Unofficial summary · Not affiliated with the Resort Municipality of Whistler · 11-minute read · View in browser

Meeting: Regular Council, Tuesday, June 23, 2026
Length: about 2 hours 24 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

THREE READINGS · Five-year financial plan amendment
Council gave first, second and third readings to a bylaw amending the five-year financial plan by a net $1.858 million in project spending: $1.238 million more for the RCMP building project, $300,000 to move wildfire fuel thinning in Creekside and Spring Creek forward from 2027, $200,000 for the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup event, and $120,000 to replace a third recreational trail bridge. The director of finance said the wildfire money is a change in timing, not an increase, and the RCMP amount is a mix of added scope and spending carried over from last year. The money comes from reserves, the Resort Municipality Initiative fund and the hotel tax (MRDT).
Vote: Councillor Forsyth opposed. Moved by Councillor Murl, seconded by Councillor De Jong.

CARRIED · Next steps for Lot 6 at Cheakamus Crossing
Council passed four resolutions: support continued site work on Lot 6 as set out in the Whistler 2020 Development Corporation's servicing and development plan, if there is enough money in the Cheakamus Crossing affordable employee housing reserve; have staff draft a neighbourhood level agreement to track money in and out of that reserve; work with the development corporation on an overall funding strategy; and return to council once a project plan for the first parcel arrives.
Vote: Councillor Jewett opposed. Moved by Councillor De Jong, seconded by Councillor Murl.

CARRIED · Council pay for the next term
Council approved the four-yearly remuneration review. Councillors' salary rises from $58,205 to $59,359 on January 1, 2027, to match the average of six comparison municipalities; the mayor's salary stays at $153,752. The budget impact is $6,924 in 2027.
Vote: carried; see Recorded votes. Moved by Councillor De Jong, seconded by Councillor Jewett.

CARRIED · Financial plan amendment report
Before the bylaw readings, council approved the staff recommendation on the five-year financial plan amendment.
Vote: carried; Councillor Forsyth said they would not support it. Moved by Councillor De Jong, seconded by Councillor Morden.

CARRIED · 2027 council meeting schedule
Council endorsed its 2027 meeting schedule, as corrected on screen at the meeting. It includes a meeting at the end of August.
Vote: no one opposed. Moved by Councillor Jewett, seconded by Councillor Forsyth.

CARRIED · 2025 statement of financial information
Council approved the 2025 statement of financial information.
Vote: no one opposed. Moved by Councillor Murl, seconded by Councillor Forsyth.

RECEIVED · Reports and financial statements
Council received the tourist accommodation business licence update, the 2026 first quarter financial report, and the corporate plan and 2025 annual report with audited financial statements.
Vote: no one opposed on each.

CARRIED · Letters referred
Letters on small-scale multi-unit housing, aerial spraying, youth baseball fields and a proposed RV and container storage development were received and referred to staff. The aerial spraying letter also goes to the provincial Ministry of Forests, and the RV storage letter to the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District.
Vote: no one opposed on each.

CARRIED · Agenda, minutes, committee minutes, light-ups
Council adopted the agenda and the June 9 minutes, received minutes of four committees, approved three bridge light-ups (September 14, October 9 and October 12) and proclaimed October 12 to 18 DCD Awareness Week.
Vote: no one opposed. Agenda moved by Councillor Forsyth, seconded by Councillor Jewett.

Recorded votes

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

• Five-year financial plan amendment bylaw, three readings: Councillor Forsyth opposed.
• Lot 6 at Cheakamus Crossing, four resolutions: Councillor Jewett opposed.
• Financial plan amendment report: Councillor Forsyth said before the vote that they would not support it. The video records the result only as "motion carries."
• Council remuneration review: Councillor Murl said during debate that they would vote against it. The video records the result only as "motion carries."

