Plan (RPP) • Supportive and collaborative team environment
Find full job post and apply here:
50 SEPTEMBER 4, 2026
For more info contact: hr@lilwat.ca or 604-894-6115
WHISTLER’S PREMIER LUXURY ESTATE BUILDER
The Museum is currently seeking
Engagement Coordinator Part-time, permanent. $30.00 per hour Responsible for delivering regular art-based workshops to adults and children at the Audain Art Museum, deepening students’ knowledge and understanding of the history and methods of art-making in British Columbia through the planning of different workshops and activities. The position will remain posted until filled. Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis, and candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.
$30-$45+ per hour
Apply and learn more via the QR code, or email applications to efeaver@audainartmuseum.com
NESTERS MARKET & WELLNESS CENTRE
NOW HIRING Deli, Bakery, Produce, Grocery and Meat Clerks Cashiers Full or Part Time E-mail or drop in your resume to: bruce_stewart@nestersmarket.com please cc Rory_eunson@nestersmarket.com PERKS
• Competitive wage – Depending on experience • Access to medical and dental benefits for full time applicants • Percentage discount from store bought goods • Flexible and set schedule • Staff Housing available
November 2026 - April 2027 5 bedrooms preferred, fully furnished and available for double occupancy Whistler / Function / Brio / surrounding areas We are looking for a comfortable, well-maintained home for the full winter season. If you have a property available or know of someone considering a winter rental, please contact Megan at 6042037854 or megan.odonnell@westinwhistler.com ©2026 Marriott International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Photo Credit: Tourism Whistler
SEPTEMBER 4, 2026
51
PUZZLES ACROSS 1 6 10 14 19 20 22 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 32 34 35 39 41 43 45 47 48 51 53
55 56 59 61 62 64 66 68 70 72 73 75
Dirt Pome fruit Edna Mode’s anathema Discard “Thinker” sculptor Facilitates Grant Catherine or Maureen Alter Gussy up Situate Charge for club entry Chair Hawaiian porch Cook a certain way Nerve network Skunk Mother-of-pearl Inflamed Dummies Gets close to Immigration island Strike gently Divide equally “Dukes of Hazzard” deputy Desire Recipe amt. Kanten Get top billing First (Abbr.) Purify Subject to change Slice Goober Honey badger Threw casually Worsted cloth
77 79 80 82 84 86 88 90 91 95 97 101 102 104 106 108 110 112 114 115 117 118 120 121 122 124 126 128 129 131 133 135 139 141 145 146 148
Monarch Kitchen VIP Destructive beetle Checks Menacing Prince in opera -- statesman Hard-rind fruit Hinged chair “Bourne” Actor Matt -Leaseholder Where Trujillo is Lukewarm Saltpeter Small article used in sewing Frighten Uprising Mild oath Book leaf Firearm Israelite tribe Actress -- Falco Liquefy Card up a sleeve Outdo Housing cost Fly -- of Galilee Skeletal parts Finch Lacking sense Powerful adhesive brand (2 wds.) Drumming Beatle Dressed Mimic -- Ana winds Irritate
150 151 153 155 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 21 23 31 33
36 37 38 40 42
Pierce with a horn Outspoken Fills Greek philosopher Agitate Related maternally Source of fine down Giant god Preminger and von Bismarck Odense denizens Sawbucks Prehistoric tool “... -- angels fear to tread”
DOWN
Understand Lover in a play Perfect Coined Conclusion Vitality Nobleman Chinese or Japanese, e.g. Leftover piece Beret “-- fair in love and war” Saucer Geologic epoch Club (Abbr.) Combinations of tones “Bolero” composer Mountain ridge Reduced Legroom With little force Dies -Certain racer
Male swan Genus of honeybees Tries Actor -- Hudson Gold Rush hopeful forty- -Closes Echolocation system Wilson’s predecessor Radiant Breather Town -Skull cavity Church donation Disdainful look Lucre Ascend Garden flower Actuality Beelzebub Forest constituent Hanging piece of jewelry Doctrine Numeral Coat with precious metal Mature Standoffish fellow Partly (Prefix) “-- -- a Preacher Man” Repulse Memorization method Dig site find Efface Terse “The Bridge on the -Kwai” Desert in Israel Corpuscle Butler in “The Nanny”
44 46 48 49 50 52 54 56 57 58 60 63 65 67 69 70 71 74 76 78 81 83 85 87 89 91 92 93 94 96 98 99
100 101 103 105 107 109 111 113 116 119 123 125 126 127 129 130
Mock-up dress Dad Pigeons Wheel spokes -- bene Engine Garment part Singer -- Ross Yearns Coup d’-Animal hair Trek Sweet-natured Med. specialty Scold Like a solarium
132 134 135 136 137 138 140 142 143 144 147 149 152 154 156 157
Clumsy Note with one flag Kept for later “Once -- -- time ...” Nut variety Musical work Egg-shaped Itinerary Typo Not very bright Solar disk god Footnote abbr. “-- Miserables” Grads-to-be (Abbr.) Prov. in Canada Bovine
LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS
Enter a digit from 1 through 9 in each cell, in such a way that: • Each horizontal row contains each digit exactly once • Each vertical column contains each digit exactly once • Each 3x3 box contains each digit exactly once Solving a sudoku puzzle does not require any mathematics; simple logic suffices.
LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: MEDIUM
7
8 1 9 MEDIUM
9 3 6 2 9
2
5
5 8 7
1 4 7 9
1 6 3 5
5 9 3
4 3
7 #9
1 6 2 6 2 9 5 3 4 7 3 9 2 9 4 6 6 8 1 4 9 5 2 7 8 6 5 2 MEDIUM # 10 Solution, tips and computer program at www.sudoku.com
ANSWERS ON PAGE 49
52 SEPTEMBER 4, 2026
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CLEANING
Serving Whistler since 1986
Specialized in cleaning Chimneys, Furnace & Airducts, Dryer vents.
604.932.1388 / 1.877.932.5775 blackcombchimney@yahoo.ca
HEATING AND COOLING
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beginning for a better future
PAINTING
Interior Specialist • Handyman Good bang for your buck!
www.withoutahitch.ca • 604-902-1350 withoutahitchbc@gmail.com • Established 2004
PRESSURE WASHING
604-902-PEAK Peter@peakpressure.ca
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
ROOFING
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• LONG TERM RENTALS • BOUTIQUE STYLE STRATA MANAGEMENT
Call for a free consultation Info@avesta1.com
604-815-4545 • www.avesta1.com
PROPERTY MAINTENANCE
• Hot/cold pressure washing • Interlock restoration • Wood restoration • Soft washing (roofs/houses) • Stone and concrete sealing • Property management
604.932.7999 • joe@whistlerpainting.ca WhistlerPainting.ca
MANAGERS THAT CARE
• Wood blinds • Sunscreens • Shades • Motorization
Gardens, Seasonal Planters and Stonescapes
• Full service cleaning • Available 24/7 • Residential • Post Construction • Carpet/ Upholstery cleaning • Commercial & Air BNB • Property Maintenance • Established 2011 (604)966-1437
David Weldon david@summersnow.ca 604-938-3521
Cedar ENVIROSHAKE Standing Seam Metal 50 Year Asphalt. O: 604 902 3996 | C: 604 729 4943 www.whistlerroofers.com
SURVEYING
DOUG BUSH
SURVEY SERVICES LTD. dbss.ca PH: 604-932-3314 • Whistler, B.C.
STU PINKNEY stu@dbss.ca
IAN STIRK ian@dbss.ca
SEPTEMBER 4, 2026
53
PIQUE’N YER INTEREST
Hidden snaps SOME MIGHT CONSIDER taking Labour Day as a day of rest to be a bit like taking Valentine’s Day as a day to hash out old arguments. Or spending Thanksgiving complaining about your family. Or commemorating Earth Day by idling your truck in the driveway.
