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  1. #1
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    Feb 2020
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    BC's Premier wants to shut down provincial borders. What does that mean for Ski Hills

    BC's Premier John Horgan said yesterday that he wants to shut down provincial borders. I wonder how ski hills that rely heavily on Alberta skiers will survive?

    Fernie's local population is about 5k
    Invermere's population is under 4k
    Golden's population is also under 4k
    Kimberly 7500

    Hardly enough local population to support the local hills. On top of that, the local restaurants and retail will certainly not survive. I'm not sure what his end game is...But killing these ski towns will be a result, if he gets his way.

  2. #2
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    May 2019
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    Corner of the Bow and Elbow
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    Well, the way cases are continuing to trend in BC and Alberta, I'll be amazed if lift-served skiing is still an option by Christmas. Alberta's already started shutting down recreational activities and increasing restrictions while cases continue to rise and at this point I'm expecting a serious lockdown to happen this winter. I picked up a Big 3 pass this year, and I'm sort of regretting it, right now.

    I'm not sure on the economics for ski hills but I can't see them being forced to shut down for a month or three and then reopening in February or March again, if they're even permitted to. It's going to be a very tough winter for all those towns that rely on tourism. If Horgan can't close the borders, he can certainly shut down the ski hills and that kills a huge percentage of the tourist draw.

    It's been a tough year for a lot of businesses - there's a ton of restaurants and stores in calgary that have shut down already and I'm sure there's going to be a lot more gone after this winter. Hopefully the federal aid programs will be able to keep a lot of those small businesses in ski towns and the cities alive 'til next summer.

  3. #3
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    Oct 2009
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    Golden B.C.
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    624
    Golden + rural is 6.7k. Revy is at least 7k maybe as high as 14.5k in the winter. If they can just groom the road, avi control and keep the gondi spinning at half speed, I'd be a happy man. Still hard to imagine the border shutting completely.

  4. #4
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    Dec 2008
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    East Kootenays, BC
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    He is trying to save lives. Pretty simple. As far as ski towns surviving? Of course they will, until there is no snow, that is. Although there are far, far, far less international skiers/boarders in Fernie this winter the town is very busy, as it was this summer with mountain bikers. Never seen so many in all my years here. I doubt the vacancy rate has ever been this low, there are hundreds of people looking for housing. In the event of an eventual outbreak at a ski hill I'd hazard a guess they will remain open...

    As far as closing the borders like the Maritime bubble? I doubt they could do it in this part of the province with all the coal miners coming in and out of the valley daily from Alberta...

    But do stay in Alberta and the rest of Canada as per our Premiers request, at least for the next few weeks.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2020
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    34
    Here's an interesting story from Global News.

    https://globalnews.ca/news/7473709/s...ions-covid-19/

  6. #6
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    Oct 2010
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    Golden, BC
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    95
    Quote Originally Posted by gearhunter View Post
    He is trying to save lives. Pretty simple. As far as ski towns surviving? Of course they will, until there is no snow, that is. Although there are far, far, far less international skiers/boarders in Fernie this winter the town is very busy, as it was this summer with mountain bikers. Never seen so many in all my years here. I doubt the vacancy rate has ever been this low, there are hundreds of people looking for housing. In the event of an eventual outbreak at a ski hill I'd hazard a guess they will remain open...

    As far as closing the borders like the Maritime bubble? I doubt they could do it in this part of the province with all the coal miners coming in and out of the valley daily from Alberta...

    But do stay in Alberta and the rest of Canada as per our Premiers request, at least for the next few weeks.
    Golden is similar to Fernie currently. Homes are selling like crazy since people are leaving the cities and working from home. I was on "The Strip" (fast food joints on the Trans Canada) and there were dozens of sled trailers getting breakfast before going out, and most were Alberta plates. If the resorts shut down there will be sladders and people touring. The backcountry is going to be a gong show. The town will certainly see a dip without the resort traffic, but it won't be the death of our community.

    I for one am happy to see the restrictions in place for the next couple weeks. There are some weird aspects to the restrictions that make no sense, there is no questions bout that. If people follow the guidelines for the next couple weeks in the down season then we may see the restrictions lifted and can have the resorts open for the year.

    It is important to note that Revy is way better than Golden, so go there. The skiing is better, the latte's are better, the mani-pedi's are better and most importantly the people are cooler. #visiteastrevy
    I like huge dumps.

  7. #7
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    Apr 2007
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    Tahoe
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    Revy has by far the best Hortons in Canada. What else is there?
    powdork.com - new and improved, with 20% more dork.

