Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations
VALEMOUNT – The Province has approved the new Valemount Glacier Destinations ski and sightseeing resort with the finalization and signing of a master development agreement, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training Shirley Bond announced March 28, on behalf of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Minister Steve Thomson.
"The signing of the Master Development Agreement is the last step for the Valemount Glacier Resort to call the Robson Valley home,” Bond said.
“The glacier access at this world-class resort gives visitors an extended ski season and helps diversify the tourism experiences in northern B.C. The partnerships, investment and jobs created by the resort will benefit the region for years to come. Reaching this point has taken an incredible amount of work and, as the local MLA, I am proud to have worked hard with all the partners to finalize the MDA,” the Prince George-Valemount MLA added.
The first-phase project investment by Valemount Glacier Destinations and its capital partners will be approximately $100 million. On completion, the new resort - located in the Premier Range of the Caribou Mountains immediately west of the Village of Valemount - will include:
• Year-round glacier skiing and gondola access for alpine sightseeing;
• Access to mountain top elevations of more than 3,000 metres (9,850 feet), including the summits of Mount Pierre Elliot Trudeau, Twilight Glacier, Glacier Ridge and Mount Arthur Meighen;
• The largest vertical drop in North America, third largest in the world, of over 2,000 metres (6,726 feet);
• A base-area village with residential, hotel and commercial space, which will be a focal point for all seasons resort activities; and,
• 800 full-time jobs that will be created and supported through the construction and operation of the resort.
The Valemount Glacier Master Plan, showing how the resort will be built out over time, was approved by the Province in August, 2016. The master-plan review process included consultation with First Nations, government agencies, local stakeholders and the public. These consultations were completed in March, 2016.
The Province also completed detailed technical analysis on the Mountain Development Plan (proposed gondolas, chair lifts, ski runs and trails) and worked with the Simpcw First Nation to carry out a comprehensive environmental review to ensure a strong environmental impact mitigation strategy was part of the approved master plan.
The Valemount Glacier Resort has strong support from local partners, including the Simpcw First Nation, the Village of Valemount, and the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George. The resort proposal was a locally born initiative brought to the developer by the Valemount Ski Society and the Village of Valemount.
Agreements signed with the Simpcw First Nation allow the Simpcw to share in revenues generated from the resort and ensure the Simpcw have the ability to share in the success and benefits of the resort in their territory over the life of the project.
"The Simpcw First Nation is pleased to support the Master Development Agreement for the Valemount Glacier Resort initiative, which is a key element in the regional economic development plan for the northern portion of the traditional territory of the Simpcw people,” said Simpcw First Nation Chief Nathan Matthew.
The approved 60-year master development agreement is the land-use contract between the Province and Valemount Glacier Destinations, which will allow construction and development activities to proceed toward an anticipated resort opening in December 2018.
With the addition of the Valemount Glacier Resort, there are now 37 mountain resorts in B.C.
Learn More:
Valemount Glacier Destinations project: http://valemountglaciers.com/ and http://valemountglaciers.com/master-plan/
Valemount Glacier Destinations Master Plan: