Whistler鈥檚 Mayor is bringing an ongoing community debate to the province鈥檚 attention.
During a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, Nov. 9, B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix told reporters he received a call earlier in the day from Mayor Jack Crompton to discuss whether proof of COVID-19 vaccine should be required to ride a gondola this winter.
鈥淲e spent some time talking about this issue. He鈥檚 advocating, obviously, forcefully for his community,鈥� said Dix, 鈥渁nd I think it鈥檚 also important for the employer in that case to respond to the wishes of the community as well, and we鈥檙e hopeful they鈥檒l do so. I know other ski hills across B.C. have done that.鈥�
Currently, provincial health officials have chosen not to extend the BC Vaccine Card program鈥攚hich requires people aged 12 and over to show proof they鈥檝e received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine in order to access some non-essential events, services and businesses鈥攖o ski lifts. Some ski resort operators have taken matters into their own hands and announced vaccine mandates for guests this winter, including Resorts of the Canadian Rockies, Revelstoke Mountain Resort, and Grouse Mountain.
With Vail Resorts-owned Whistler Blackcomb planning to once again load its lifts at full capacity when opening day rolls around on Nov. 25, the resort鈥檚 intent to allow all visitors aboard lifts鈥攔egardless of vaccination status鈥攈as prompted a litany of passionate responses from skiers and snowboarders on both sides of the debate. Vancouver Coastal Health鈥檚 (VCH) public health officials have reviewed and endorsed Whistler 叠濒补肠办肠辞尘产鈥檚 communicable disease prevention plan for the winter season.
In response to Dix鈥檚 comments, a spokesperson for Whistler Blackcomb told Pique in an email that the health and safety of the resort鈥檚 guests and employees remains its top priority.
鈥淲e cannot speak for other resorts and their policies.鈥疻e trust that all businesses are doing their best to weigh changing circumstances and the evolving nature of the pandemic,鈥� the statement read. 鈥淲e have and continue to work closely with public officials and operate in accordance with all local public health orders. We are requiring vaccinations for guests who wish to dine at all table service restaurants, restaurant patios and bars, as well as quick service restaurants. Whistler Blackcomb was also one of the first in the industry to require all employees to be fully vaccinated.鈥�
The spokesperson pointed guests toward a full list of the resort鈥檚 safety protocols .
Ski resort operations pose extremely low risk for COVID-19 transmission
Crompton reached out to Dix Tuesday to better understand health officials鈥� decision-making process around gondolas, "and to help them understand what I'm hearing from community members and Whistler Blackcomb passholders," the Mayor explained.
Asked whether he agrees with Dix鈥檚 claims that the Mayor is 鈥渁dvocating very strongly and certainly directly to [B.C. health officials] as well on this question," Crompton said, 鈥淭he context is that I'm helping him understand our context in Whistler. That is a fundamental role of any mayor around the province. He needs to understand our context and I'm the person to help him do that.鈥�
Crompton said he鈥檚 been hearing from 鈥渁 significant amount of people鈥� who would like to see a vaccine card required at Whistler Blackcomb, while admitting 鈥渢here鈥檚 a lot of different opinions鈥� on the issue.
(As of Tuesday evening, more than 9,600 people had signed calling on the local resort to implement a vaccine mandate for skiers and riders.)
So, on which side of the ongoing debate does Crompton fall? In lieu of a straight answer, Crompton reiterated his confidence in B.C.鈥檚 provincial health officials. 鈥淚t's pretty easy for me to provide an opinion from the sidelines, but throughout the pandemic, my intention has been to trust in the expertise of public health officials,鈥� he said.
Additional insight into the province鈥檚 decision-making can be found in data shared by Whistler鈥檚 Medical Health Officer, showing ski-hill operations posed an extremely low risk for COVID-19 transmission during the 2020-21 season. The health agency reportedly identified 2,036 cases of COVID-19 in Whistler from mid-October 2020 until mid-May 2021, most of which had known sources of transmission, such as between roommates in household settings or among friends at social gatherings.
While 90 per cent of Howe Sound health area residents aged 12 or older are now double-vaccinated, the majority of visitors travelling to Whistler this winter are likely to be vaccinated as well: proof of vaccination is not only necessary to enter Canada from abroad, but is now required to use federally regulated methods of travel like planes and trains.
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry echoed much of that reasoning during Tuesday鈥檚 press conference.
Asked by a reporter whether British Columbians could expect to see any changes in guidance around whether the vaccine card may be used at ski hills this winter, Henry highlighted the 鈥渞obust鈥� safety plans and numerous layers of protection that already exist across the industry.
鈥淲e have been working with local public health, so my colleagues in each of the areas where we have ski hills, have been reviewing the safety plans with each individual ski hill, and there鈥檚 a couple of things that all of them must adhere to, regardless of where their headquarters are,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e have an indoor mask mandate, and gondolas are鈥攍ike public transit, for example鈥攁n area where mask wearing is required, absolutely, and that is the same across the board.鈥�
