Ski resort urges B.C. government to reopen highways as cancellations mount

Highway closures in B.C. are creating uncertainty for holiday travellers, which is causing concern for an Okanagan ski resort that was set to receive an influx of visitors over the holidays.

Michael Ballingall, senior vice-president at Big White Ski Resort in Kelowna, said there had been more than 170 cancellations through the resort's central reservation system as of Sunday morning — and more were pouring in. 

He said people who had planned to travel to the Interior from the Lower Mainland want certainty about their holiday plans, and with road conditions and closures in flux, it's difficult to predict what the situation will be in a few weeks. 

Highways in B.C. remain closed as severe weather continues to pummel the province, delaying the delivery of goods and services throughout B.C. 

Floodwaters have forced evacuations and destroyed homes and farmland, costing farmers hundreds of millions of dollars in damage. 

Highway 5, the main route between the Interior and the Lower Mainland, could open as early as the end of January. However, repairs to the road are weather dependent. 

"It's a terrible blow to our economy because it's not just the accommodation, it's the lift tickets, the restaurants, the sleigh rides, it's the skating parties, it's the tubing parties, purchasing equipment, renting equipment, private ski lessons, private snowboard lessons," Ballingall said. 

"The economy of any ski resort starts with the rental of accommodation, but once someone's in a resort, they're on holiday, they spend up to three to four times more than a local when arriving for the day, or sleeping in a friend's or family's condo on the mountain."

Big White's central reservation systems handles about 40 per cent of available rooms for rent at the resort, and Ballingall said that if you multiply those cancellations for other rental managers and Airbnb, that puts the local tourism industry in a "crisis situation."

He's calling on the government to reopen Highway 3 to non-essential traffic in the lead-up to Christmas, hoping it will provide assurance to those who have already booked their stay that they will be able to get there. 

As of Sunday afternoon, Highway 3 was closed between Hope and Princeton due to minor slides, downed trees and flooding sustained over the weekend. Before that, it was open for essential travel only — including commercial trucks, local residents evacuating or returning home and highway repair crews.

However, Ballingall believes it could be opened in December for six to eight hours per day, to allow others to pass through, to be able to visit family and friends, and have the ski vacation they planned for.

"There [are] 24 hours in each day," Ballingall said. "Every hour doesn't have to be taken up by essential travel."

When asked about opening the highway for non-essential travel during a press conference on Sunday, Transportation Minister Rob Fleming said Highway 3 has been important for connecting the Lower Mainland to the Interior, however, geotechnical and safety assessments will need to be completed before opening the road back up to commercial traffic and essential travel only. 

"The restrictions, we want them to be temporary, but they will be based on an assessment of what are the greatest needs right now of British Columbians, and that continues to be an important corridor for commercial travel," Fleming said. 

Ballingal believes the highway can still be dedicated to commercial travel for most of the day, but suggests opening it up for non-essential travel during daylight hours.