Unofficial summary · Not affiliated with the Resort Municipality of Whistler · 9-minute read · View in browser

Meeting: Committee of the Whole, Tuesday, June 23, 2026
Length: 1 hour 43 minutes
Watch: Full video on the RMOW meeting portal · Agenda and reports: RMOW council video, agendas and minutes

This is a catch-up issue on a past meeting.

Key decisions

CARRIED · Councillor Forsyth chairs the meeting
Mayor Crompton moved that Councillor Forsyth chair this Committee of the Whole meeting.
Vote: no one opposed. Moved by Mayor Crompton, seconded by Councillor De Jong.

CARRIED · Agenda and minutes adopted
The committee adopted the agenda and the minutes of its previous meeting. The meeting was for presentations only; apart from a motion to end the meeting, which carried with no one opposed, no other motions were made.
Vote: no one opposed. Agenda moved by Mayor Crompton, seconded by Councillor Jewett.

Recorded votes

Votes where members of council did not all agree. Unanimous votes are not listed.

All recorded votes at this meeting were unanimous.

What was discussed

Accessibility and Inclusion Committee

• The accessibility coordinator said the committee is required under the Accessible British Columbia Act. In 2025 it reviewed the accessibility action plan, gave input on adaptive mountain bike trail plans and named accessible transportation as an ongoing priority. Watch at 0:07:07
• This year it is giving input on an accessible housing council policy, and raised a gap in who pays to convert adaptable rental units into fully accessible ones. Staff said the lack of local and regional accessible transportation is a barrier to medical appointments, jobs and accessible tourism. Watch at 0:09:15
• Councillor Jewett asked whether seniors' housing was part of the work. Staff said seniors' housing is part of the policy, working with the Mature Action Committee. Watch at 0:13:14

Advisory Design Panel

• A planner said the panel gives professional advice on development proposals. It has eight voting members (architects, landscape architects, a land developer and two members at large) and met five times in 2025, including on a rezoning in Cheakamus and the Whistler Creek West neighbourhood plan. Watch at 0:16:17
• Coming to the panel: the Northlands Boulevard rezoning (expected late summer or early fall), the zoning bylaw modernization project and zoning amendments for Whistler Creek West. Watch at 0:19:49
• Councillor Murl, council's member on the panel, said he values hearing professional perspectives. Councillor Morden asked about conflicts of interest; staff said members must follow the code of conduct and declare conflicts. Watch at 0:20:21

Emergency Planning Committee

• The emergency program coordinator said the committee reviewed lessons from structure fires and a landslide response, and that the province now addresses stranded travellers in emergencies as a result. The municipal insurance association told the committee climate change will limit coverage in high-risk areas. Watch at 0:24:23
• Councillor Jewett asked about evacuating north if the southern route were blocked. The coordinator said peak periods could mean about 21,000 vehicles, that the northern highway has long gaps between gas stations, and that in a worst case people might have to shelter in place in the village's concrete buildings. Watch at 0:32:45
• On heat, the coordinator said the RMOW plans cooling options and encourages people to use air-conditioned buildings nearby. There is no registry of vulnerable people; they are asked to make a plan with a friend, co-worker or neighbour, or call the RMOW to arrange transportation, and a new preparedness brochure was mailed out with property tax mailings. Watch at 0:35:00
• Councillor De Jong asked how preparedness compares with five years ago; the coordinator answered "probably an eight or a nine." Asked about the biggest concern, the coordinator named wildfire, especially a human-caused fire starting close to town, and said reducing the population early, by cancelling events and closing the backcountry, could cut evacuation time in half. Watch at 0:38:23

Liquor Licence Advisory Committee

• A planning analyst said the committee advises on liquor licence applications. In 2025 it met twice, on liquor primary applications at the Hilton and the conference centre (both approved by council), and commented on five lower-impact applications by email. Its membership changed to two members at large plus a Tourism Whistler representative. Watch at 0:45:11
• Staff said a couple of applications are going to the July 28 council meeting, and mentioned a Whistler Blackcomb application for a temporary use endorsement at Creekside Flats, a large outdoor event space on the mountain. Staff raised concerns about repeated special event permits used like a permanent licence, and businesses applying to the provincial regulator without knowing they also need an RMOW application. Watch at 0:48:03

Climate Action and Environment Committee

• The manager of climate and environment said the committee, which started in 2024, has 14 voting members; the Lil'wat Nation seat is currently empty. After feedback that agendas were too full, it moved from four to six meetings a year with one topic each. Watch at 0:52:37
• Work included the new climate communications plan, the community wildfire resiliency plan update and the active transportation network plan. In June, its top transit priority was more frequent service on the number 10 bus, along with a queue-jumper lane so buses aren't stuck in traffic. It also asked staff to look into a climate budget. Watch at 0:54:54
• Councillor De Jong said the workshop approach is building momentum. Councillor Morden called it, with emergency planning, the most important committee. Councillor Jewett asked how the committees avoid working in silos; staff said they invited the Smart Tourism Committee to an early meeting. Watch at 1:03:17

