President's Message
It’s getting closer. Only a couple more months until our favourite time of year!
Last week, CWSAA held its Annual General Meeting for members to review the activity and operation of their own industry organisation.
CWSAA Chair Eddie Wood facilitated the meeting in which Treasurer Dave Morrison presented the financial report and confirmed the Association is in a strong and stable position. A combination of investment returns, conference revenues, and careful budgeting helped ensure CWSAA finished the year ahead of target.
Members also re-elected Dave Morrison, Kate Roddick, and Darcy Arnold to the Board of Directors. Director nominations are based on a skills matrix, regional representation, and a long-term approach to succession planning. With several directors reaching term limits by the 2026 AGM, the Board is already beginning outreach for future candidates.
Following the official business, I had the opportunity to present this season's skier visit results and the previous season’s Economic Impact Report. A summary is included later in this newsletter. As CWSAA continues to work with government on shared objectives, economic data remains a vital tool in highlighting the contributions of our sector. A key component of the Economic Impact Study is the annual Financial Analysis. This year’s survey will be distributed to ski areas in August by Ecosign Mountain Resort Planners.
The meeting also shared key themes identified through the annual member services surveys. These insights directly inform the Association’s direction and are reflected in CWSAA’s updated strategic plan.
Approved by the Board earlier this year, the new strategic plan focuses on areas including Safety and Risk, Education and Training, and Advocacy. These priorities guide the efforts of the organisation, staff, and the multitude of committees and working groups made up of members lending their expertise. The full plan is available HERE.
Looking ahead, this fall brings an expanded calendar of training and meeting opportunities. It begins with the CWSAA Bike Park Forum and SAM Summer Ops Camp during the first week of September in Whistler, and a new Lift Safety Boot Camp at the ASM Fall meeting in late September. With registration deadlines fast approaching, please visit the website if your area intends to participate.
As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to CWSAA with any questions or support needs.
Cheers
– Christopher Nicolson
Bike Park Forum
September 4-5, 2025 | Whistler, BC
✨Registration is still Open!
- Regular Rate (starting July 26): $330
- Register HERE (must be logged into CWSAA Website)
🛏️Group Accommodations rates of $169 at the Listel have been extended for bookings made until August 3 for the Bike Park Forum.
To book, call 604-972-6002 or email reservations@listelhotel.com, and request to book under the 'Canada West Bike Forum' group. Learn More HERE (must be logged in).
💡Agenda
View the detailed Draft Agenda HERE. Highlights include:
- Thursday afternoon will feature a panel on industry trends, contractor trail design, wood feature construction, risk & legal as well as other industry updates.
- Friday morning will be an in-field 'walking' session at the Whistler Bike Park including topics on irrigation, wood feature construction, pressions zones and guest experience.
CWSAA is super excited to work together with SAM Magazine to align the SAM Summer Ops Camp and CWSAA Bike Park Forum timing and location for the first time! The Summer Ops Camp will run from September 2-4 and the Bike Park Forum will commence immediately after.
Registration for these events is separate, and more info and registration for SAM's Summer Ops Camp can be found HERE.
Industry Events
Save the Date – Upcoming Industry Events
Mark your calendars for these upcoming industry events and meetings. More information and registration details will be shared soon.
- SAM Summer Ops Camp – September 2–4 | Whistler, BC - More info
- CWSAA Bike Park Forum – September 4–5 | Whistler, BC - Sept 4 afternoon & Sept 5 morning - More info
- ASM Fall Division Meeting – September 23–24 | Winsport, AB - full day Sept 23 & morning of Sept 24
- 💥🆕 Lift Safety Boot Camp - September 24 | Winsport, AB - In partnership with NSAA.
- BC-Yukon Fall Division Meeting – October 2–3 | RED Mountain, BC - full day Oct 2 & morning of Oct 3
- Northern Small Areas Meeting (Grande Prairie) – October 16 | Delta Hotels Grande Prairie Airport
- Northern Small Areas Meeting (Prince George) – October 23 | Hart Highlands
- SSAOA Fall Meeting – October 26–27 | Table Mountain
- 2026 CWSAA Spring Conference – April 27–30 | Whistler, BC
We look forward to connecting with you this fall!
Value of Ski Areas Economic Impact: 2023/24 Report
The 2024/25 skier visits, and highlights from the 2023/24 economic impact study, were presented at the CWSAA AGM. Skier visits from the past winter season were the second strongest on record at 9.8 million, just behind the high water mark of 10.3 million in the 2022/23 season. The Economic Impact data from 2023/24 conveys the scale and robustness of the ski sector in western Canada. While 2023/24 showed a 15% decline in skier visits due to challenging snow conditions for many, the economic contributions were $2.67 billion, just 2% down from $2.73 billion in the previous year.
Key highlights from the most recent analysis include:
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$2.67 billion in total economic activity generated across Western Canada (compared to 2.73 billion in 2022/23)
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$2.1 billion from BC ski areas and $493 million from Alberta ski areas
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$1.9 billion in GDP from ski operations and related visitor spending
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21,698 jobs supported across western Canada
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BC: jobs down 1% from 2022/23, down 25% compared to 2018/19 (pre-COVID)
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Alberta: jobs down 10% from 2022/23, down 3% compared to 2018/19 (pre-COVID)
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These findings reinforce the scale and reach of the ski industry as a tourism and economic driver in Western Canada.
