President's Message
Fairview Ski Hill, Alberta
The pre-season excitement is in full swing. Some areas set to open in less than three weeks, and the recent snowfall has added to the anticipation. Snowmaking has commenced for some, and operational preparations and on-boarding are underway for all.
CWSAA has almost completed its fall ski area visits and regional meetings. Sunridge ski area was an exceptional venue for the well-attended Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba Division meeting, and CWSAA is grateful to Sun Peaks Resort for hosting both the Bike Park Forum and the BC-Yukon Division meetings. A big thank you to the host venues and all presenters.
This week, CWSAA is in Grande Prairie and hosted its first Northern Ski Areas meeting. It was a pilot project designed to serve the predominantly volunteer society community ski areas. It featured a hybrid of in-person and online experts presenting on safety, risk management, rentals, lift training opportunities and sport development programs, as well as a forum to share solutions between operators. Its timing was purposeful to allow morning and evening travel for delegates to limit time away from ‘real jobs,’ and also scheduled in late October so it fell after the harvest which dominates the lives of many prairie operators. This scheduling rationale is consistent with the final fall meeting of the year hosted by the Saskatchewan Ski Area Operators Association next week at Thunderhill Ski Area near Swan River Manitoba.
Looking ahead, the volume of activity at the CWSAA committee level is at fever pitch, including the new ropeways committee active engagement with new training opportunities for lift mechanics. All committees are already deep into planning for the Spring Conference, scheduled for the end of April in Penticton, BC. It promises to be another key event for our industry.
Cheers,
Christopher
Industry Events
Fall Meetings
Thank you to everyone who attended the ASM Division Meeting at Sunridge, and the BCY Division Meeting and Bike Park Forum at Sun Peaks! This week, CWSAA hosted the first Northern Meeting in Grande Prairie. This pilot meeting was a great success with 25 attendees from nine ski areas and some of our associate members. A special thank-you to our hosts, speakers, and everyone involved in making these events a success. It was great to connect with so many of you.
We now look forward to next week's Saskatchewan Ski Area Operator's meeting, which is being held at Thunderhill Ski Area.
CWSAA Spring Conference & Trade Show Future Dates
CWSAA Committees and the CWSAA staff are now full steam ahead in planning for the 2025 Spring Conference in Penticton. Sponsorship and Trade Show information will be available by early December and general conference registration as well as the draft conference program is expected to be published late January. If you would like to get involved in the Conference, please reach out to the CWSAA office.
- 2025 Spring Conference Penticton, BC - April 28 to May 1, 2025
- 2026 Spring Conference Whistler, BC - April 27 to 30, 2026
Kim Locke (ASM Division Chair) recognizes Jason Paterson (Past Chair) for his service as CWSAA Chair for the past two years.
CWSAA Director Kim Jones (Winsport VP) presented in person at both division meetings, as well as virtually at the northern and prairie meetings.
CWSAA BC-Yukon Division Chair, Kate Roddick (Senior Direct for Whistler Blackcomb), chaired the BC-Yukon meeting at Sun Peaks earlier this month.
Pip Albrow (Sun Peaks) chaired the CWSAA Bike Park Forum and showed delegates the trails on Sun Peaks Sundance downhill bike park.
CWSAA's first Northern region safety & risk management meeting featured a hybrid of in-person and online presenters, and a marvelous forum for sharing solutions with industry peers. Special thanks to CWSAA Director and Nitehawk ski area GM Johnathan Clarkson for chairing the meeting.
CWSAA Awards
Nominations are now open for the CWSAA 2025 Awards. This is a great opportunity to recognize a team members or an industry colleague for their exceptional contributions. Nominations will be accepted for the following awards, which will be presented at the Spring Conference in April.
- Jim Marshall Leadership Award
- Lars Fossberg Excellence Award
- Rod Chisholm Operations & Maintenance Award
- CWSAA Peak Performance Awards
View more about the awards HERE.
De-escalation Training for Frontline Employees
Webinar: Responding to Challenging Guest Interactions at Work
In the recent Fall CWSAA meetings, presentations on violence in the workplace provided excellent information and resources for managers. As a follow up to that presentation, go2HR in partnership with CMHA BC have put together a 1 hour FREE webinar for ski industry frontline workers to provide tools and techniques to manage difficult guest interactions.
Please consider including this webinar as part of your employee onboarding and share this opportunity with all relevant departments.
Webinar Details:
- Thursday, December 5, 2024: 11:00 am - 12:00 pm Pacific
- Pre-registration is required.
- Learn More & Register
What is it? Join go2HR and CMHA BC for this practical, 1-hour webinar designed to help you navigate difficult guest interactions with confidence and professionalism. During this session, you will learn essential tools to recognize and manage challenging moments, equipping you to handle guest interactions more effectively. The fact paced ski industry often brings unique public facing challenges. By participating in this webinar, you’ll walk away with the skills and confidence needed to turn difficult interactions into positive outcomes.
Who is it for? Frontline workers and others who regularly interact with guests during their workday
This is a free webinar hosted by go2HR and CMHA BC.
Small Ski Areas Snow School Instructor Training Bursary
CWSAA offers a bursary for small ski areas to reduce the cost of training new instructors. Small ski areas may apply for a $250 bursary for up to 5 snow sports instructors entry level training (eg max of $1250 per ski area). Ski areas with less than 50,000 skier visits may apply.
Please note, the ski area must apply for this bursary, not the individual instructors. The deadline to apply is December 15. Learn more and apply HERE
The CWSAA Instructor Training Bursary is a separate program from those offered thru the certifying bodies. Additional funding such as scholarships and grants may be available through the certifying bodies.
SnowStart Kidz Pass
SnowPass has rebranded as SNOWSTART KIDZ PASS. The new product coordinated by the Canadian Ski Council provides 3 visits to each participating ski area, and now offers expanded eligibility for Children Ages 6 - 12.
