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B.C.’s road to recovery: Big energy projects await return to full power

Some B.C. megaprojects don’t need to restart because they never stopped

Unlike other sectors, like hospitality and retail, big energy projects underway in B.C. have not been forced into a wholesale shutdown by the COVID-19 pandemic, since they were deemed essential, although a number of them with large work camps have had to drastically scale back their work force. So like all other business in B.C., they are just waiting for the green light from the provincial health officer so they can gradually start bringing workers back to make up for some lost time.…

Ottawa earmarks $252m to bolster food security

Funding falls short of industry requests

The federal government is seeding the country’s farmers and food sector with $252 million in funding in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday (May 5) $125 million of that figure will go towards beef and pork producers raising more animals on their land than what can currently be processed amid backlogs.…

Majority agree with provincial plans to ease lockdown restrictions

Only 13 per cent of those surveyed think it would be wise to allow live sporting events

As most Canadian municipalities begin their eighth week of lockdown, pressure is building for to develop plans to restart the economy. Research Co. and Glacier Media asked Canadians about the state of affairs in their province, as well as their opinions on when certain activities should be allowed again.…

Four Seasons Whistler

mommytravels.net – While on a Mercedes drive I had a chance to stay at the Four Seasons Whistler, a high end luxury lodge. Staying here was so peaceful, read on to see why I enjoyed staying at this 5-star luxury hotel …

Tweeted by @MeaganWristen https://twitter.com/MeaganWristen/status/1256746553580060674

Whistler mayor, CAO talk local economic recovery

Patience, collaboration will be key as Whistler reopens for business

AS WHISTLER businesses ponder what their reopening plan looks like in the coming weeks—and worry about a tourism industry that will likely be slow to recover—there are some encouraging signs from the federal government. In a recent call with Whistler Chamber CEO Melissa Pace, federal economic development minister Melanie Joly talked about the importance of the resort.…

B.C. extends temporary COVID-19 layoff period

The extension delays when temporarily laid-off employees become permanently laid off under provincial employment law

THE B.C. GOVERNMENT has extended the province’s temporary layoff period by three weeks—a measure that will delay when employees temporarily laid-off due to the COVID-19 pandemic are permanently laid off. The extension expands B.C.’s existing temporary layoff period to 16 weeks from 13 weeks, and applies only to temporary layoffs related to the pandemic.…

Opinion: Internet giants should pay their share

Newspapers have never been so loved, and never been so neglected. The thirst for coverage of how the COVID-19 pandemic is turning the world upside-down has doubled, even tripled, the audiences of news publishers over the past two months.…

VIDEO: Veteran shares his memories liberating the Netherlands, 75 years later

Seventy-five years ago, when frontlines really did mean frontlines, and the Second World War was coming to an end in Europe, Sgt. Norman Kirby was there. Tuesday this week marks the anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands.…

Whistler Transit will resume collecting fares, front-door loading on June 1

Temporary vinyl panels to be installed on all buses without full driver door

Whistler Transit will resume collecting passenger fares and allow for front-door loading on all of its buses next month. BC Transit announced in a May 4 release that it would be enhancing safety procedures across its provincial network to allow for a return of the measures that were suspended in March to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 infection.…

B.C.’s road to recovery: Smaller crews, higher costs face post-pandemic film industry

B.C.’s reliance on foreign productions will require dealing with border restrictions first

If B.C.’s film and TV sector can make buildings safely explode for the cameras, Phil Klapwyk feels confident his industry can devise ways to make workplaces safe from COVID-19 when productions resume. “These are challenges or difficulties with safety that are being contemplated by some of the most creative and innovative professionals that B.C. has,” said the business representative for IATSE Local 891, the labour union representing 9,000 artists and technicians in B.C. and the Yukon.…

Chat with Arctic explorers

Whistler teens invited to ask questions during livestream on Wednesday, May 6

Whistler teens-and the wider community-will have a chance to hear first-hand what it’s like to be an explorer and citizen scientist in the Arctic. On Wednesday, May 6, at 12 p.m., Sunniva Sorby, who lives in Squamish, and Hilde FŒlun Str¿m from Norway, will take part in a live video chat, hosted by the Whistler Public Library, LUNA, and the Whistler Youth Centre.…

Trudeau pledges $850 million to global pandemic fight

Despite billions in emergency funding, Trudeau does not plan to revise budget

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau committed $850 million in international funding to fight a global pandemic, but despite billions in emergency funding announcements in recent weeks blowing a big hole in the federal government’s budget, Trudeau said he will not be doing a budget revision or economic forecast update anytime soon. The Trudeau government has already announced billions in emergency funding for Canadians.…

Village of Pemberton council preview for Tuesday, May 5

First look: Five Year Financial Plan; Tax Rates Bylaw; Sunstone development

Here’s a quick look at what you can expect at the Village of Pemberton (VOP) council meeting on May 5. After an in-camera session at 5 p.m., the public portion of the meeting is set to kick off at 5:30 pm.…

B.C.’s road to recovery: Province’s fashion retailers face multiple barriers

Insiders differ on when they think B.C. government will allow non-essential stores to reopen

Retailers in B.C. face major changes to the shopping experience they offer when fashion boutiques reopen after the COVID-19 pandemic eases. Many fashion retailers have closed partly because customers want to try on clothing, which poses the threat of infected garments.…

Staying the course

During daily walks around Whistler this past week, I was again disheartened by what I saw and experienced. When it comes to the few persistent Covidiots in our midst, most days are disappointing, but weekends by far the worst: groups picnicking, partying and fishing in closed parks; folks on the Valley Trail not heeding RMOW guidelines for no groups, and for people travelling in opposite directions to pass each other in single file on the far side of the trail; runners and cyclists slaloming around walkers as if it were the good ol’ days of physical non-distancing; out-of-town mountain bike posses cruising up Stonebridge looking for stealth places to park; sports cars and pickups racing on the West Side Road; and everywhere off-leash dogs-the owners chasing after them causing dangerous close-quarters havoc.…