🔗 Learn More in the Canada West Way HERE
Selkirk College Ski Industry Programs
Selkirk College continues to play a central role in developing talent for the ski industry through its full-time Ski Resort Operations and Management (SROAM) program and flexible online course offerings.
SROAM Diploma Program
The Ski Resort Operations and Management (SROAM) diploma program remains a cornerstone of ski industry leadership development. Many of today’s ski area and supplier managers across Western Canada—GMs included—are proud to call themselves “SROAMies.”
A strong new cohort begins this September, and it’s not too late to join them. Applications are still being accepted for the Fall 2025 intake.
🔗 More about the SROAM diploma program
Online Ski Industry Courses
Selkirk’s online ski industry courses provide a flexible learning option for ski industry staff.
Lift 150 – Train the Trainer (Ongoing Intake)
Designed for experienced lift operations personnel, Lift 150 – Train the Trainer supports in-house leadership in lift operations training. The course is offered through ongoing intake and can be started at any time between August and March. This is a great resource for staff leading training programs at their ski areas, and a regulatory requirement in some jurisdictions.
🔗 Learn more about Lift 150 – Train the Trainer
The following Passenger Ropeways courses run from September 2 to December 8, 2025, with final exams held December 9–11:
- Lift 151 – Surface Passenger Ropeways and Passenger Conveyors
- Lift 152 – Aerial Fixed Grip Passenger Ropeways
- Lift 153 – Aerial Detachable Grip Passenger Ropeways
These micro-credential courses offer practical training that supports on-the-job learning.
2024-25 CWSAA Annual Report
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If you are looking for a quick snapshot of CWSAA activity… look no further. The Annual Report reports on the key metrics and initiatives of the Association over the past year, including industry meetings, safety, and advocacy. Download the Annual Report HERE. CWSAA Members can access the organization's 2024-25 Financial Statements HERE (login required). Following the AGM, Christopher Nicolson shared the 2025-27 Strategic Plan (see more HERE), input from the Member Services Study and highlights of the Annual Report. |
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2025-26 CWSAA Board of Directors Back row: Stewart Laver*, Kim Jones, Hildur Sinclair, Anders Svenson, Darcy Arnold, Johnathan Clarkson. |
CWSAA Members are invited to post their jobs on the CWSAA Job Board.
BC Cabinet Update: New Minister for Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport
On July 17, Premier David Eby announced changes to British Columbia’s cabinet, citing a renewed focus on jobs, economic growth, and supporting communities across the province.
Among the appointments, Hon. Anne Kang has been named Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport, succeeding Hon. Spencer Chandra-Herbert, who now takes on the role of Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation.
CWSAA extends its thanks to Minister Chandra-Herbert for his support of tourism and recreation in BC and welcomes Minister Kang to her new role. We look forward to continued collaboration with the Ministry to support the ski industry’s role in BC’s economy and visitor experiences.
🔗 Read the official news release from the Office of the Premier HERE.
CWSAA Partners
EASY RESERVATIONS: drivingforce.ca
For Leasing enquiries CONTACT Jordan:
(306) 261-6110 or JArsenault@drivingforce.ca
Driving Force has locations across western Canada to serve the ski industry.
Darcy Arnold is one of our industry veterans. He is the Chief Operating Officer at Big White Ski Resort, and serves as a Director on the CWSAA Board. As a millwright with decades of experience, Darcy brings important perspective into CWSAA discussions and programs.
Quality Tires at an affordable price
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Places & Faces
Mount Washington Alpine Resort recently named longtime industry and resort leader Mike Manara as General Manager. Mike succeeds Dean Prentice, who retires after nearly a decade of impactful leadership at Mt Washington. Read More.
Congratulations to Hannah Roth, named one of SAM Magazine’s 10 Under 30! A proud SROAM grad and now Outdoor Operations Manager at Mt. Sima, Hannah is recognized for her leadership, passion for mountain operations, and commitment to mentoring others in the industry. Read More.
Participants of the Amazing Race Canada visited Canyon Resort in Red Deer and rode the Canyon Coaster as part of the current season of the popular reality show. GM, David Martel was also featured on the show. Later teams made their way to Golden and created snow-shoes to treck up Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. Filming for the show was done in April.
Caleigh Christie and Falcon Trails Resort are among the first Manitoba businesses selected for the Strategic Sustainability Initiative pilot, led by the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce. The program supports SMEs in measuring and reducing their greenhouse gas emissions in partnership with Green Economy Canada.
RED Mountain Resort announces leadership transition: Howard Katkov steps down as CEO and welcomes Mark Schroetel (pictured above) as President, effective July 6, 2025. Don Thompson also transitions from his executive role, continuing as a board member, and Andrew Lunt is the GM. Read More.
Kristian Haagaard (Sunshine Village Resort, left), Dan Clark (center) and Christopher Ladd (right) from Arctic Trucks Canada recently had the opportunity to demonstrate the capabilities of their trucks on two of our mountain ski resorts. Here they are at the top of the new Super Angel chairlift. (Photo by Greg Corden). Read More.
The Okanagan Gondola project broke ground on July 10. The project is located near Vernon, BC above Kalamalka Lake. The ground breaking included Doppelmayr as well as other project and government representatives.