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B C B U S I N E S S . C A
N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 24 To p : R y a n H o w a r d ; G o F i g u r e : A d o b e S t o c k / f a b e r 14; A d o b e S t o c k / v ir i n a f l o r a
For as long as David Hol-
lingworth can remember, his
winter holidays have centred
on skiing.
Growing up in Ontario, he
and his father would frequent
local hills and take trips to
Quebec or snowy destina-
tions in the west. Now a North
Vancouver paramedic and
father of two, Hollingworth
has always planned his family's
holidays around skiing—but
because of warming winters,
that's beginning to change.
"Last year was quite bad.
Mount Seymour wasn't open
for Christmas, which was a big
deal," he says. "It was the first
year I ever considered going
B U S I N E S S C L I M AT E
SLIPPERY
SLOPE
How climate change is
threatening the future
of B.C.'s ski industry
by Jennifer Van Evra
Jennifer Van Evra is an
award-winning Vancouver
journalist, broadcaster and
UBC writing instructor.
S o u r c e s : R e t ail C o u n c il o f C a n a d a , I p s o s , P w C , C a n a d a P o s t , S t a t i s t i c s C a n a d a
CANADIAN RETAILERS MOVED
$794.4 BILLION
IN GOODS AND SERVICES IN 2023,
A 2.2% INCREASE OVER 2022.
8%
of B.C.'s
retail
sales took place
online in 2023.
81%
of British
Columbians
surveyed said they had
made an online purchase
in the previous 12 months. 57%
PREFER TO DEAL WITH CANADIAN ONLINE
RETAILERS WHEN THEY HAVE A CHOICE,
DOWN FROM 71% IN 2021.
LEADING FACTORS AS TO WHY BRITISH COLUMBIANS SHOP ONLINE:
64%
COST/
SAVINGS
54%
EASE/
CONVENIENCE
53%
AVAILABILITY OF
ITEMS
41%
TIME
SAVINGS
someplace warm for March
break."
The same has been true for
snowsports enthusiasts across
much of the province. Last
season, milder temperatures
meant late openings, reduced
operations and even mid-win-
ter closures for some resorts—
especially those close to the
coast—leading to frustration for
pass holders who complained
they weren't getting enough
runs for their money.
It's a sign of things to
come, says Michael Pidwirny,
associate professor of earth,
environmental and geographic
sciences at UBC Okanagan. Be-
cause of the effects of climate
change and El Niño, last winter
was the warmest on record in
Canada, and among the warm-
est ever in B.C. But Pidwirny's
modelling shows that, by 2050,
it won't be anomalous: it will
be the norm.
"Warming winters seem to
be occurring at a frequency
of about two out of every 10
years, and that number will
increase to five out of 10 by
2051," he says. "So, on aver-
age, 50 percent of the winters
will be warmer than this past
winter."
A small handful of Alberta
resorts like Banff 's Sunshine
Village and Lake Louise could
benefit from climate change
BUSH LEAGUE
David Hollingworth
(left and below) has
seen the effects of
climate change on
B.C.'s slopes