What was discussed

Lot 6 at Cheakamus Crossing

• The manager of projects planning said Lot 6 is the last parcel at Cheakamus Crossing, just over 70,000 square metres of land, and corrected the staff report, which had labelled that land area as floor area. The development corporation's plan imagines roughly 300 homes in three phases, which would need about 18,000 square metres more floor area and just over 500 more bed units than the land is zoned for. Watch at 1:06:41
• Staff proposed focusing first on parcel A, about 100 homes, which fits the existing zoning and the 388 bed units already allocated, and stays under the point where the water reservoir would need expanding. Site work needs to happen now for a shovel-ready parcel next spring; otherwise a project could slip a year. Staff named the risks: costly infrastructure upgrades, no clear grants yet, no project plan and no housing demand analysis. Watch at 1:16:30
• Councillor Jewett raised traffic from new projects nearby, said the neighbourhood is "a suburb without services" such as a grocery store, and asked for a thorough market analysis before the employee housing reserve is committed. Staff said that servicing parcel A alone would cost about $4.6 million, which is why the neighbourhood level agreement matters, and that council will see the project again before rezoning. Watch at 1:18:36
• Councillor Murl said shovel-ready sites let Whistler use $20 million in provincial money for earlier lots, and this work sets up the next council. Councillor De Jong said Lot 6 is roughly 40% of the neighbourhood's potential housing. Councillor Forsyth said there are now rental vacancies and that ownership condos would be in demand. Watch at 1:42:30

Council pay review

• The director of human resources said the bylaw compares Whistler with six municipalities chosen in 2011: the City of North Vancouver, Port Moody, White Rock, Maple Ridge, the City of Langley and Port Coquitlam. Councillors are below their average, so their salary rises; the mayor is above it, and salaries are not lowered. Separate cost-of-living adjustments happen each year, and the next review is in June 2030. Watch at 1:54:44
• Councillor Forsyth, who was on council in 2006 when the approach was set up, said it was designed so a council votes on the next council's pay, not its own, to keep it out of politics. Councillor Murl said a 2% gap was within the margin of error and an adjustment was unnecessary. Watch at 2:01:44
• Councillor De Jong said no one in the community has said councillors are overpaid and that the mayor's pay is low for a full-time role. Councillor Morden said joining council had meant about a $30,000 pay cut and that the increase could help younger people run. Watch at 2:04:21

Tourist accommodation licensing

• The manager of protective services said Whistler has nearly 9,000 commercial units. Since the province changed its short-term rental rules in 2024, the RMOW received 900 new licence applications; 468 were referred to the building department, 368 of those are complete, and 98% of applicants now have a licence. Staff said licences cost $25 to apply and $200 a year. Watch at 0:24:21
• Mayor Crompton said real estate agents can't tell buyers whether a property zoned for tourist accommodation will get a licence. Staff said they are working on a bylaw change for a paid yes-or-no eligibility check, aiming for the January licence cycle. Watch at 0:32:00
• Asked by Councillor Jewett, staff said renting for tourist accommodation is not allowed in residential-only zones for any length of stay, and that the RMOW enforces against home exchanges that earn points. Staff said the provincial registry has "pretty much wiped out" illegal short-term rentals they couldn't catch before; about 400 of roughly 5,000 active listings are still being sorted out. Watch at 0:42:17

Finances

• The director of finance said first quarter revenue was at 94% of plan and spending at 93%. The capital program is now targeted at $40 million against $48.4 million planned: water main bids came in $1.3 million lower, and sewer trunk main upgrades are delayed by permitting with CN Rail. Asked by a councillor, the director said there were no red flags. Watch at 0:58:37
• On the financial plan amendment, the director said the RCMP building project needs extra work on security technology, hidden conditions and specialized equipment, and may need a larger overall increase, to be assessed at the end of summer. Councillor Forsyth said they opposed the $200,000 for the UCI World Cup and would prefer hotel tax money go to local event producers. Watch at 2:09:14
• Councillor Jewett asked why capital asset purchases were $55 million against an $11 million plan in the 2025 statements. Staff said the consolidated statements include the Whistler Housing Authority, which doesn't budget for its capital purchases the same way. Watch at 2:11:20

