Should B.C. ski hills demand proof of COVID vaccination?

Not all skiers heading to Lower Mainland hills this winter will be required to provide proof of vaccination, mainly because it’s not mandated by the province.

B.C. hasn’t created provincial health orders calling on ski resorts to check proof of vaccination, so Simon Whitehead with Mount Seymour says, “we are doing exactly what we’re told.”

“We’re absolutely not taking a stand,” he told CityNews. “If mandates change, if health orders change, we will absolutely adopt and follow them. But as of … now, there is no mandate or provincial health order for people having to be double vaccinated to ski and snowboard.

“We are not experts about this pandemic. And (Provincial Health Officer) Dr. Bonnie Henry is. When she decides to make a change to either tighten restrictions or relax restrictions, we will follow her knowledge and her advice.”

So for people who ski or snowboard, they can do so without being fully vaccinated.

“We’re very fortunate … people can access the mountain either in their personal vehicles or on the shuttle. Similarly, all our chairlifts have not been closed, so there is no risk … of being trapped in small space with strangers.”

However, restaurants and pubs in the area will still require customers to show their vaccine cards.

Whitehead admits they’re getting lots of inquiries from people on both sides of the debate.

More than 10.000 people have signed an online petition asking Whistler to make proof of vaccination mandatory because they consider gondolas are enclosed spaces, but that’s not part of provincial orders.

“Gondolas … are tight, poorly ventilated spaces, where you’re sitting side by side, shoulder to shoulder, breath to breath. So it’s not a safe environment to share with people you don’t know that are unvaccinated,” longtime Whistler resident, John Konig said.

Konig says he’s worried that if there are unvaccinated people in the gondolas it will increase the risk of COVID-19 infections spreading in the community.

“It only takes one infection to get into our community. And a lot of our young workers here share … very tight accommodation, … once it gets into our community, it spreads like wildfire,” he added.

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While staff at the resort are required to be vaccinated, visitors only have to be if they are coming in from other countries, plan to dine at a restaurant, or work out at a local gym.

Grouse Mountain is the only local hill asking anyone older than 12 to show proof they’re immunized because concerns have been raised about the risk of exposure for anyone riding in an enclosed gondola.