BY KATHERINE FAWCETT But never mind. I’m happy to celebrate a day about work by not working. As Labour Day approaches, I’ve been reflecting on the nature of labour and how work has shaped my life. Labour Day is rooted in generations of workers fighting to make work a little less terrible. In 1872, Toronto printers went on strike demanding a ninehour workday—a shockingly radical idea at the time. Several leaders of the movement were arrested because unions were technically illegal. The public was outraged. Change followed. The movement eventually helped secure things many of us now take for granted: weekends, limits on working hours, workplace safety standards, minimum wages, paid holidays, and the right to advocate for better conditions without immediately getting sacked. It also led to protections for children. In the 19th century, kids routinely worked long hours in factories, mines, and other dangerous workplaces. Laws eventually restricted child labour and established minimum working ages to help protect children from exploitation.
ODD JOBS Some summer jobs leave a lasting impression. ILLUSTRATION BY JON PARRIS / ADOBE AI / GETTY IMAGES
54 SEPTEMBER 4, 2026
Which reminds me of one of my first jobs. I was barely into my teens when I hopped on a bus from the suburbs of Calgary wearing my best jeans and my mother’s cowboy hat. It was early July. I’d heard there was a Hire-A-Student centre at the Stampede grounds and was excited to show up and be dispatched wherever extra labour was needed. Maybe I’d be dusting mini-donuts with sugar. Selling Dream Home lottery tickets. Helping with horses before the rodeo. Cleaning up midway debris beneath a roller-coaster. Minimum wage was about $3.50 an hour, and I was already mentally calculating my future wealth. If I landed
woman. The “world’s fattest man.” The sword-swallower asked me if I wanted to travel with them to Edmonton for Klondike Days the following week. Apparently the knife thrower needed someone new to stand with an apple on her head. A few minutes later, I was standing nervously on a small platform in the Stampede grounds in a bikini I couldn’t fill and shoes I couldn’t walk in, my arms stretched out horizontally against a metal pole while Ron dramatically tied my wrists with “escape-proof” rope. “Step right up, ladies and gentlemen!” he boomed. “Witness the impossible!” “You won’t believe the freaks of nature we have assembled for your
Back then, I didn’t know the word exploitation. I only knew that I didn’t want to be there anymore—so I left. something that lasted for the whole rest of the Stampede, I figured I could afford a six-month pass at Lloyd’s Roller Rink. Instead, I got Ron. Ron ran The Freak Show. It may officially have been called the House of Oddities, but everyone there called it The Freak Show. Ron looked me up and down, handed me a bikini and a pair of high heels, showed me how the trick ropes worked, and told me to change in the back trailer and be on stage for the promo gig in 10 minutes. The ropes, I was assured, would snap apart the moment I moved. “It’s not rocket science, sweetie,” he said. “But just remember to smile, but don’t talk. No one wants to hear you talking.” Sounded easy! While I waited for Ron to summon me back, I met my coworkers. There was a flame-eater. A man whose bones were supposedly made of rubber. A bearded
entertainment!” And he went on to describe the Weird. The Wonderful. The Unbelievable. “But first, my lovely assistant will ESCAPE from the throes of bondage before your very eyes!” That was my cue. I yanked my arms and the ropes fell away. People hooted and whistled. The guy at the dart-and-balloon booth across from us watched, arms folded, and smiled. In the trailer between performances, I flipped through Tiger Beat magazines strewn across the table and I multiplied $3.50 times a lot of numbers in my head. Being a working girl felt pretty cool. Until my fourth performance. Ron tied my wrists to the pole as usual. During his bellowing intro, I spotted my father in the crowd. He didn’t see me—yet. He must have come to the Stampede to check up on me. I felt suddenly exposed. What was I
doing up there, tied to a pole? What if my little brothers or sisters saw me? My mum? I had to get off that stage, immediately. I didn’t even want to get paid. I just wanted to get out. I didn’t care about Ron and his big ugly brown moustache. I felt like there were spiders on me. In a flurry of—what? Self-preservation? Job action? Modesty? Anger?—I ripped myself free from the trick ropes and clunked in those too-big heels back to the trailer, where I threw on my proper clothes and runners and snuck out before anyone could stop me. I don’t think I stole a Tiger Beat when I left, but I probably thought about it, knowing mum wouldn’t have allowed us to read such trash. Luckily, Ron stayed on stage and didn’t miss a beat. He was pulling customers in like a true showman. He was still up there wooing the crowd when I slipped into the midway and found my father’s hand. Although I never did get paid for that gig, I was very happy to leave. Luckily, I had the freedom to do so. Not every worker does. Back then, I didn’t know the word exploitation. I only knew that I didn’t want to be there anymore—so I left. I had no idea that millions of children around the world were working in factories, fields, mines, and workshops. I certainly didn’t know that some of the products I used every day might have passed through the hands of children who had far fewer choices than I did. This Labour Day, as I’m celebrating the young Sea to Sky workers who spent their summers scooping ice cream, babysitting, stocking shelves, walking dogs, lifeguarding pools, and wrangling children at day camps, I’m also thinking about children around the world who still don’t have the protections many of us take for granted. Children who don’t have the freedom to walk away. Children whose ropes don’t have hidden snaps to free them. n
ENGEL &VÖLKERS WHISTLER
Follow your dream, home.
