Having just read the cover story from last month’s Pique (“Wake-Up Call,” Jan. 19), I wanted to write in solidarity for the many people dealing with housing insecurity in Whistler.
I grew up in Whistler. Babies aren’t delivered in the town, but I was at home before I was 24 hours old. I knew nothing else until I left for university.
My grad class is talking about getting together for a 20-year reunion. As I think through the list of 50 people I graduated from Whistler Secondary School with in 2003, there are only a handful who have figured out a way to stay in Whistler. Some live in other communities out of choice, but lots of us don’t live in Whistler because we aren’t able to properly afford it.
It really is hard to make a go of it in Whistler. Most of the families I grew up with, including my own, were average earners and a lot of us dealt with housing insecurity. As a newcomer who is struggling, it can feel like everyone around you is wealthy and has it made. But building a life in Whistler is a struggle for most people. Long-time locals are certainly not immune from having to take on precarious housing arrangements. And many of the most successful people I know who live in Whistler, lived a different life in a place they didn’t want to be, working around the clock so that they, too, could afford Whistler one day.
It feels like it doesn’t necessarily have to be this way. While Whistler has always been relatively expensive, what we’re looking at now versus 10 years ago is next level. I don’t know if anyone really understands the key moments and decision-points that got us here, or if it was even remotely avoidable.
What I can say is this: making a life in Whistler is the ultimate dream, for me included. The town is magic and it’s the only place my soul truly feels at home. These days, I live in Squamish and do a lot of driving. (Not complaining, Squamish is great.)
People find a way to make it happen. My advice, if you want to stay over the long-term: keep your eye on the prize. Take stock of the good jobs available and get trained up. Get on the Whistler Housing Authority list as soon as you can. While you’re renting, be respectful of your landlord’s property. Tenants who are hard on properties or are disrespectful are ultimately contributing to a reduction of our housing stock. Also, it’s a small town at the end of the day...
If it’s your dream, I hope you’ll find a way. The town certainly needs and appreciates you, whether you feel that or not.
