CWSAA wishes all ski areas the best of luck for their operations during the busy holiday period. While always a challenge during peak periods, we hope all members are able to share some treasured time with family and loved ones. Best wishes for a safe and wonderful Christmas and start to 2023.
CWSAA will continue to serve its members throughout the holiday period. The CWSAA office telephone line will be monitored daily. Please call 778.484.5535 for assistance.
Cheers - Christopher, Cynthia, Dawn and Stephanie
Mountain associations in Canada have joined to develop a Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Team of Peer Responders that offers debrief and defusing services, follow-up peer support, and other resources to mountain professionals (eg patrol and guides) who have experienced critical incidents.
WHAT IS CRITICAL INCIDENT STRESS MANAGEMENT (CISM)?
CISM is designed to prevent or mitigate development of post-traumatic stress after critical incidents, including injury or death of a client or colleague in the field, multi-casualty incidents, body recovery, suicide of a colleague, or other consequential events. Trained Peer Responders lead sessions immediately after the incident, where the affected group comes together in a supportive, confidential environment to talk about their experiences, roles, and reactions, without blame.
CISM can help workers defuse highly charged emotional situations, return them to full productivity, improve mental health, increase morale, and reduce resignations of highly trained professionals from critical incident stress (CIS) symptoms.
The CISM team is available to ski area mountain practitioners such as patrol and guides following a critical incident.
Call the dispatch line to access the volunteer Peer Responder Team: 1-604-670-2772.
Each year, CWSAA recognizes incredible industry leaders during our annual Spring Conference.
Nominations for the following 2023 CWSAA Awards must be submitted by February 7, 2023 to marketing@cwsaa.org. Download the Awards nominations packages HERE (CWSAA website login required)
- Jim Marshall Leadership Award
- Lars Fossberg Excellence Award
- Rod Chisholm Operations & Maintenance Award
- CWSAA Peak Performance Award
Please note, the Jimmie Spencer Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to a recipient identified by the Board of Directors. It may or may not be presented annually.
More information on the CWSAA Awards can be found HERE. The 2023 recipients will be honored at the 2023 CWSAA Spring Conference in Whistler.
Reminder for BC ski areas that the nomination deadline for the BC Tourism Awards is December 22 (presented March 2, 2023 at TIABC conference). Nominate for the BC Tourism Awards HERE.
April 25-27, 2023
Whistler Conference Centre
The Conference website is now live.
Check out the link below for details including:
- Registration rates & key dates
- Sponsorship Package
- Trade Show info, pricing & floor plan
- Accommodation info & links
View Conference Website
Accommodations
- Accommodations are selling out quickly through the Hilton & Delta Hotels, limited options remain. Book now, they will sell out soon.
- Best Value - A 2-bedroom unit at the Delta for $299 plus taxes -- for 2 staff sharing this is unit is just $150 per person a night, or 3 staff only $100 per person per night. These suites are similar to condos with 2 separate bedrooms and 2 washrooms, with a living room (and sofabed) and full kitchen
- Learn more & book HERE.
Priority Trade Show Registration for Sponsors - Now Open
- The Trade Show will return in its familiar pre-COVID format with a Tuesday evening Trade Show Reception, and Wednesday Trade Show Breakfast and Lunch.
- All sponsors will receive priority Trade Show booth selection in order of sponsorship contribution, provided that they confirmed sponsorship with CWSAA by January 13, 2023.
- Learn More about Sponsorship HERE
- Learn More about becoming a Trade Show Vendor HERE.
Conference Registration will open on January 25.
For the second year, a bursary has been made available for small ski areas to support the training of new ski and snowboard instructor and assist with new instructor recruitment.
The 2022/23 bursary intake recently closed, and 15 eligible ski areas will receive funding to support the training of 67 new instructors.
After a fun and crazy start, the second year SROAM students are officially all off starting and working their new jobs for their work term semester! There are 15 first year students that are settling in well into their studies. Read their latest newsletter HERE.
In addition to the SROAM diploma, Selkirk College offers a number of professional development courses specifically designed for ski areas and all available online.
Passenger Ropeways Mechanics: The Lift 151, Lift 152 and Lift 153 are all self directed. The Winter intake is now open, and runs from January 3 to April 17, 2023. Learn More & Register HERE.
Ski Resort Risk Management: Registration for the Winter 2023 Semester is open now. The winter course starts January 23, 2023 and runs until April 17, 2023. Register HERE.
Train the Trainer - LIFT 150: Ski Lift Operations Train-the-Trainer is designed to help ski lift supervisors or managers, develop a comprehensive program for training ski lift operators. This program is an online self-directed program, and has a continuous intake until March 1. Participants can start anytime and have 3 weeks to complete the content, and the exam. More information can be found HERE.
CWSAA and Canadian Ski Council have been working for continued immigration and work permit processing improvements with federal officials.
At a recent announcement in Banff, past CWSAA Chair Andre Quenneville of Mt. Norquay represented the ski industry to thank Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship for increasing working holiday (International Experience Canada) permits by 20%.
Minister Fraser met this past summer with CWSAA and other industry representatives to explore recommendations.
Read More
A huge shout out to our colleagues at the Ontario Snow Resorts Association (Kevin, Donna, & Committee) for their great work on a new resource for schools: schoolsonsnowontario.ca
The content includes example curriculum and lesson plans for teachers, tying back to the provincial curriculum including learning goals. The website also utilizes many of the Schools on Snow resources created by the Canadian Ski Council schoolsonsnow.ca
CWSAA and go2HR have compiled a valuable library of safety and HR resources for the ski industry. Some may be used for on-boarding, others are good for pre-shift huddles.
Find the resources HERE
CWSAA Partners
DRIVING FORCE provides several options for buses and passenger vans.
DRIVING FORCE provides several options for buses and passenger vans.
DRIVING FORCE is trusted by CWSAA for reliable vehicle solutions.
EASY RESERVATIONS: www.drivingforce.ca
CONTACT: 780-483-9559 or edmgdsreservations@drivingforce.ca
Staff Offer from Kal Tire: Download the Coupon
Thanks to the partnership with Kal Tire, all ski area staff and associate members of CWSAA are eligible to receive $100 off at Kal Tire. Please feel free to circulate this offer with your staff.
To redeem, click on the image to the left, and print the voucher or present on your mobile device in-store at Kal Tire.
CWSAA Members are invited to post their jobs on the CWSAA Job Board.
Mt. Seymour’s Eddie Wood and Tsleil-Waututh Nation Elder Margaret George welcomed family and community to commence the ski season at Mt. Seymour with a territory welcome.
Eddie Wood serves at the CWSAA BC Yukon Division Chair.
Paul Robinson is the Assistant General Manager at Snow Valley in Edmonton and was hosting bus loads of school children on the day CWSAA arrived. Paul also serves as the co-chair of the CWSAA Safety and Risk Management Committee
Marmot Basin’s marketing guru Brian Rode has been introducing skiers and riders to the Jasper ski area for decades. Marmot has, and continues to be, a great supporter of small community ski areas across the west.
Edmonton Ski Club GM Zoe Sloan makes frequent community presentations and successfully introduces skiing and snowboarding to many groups of new Canadians.