The forecast will call for a 100-per-cent chance of fresh air at all of the North Shore’s ski areas going forward now that each has gone completely smoke-free in time for the winter season.
Although Grouse Mountain has long been a smoke-free facility, Cypress Mountain and Mt. Seymour have announced new policies expanding restrictions on smoking – and vaping – to cover the entirety of their resorts.
At Mt. Seymour, the decision was made specifically with the guest experience in mind, said communications coordinator Sandra Kadel.
“Everyone who comes here comes up for the fresh air and to enjoy the scenery,” said Kadel.
“We’d like to have a clean environment and breathe fresh air, so we said, ‘We’re going to do it all the way through.’”
Until recently, Mt. Seymour guests and staff were still permitted to smoke at a designated area outside of the Three Peaks Lodge, but spaces like that will no longer be offered anywhere within the resort’s recreation area. The updated policy was created in partnership with Vancouver Coastal Health.
Kadel said resort officials acknowledge that might mean a “big change” for employees who do smoke, but they intend to offer support to workers who wish to quit by directing them to provincial government programs offering counselling and smoking-cessation products.
Similarly, VCH aided in the development of Cypress Mountain’s updated approach to smoking and vaping, said director of sales and marketing Joffrey Koeman. The extension of the smoke-free policy at Cypress means all ski runs, hiking trails and parking lots are off-limits for lighting up, and the smoking shelter at the upper corner of Lot 1A has been removed.
“Smoking is inconsistent with public recreation,” Koeman said via email. “We also wanted to be consistent with West Vancouver parks policies. We are constantly seeing more and more families come skiing, so we felt that this was the right thing to do.”
As Cypress makes the transition to going completely smoke-free for a first year, resort staff won’t be undertaking “heavy-handed enforcement” but rather making polite requests to those violating the policy. Koeman said Cypress officials aren’t concerned that enforcing the new rule will be an issue.
“Going smoke-free at our resort is not meant to create hardship for visitors who desire to smoke, but rather it is to ensure that all visitors are able to enjoy their mountain snow experience in an environment that considers the welfare of all and promotes general wellbeing in the most meaningful way,” said a Cypress announcement detailing the policy change.
Grouse Mountain became the first ski area in British Columbia to go smoke-free in 2009. In recognition, the BC Lung Association and the local chapter of the Heart and Stroke Foundation named Grouse Mountain as one of their Champions for Tobacco-Free Living in 2013.
