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Village of Pemberton council preview for June 16

First look: Community centre, library soft opening planned; cannabis retail policy amendment; food truck pitched for Portage Road

HERE’S A QUICK LOOK at what you can expect at the Village of Pemberton (VOP) council meeting on June 16 starting at 5:30 p.m. Community centre, library soft opening pitched for July 2…

Amid defunding talk, B.C. mulls revamp for 45-year-old Police Act

Defunding police are a simplistic approach to a complex problem: B.C. Premier

Amid defunding talk, B.C. mulls revamp for 45-year-old Police Act Calls for defunding police are a simplistic approach to a complex problem and, instead, B.C. should review its 45-year-old Police Act, said Premier John Horgan.…

Pandemic complicates dog adoption initiatives in B.C.

Travel restrictions hinder adoption societies’ abilities to meet demand for pets from abroad

As the COVID-19 pandemic confined most people to their homes, something interesting began happening: many began looking for dogs to adopt. “I handle the preliminary screening on applications, and we see it on every application we get these days,” said Marybeth Harrison, board member and volunteer with Langley-based Loved At Last Dog Rescue (LALDR), a society facilitating the adoption of dogs rescued from international shelters.…

ACC Whistler calls for ‘more balanced approach’ to grizzly management

Grizzly recovery should be embraced, advocacy group says in response

while the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) moves forward with a revised conflict mitigation strategy for grizzlies in the alpine, the Alpine Club of Canada’s Whistler section is decrying the impact on alpine users. “The result [of the revised strategy] appears to be to stop planned trail construction and restrict recreating in local areas used by a grizzly bear,” wrote Michael Blaxland, chair of ACC Whistler’s alpine access subcommittee, in a letter to mayor and council.…

The importance of the rural-road ritual

Many, many moons ago when I was a youth in the backseat of my grandparents’ car on the way out to the family farm, I noticed what seemed like a peculiar habit. Any car or pedestrian we passed in the opposite direction was met with a subtle wave from my grandmother behind the steering wheel, a lift of a finger or two to acknowledge the other party.…

Whistler food truck serving pizza for a good cause—and as a statement

Whistler Wood Fired Pizza Co. wants muni to consider temporary permit during pandemic

It’s a sunny late-May day, and Korey Klein is busy making pizza out of the bright red Whistler Wood Fired Pizza Co. truck he started with his wife more than a decade ago. Parked in the lot at the conference centre, he is making free pizza for the users of the nearby food bank.…

Sea to Sky CrossFit gyms ponder next steps

Local businesses wait and see how to respond after CEO resigns following racist tweet

Jordan Glasser already had his hands full trying to keep his Function Junction gym going with new protocols after a lengthy COVID-19-related shutdown. The last thing the Opus Athletics owner and head coach needed was to be faced with a tough decision regarding whether to keep up the gym’s CrossFit affiliation following racist comments from CEO Greg Glassman earlier this month.…

SLRD brings in WildSafeBC community co-ordinator

Devin Pawluk looks to help reduce human-wildlife conflicts

However, the SLRD discovered it could do much more, partnering with WildSafeBC to bring community co-ordinator Devin Pawluk to the region. The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy also provides funding for the position.…

Camping advice from ‘Ol’ Bill’

A few weeks ago, we took a look at Bill Bailiff and his column in the Community Weekly Sunset, the newsletter of the Alta Lake Community Club, which featured information about the history and environment of the area, alongside personal anecdotes. With summer approaching and the thoughts of many turning to camping, we thought we’d share another topic from Bailiff’s articles: practical advice from “Camping Out with Ol’ Bill.”…

Canadian research network examining pregnancy and COVID-19

VANCOUVER — Clinicians and epidemiologists don’t yet know much about COVID-19 and pregnancy, says the leader of a newly formed national network that’s aiming to fill in those gaps. “We scoured the literature and found a real limited amount of information, of course, at the beginning, from China and a little bit more from Europe,” said Dr. Deborah Money, a professor in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of British Columbia’s faculty of medicine.…

Sleeping in, showering less: BC Hydro says power use changes since pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an atmosphere where every day feels like a Saturday

The latest report on electricity usage in British Columbia reveals the COVID-19 pandemic has created an atmosphere where every day feels like a Saturday. BC Hydro says overall power usage hasn’t changed much but a survey of 500 people shows daily routines have shifted dramatically since mid-March when pandemic-related closures began.…

Of trash and treasure

Breakfast is over, but it’s still early as the Island Solitude manoeuvres up the inlet on a falling tide. Dropping anchor, we pile into Zodiacs and head for a cove now constellated with barnacle-encrusted boulders.…

Whistler’s Zero Ceiling helps launch youth peer support group

Youth connections intended to create safe space for mental-health support for ages 16 to 24

zero ceiling is committed to ending youth homelessness, and as part of that mission, wants to address important issues like mental health that can contribute to homelessness—particularly during a time of isolation. That’s why the Whistler-based non-profit has teamed up with Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) and the Kelty Patrick Dennehy Foundation to launch Youth Connections, a weekly peer support group for Sea to Sky youth aged 16 to 24.…

Frustration grows with no apparent end in sight for Canada-U.S. border ban

WASHINGTON — The intertwined economies of Canada and the United States demand a more sophisticated solution to the threat of COVID-19 than a simple ban on non-essential travel, say business groups chafing at the prospect of another six weeks of border restrictions. Land travel over the Canada-U.S. border has been limited to trade shipments and essential workers since mid-March, when the two countries negotiated a mutual ban on discretionary trips like vacations and shopping excursions — a ban that now appears poised to extend well into July.…

GranFondo to offer free training

Weekly virtual sessions started on June 8

Though the RBC GranFondo Whistler has been called off for 2020, organizers are helping cyclists remain active. The event announced that its Fondo Clinics by Trek will be offered free of charge this summer online as the GranFondo waived its $275 fee.…