Make room for pets
NP/NS (no pets/no smoking) ... landords, it's time to reconsider the no pets policy that continues to hobble this town in broader ways than you might realize.
I have watched so many mature, skilled, community-minded locals forced to leave here, less because of the rent prices, more because they could not live their lives as they wanted, as pet owners. These are people who would have contributed to the businesses and community for decades. Gone, replaced largely by partiers here for a few months.
It's a systemic flaw in the town's dynamics that transient workers are rewarded because they have the hostel/slave-quarters mentality—they don't mind sharing bedrooms with many strangers on their gadabout.
With a lot of the people who were trying to settle here gone, Whistler is forced to attract and hire more temporary foreign workers and seasonal people, some of whom don't give a crap, while a lot of caring, long-term people are being driven away.
So if you can't get good help or good tenants these days, then look at whole picture. Do you want to be renting to "rabbits" (two move in in the fall and six emerge in the spring)? Or to use your place for Airbnb?
I have the best landlords because they allow the pets and see the value in having one responsible, hassle-free, long-term tenant that takes care of the place, over the lure of easy money.
It is sad that many people have had to give up their pets due to housing. The majority of pet owners would not consider that. It would be like giving up your kids because the only convenient housing was adults only.
There are many more families now and families need pets. They help teach the next generation nurturing, responsibility, and selflessness. All things I'd like to see more of from my fellow future Whistlerites.
So all you landlords with the no-pet policy, don't complain if your house is over-ridden with mice, if your wiring and walls are getting chewed up, if ants or spiders are taking over. A cat would never allow that to happen.
And what's with the no smoking policy? If medical marijuana is legal, like insulin, like anti-psychotic meds, like birth control, what right do you have to dictate what medicine is or is not allowed on your property? If the government sees pot as medicine, what right do you have to ban it? Seems to me a little over-reaching and imperious.
Michelene Skakoon // Whistler
Goodbye from DavidsTea
DavidsTea is unfortunately saying goodbye to Whistler this month (and) I'd like to say thank you. Currently, being on maternity leave, I won't get the chance to say thank you and goodbye in person to our amazing regular customers and community partners and it needs to be said.
The past few years, I got to work with some incredible people and organizations in town that really made our job so much more enjoyable.
We've been so lucky to be a part of many community events and see so many people on a regular basis in store—I'll miss seeing your smiling faces so often.
Special thanks to Jeanette at the Library and all the wonderful people there, Luna, Arts Whistler, WB Staff Housing, Club Shred, Father Daughter Dance, Scavenger Hunts, Village Hosts, and all teachers— we appreciate your friendship so much.
Thanks to all of you out there for being the best customers we could have asked for and making our job an absolute joy.
We have gotten to know so many of you over the past couple of years and looked forward to your visits, like the RCMP officer who's the sweetest, most generous lady, the teacher who stocks up on pu'erh (I know you're sad. I am too!), the green-tea guy who ships out from Halifax and the lady who can't live without Cream of Earl Grey. You guys made our days better and we're grateful to you.
Extra-special shout out to Sidney from Pemberton and Cedric from Whistler, our mini-tea friends—you guys are so special thank you for making us smile so often, we will miss you. Time for one last tea pun? Tea you later. Thanks a latte? We mean it. Thank you, Whistler.
Nicole McHugh // Whistler
Vail (Resorts) fail
I had always thought the people saying Vail Resorts didn't care about locals were just being crybabies ... until (it) decided it was my turn.
In December I went to Guest Services and asked for a season's pass, and $960 later, I was skiing.
I don't go to the hill much, but one day when I tried to scan my pass, it wouldn't let me up.
Guest Services informed me I had an Epic Local Pass, not the Epic Pass I had purchased every other year I have lived here.
An Epic Local Pass costs a couple hundred dollars less, but only gives you 10 days at (Whistler Blackcomb) and unlimited days at (some) other Vail Resorts (properties).
No problem, I'll pay the difference in the pass price, even though I had very clearly asked for a season's pass and the new employee who helped me out just made a mistake.
"It's too late in the season to change your pass" is what I was told at guest services, but they said to email Pass Services.
Pass Services never got back to me, even to this day, a month later.
I took my problem to management.
I was told that it is unlikely I was sold the (Epic Local Pass) without being explained its limitations, as all staff were highly trained and knew the products and their limitations.
Tough luck, pal. Go home. We don't upgrade passes after a certain date.
I have been fighting with Vail (Resorts) for one month now to try and get my pass sorted out and it feels like I am just treading water.
One month without a pass is a long time to wait.
I am not asking for any special deals, I just want to pay the difference in price of what I was charged and what I should have been charged and go up to the hill and rip a few laps with friends.
If you support me and think Vail Resorts is dropping the ball hard on this one, email or call Matt Davies and say: I just want to shred a few laps with Jay before the snow melts.
Jason Neil // Whistler
Customer Service shockingly bad
I have had a frustrating experience as I mistakenly bought the wrong Epic Pass this season, and dealing with Vail Resorts' customer service department to resolve it to my satisfaction has been a very difficult road, to say the least.
I was not aware that there were two Epic Passes and I bought the correct Epic Pass last year but mistakenly bought the Epic Local Pass this year. (The Epic Local Pass) only lets you ski at Whistler for 10 days and not all season long as the Epic Pass does.