Housing and Strategy Committee

• The director of planning said the committee met four times in 2025 and once in 2026, giving input on the 2025 Official Community Plan amendment, the Whistler Creek West neighbourhood plan, 4500 Northlands and the works and services charge bylaw. Committee members also joined a housing forum in January on a municipal land strategy. Watch at 1:10:13
• The committee asked for a future discussion on minimum pricing for Whistler Housing Authority resales and the authority's long-term sustainability. Councillor Murl, the committee's chair, spoke about the committee's openness to debate, as did Mayor Crompton later. Watch at 1:15:57
• Councillor Jewett noted council had four meetings left in its term. Staff said they plan to bring the engagement strategy and first reading of the 2026 Official Community Plan amendment bylaws to the last council meeting in July, with the public hearing after the election. Councillor Jewett also asked whether the resale discussion could help early owners move to homes suited to aging in place. Watch at 1:17:03

Smart Tourism Committee

• The economic development officer said the committee began as exploratory work to define "smart tourism" — tourism that serves the community, environment and culture. It has drafted a vision of success and set up subcommittees, and hopes to bring a recommendation in the third quarter, starting with congestion. Watch at 1:26:16
• Councillor De Jong asked whether the committee is planning for a warmer climate; staff said an all-weather approach is central to the vision. Councillor Forsyth, the committee's chair, mentioned a request for proposals for saunas at the lake and winter programming at the lakes. Watch at 1:33:20
• Councillor Jewett said congestion gives the committee something it can measure. Mayor Crompton pointed to Rainbow Park and spending tourism tax money on housing and on amenities that are partly resident-facing. Councillor Morden said someone at a Coffee with Council event the day before felt tourism comes before residents, and that this committee was a response to what council heard from the community. Watch at 1:36:48

Public input

None at this meeting. There were no delegations or public hearing speakers.

Following up

From earlier issues: This is the earliest meeting we cover for Whistler, so there are no earlier items to follow up.

New items we'll watch for:

• Engagement strategy and first reading of the 2026 Official Community Plan amendment bylaws: planned for the last council meeting in July, with the public hearing after the election.
• A couple of liquor licence applications: July 28 council meeting. Whistler Blackcomb's application for an outdoor event space: no date given.
• Smart Tourism Committee recommendation, starting with congestion: hoped for in the third quarter.
• Climate budget workshop at the Climate Action and Environment Committee: later this year.
• Northlands Boulevard rezoning at the Advisory Design Panel: late summer or early fall.

What's next

• July: The Housing and Strategy Committee reviews draft Official Community Plan amendment bylaws.
• July 28: Regular council meeting, with liquor licence applications on the agenda.
• December: The Climate Action and Environment Committee reviews transportation monitoring results.

Get involved

• The Liquor Licence Advisory Committee is recruiting two members at large.
• Sign up for Whistler Alert to get emergency information, and pick up the emergency preparedness brochure at the library or Municipal Hall.
• Council and Committee of the Whole meetings are open to the public. Agendas, reports and ways to contact council are on the RMOW council page.

Terms used

Committee of the Whole: all of council meeting as a committee, usually for presentations and discussion rather than final decisions · Adaptable unit: a home built so it can later be converted to be fully accessible · Liquor primary licence: a provincial licence for businesses whose main purpose is serving alcohol, such as bars and nightclubs · Member at large: a resident appointed to a committee who doesn't represent an organization · Official Community Plan (OCP): the bylaw that sets long-term land use and growth policy · Queue-jumper lane: a short lane letting buses get ahead of traffic at a signal · First reading: the first of three votes on a bylaw before final adoption.

Context notes

We check factual figures cited at the meeting against public sources where we can. These notes add context; they are not verdicts on any speaker.

• Accessibility committee requirement (cited by staff): under the Accessible British Columbia Act (sections 9, 11 and 12) and the Accessible British Columbia Regulation, which has covered municipalities since September 1, 2023, organizations covered by the law must have an accessibility committee, an accessibility plan and a way to receive public feedback, and must review and update the plan at least once every three years.
• 2021 peak temperature (cited by staff as 42 degrees): Environment Canada's daily climate data show highs of 42.0°C at its Whistler station and 42.9°C at its Whistler–Nesters station on June 29, 2021, the hottest day of that month at both stations.

Council Watch Whistler is an independent, unofficial summary of publicly accessible meetings of the Whistler Council. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Resort Municipality of Whistler. This summary was generated by AI from an automatic transcript and may contain errors. Watch the linked video for the official record.

Was this issue useful? Reply with one word: yes or no.
Spotted an error? Reply to this email and we'll correct it in the next issue.
Know someone who'd find this useful? Forward it to them. · Past issues

Not subscribed yet? If you're reading this on the web or someone forwarded it to you, subscribe free to get each new issue by email after Whistler council meetings.