Looking to get caught up on the latest from Council? We’ve pulled together some key stories from the May 12 Regular Council meeting, including:
- Council sees amended housing agreement, zoning bylaw for Líl̓wat development
- Council paves way for filtration upgrades at Wastewater Treatment Plant
- Contract awarded for Meadow Park Sports Centre nearly $300K lower than original cost estimate
For all the details, find council reports and video recordings of the full meetings at whistler.ca.
Council sees amended housing agreement, zoning bylaw for Lil’wat development in Function Junction
At the May 12 Regular meeting, Whistler Council gave first readings to an amended zoning bylaw and housing agreement for a Líl̓wat Nation-led development slated for 1000 Alpha Lake Road in Function Junction.
Originally approved in June 2024 as a mixed-use employee housing and a light industrial/commercial service development, that fall the Líl̓wat Nation requested to be able to house employees of the Nation and its related entities at the site, which led staff to initiate the update to the project’s housing agreement bylaw. Then, in July 2025, the Nation submitted a rezoning application to expand the permitted uses on the site to allow for a small grocery store and liquor store.
The revised housing agreement bylaw and rezoning bylaw, if approved, would not apply to the entire development site, but rather the portion zoned Industrial Service 5 Zone (IS5). Among other changes, the rezoning bylaw will amend the IS5 Zone to update density limits for certain commercial uses, add onsite parking requirements, and add a new definition of “employee” to include individuals employed by Líl̓wat Nation or its related entities.
Mayor Jack Crompton explained how housing Líl̓wat members locally helps advance Whistler’s reconciliation goals formalized in its Official Community Plan.
“We’ve codified this in or highest policy document through a whole section on reconciliation,” he said. “This is a direction we have set and we are following and responding to what the OCP says is important, which is why I’ll vote for this.”
Read the full report here.
Council paves way for filtration upgrade at Whistler Wastewater Treatment Plant
At the May 12 Regular meeting, Council endorsed an update to our Liquid Waste Management Plan to accommodate a planned upgrade to the Whistler Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP).
Guiding how we collect, treat and safely return wastewater to the environment, the Liquid Waste Management Plan is being updated to include the estimated $14.2-million cost and timing of a planned upgrade to the WWTP’s tertiary filtration system. The upgrades support the protection of public health, compliance with future and current regulatory requirements, and planning for community growth.
“The plant already removes phosphorous using biological and chemical processes, but filtration adds that additional step to improve the removal of fine particulates. This helps ensure we can consistently meet summer phosphorous limits, address future regulatory changes and improve the overall affluent quality before discharging to the Cheakamus [River],” explained Manger of Infrastructure Projects Chelsey Roberts.
Construction is slated for 2027 to 2028. Staff estimates an increase to 2027 sewer rates of one per cent to help fund the project, with further borrowing of funds likely required. Council will consider the funding scheme for approval at a future time.
The WWTP saw its last major upgrade in 2010. Originally identified as a future requirement in 2008, upgrading the filtration system was listed as a planned project in the 2018 Liquid Waste Management Plan and in previous financial planning documents.
Engagement with the Líl̓wat Nation and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation), as well as the wider community, has been completed as required, including a virtual open house held last month. No issues were identified through the engagement process.
With Council’s endorsement and the filtration system design largely complete, the plans will go to B.C.’s Ministry of Environment and Parks for technical review and approval.
Read the full report here.
Contract awarded for Meadow Park Sport Centre upgrades at 23% below original cost estimate
At the May 12 Regular meeting, Whistler Council awarded a contract to replace pool glazing and cladding at the Meadow Park Sports Centre (MPSC) worth hundreds of thousands of dollars less than the project’s original cost estimate.
Now more than 30 years old, various building systems and components at the MPSC are reaching the end of their useful lifespan. This project addresses issues with the building’s exterior insulation and finishing systems, cladding, and will also replace existing windows with modern, triple-glazed, energy-efficient alternatives.
Manager of Fleet and Facility Maintenance Mike King explained there are known issues with exterior insulation and finishing systems of this type and vintage that has resulted in water leakages.
“This was a contributor to some of the leaky condo problems in the Lower Mainland in the late 1990s,” he noted.
With six compliant bids received, staff recommended the lowest bid of $976,449 from Flynn Canada Ltd. This bid was approximately 23 per cent lower than the original cost estimate of $1,268,300.
“We’re saving [nearly $300,000] from what was budgeted for this project, which is a phenomenal savings. We have great opportunities in this [construction] environment,” said Councillor Cathy Jewett.
Construction is slated for June to November 2026. The work is not expected to adversely affect operations at the MPSC, with much of the major work planned for the pool’s regular annual closure from August 17 to September 27.
Read the full report here.
To attend an upcoming meeting, check out the Council meeting Schedule. Agendas and Minutes are available online. To connect with Council, consider Borrowing a Councillor from the Library’s Unusual Items Collection, or get in touch with them individually by phone or email.