From the Globe and Mail, March 7 2008
In a related story see Heli skiing in a wilderness park?
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Rumours are flying that a controversial glacier resort project may finally get the go-ahead, leaving one pioneer contemplating his business's future
VANCOUVER -- The head of one of the pioneering heli-skiing operations in the East Kootenays, in southeastern British Columbia, says he will be put out of business if the government approves a proposed development on Jumbo Mountain.
"I would love to find a way to make our business survive," said Tom Brinkerhoff of rk heliski, which for 38 years has been flying skiers onto mountain runs all around Jumbo Valley.
Mr. Brinkerhoff, chief executive officer of the heli-ski operation, said he has been casting about for options in case the controversial Jumbo Glacier Resort project, which has been seeking government approval for 15 years, finally gets a go-ahead.
One suggestion his company has made to the government is that rk heliski give up its existing tenure in Jumbo Valley, in return for rights to fly into the Toby Creek drainage, which is linked to the nearby Purcell Wilderness Conservancy.
Rumours that rk heliski is moving - clearing the way for a development at Jumbo - have been circulating for weeks in the Kootenay region, where local environmentalists have been fighting the $900-million project since it was first proposed.
There has even been speculation that the government was engaged in backroom negotiations to relocate the heli-ski operation as a final step before granting approval to the Jumbo Glacier Resort project.
But Mr. Brinkerhoff said yesterday his inquiries with the province have been informal, he has not made an application to relocate, and is not in negotiations with the government.
He said he would prefer to keep rk heliski right where it is, flying up Jumbo Valley and onto the mountains where skiers can find deep powder in a stunningly beautiful setting.
"If Jumbo Glacier Resort did not go ahead we could continue to operate where we are ... that would be ideal," said Mr. Brinkerhoff, whose company was one of the first in B.C. to use helicopters to cater to adventurous backcountry skiers. His clients come from around the world.
But if Jumbo Glacier Resort goes ahead, his company would be forced out of operation because 65 per cent of its flying is done in Jumbo Valley, right where the resort is planned.
"Jumbo Glacier Resorts basically takes us out of business," he said. "I went to the government and said this will wipe us out. ... Is it possible to make application to go into Toby Creek drainage?"
He said rk heliski first raised the question a few years ago, and he recently began pressing the government on the issue again, because of concerns Jumbo Glacier Resort might get approval this year.
The project has cleared environmental hearings but still needs zoning approval.
"I think this [inquiry to the government] started rumbling around ... that's where the rumours are coming from," he said.
Norm Macdonald, the NDP MLA for Columbia River-Revelstoke, raised concerns in the legislature twice recently, in an attempt to find out what's going on.
"I asked the Minister of Tourism [Stan Hagen] five days ago whether a ski operation was moving into the Purcell Wilderness Conservancy Park. If that's the case - and I believe it is the case - then there are big problems with that," Mr. Macdonald said this week.
Mr. Macdonald said the only reason to relocate the heli-ski operation "is to move ahead on the Jumbo project," and he warned if that happened the government would have a fight on its hands, because of strong public opposition.
Mr. Macdonald said calls to his office are about six to one opposed to the project and public comments recorded by government, during environmental assessment hearings in 2004, showed 91 per cent of respondents were against it.
Mr. Hagen did not respond to calls. In the House he said only, "There's been no application made."
An application would likely trigger hearings as helicopters are currently excluded from the Purcell Wilderness Conservancy.
Bill Bennett, an influential Liberal MLA from East Kootenay, and a former cabinet minister, is a strong proponent of the proposed Jumbo development, saying it is a "great place for a ski resort."
Grant Costello, vice-president of Glacier Resorts Ltd., said the question of moving the lease was "an issue between the government and rk heliski." He said he thought Glacier Resorts had a "good relationship" with the heli-ski operation.
In an e-mail, Mr. Costello described the proposed resort as "the next iconic sightseeing attraction in North America."
PROJECT BREAKDOWN
Backers
The main consultant for the proposed Jumbo Glacier Resort is Pheidias Project Management Corporation, which has been developing luxury high-rises in Vancouver since 1974. The president of Pheidias, Oberto Oberti, was involved in the Kicking Horse ski resort, which opened in the Rocky Mountains, near Golden, in 2000.
Scale of project
The project represents an investment of about $900-million in 2007 dollars. Proponents say it will provide 750 permanent direct jobs and 3,750 person-years of construction work. When fully built, it will have 6,250 beds, in 1,360 houses and condos and two hotels.
Glacier hunting
In 1990, a Japanese company undertook a study to find the ideal location for a ski resort in North America. That led to the identification of Jumbo Mountain.
Proponents promote it as providing a rare glacier skiing opportunity, saying that of the 100,000 glaciers in Canada, only one - Blackcomb Glacier - is currently lift-accessible.
Timeline
1991 Application for proponent status
1993 Interim agreement with the B.C. government
1994 Local environmental planning review
1995 Preliminary master plan
1998 Environmental assessment
2003 Revised environmental assessment
Approvals
Last July the B.C. Ministry of Tourism approved the master plan for Jumbo Glacier Resort.
In the 15 years since the project first got an interim agreement with the government, the project has been approved by the Commercial Alpine Ski Policy review process, the local land-use planning process, and it has obtained B.C. Environmental Assessment Act certification. Local zoning and final approval by the province has not yet been achieved.