I was tempted to write a letter last month but thought my concerns not significant enough to bring to the attention of the local newspaper ... until I saw on the Whistler Winter Facebook page on March 17 that someone else had the exact same problem that I did and then others came forward with the same experience, too.
I am left wondering how many others have shared this experience as well and need to hear that they are not alone.
His letter prompted a flurry of comments and within 24 hours his post had 586 likes/dislikes and 165 comments! His words were my exact sentiments and that of so many others in our same situation.
I would like to know if there are 20 or 200 people who have had this happen to them, and I would encourage those affected to share their stories by writing to the paper or emailing me at Helen.mother.of.four@gmail.com.
My experience was that a couple of days before Valentine's Day, I went out to ski for my second day that week and the gate wouldn't open to let me load and I was told by the lift operators that my 10 days were used up. I (said to) them, "but I have a season pass?"
I went inside to speak to customer service and neither they, nor their supervisor over the phone, could help me. I enquired as to if there was a difference in price and then just wanted to pay the difference and get me on my way with the season's pass.
I honestly had no idea that there were two types of Epic Passes and thought my only options were to buy a Whistler Blackcomb pass or an Epic Pass before the ski season started.
I was told to write an email. I eventually got a reply that stated they couldn't help me either but would look into it for next year. I sent a couple more emails and received no reply to them.
I ended up posting on the Whistler Winter Facebook page to find a higher management person. It took me over a month of phone calls to get some sort of resolution since I was denied access to the mountain. (The Vail Resorts staff person) has been wonderful at doing his best within the limitations of what he is authorized to do to help me.
My pass has not been reinstated as I had hoped for, and it has definitely put a damper on this year's ski season and left me feeling very discouraged and unappreciated as a customer.
I am not sure if this is the American way and that poor customer service is how corporate America functions, but I am here to say that keep this terrible customer service up Vail Resorts and you might end up losing valued customers who discover cheaper more customer-service-oriented ski towns in B.C.
Maybe Vail Resorts is too big to care about us, who paid a lot of money and have been left out in the cold this winter, but the moral of the story is, Vail Resorts: listen to your customers now this year and fix the problem this year because next year may be too late!
Helen Raven // LowerMainland/Whistler
Getting serious about saving salmon
It's time for our federal government to recognize the importance of sport fishing to the British Columbia economy.
The province recently released an updated British Columbia's Fisheries and Aquaculture Sector Report that showed the B.C. sport-fishing sectors contribution to the B.C. economy for 2016:
• $1.1 billion in annual sales;
• $398 million GDP contribution to B.C.;
• 9,000 jobs resulting in 3,950 person-years of employment;
• The public fishery is the single-largest economic driver of all B.C. fisheries, yet harvests less than 15 per cent of halibut and 10 per cent of salmon coast-wide. It is estimated that the public fishery accounts for less than four per cent of all fish harvested in B.C.
Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) has put forward a proposal that will see sport fishing for Chinook salmon closed on the east- and west-side of Vancouver Island from April 1 to July 31, 2019. (This comes after the government) reduced limits for most of last season on Chinook salmon from two a day to one a day for sport fishers.
These closures are being taken to address concern around the early timed returning Fraser River Chinook salmon 4.2 and 5.2 (these particular Chinook spend two years in fresh water before entering the ocean).
Now, it is key to take action on protecting these stocks of Chinook, but mass closures are not the answer and will do little to address the problem. There are many diverse stocks of Chinook and some are doing very well and angling opportunities for these salmon should still be allowed to take place. These closures will cripple the sport-fishing industry and be very costly to the B.C economy, with little to no benefit to improving Chinook salmon numbers.
The DFO's own Creel Survey, Avid Angler DNA data, and other sources from within DFO, show that the recreational fishery does not catch these stocks of concern. They make up less than 0.5 per cent of the saltwater recreational catch.
The answer is that we need to see real action taken to improve all Chinook salmon numbers.
DFO should recognize the importance of healthy, forage-fish populations, such as herring. Commercial herring fisheries should be substantially reduced, which is not happening with openings starting this March. Fisheries for stocks such as pink and chum salmon in commercial openings should be done, while recognizing the importance that these fish make in contributions of nutrients to the streams they return to spawn in, and the benefit to other salmon stocks such as Chinook.
Habitat degradation has to stop and recognition of the importance of protecting and growing fish habitat is key for better in-river success of spawning, and out-smolt migration.
Hatcheries also need to play a role in rivers that have lost much of their habitat and have low natural reproduction.
We need to see reduced predation by pinnipeds, such as seals and sea lions, the population of which has exploded in recent years in B.C. waters. They consume large numbers of salmon smolts, as they migrate out to the ocean. They specifically target larger smolts such as the two-year-old early Fraser River Chinook, rather than smaller ones. It's time to look at harvesting pinnipeds to reduce numbers.
In the U.S., they're already having a harvest of 900 sea lions to help save Chinook salmon. There is a group with a proposal before DFO right now for pinniped harvest. Lastly, DFO needs to pay attention to the impacts of salmon farming, which sees the threat of the PRV virus on wild Chinook stocks, as evidenced in the recent study done by the Pacific Salmon Foundation in conjunction with the Strategic Salmon Health Initiative.
Using sport fishing as a scapegoat to appear to be taking action to save early Fraser Chinook is not the answer. It hurts the B.C. economy and will not result in more Chinook salmon returning to spawn. The federal government needs to get serious, about taking meaningful measures to improve Chinook salmon numbers!
Dave Brown // Whistler
