JuLY 2015 BCBusiness 111
Ski visits were down at Whistler
Blackcomb this winter (by 9.3 per
cent) as were profits, but Whistler
didn't see the worst of it. Lower-
elevation hills on Vancouver's
North Shore (Grouse, Cypress
and Seymour) had shortened
seasons, as did Mount
Washington on Vancouver
Island, while Hemlock,
a ski resort north of
Chilliwack, stayed
shut the whole
season.
Warmer weather
meant more pine
beetles survived,
which is
bad news
for B.C.'s
forestry
industry as
the insect
damages the
integrity—and
saleability—
of pine. To
date, pine
beetles have
destroyed
roughly half
of the
province's
commercial
lodgepole
pine.
■
Patio season came early this year,
which isn't just awesome news for
beer drinkers. Some restaurants and
bars opened patios as early
as February, adding
capacity and a boost
to business. By one
estimate, restaurants
with open patios
attract about 30 per
cent more customers.
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