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Levi Nelson art on display in downtown Pemberton

Hydro boxes, utility box get a makeover

Hydro boxes in Pemberton just got a lot more exciting. Pieces by Levi Nelson, a Lil’wat Nation artist in his last year at Emily Carr University of Art and Design, are now installed on hydro boxes along Portage Road and on the utility box at the Downtown Community Barn.…

Whistler Film Festival announces new hire

Shelly Quade joins team as talent programs manager

The Whistler Film Festival has hired a new talent programs manager. Shelly Quade will now oversee the festival’s 11 talent programs that provide “creative and business immersion experiences for domestic creators to advance their projects and crafts leading up to and during the festival,” according to a release.…

Quarantino 11—this is the end

Time passes slowly up here in the mountains. And life is easy in the bubble, with beauty and nature literally right outside our doors and a community of (mostly) likeminded souls to adventure with.…

‘It’s brewing’: Inmates, guards worry about violence after COVID-19 lockdown

VANCOUVER — Jennifer Larue just wants her husband to be able to hold their baby. But COVID-19 outbreaks at federal prisons and the subsequent lockdown to prevent the virus spread means Larue’s husband, Norman, hasn’t been able to see his wife or children in person for weeks.…

Senior abuse and the pandemic

What to do if you are being mistreated, or suspect someone else is

With the pandemic, stress levels and family dynamics have changed. This combination is leading some to report an increase in senior abuse.…

Returning to normal after pandemic isn’t good enough

After months of disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, many people just want to get back to “normal.” We will overcome this crisis.…

Inter-muni ride-hailing bylaws introduced in B.C.

Public comment open until June 19

ride-hailing companies throughout the Sea to Sky and Lower Mainland will soon be able to operate in multiple jurisdictions under a single business licence. At its May 26 meeting, Whistler council gave first three readings to a set of bylaws that will streamline the licensing process for ride-hailing companies, allowing them to operate in multiple B.C. municipalities.…

B.C. health data privacy exemptions extended to Dec. 31

Privacy commissioner, watchdog want greater protections, penalties

of B.C. privacy laws on sharing health data during the COVID-19 pandemic set to expire June 30 has been extended until year’s end. Minister of Citizens Services Anna Kang initially ordered that people’s health information might be shared with others inside and outside of Canada.…

Year of the staycation is a boon for B.C.’s outdoor equipment industry

Ban on non-essential travel in B.C. fires up sales of bikes, camping and hunting gear

Bikes are flying off the racks across Metro Vancouver, according to Sporting Life assistant manager Rebecca Brownridge. “The bike industry is booming to say the least,” said Brownridge from her Burnaby store.…

James: B.C.’s May job numbers offer ‘glimmer of hope’

Canada unemployment hit 13.7% in May

Canada’s May unemployment rate was 13.7 per cent, the highest recorded since comparable data became available in 1976, Statistics Canada said in numbers released June 5. In February, prior to the COVID-19 economic shutdown, the unemployment rate was 5.6 per cent, increasing to 7.8 per cent in March and 13 per cent in April.…

Whistler rider to tackle Everesting challenge

Alex Jessett to ride for charity in Bayshores and Kadenwood on Sunday

As is the case for many Whistlerites, the COVID-19 pandemic has not been kind to Alex Jessett. Jessett was personally impacted as she was laid off from her job as a bootfitter when Whistler Blackcomb shut down its operations in March.…

When life gives you lemons, paint rocks

Talent behind Paintertainment creates Wild Rocks of Black Tusk

Black Tusk Village is experiencing an extra dose of whimsy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Brightly coloured, expertly painted rocks have been popping up on lawns around the neighbourhood, thanks to Cary Campbell Lopes having a little extra time—and no shortage of creative energy—on her hands.…

‘COVID is temporary; climate change is inevitable’

Whistler’s environmental advocates find opportunity in crisis

There is a thought exercise that’s been circling through Zoom meetings and other teleconferences, non-profits or otherwise, since the COVID-19 pandemic ground society to a halt, forcing businesses to close and residents to self-isolate at home. It involves taking a minute to reflect on the true weight of our current circumstances before offering up a one-word answer to define your feelings.…

Sow and cubs relocated from Whistler’s Bayshores only to return days later

Whistler bear advocates say relocation not effective strategy for family units

A sow and three bear cubs were relocated out of Bayshores last month only to return within days, leading to questions from Whistler bear advocates about the efficacy of relocation. After weeks of reports of bluff-charging and other defensive behaviour in Spring Creek and Bayshores, the Conservation Officer Service (COS) relocated the family unit a short distance to “a habitat that was more comfortable and a habitat that was discussed with a [provincial] biologist as a good location for the sow to help get those cubs a bit bigger and put her outside of a high-use area,” explained officer Brittany Mueller.
Initially, there were reports in early May of the sow accessing barbecues, which led COs to patrol the neighbourhoods to ensure no attractants were left behind, and issue a fine.…

Showing up is only the first step

Last month, Pique shared the story of a cyclist yelling at one of Whistler’s earliest Japanese families to “go back to China” as he pedalled by on the Village Stroll. The response online followed what has become a predictable pattern: anger, feigned shock, and vows that it doesn’t reflect what our community is really about.…