Whistler Blackcomb 60-Year Revenue Partnership

I. Context & Opportunity

This partnership traces its origins to the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games. Initially, the Vancouver 2010 Bid Corporation (BIDCO) had not included Squamish Nation in any real way—despite the Games being hosted on unceded Squamish and Lil’wat territory.

The Nation made clear they would shut it down and be vocal about not allowing the Games to occur without meaningful participation. This brought them to the table. The question became: what do you want?

The answer was benefits that would see the Nations as host nations—to counter erasure in a global community that thinks Indigenous peoples are a vanished race. As Chief Ian Campbell framed it: “We wanted to celebrate that we’re not in a museum behind glass, that we’re still living, thriving people.”

Rather than competing with the Lil’wat Nation over overlapping territorial claims in Whistler, the two Nations created a protocol agreement to participate as 50/50 partners, ecognizing shared territory and presenting a unified position to Olympic organizers and the Province.

II. Strategy & Vision

The Nations’ strategy centered on visible presence, economic participation, and long-term infrastructure—benefits that would outlast the two-week Games.

Through Olympic negotiations, the Nations secured:

• Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre: A $30-35 million cultural facility in Whistler showcasing both Nations’ history and living culture.
• Infrastructure Contracts: Road construction and day lodge contracts in the Callaghan Valley, plus non-competitive trail development.
• Legacy Housing: $6.5 million from athlete housing legacy funds directed to Nation housing priorities.
• High-Performance Athletics: Youth snowboard training programs and pathways into competitive athletics.
• Sea-to-Sky Signage: Highway signage upgrade in Squamish language from Horseshoe Bay to Whistler, indicating that it’s not French, it’s not English, therefore it’s Indigenous. This created a visible presence to counter erasure and draw visitors to the Cultural Centre.
• Fee-Simple Land: 300 acres of fee-simple land acquisition in Whistler and the Callaghan Valley.

Critically, the Nations established an Ambassador Program. Starting with the 2003 land use plan, young people were plugged into the territory to learn both Western and Indigenous science. They moved to Capilano University for hospitality and tourism certification. That pipeline led to the Olympics, then to the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre, and those ambassadors continue to represent both Nations.

III. Negotiation & Structuring

When Whistler Blackcomb was sold to Vail Resorts (an American company) and the Province prepared to renew the 60-year ski hill lease, the Squamish and Lil’wat Nations stepped in. The Province couldn’t simply flip the lease and fetter Indigenous lands for another sixty years—particularly when the Nations hadn’t benefited from the first sixty years.

The proponent’s opening offer: 12 season passes.

The Nations’ counter-position: let the lease expire and allow the mountain to revert to nature.

At the same time, the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) refused to rezone the fee-simple lands acquired through the Olympic deal for development—effectively attempting to sterilize Nation-owned lands. The Nations argued this was bad faith: the whole premise of acquisition was to participate in Whistler’s growth.

The Nations filed a judicial review that resulted in the quashing of Whistler’s Official Community Plan. This positioned Squamish and Lil’wat with significant leverage to go back to the Province and the proponent: if you’re going to entertain the renewal of this lease, the Nations must be part of it.

IV. Outcomes & Mechanisms

The renewed agreement established:

• Revenue Sharing: Ongoing participation in ski lift revenues—creating predictable, long-term income.
• Cultural Centre Marketing: Integrated marketing support for the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre, building on the cultural journey through the Sea-to-Sky corridor.
• Employee Housing: Dedicated employee housing in Whistler for Squamish and Lil’wat workers.
• Cultural Representation: Nation Ambassadors represent both Nations at all major events—maintaining visible Indigenous presence throughout Whistler’s tourism ecosystem.
• Procurement Pathways: Contract and procurement opportunities within the Impact Benefit Agreement with Vail, though more work is needed to push for greater economic presence and business opportunities within the project area.

The agreement maintains the brand and cultural presence throughout the entire corridor.

V. Impact on Community & Industry

The Whistler Blackcomb partnership established a precedent that continues to shape development across the Sea-to-Sky Corridor.

This agreement created long-term revenue in contrast to projects like Garibaldi at Squamish (a proposed four-season resort on Brohm Ridge). The Garibaldi project was negotiated prior to the Whistler Blackcomb renewal—and Whistler Blackcomb then became a precedent that raised the bar on issues like revenue sharing.

The Nation’s position now: if you want continued support for Garibaldi at Squamish, the bar must be raised higher than what was achieved at Whistler Blackcomb.

This approach reflects the land use planning framework the Nation developed, which positions Squamish as significant players in front-country development within the corridor, while protecting mid-country and backcountry for lighter uses like non-invasive tourism.

It’s a concerted effort to create space for mobilizing community members—creating branding, recognition of the territory, and celebration of history throughout the corridor.

VI. Lessons & Legacy

The Whistler Blackcomb engagement demonstrates how strategic positioning—combined with willingness to use legal mechanisms when necessary—can transform negotiating dynamics.

The partnership between Squamish and Lil’wat Nations illustrates the power of inter-Nation protocols. By presenting a unified position rather than competing over overlap, both Nations achieved outcomes neither could have secured alone.

Cultural presence and economic participation are inseparable. The Cultural Centre, Ambassador Program, and highway signage are not peripheral benefits—they are infrastructure for long-term visibility, employment, and community pride that compound over decades.