  8. #8
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    May 2002
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    Beautiful BC
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    Quote Originally Posted by goldengarbageman View Post
    I for one am happy to see the restrictions in place for the next couple weeks. There are some weird aspects to the restrictions that make no sense, there is no questions bout that. If people follow the guidelines for the next couple weeks in the down season then we may see the restrictions lifted and can have the resorts open for the year.
    Will you be as happy when the restrictions are still in place next March?Past pandemics have a little bump in March-April and then a lull over the summer and then the big one the following winter. So we can expect rising cases and deaths every time social contacts increase.

    This is really about Metro Vancouver. I don't know why travel restrictions became province-wide when most of the province is covid free and travel is a normal part of life away from Vancouver.
    If you have a problem & think that someone else is going to solve it for you then you have two problems.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2020
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    34
    Quote Originally Posted by Snow Dog View Post
    Will you be as happy when the restrictions are still in place next March?Past pandemics have a little bump in March-April and then a lull over the summer and then the big one the following winter. So we can expect rising cases and deaths every time social contacts increase.

    This is really about Metro Vancouver. I don't know why travel restrictions became province-wide when most of the province is covid free and travel is a normal part of life away from Vancouver.
    I agree. The cases in BC are largely in the Metro Vancouver Health Region and the Fraser Valley Health Region. It seems unfair to restrict the entire province based on 2 health regions in the far western part of the province. A targeted approach would make way more sense in my opinion. https://www.ovulation-calculators.co...irus/ca/fernie

    It'll be interesting to see what opening day at Fernie will look like. The current 2 week restriction are set to expire on December 7th and Fernie opens on December 5th. I have a feeling that Fernie will still be busy. It is a big ask to have people cancel their hotel, Airbnb, VRBO and FLC reservations... Especially when cancellation policies for most of these booking are 30 days.

  10. #10
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    Tahoe
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    I haven't clicked the link yet (I'm a little scared), but ovulation-calculators.com?
    powdork.com - new and improved, with 20% more dork.

  11. #11
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    Jan 2017
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    on the banks of Fish Creek
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    Click image for larger version. 

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  12. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
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    East Kootenays, BC
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    177
    The rest of the province is Covid free? Right sure it is...Click image for larger version. 

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  13. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2020
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    34
    Quote Originally Posted by powdork View Post
    I haven't clicked the link yet (I'm a little scared), but ovulation-calculators.com?
    It shows current Covid cases in towns. I added it to my post, as it shows no active cases in Fernie. I checked and the same goes for Golden and Invermere.

  14. #14
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    Dec 2008
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    East Kootenays, BC
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    Active cases in Fernie that are known about. Don't forget how many people travel from Covid hotspots in Alberta to Fernie. Don't be fooled into thinking that we are 'safe' here from Covid. All it would take would be a party of Albertans here in Fernie to change that really quick. Look what happened in Salmo.

    I do agree that targeted is best but let the professionals do their jobs...Otherwise maybe there will not be a ski season.

    Fernie Alpine Resort is going to stay open until the province tells them to close. Wear your mask, stay out of retail shops/restaurants right now and practice social distancing.

    I'm not going to be a mask nazi but I'll make people aware that they are jeopardizing my ski season with a subtle glance by not following provincial protocols.

    As far as your ovulation calculator goes. The government does not really let anyone know the real numbers. That calculator is bunk. I work in health care in Fernie. Are there cases? The EVRH would never discuss it and Interior Health just gives regional numbers but yes, I would say, there are active cases in Fernie.

  15. #15
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    Feb 2020
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    Quote Originally Posted by gearhunter View Post
    Active cases in Fernie that are known about. Don't forget how many people travel from Covid hotspots in Alberta to Fernie. Don't be fooled into thinking that we are 'safe' here from Covid. All it would take would be a party of Albertans here in Fernie to change that really quick. Look what happened in Salmo.

    I do agree that targeted is best but let the professionals do their jobs...Otherwise maybe there would not be a ski season.
    Fair enough. I just hope that the ski season isn't cancelled by the professionals out of an over abundance of caution. Not just for selfish reasons... But my real fear is for the livelihoods of all of the Fernie business owners and employees. Horgan's ambition to shut down provincial borders would be devastating...

  16. #16
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    Feb 2009
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    578
    Quote Originally Posted by Snow Dog View Post
    This is really about Metro Vancouver. I don't know why travel restrictions became province-wide when most of the province is covid free and travel is a normal part of life away from Vancouver.
    A couple of dozen cases in Salmo, 2 cases at Mica Dam and two businesses closed down in Revelstoke because of exposures say it isn't just Metro Vancouver. Not to mention the 4000 or so active cases in Calgary.