The pass is $39.99 and is on sale now.
Learn more about SnowStart Kidz Pass HERE.
There is very strong participation from ski areas. If you haven't already signed up, its not too late, contact programsupport@skicanada.org
Responsible Stewardship Showcase
Nakiska Ski Area
Nakiska Ski Area is committed to balancing exceptional skiing with responsible environmental practices and continuously working to minimize their ecological footprint. Nakiska has implemented energy-saving initiatives, particularly in HVAC and lighting. They employ a strong maintenance program to extend the life of their machinery and have recycling program for materials such as oils, rubber and metal from their fleet.
Nakiska’s sustainability efforts extend to the thoughtful management of their slopes. They practice responsible tree felling, carefully timing the process to avoid disrupting migratory bird nesting patterns. By selectively removing only necessary trees, they maintain skiable terrain while creating natural glades. The remaining tree mulch helps prevent soil erosion, supports healthy regrowth, and reduces the spread of invasive species. This process enriches the soil with organic material, promoting ecosystem vitality and ensuring that safety improvements don’t come at the expense of the environment.
Additionally, Nakiska ensures snowmaking is as water- and energy-efficient as possible, with their Tier 4 snow grooming machines helping reduce emissions and fuel consumption. Their ongoing commitment to sustainability ensures that future generations can enjoy skiing at Nakiska while preserving the natural beauty of the environment.
Webinars from Industry Partners
There are a number of excellent learning opportunities from our tourism partners. Some upcoming webinars include:
- Workforce Hiring Solutions: Effective Strategies for Attracting and Retaining Talent (Alberta Hotels Association & BC Hotel Association). October 29 at 1pm Pacific
- DMO Strategies for Sustainable Food Practices
- Propel Student Work Placement Program Info Session (Tourism HR Canada). November 21 at 11:00am Mountain
- Tourism Saskatchewan also has a number of webinars including marketing, leadership, customer service, de-escalation, recruitment and more.
Selkirk College Lift Courses: Register for training to prepare for the season ahead
The fall semester for online Passenger Ropeways/lift courses (Lift 151, Lift 152 &Lift 153) is now underway, but its not too late to join. Registration for these courses are now open. The Fall 2024 Semester runs from September 3 until December 10, with final exams on December 11, 12, 13.
Lift 150 Train the Trainer is designed to support lift supervisors or managers develop a comprehensive program for training their operators. Used across Canada to prepare supervisors and managers as trainers, Lift 150 is currently required for certification by Technical Safety BC (TSBC) for all passenger ropeway trainers in British Columbia. This program is self-paced and estimated at 20 hours, plus an exam at the end (accredited exam invigilator required).
These courses are in high demand each Fall, ensure you have the appropriate staff trained and register them now! Learn More & Register HERE
CWSAA Partners
EASY RESERVATIONS: www.drivingforce.ca
For Leasing enquiries CONTACT Jordan:
(306) 261-6110 or JArsenault@drivingforce.ca
The CWSAA Driving Force vehicle has put on alot of mileage this Fall. Fall meetings kicked off at Sunridge (Edmonton, AB) and end next week at Thunderhill (Manitoba).
Quality Tires at an affordable price
It's time to put on your winter tires (if you haven't already)!
Learn More about Kal Tire's current promotions
HERE.
CWSAA Members are invited to post their jobs on the CWSAA Job Board.
Canadian Ski Hall of Fame: Community Ski Area Feature
Manning Park
Manning Park started as a Provincially run ski area in the early 1960's, then called the Gibson Pass Ski Area. In 1986, Gibson pass was sold to a private group of business people. Now Manning Park is thriving as a year-round destination resort for not only skiing and snowboarding, but also camping, cabins and events.
Read the Full Manning Park Story
Read more stories about Canadian Community Ski Areas HERE.
Places & Faces
CWSAA Board representative for the Heli Cat sector, Dave Morrison, has joined Mica Heliskiing as the CEO. Dave is also the Vice President of HeliCat Canada.
Jasmine, Randi-Lee and Ian of Sunridge Ski Area show delegates of the 2024 ASM Division Meeting how they manage large school groups in their well organized rental shop.
Congratulations to Doug Macfarlane on his retirement this week. Doug’s many years of senior leadership at Whistler Blackcomb and the broader industry as a CWSAA Director has inspired and guided many in our industry. Doug was recognized and celebrated this past spring as a CWSAA Jim Marshall Leadership Award recipient.
Andrew Rusynyk has joined Pass Powderkeg as the ski area and pool manager. Andrew returns to the Crowsnest Pass region, after spending time working at ski areas in the east.
Peter Harding, GM at Fairmont Hot Springs ski area located on the western slopes of the Rockies, has been welcoming guests for 37 years. Peter has been a huge supporter of the Selkirk College SROAM program and will often have students completing work terms on his team.
Delegates of the 2024 BC-Yukon Division Meeting discuss crowd control and safety on the slopes.
Darcy Arnold was appointed as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and the newest member of the Board of Big White this summer. He has worked at Big White for 35 years. Darcy also serves on the CWSAA Board, and the new CWSAA ropeways committee which is currently developing lift mechanic training for industry.
Re-elected as President of the Fairview Ski Hill society, Darian Armstrong (front left) chairs the 2024 Fairview AGM. The talent-rich Board tasks Directors with focus areas such as outside operations, chalet, patrol, communications and finance. There is also a dedicated seat for the Municipal District that helps with top of mind awareness and support for the community recreation facility.
Elias Ortner has been promoted to President and COO of Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing (MWHS). In his new role, Ortner, who most recently served as general manager of MWHS, is responsible for all operations and the guest experience as well as for driving the growth of the destination.