Speed and Collision Awareness Starts With Us
Each season, guests visit ski areas across Canada to enjoy the freedom and exhilaration of sliding on snow. That experience depends on a shared commitment to safety — and one of the most important ways we can protect it is by advancing how we think and talk about speed and collision awareness.
Ski areas across the country are participating in an industry-wide initiative to further reduce speed-related incidents and foster a stronger safety culture on the slopes. We’re asking ski areas to join us in leading this initiative.
It Starts With Our Teams
Meaningful culture shifts often begin internally. Every employee — from instructors and lift operators to patrol and guest services — plays a role in shaping how guests understand and behave on the slopes.
Here’s how ski areas can lead the way:
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Model safe behaviour: Staff actions on the slopes set the standard. This may include policies, codes of conduct, or simply the way we ski and ride in front of guests.
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Teach with safety in mind: Snow school programs have a unique opportunity to integrate messaging about speed, space, awareness, and the Alpine Responsibility Code into every lesson.
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Respond consistently: When staff see unsafe behaviour — such as skiing too fast or ignoring slow zones — their response helps define what is acceptable at your ski area.
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Create local initiatives: From patrol-led slow-zone checks to resort-wide awareness days, many ski areas are already running important safety programs. These initiatives help build a sense of shared responsibility and educate the community.
CWSAA has developed resources that can be used in staff orientations, pre-season training, and daily safety briefings. These materials are designed to help teams speak a common language about speed and collision awareness and respond consistently on the slopes.
Public Messaging and Industry Resources
Beyond internal practices, consistent public messaging is key to shaping guest expectations. There are many tools available to help ski areas deliver these messages:
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Alpine Responsibility Code (ARC): Promoting the ARC remains one of the most effective ways to educate guests about safe behaviour. New communications assets — developed in collaboration with the Canadian Ski Council — are available to help ski areas integrate ARC messaging across websites, signage, and social media.
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Signage and visual campaigns: The Snow Angel Foundation offers a variety of public-facing materials, and signage can be sourced through Inter-Mtn.
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Custom campaigns: Ski areas are encouraged to develop their own initiatives or integrate these resources into existing safety programs.
Join the Movement
Advancing the culture around speed and collision awareness won’t happen overnight — but it can happen, and it starts with us. Together, we can help guests understand their responsibility on the mountain, reduce preventable incidents, and create a safer, more enjoyable experience for everyone.
Get the Resources
CWSAA has put together a collection of resources for ski areas. Sign into the CWSAA website (password and permissions required) and access the resources HERE.