3205 Arbutus Drive, Whistler 4 Bed | 2 Bath | 2,047 sq.ft. $2,699,000 (GST exempt) 604-616-6933 Kathy White PREC* kathy.white@evrealestate.com
#201 - 1400 Alpha Lake Road, Whistler 1 Bed | 1 Bath | 1,136 sq.ft. $895,000 604-902-3335 Steve Legge PREC* steve.legge@engelvoelkers.com
254 4429 Sundial Place, Whistler 2219 Aspen Drive, Whistler 1 Bed | 2 Bath | 734 sq.ft. 3 Bed | 2.5 Bath | 1,848 sq.ft. 0 $399,00 604-935-9172 $2,499,00 604-966-4200 Sherry and Rob Boyd boydteam@evrealestate.com Rachel Allen rachel.allen@evrealestate.com
41331 Horizon Drive, Squamish Vacant Land $799,000 604-719-7646 Carmyn Marcano carmyn.marcano@evrealestate.com
3359 Osprey Place, Whistler 6 Bed | 5.5 Bath | 4,115 sq.ft. $6,498,000 604-910-1103 Connie Spear connie.spear@evrealestate.com
Boyd Team
3125 Hawthorne Place, Brio
$2,899,000 #315-4320 Sundial Crescent, Pan Pacific Mountainside
Within walking distance of Whistler Village, close to restaurants, shops, entertainment and world-class recreation that make Whistler such a special place. Renovated, versatile and ideally located, this home is designed to help you enjoy all that Whistler offers. Maggi Thornhill PREC*
+1-604-905-8199
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$699,999
AnexquisiteONEofONEinthebestlocation!ThisunithasundergoneaCOMPLETErenovation & the transformation is beautiful! No detail has been overlooked & this fully equipped 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom is an absolute diamond within this highly desirable hotel complex. Maggi Thornhill PREC* maggi.thornhill@evrealestate.com Maggi & Max Thornhill Team
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1431/1433 - 4308 Main St. Delta Whistler Village Suites
9270 Pinetree Lane
901 - 4293 Mountain Square
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Powders Edge - Whistler Village
3D TOUR: rem.ax/1431delta
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2 | 859 SQFT
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Denise Brown
604.902.2033
3 | 1,595 SQFT
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Wetaski
604.938.3798
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2 | 1,313 SQFT
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$13,000
604.9603.7672
401 - 4557 Blackcomb Way
301 - 2129 Lake Placid Road
360 - 4429 Sundial Place
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Le Chamois - Benchlands
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1.5 | 791 SQFT
604.698.5230
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Whistler Resort and Club
Lasseter
23 - 4644 Blackcomb Way Blackcomb Greens - Benchlands
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Matt
.5 | 628 SQFT
Richard
604.935.9171
$350,000
604.902.4260
Chiasson
20C - 3102 Panorama Ridge Suncrest - Brio
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Grenfell
C1 - 6900 Crabapple Drive Adventures West - Whistler Cay OPEN HOUSE: SAT / SUN 2:30 - 4:30
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Whistler Village Inns
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2 | 964 SQFT
604.932.7741
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4 | 1,265 SQFT
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604.902.170
$1,699,000
604.932.8629
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