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Transit shutdown in Vancouver averted, tentative deal reached

VANCOUVER — About 350,000 commuters in Metro Vancouver were spared the inconvenience of a full bus strike Wednesday after a month-long transit dispute ended with a tentative agreement. The proposed deal was reached after more than 10 hours of negotiations when Unifor agreed to extend its strike deadline past midnight.…

What about the gondola investigation?

Squamish RCMP give brief update

It has been months since the Sea to Sky Gondola cable was deliberately cut and there is still no news on who did it, or why. “The investigation is ongoing and Sea to Sky RCMP General Investigation Section (GIS) is working alongside various partners, and exploring all investigative avenues,” Sgt. Sascha Banks told The Chief.…

Winter rescue season begins, North Shore Rescue says

If you want to experience frozen, you now have two options – get to a movie theatre or get lost in the mountains. “We need to be prepared now for full winter conditions,” said Mike Danks, North Shore Rescue team leader.…

Whistler’s freestyle training centre lands naming sponsor

Gemini Trust Company inks three-year deal

IT’S BEEN A long time coming, but the dream of bringing a national freestyle training centre to Whistler appears to be well on its way. Earlier this month, the National Training Centre (NTC) board signed a naming rights pact with American cryptocurrency exchange and custodian Gemini Trust Company, giving the project, which includes a moguls training and event site and an airbag training facility, the financial wherewithal to get across the finish line.…

Alta Lake Road housing proposal not in best interests of community

LETTER: For the week of Nov. 21

The Empire Club Development Corp. is wiggling carrots on sticks, so that its project [to build 15 new three-bedroom employee-housing-restricted townhomes and 22 three-bedroom market-tourist-accommodation townhomes on 5298 Alta Lake Rd.] might get the go-ahead. One carrot offered is the restoration of the Hillman cabin (a.k.a. Toad Hall) to which I say, like Woodstock, some things are best left to what’s left of our memories.…

Reconsider the parent pass option

LETTER: For the week of Nov. 21

I want to express my disappointment in how Vail Resorts is handling the parent-pass program. The purpose of the program is to help local Sea-to-Sky families afford passes in order to share their passion for the mountains with their children.…

How to be a good ecocitizen

AWARE video highlights environmental issues—in a uniquely Whistler way

AS WHISTLER has seen record-breaking visitation in recent years, the concern around the impact to the environment has been well noted. But how do you tell people about the multitude of issues affecting Whistler’s environment—things like proper backcountry etiquette, invasive species, wildfire prevention and bear safety—when they may only be here for a few days, or months?…

What is the future of tourism?

While tourism is super-important to Whistler, we are fortunate that to date it has been largely positive to our lifestyle. That is not the experience universally.…

The beat goes on

LETTER: For the week of Nov. 21

Life can change in the blink of an eye and most of you reading this know that. My husband, Shayne, and I recently experienced a life event that shook us up.…

The elephant in the room

LETTER: For the week of Nov. 21

As [Protect our Winters Canada board chair] Mike Douglas so succinctly stated: “It doesn’t matter if we’re perfect here in Whistler. If no one around us is taking action and being affected by what we’re doing, then it’s all for nothing.”…

Gibbons Whistler buys World Ski and Snowboard Festival

Whistler Blackcomb will do ‘whatever it takes to help’ with long-running event

Gibbons Whistler has purchased the World Ski and Snowboard Festival from Whistler Blackcomb (WB). “We feel it’s the best move for the viability of the festival,” said Marc Riddell, director of communications with Whistler Blackcomb.…

Whistler Blackcomb set to open Thursday with minimal terrain

Both mountains, all three gondolas operating for Opening Day

SNOW ON THE valley floor or not, Whistler Blackcomb (WB) is ready for the 2019/20 season. Both mountains are set to open this Thursday, Nov. 28, with uploading options via the Blackcomb, Whistler Village and Creekside gondolas.…

Addressing Squamish’s childcare crisis

District seeks ideas and feedback at open house

In Squamish, there is one childcare space for every five children aged one to two and a half. With a current population of nearly 500 kids that age — and only 96 licensed spaces — there is a 20 per cent childcare access rate.…

Privacy watchdogs say B.C. firm broke rules for political ads on Facebook

VANCOUVER — An investigation by two Canadian privacy commissioners found that a British Columbia firm broke privacy laws when it used and disclosed personal information in the province, the United States and the United Kingdom. A joint report by the federal and B.C. privacy commissioners says AggregateIQ failed to ensure appropriate consent for its use and disclosure of the personal information of voters.…

Teamsters say they have reached a tentative deal with CN, work set to resume

MONTREAL — Teamsters Canada says it has reached a tentative agreement with Canadian National Railway Co. to renew the collective agreement for over 3,000 conductors, trainpersons and yard workers. The union said normal operations at CN will resume Wednesday at 6 a.m. local time across Canada.…