Mayor's report and council updates

• Mayor Crompton announced six Community Enrichment Program scholarships for graduating students, and said residents must confirm their status in person at Meadow Park Sports Centre by August 8 to keep resident rates and priority registration. Watch at 0:03:48
• After e-bikes came up at coffee with council, Councillor Forsyth suggested a Committee of the Whole presentation on what council and the RCMP each control on the Valley Trail and what the injury data shows. Councillor Jewett called for more education on speed and courtesy; Councillor Morden asked parents to teach children the rules of the road. Watch at 0:11:18
• On the aerial spraying letter, Councillor Jewett said the RMOW doesn't do the spraying, doesn't decide when it happens and wasn't told in advance. Watch at 2:20:10

Public input

None at this meeting. There were no speakers in the question and comment period and no delegations.

Following up

From earlier issues:

• 2026 Official Community Plan amendments: At the Committee of the Whole earlier the same day, staff planned first reading for the last council meeting in July. At this meeting, the manager of projects planning said the work is underway, targeting February 2027 for council to consider adoption.
• Still open: liquor licence applications (July 28), the Smart Tourism Committee's recommendation (third quarter), the climate budget workshop and the Northlands Boulevard rezoning at the Advisory Design Panel.

New items we'll watch for:

• Lot 6 neighbourhood level agreement, funding strategy and the parcel A project plan: back to council, no date given.
• Yes-or-no tourist accommodation eligibility check: a bylaw change aimed at the January licence cycle.
• Possible overall increase for the RCMP building project: assessed at the end of summer, with the 2027 budget.
• Committee of the Whole presentation on e-bikes and the Valley Trail: suggested by Councillor Forsyth, no date given.

What's next

• June 29: Candidate information session for the October 17 election, Whistler Public Library, 5:30 to 7 p.m.
• July 9: Budget quiz night at the Cinnamon Bear Bar, 6 to 9 p.m.
• July 13: 2027 budget survey closes.
• August 8: Deadline to confirm resident status at Meadow Park Sports Centre.
• September: Second quarter financial results, and the start of the 2027 budget process.
• October 17: Municipal election.

Get involved

• Take the 2027 budget survey at whistler.ca/2027-budget before July 13.
• Thinking of running for mayor, council or school board? Attend the June 29 information session.
• Council meetings are open to the public, with a question and comment period. Agendas, reports and ways to contact council are on the RMOW council page.

Terms used

Bed units: Whistler's measure of how much development is allowed, based on how many people a building can house · CCAEH reserve: the Cheakamus Crossing affordable employee housing reserve fund · DCD: developmental coordination disorder · Gross floor area: the total floor space of buildings · MRDT (hotel tax): the Municipal and Regional District Tax on short-term accommodation · Neighbourhood level agreement: an agreement between the RMOW and the development corporation to track costs and payments for a site · Official Community Plan (OCP): the bylaw that sets long-term land use and growth policy · Resort Municipality Initiative fund: provincial funding for resort communities · Shovel-ready: a site prepared so construction can start right away · Statement of financial information: a yearly report that includes payments to suppliers and pay for council and staff · Tourist accommodation: zoning and licences that allow nightly rentals to visitors · UCI: Union Cycliste Internationale, the world governing body for cycling · Whistler 2020 Development Corporation (WDC): the RMOW-owned company that develops employee housing · Whistler Housing Authority (WHA): the RMOW-owned agency that manages employee housing.

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.

• E-bike minimum age (16, as asked at the meeting): under B.C.'s Motor Assisted Cycle (E-Bike) Regulation, in effect since April 5, 2024, riders of a standard e-bike must be at least 16 and riders of a lighter, lower-powered class at least 14, according to the B.C. government's e-bike requirements page.
• Provincial short-term rental registry (cited by staff): according to the B.C. government's short-term rental legislation page, hosts and platforms must be registered with the provincial registry as of May 1, 2025, in addition to any local business licence requirements.
• Tourist accommodation licence fee (cited by staff as $200 a year): the RMOW's business licence fees page lists a $25 application fee and a $250 annual fee for a tourist accommodation business.

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.

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