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B.C. speculation and vacancy tax brings in $115M, exceeds targets

The provincial government announced Thursday the speculation and vacancy tax has exceeded targets set in last year’s budget. To date, the province has collected $115 million from property owners in major urban centres deemed to be extremely unaffordable and subject to land speculation.…

UBCM will continue to take Chinese money for receptions

Port Coquitlam mayor calls decision cowardly

B.C.’s association of municipal governments will continue to take Chinese government money but says it’s going to review how its annual convention is financed. The Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in Vancouver has been a major reception sponsor for the annual Union of BC Municipalities’ annual convention for some years.…

B.C. government lacks anti-corruption tool for public servants

Conflicts of interest measures boil down to honour system with no statutory disclosure requirements in place; Attorney General David Eby to review legislation

Senior B.C. government employees are not subject to statutory financial disclosures, a key component of mitigating conflicts of interest and the potential for corruption. It’s a matter that is now on the radar of Attorney General David Eby, following inquiries from Glacier Media.…

Jumping on the 30-day challenge bandwagon

I’ll admit I’m one of the least trend-sensitive people that I know. I haven’t started wearing shorter-length pants that show my socks, nor do I wear dress shoes without any socks at all.…

Whistler Village Beer Festival unveils music lineup

Arts news: Arts Whistler employees hand over their art collection; call out for Teeny Tiny art

The Whistler Village Beer Festival is ramping up its musical offerings this year. While most people buy tickets to the Main Event primarily for the beer (this year there will be 70 breweries and 140 different beers to taste), they will also be able to catch six music acts on Sept. 14 and 15, organizers announced on Monday, July 8.…

Pemberton paddlers star at Canada Cups

Nott, Drain haul home medals from Ottawa, Regina

A pair of Pemberton paddlers has put up some excellent results in two recent competitions. Over Canada Day weekend, Kieran Nott and Landon Drain competed at the East Sprint Canada Cup in Ottawa, where they teamed up to place third in the U16 1,000-metre final.…

Mountain News: Jurors will have to decide in pond-skimming case

JACKSON, Wyo.—A jury will be given the task of deciding whether an injury suffered at the “pond skim” in 2017 was the result of negligence by Snow King Mountain Resort, the in-town ski area in Jackson. The skier, still a minor, had skied across the pond several times when he agreed with friends to be part of a “rowdy train,” in which all ski down together.…

Despite Victoria ruling, Squamish to move forward on plastics reduction

Mayor Karen Elliott said District examining legal implications of latest court ruling on plastic bag ban

The District will be examining a recent high-profile case about plastic bag bans in Victoria, as it will likely have implications about Squamish’s proposed single-use plastic reductions. On July 11, the highest court in B.C. struck down a bylaw that would’ve banned single-use plastic bags in Victoria.…

Avalanche Canada gets $25 million in federal funds

Money will be used to expand operations—but organization says it’s time for the province to come through as well

The federal government has announced a significant investment in Avalanche Canada—but the organization said the B.C. government needs to follow suit. Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Jonathan Wilkinson announced that Avalanche Canada would receive a one-time endowment of $25 million to support its long-term sustainability and expansion of its services during a Monday, July 8 press conference at Grouse Mountain.…

Village of Pemberton loan for up to $980,000 gains community approval via alternative approval process Council briefs: BC Transit MOU; top-earning staff; new building regulations

The Village of Pemberton is now able to borrow up to $980,000 to cover the cost of extending and paving the parking lot adjacent the Community Barn and to serve as a contingency fund for the downtown enhancement project. Pemberton council learned of the results of a successful alternative approval process, which grants it permission to borrow the funds, during its July 8 regular council meeting, where it also gave fourth and final reading to the loan authorization bylaw.…

Environmentalists felt like ‘enemies of the state’ after cabinet minister’s letter

Letter put protest chill into environmentalists, made awareness work harder

A letter by Canada’s former Conservative government’s environment minister left Canadian environmentalists thinking they were under police surveillance and “enemies of the state,” newly released documents show. The groups – among them Dogwood Initiative, ForestEthics (now Stand.Earth), Sierra Club BC, Leadnow.ca and the Indigenous #Idlenomore movement – said the fear of monitoring impacted their ability to fundraise, get petitions signed and organize protests.…

The Valley Trail is for everybody— but not e-bikes

At its best, the Valley Trail is a well-designed, multi-use trail that accommodates the needs of both cyclists and pedestrians. And up until recently, it has worked out well, with both user groups striking a delicate balance.…

McNeely tops Dirty 30

Race could become annual event

A wrong turn couldn’t slow down Patrick McNeely during the Whistler Off-Road Cycling Association’s (WORCA) Dirty 30 race on July 6. During the race marking WORCA’s 30th anniversary, McNeely got himself turned around as part of the Comfortably Numb section near the end of the course.…

Flamenco troupe brings unique live show from heart of Spain to Whistler

Fin de Fiesta is made up of members from Canada, France and Cuba

For many of us, the dream of living in a romantic European city to pursue a life of passion is just that, a dream. But for Vancouver’s Lia Grainger, that ambition turned to reality six years ago when she uprooted her life to move to Seville, Spain to immerse herself in the culture of flamenco in the Andalusian capital.…

Cougar alert issued for Alpine neighbourhood

RMOW warns animal has been pursuing pets

The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) issued a cougar alert for the Alpine neighbourhood on Thursday (July 11). The Conservation Officer Service (COS) reported an active cougar spotted around Matterhorn and Rainbow Drives.…