The Whistler Chamber of Commerce is often asked to form an opinion on issues that potentially impact its membership i.e. to advocate on behalf of its membership.  This is reinforced by the findings of the 2008 Whistler Chamber Membership Survey, where 91% of respondees confirmed that the advocacy work performed by the Chamber is “good value” or “extremely valuable”.   

The Chamber has advocated on behalf of its membership on the following key issues: 

1.     2008 Municipal Budget
2.     BC Carbon Tax
3.     Resident Housing
4.     2010 Temporary Commercial Use Permits     

1. 2008 Municipal Budget  Historically in Whistler, municipal budgets have resulted in property tax increases that are in line with the rate of inflation.  In 2008, and mainly as a result of the Class 1/6 reallocation, a budget deficit resulted that needed to be funded by a property tax increase that was greater than inflation.  The increase impacted both residential and business owners.  Although it was unable to influence the result of the 2008 budgetary process, at a public information session in January 2008, the Chamber made a statement on how future budgetary processes might be approached.  Click here to view statement. 

In April 2008, the Chamber met with Council in a public workshop environment and proposed a way in which future budgetary processes might be approached.  Click here to view presentation. 

Council declined to adopt the Chamber’s proposal on the basis that the municipality’s Long Term Financial Plan first needed to be reviewed and updated.  To that end, the municipality struck an Advisory Committee, comprising financial experts from both the public and private sectors, to review and comment on the policies underlying the Long Term Financial Plan.  The Committee is expected to conclude its work in early 2009. 

2. BC Carbon Tax  

Through Whistler 2020, Whistler’s comprehensive, community-wide, long-term sustainability vision and plan, the community is committed to best practices in sustainability planning and implementation, and is supportive of tools that create financial incentives and reward positive environmental choices.   

In July 2008, the Chamber, as a key stakeholder in the community (and as one of over 40 partners in the Whistler 2020 family), and along with the Resort Municipality of Whistler, Tourism Whistler and Whistler Blackcomb, endorsed a letter addressed to the Premier, commending the Government on its initiative to implement a Carbon Tax to discourage the use of fossil fuel and thereby reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  Click here to view letter.  

3.    Resident Housing 

One of the key challenges facing Whistler’s business community is housing our seasonal and long-term employees.   

The Phoenix project, although it did not proceed, represented an incredible example of successful collaboration amongst community individuals and groups, including the Chamber, the RMOW, the Whistler Housing Authority, Whistler Blackcomb and 44 other participating businesses and Project Manager, John Jervis, to try to resolve our seasonal housing challenges.   

While a solution to housing our seasonal employees is still to be found, the Chamber feels that there may be opportunities for businesses to secure housing for its long-term employees.  To that end, in October 2008, the Chamber board asked the Board of the Whistler Housing Authority (WHA) to consider some options for resident housing.  Click here to view letter.  The Board of the WHA responded in November 2008.  Click here to view WHA’s response. 

Although the Board of the WHA explained that it is unable to accommodate our specific request, we believe the letter is nonetheless hopeful because it gives some indication that there are other avenues to be explored that can address our resident housing challenges over time, namely: 

·          WHA’s support for the creation of a pocket of units near the commercial core at Cheakamus Crossing
·          WHA’s note that serviced sites will remain at Cheakamus Crossing which can potentially be used for employee housing post 2010
·          WHA’s support of businesses purchasing/leasing employee restricted units above Rainbow’s commercial core
·          WHA’s willingness to meet with Rainbow developers to designate an area at Rainbow (not yet planned/built) for employee housing Although none of the above addresses our seasonal and longer term employee housing needs from now-2010, it does show WHA’s willingness to continue to work with WCC (as well as RMOW) to find a solution for seasonal, long term and ownership housing challenges.     

4. 2010 Temporary Commercial Use Permits     

The proposed Temporary Commercial Use Permit (TCUP) Bylaw is intended to consider a number of temporary property and commercial uses leading up to and during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, which are not currently permitted under the existing Zoning Bylaw 303, 1983.  Click here to view proposed TCUP bylaw. 

As the details of the proposed TCUP bylaw were publicized, the business community raised a number of questions regarding the contents of the proposed bylaw and the procedure to be followed to consider and approve both residential and commercial TCUPs.  The RMOW arranged an informational Open House in December 2008, at which details of the proposed bylaw and the associated procedures bylaw were presented to the public.  The Open House was well attended by members of the business community and, on the basis of information presented at an Open House, the Chamber voiced its support of the TCUP bylaw (provided certain criteria were considered), at a Public Hearing on December 15, 2008.  Click here to view statement.  Individual business owners also made well-considered and constructive comments at the Public Hearing. 

To date, this has been an example of where the Chamber has worked successfully with both its Resort partners and its membership to ensure that appropriate and timely information on a matter that potentially impacts the business community is delivered and understood.  The Chamber will continue to monitor the progress of both the proposed TCUP bylaw and the associated procedures bylaw during 2009.