  17. #17
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    Mar 2008
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    northern BC
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    a snapshot of where we are at from the people's news would indicate there are cases all over the province

    https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/briti...asks-1.5808617

    if people are refused service cuz they don't wear a mask pretty soon they can't buy junk food or PBR from the BCLDB, or monster truck parts or even pickup monster truck parts from the post office

    they will have to wear the mask, i got a few hanging from the dash board but sometimes I forget ...can't anymore
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  18. #18
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    May 2002
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    Beautiful BC
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    Quote Originally Posted by nickinbc View Post
    A couple of dozen cases in Salmo, 2 cases at Mica Dam and two businesses closed down in Revelstoke because of exposures say it isn't just Metro Vancouver. Not to mention the 4000 or so active cases in Calgary.
    Just to put it in perspective; according to BC Vital Statistics, 7133 people have died in Interior Health (in 2020) and of those 3 are from COVID. That 0.04%. Yes, cov-2 is meandering around the province and yes, masks and social distancing is the prudent thing to do but shutting everything down is dumb for most of the province.
    If you have a problem & think that someone else is going to solve it for you then you have two problems.

  19. #19
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    Mar 2008
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    northern BC
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    how many would have died without precautions as they are, an open boarder, no nothing ?

    we arent really one nation under god so she ain't likely to help either
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  20. #20
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    Nov 2011
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    Isn't that what locals want? No more tourists. Ideally ski towns would survive on gofundme.com

  21. #21
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    Jan 2009
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    BC still doesn't require kids to wear masks in schools? Is that right?

    That's... unbelievable.

  22. #22
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    Sep 2007
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    vernon
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    ^^^ correct. Only the parents at pick up and drop off.
    www.skevikskis.com Check em out!

  23. #23
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    Oct 2010
    Location
    Golden, BC
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    95
    Quote Originally Posted by paulster2626 View Post
    BC still doesn't require kids to wear masks in schools? Is that right?

    That's... unbelievable.
    In Golden the elementary school is no masks (K-3), and grade 4 and up wear masks all day. I believe the thought is that children that young will not use the mask properly (much like a lot of adults...) and it would be pointless.

    Quote Originally Posted by Snow Dog View Post
    Just to put it in perspective; according to BC Vital Statistics, 7133 people have died in Interior Health (in 2020) and of those 3 are from COVID. That 0.04%. Yes, cov-2 is meandering around the province and yes, masks and social distancing is the prudent thing to do but shutting everything down is dumb for most of the province.
    I think the problem has been that since the lower mainland is shutdown the residents are/will go outside the LML to spread their Kombucha induced version of COVID to the rest of us rednecks. If people follow the guidelines this will be a two week shutdown, if not it will be longer.

    On another note, touring gear is selling out everywhere. If you want to contract COVID, and likely syphilis, come to the Roger's Pass for a weekend. Guaranteed good times!
    I like huge dumps.

  24. #24
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    Oct 2010
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    Golden, BC
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    Quote Originally Posted by el hefe View Post
    ^^^ correct. Only the parents at pick up and drop off.
    Are you back at school Billy Madison style?
    I like huge dumps.

  25. #25
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
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    Between the Selkirks and the Monashees
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    66
    Quote Originally Posted by Snow Dog View Post
    Just to put it in perspective; according to BC Vital Statistics, 7133 people have died in Interior Health (in 2020) and of those 3 are from COVID. That 0.04%. Yes, cov-2 is meandering around the province and yes, masks and social distancing is the prudent thing to do but shutting everything down is dumb for most of the province.
    Are you seriously basing your argument on number of deaths so far? A bit of a logical fallacy don't you think? Restrictions are based on trying to predict the future which is not an exact science but when multiple communities outside the lower Mainland are seeing sudden growth in cases that are not associated with known contacts that raises alarm bells. The evidence does not suggest "meandering", it suggests we are about to see rapid growth. Restrictions now offer the best hope that we can ski in a month...

    There are active cases in almost every community in the Kootenays and my suspicion locally is that we will see a bump in cases this week as I think we have had some community spread in the past week.

    Rural communities with lots of tourism are very high risk for large outbreaks yet we don't have the health care capacity to manage these outbreaks. Ten extra sick patients, or a half dozen staff off sick is a big deal in my ED/hospital, less so in a bigger centre. It isn't just health care - other essential services are more tenous too. If you live in Calgary and the grocery store shuts down due to an outbreak you drive 5 minutes to the next one.

    I understand that this sucks - we all want to ski - and some industries are being affected more significantly than others. Yes we could break the rules individually and we will almost certainly be fine. This is a population wide problem though where every individual decision does add up and help the big picture. Is it seriously that hard to take some social responsibility?

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