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Squamish adventure racers face more adventure than planned due to COVID-19

Pandemic spreads during one race and prevents another

COVID-19 had a definite impact on two local adventures, though in opposite ways. Squamish’s Nichole Murray has just finished her time in isolation after successfully completing the Gaucho Derby, a 10-day, 500-kilometre multi-horse race in Patagonia, Argentina.…

B.C. landlords seeing up to 50% of tenants not paying rent

The issue threatens the savings and livelihoods of people who rent out properties and are not at present eligible for any kind of government relief

As workers grapple with layoffs and reduced income, many Canadians have begun calling on governments to outright cancel rent and mortgage payments. Nearly 775,000 individuals have signed a petition calling on the federal government to do just that.…

Researchers look at humidity as a weapon in the fight against airborne viruses

The ongoing fight against the COVID-19 pandemic could get a boost if Canadians paid more attention to the relative humidity levels in public and private spaces, according to a growing body of international research. Doctors, scientists and engineers agree that sufficient indoor air moisture levels can have a powerful but little-understood effect on the transmission of airborne diseases.…

The Fire that Saved Sun Valley

A Whistler backcountry skier tours the scorched earth of Central Idaho

I shuffle forward in the skin track, pulling my neck-warmer up over my nose, the radiating sun my only reprieve against the bitter Idaho cold. Black husks of burned trees rise like porcupine quills out of the landscape, their shadows an endless series of light-and-dark stripes stretching over the glittering snow.…

What kind of world do we want to come back into?

At best, the last couple of weeks have been incredibly weird. If you’re one of the lucky ones, you’re adjusting to working from home and trying to keep yourself from going stir-crazy without the regular distractions of live sports or red-carpet fashion analysis to pass the time.…

B.C. launches economic recovery task force

Senior government officials, First Nations and business leaders to work on government’s economic response to the COVID-19 crisis

Victoria has launched an economic recovery task force to advise the provincial government on its economic response to the COVID-19 crisis and discuss the province’s long-term economic recovery. The task force includes the premier and senior cabinet ministers, and leaders from First Nations, business, labour and the not-for-profit sector.…

Whistler swimmer wraps up ‘roller-coaster’ season

Kranjc finishes third year at Western University

Even not at her best, Kat Kranjc is in the mix to be an Olympian. The Whistler swimmer, slowed by a sore rotator cuff at the U Sports Championships in Saanich at the end of February, posted times in the 50-metre butterfly and the 50-m freestyle that bested qualifying standards for the Olympic trials.…

Arts Whistler and Whistler Live team up for livestream concert series

Arts organization also compiles list of online resources for entertainment and education during the pandemic

Get ready to rock out in your living room. Arts Whistler is teaming up with Whistler Live to host livestreaming concerts through April—which is good news, considering the provincial health officer on Tuesday, March 31, said British Columbians could expect self-isolating to continue throughout the month and longer.…

Tourism Whistler suspends paid advertising campaigns

Mayor Crompton has a message: Don’t come to Whistler

As physical distancing practices continue to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Tourism Whistler (TW) has suspended all paid advertising campaigns, and is now asking visitors not to come to the resort. “Tourism Whistler is not making any March or April accommodation inventory available on Whistler.com, or accepting any accommodation bookings until after May 1.…

Alternate non-COVID medical care site at Vancouver Convention Centre to be operational by April 8

Decision to actually start using facility will be up to provincial health authorities

The alternate medical care site that is being set up at the Vancouver Convention Centre to take care of non-COVID patients displaced by victims of the outbreak will be operational by April 8, officials said Thursday. According to Ross Brown, director of the COVID-19 Regional Emergency Operations Centre at Vancouver Coastal Health, the site will have a scalable capacity of up to 271 beds, and will occupy exhibition halls A, B, and C. Brown stressed that this facility is a province-wide resource, which allows any B.C. hospital who need their space to treat COVID-19 patients to send their non-COVID patients to sites like the Vancouver Convention Centre.…

B.C. issues bylaw officer guidelines for targeting re-sellers

B.C. has given the province’s municipal bylaw officers guidelines on how to approach the ticketing of the likes of people re-selling essential items during the pandemic. Last week, the province ordered the re-selling of essential items – such as face masks – as an offence, which could result in a fine or even an arrest by police.…

Crankworx Innsbruck postponed

Whistler festival currently still planned for August

The second stop on the Crankworx World Tour, at least at this point, is becoming the third. In an announcement on the evening of April 1, the tour announced that the festival in Innsbruck, Austria will be postponed.…

Warms reflect on abrupt end to junior careers

Twins training in Whistler, hope to keep playing next season

Things were lining up for Beck Warm to wrap his junior hockey career with a bang. The 20-year-old Whistler goalie, who carried the load and faced a barrage of shots as the Tri-City Americans’ starter, got a new lease on life after a January trade to the league-leading Edmonton Oil Kings, posting 11 wins in 15 starts with his new club.…

Sea to Sky musicians get creative

With shows cancelled, artists are turning to new ideas for revenue and fulfilment

Like many creative people grappling with COVID-19 upheaval, when Will Ross’ gigs were all cancelled, he turned to the internet. The Squamish musician—who often performs in Whistler—had long taught a select handful of students guitar lessons to supplement his income, but with no concerts in his foreseeable future, he decided to add more—virtually.…

Talks on possible ferry service rollbacks

BC Ferries has already made some changes to sailing times on the Langdale-Horsehoe Bay route as it implements measures to stop the spread of COVID-19 and a possible reduction in the number of sailings could be on the horizon. “At some point in the future [BC Ferries] may have a discussion about reduction of service,” Sechelt Mayor Darnelda Siegers said in her March 31 community update.…