Finding accommodation at Big White is the biggest obstacle you will encounter. It is not uncommon for staff to crash with friends until they can find somewhere to live. (Hey, you do what you can to live the ski bum lifestyle, right?)
Accommodation at Canadian ski resorts in winter is not cheap either- expect to pay anywhere between $550-$850CAD per month (and yes, this is for a shared room). It is common for travellers in Canada to share a room with at least one other person.
It is also expected you pay first and last months’ rent up front to secure your bed. Wi-Fi and electricity are typically included in your monthly rent. To learn about your rights as a tenant in British Columbia, Canada, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/residential-tenancies
There are three ways of finding accommodation at Big White:
Staff Accommodation
Until recently, acquiring staff accommodation was a challenge, but Big White has recently invested $3.5 million into staff accommodation meaning (hopefully) in the 2018/2019 season it will be much easier to secure a staff bed.
Staff accommodation rent costs $600 per month, and it is deducted from your weekly pay cheque. You have to be working for a business owned by Big White Ski Resort Ltd. in order to qualify for staff accommodation. Getting staff accommodation can be competitive, so my tip is – if you’re getting desperate- to talk to your manager as early as possible to secure a room.
Managers of different departments get allocated a certain number of spots, and they like to hold on to one or two in case their staff have issues with their accommodation. If you let your manager know you are desperate for somewhere to live, this may sway them to give you a spot.
Renting a House
In my opinion, living in a share house is one of the best options but the hardest to achieve because people start looking for accommodation as early as June for the upcoming winter season! You need to have money saved and you need to be organized to secure a shared house.
Rentals can cost anywhere from $575-850 per month for a shared room in a private house.
If you are heading to Big White solo, join the Official Big White Group on Facebook. People will post if they have a room to fill. This group is VERY competitive so just make sure you get in quick and have the money ready to transfer.
Living at the hostel
The Urban Retreat hostel is the only hostel at Big White and offers long-term accommodation. I lived at the Urban Retreat hostel for two months until my staff accommodation became available in January.
Living in the hostel suited me because I could pay once I arrived, and it was a cheaper than many rentals at $550 per month. The rooms at the hostel are exactly what you’d expect- they’re small and you will be sharing with at least three other travellers. If you like your personal space, I wouldn’t recommend this option.
On the plus side, living at the hostel was a great way to make new friends and there is always a party happening. If you are social, easy-going, and don’t mind small spaces, Urban Retreat is a good option.
Big White Ski Resort Ltd is in the process of building new staff accommodation housing in the Black Forest area – the first of four buildings planned for the present site on Black Forest Road.
$3.5million will go towards this new building, which will contain five four-bedroom units, each with a common area and kitchen, in addition to four studios with washrooms and cooking facilities. It will create the start of a subdivision in the Black Forest area, with residents of the area having excellent access to the Black Forest Express Quad and Lara’s Gondola in Happy Valley.
This building will add to the number of on-mountain units owned by the corporation. Currently, about 98% of accommodation on the mountain is owned by private citizens, with about 2% owned by Big White Ski Resort Ltd.
“As British Columbia’s second most popular ski resort, we rely on over 1000 mountain staff members living on the mountain,” said Michael J. Ballingall, Senior Vice President of Big White Ski Resort. “With private citizens switching their accommodation availability out of staff accommodation and into Air B&B, we’re running short of hundreds of beds.”
This has resulted in the lift company putting dollars into the staff accommodation realm that were previously earmarked for more resort infrastructure and tourism facilities.
“We’re building the first set of units this year, and it’s on the books to do it every season for the next three years – unless the economy changes again and more accommodation becomes available,” added Michael.
The building is currently being pre-manufactured and built offsite by Kelowna locally-owned and family-operated company, Chaparral Industries. A team of 30 people have been dedicated to the Black Forest staff accommodation project, with all materials and supplies locally sourced & supplied, from lumber to custom built cabinetry. A company from Nanaimo, BC is providing on-site craning and construction.
“We are utilizing the most modern methods of construction to ensure energy efficiency and minimal environmental impact,” said Alan Mann, Chief Executive Officer of Chaparral Industries. “The architect’s building design also incorporates energy recovery ventilators and radiant heating panels.”
Big White opted for modular building to lessen the environmental impact on the area, as there is significantly less on-site activity and disturbance to the natural surroundings.