Big White to rely on locals to run resort

Big White Ski Resort is looking to local people this winter to fill staff positions often filled by employees who come in on work visas.

“As every person, family and business adjusts to the world’s new COVID-19 reality, Big White Ski Resort, just 45 minutes from Kelowna, is adjusting its hiring process for the upcoming ski season – big time,” a ski resort release said on Monday.

Pre-COVID, Big White employed upwards of 1,400 staff, both full-time and part-time, to keep the resort running smoothly. A large portion of those employees traditionally came in on work visas.

But this year, with the complication of limited international travel, every department at the resort will be relying heavily on local and domestic employees.

“It’s like reverting back to the 80s when we would go on hiring clinics through the Prairies to find groomer drivers, rental shop personnel, lift operators, and other on-mountain team members,” Michael J. Ballingall, Senior VP at Big White Ski Resort Ltd. said.

In previous ski seasons, Canadian employees have made up just over 30 per cent of the workforce while Australian employees made up the majority, at nearly 40 per cent.

Britons were typically third in numbers at approximately 10 per cent.

Big White acknowledges fewer staff will be hired this season due to COVID protocols that will limit indoor capacities and housing arrangements.

“At the moment, Big White’s priority is to find Canadians to work in lift operations, and secondly, certified ski and snowboard instructors,” according to the release.

The resort is also looking for people to work in other areas including food and beverage, rentals, retail and reservations.

Resort brass are also worried about the challenge of housing many employees.

“During the 2019/2020 season, the resort completed construction of new staff accommodation at Black Forest – four buildings that can house 192 staff members. With COVID-19 protocols, that number will be in half, and the max number of people per room at other staff accommodation around the mountain will be reduced to two.”

Ballingall said the resort will need to house staff in Kelowna or rely on Kelowna-based employees and bus everyone back and forth for shifts.