As the 2022 CWSAA fall meetings approach, it seems appropriate to comment on the planning strategies that guide the development of the events.  Of frequent interest is the fact the fall division meetings are distinguished from the spring conference content by highlighting what ski area operators need to know over the coming 90 days with respect to ski season operation.  In past, the fall meetings were often labelled the risk management fall meetings.  While safety and risk management continues to be the leading mandate of the Association, the content of the fall meetings highlights all operational priorities for the coming winter.  This includes safety and risk management, regulatory landscape, and solutions and discussion on the key issues impacting ski area operation.  The duration and locations of the fall meetings are intentionally chosen to expedite time commitments for all delegates.  By contrast, the content of the spring meetings generally focuses on broader aspects of the industry and incorporates longer range topics over a longer period of time at the end of winter operations.  Likewise, spring conference venue locations must address capacity and as well as on-site requirements for maintenance and operations content.

Many members are also surprised to learn that the delegate fees for the fall and spring conference are not intended to generate revenue for the Association.  Traditionally, many other member organisations use such gatherings as a primary fundraiser.  In the case of CWSAA, the competitor pass is the primary revenue generator, and the Board of Directors has maintained a long standing directive to build the CWSAA events on a break-even model in order to serve as much of the membership as possible by minimising cost.  The delegate fees represent the costs of F&B, venue rental, and staging expenses.  The small areas assistance fund initiative is another expression of this commitment. Included in this organisational directive is a commitment to support those that support the industry by offering promotion and sponsorship opportunities to members rather than to reach outside of the membership.

It is most important to recognise and thank the many folks that dedicate volunteer hours to the betterment of the industry.  CWSAA is the membership, and it would not exist in its current form without the contribution of its own members.  Some of these individuals are more visible as they often present at association and on-line education sessions.  Others prefer to serve from behind the scenes, but contribute equal amounts of expertise.  The sum of these efforts shape what has been called ‘The Canada West Way.’   This unofficial values statement appreciates healthy competition between organisations, but more so, recognises the importance and wise business sense of collective effort to advance the entire industry. Often individuals from outside our sector comment on how unique this relationship is, which gives me great pride on how foundational this ethos is to our CWSAA culture.  For these reasons, we celebrate the veterans in our industry that continue to mentor the new generation of industry leaders, and greatly value the support they give to the newer members of our industry that are bound to shoulder the mantle of leadership in the years ahead.

Cheers

– Christopher Nicolson