The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) is looking to revisit its official Sister City policy as it explores a new formal relationship with French resort Les Deux Alpes.
Communications manager Michele Comeau was on hand for the Feb. 26 council meeting to provide an update on the RMOW's international relationships.
Whistler has formalized relationships with Karuizawa, Japan (Whistler's Sister City since 1999), Zhangjiajie, China (with which Whistler signed a letter of friendly cooperation in 2011), and Les Deux Alpes (with which a friendship pact was signed last year).
With Les Deux Alpes expressing interest in pursuing an official Sister City relationship, this year the RMOW will revisit its Sister City policy, last updated in 2004.
"It's quite a brief policy; it limits us to three (in) total city arrangements, (and) it's not prescriptive of the activities within those relationships," Comeau said.
"It does require a Memorandum of Understanding with each partner community, which would detail the objectives and proposed exchanges or projects ...
"The policy really does require an update and refresh, because it hasn't been looked at since 2004, and we really don't have a mechanism whereby we can make decisions on these things without a refreshed policy."
This year Whistler will celebrate the 20th anniversary of its relationship with Karuizawa, to be marked by a permanent memento in Whistler and a temporary display at the library, as well as the annual student exchange and respective delegations.
Whistler will also host a delegation this June from Les Deux Alpes, returning the favour after the French resort welcomed a Whistler delegation last year.
"Les Deux Alpes really rolled out the red carpet. Are we reciprocating in the same way?" asked Councillor Ralph Forsyth.
The French officials did explicitly say they had no expectations the hospitality would be returned, noted chief administrative officer Mike Furey.
"They are paying for their own flights over here, etc., and they made it clear a number of times that there was not an expectation," Furey said. "But we will be hosting them at some events when they come here."
The RMOW budgeted $30,000 for the Les Deux Alpes visit in 2019, as well as $25,000 to recognize the 20th anniversary with Karuizawa.
"I think (the Sister City program) is important ... there is so much to learn as a planner to benchmark other infrastructure and service operations in other parts of the world, so I really encourage that happening with staff," said Coun. Arthur De Jong.
"And it would be nice if, at some point, we actually make a connection with a mountain resort in the second, third world, in terms of providing information and capacity building, as part of our international outreach if that opportunity ever arises."
The updated Sister City policy will be brought back to council for its consideration late this year.
