Seniors
The people who built Whistler deserve to enjoy their retirement here, close to friends and family. Start with small steps we can take soon. Pay for the bigger pieces without new property tax.
Where things stand
A March 2026 study for Whistler's seniors groups (MAC and WEE) found Whistler is the only town its size in B.C. with no seniors housing of its own, beyond some Housing Authority units. Many seniors want to stay close to friends and family. They deserve a way to stay here.
Small steps first
- Garden and Snow Pals. Garden Pals is my idea for a shared seniors garden, with waist-high beds. Better at Home already helps seniors with light yard work. I'll ask Better at Home what help it can offer with driveway snow clearing in winter. I'll ask council to fund the coordination through a community grant.
- A seniors coordinator. Whistler's seniors groups and the library want a paid seniors coordinator. I'll ask staff what it would cost. Then I'll push for a grant to start it.
- Homeshare. A senior with a spare room, matched with a young worker who pays low rent and helps out. It needs an experienced local partner to run it safely. I won't push it until a local group agrees to run it.
The bigger pieces
- Seniors homes on town land. I'll ask council to list town-owned land that could hold seniors homes. The town would provide the land. A non-profit would run the building. Most of the money would come from buyers, who use the money from selling their home to buy in. Grants would help too. This is called a life lease. When a senior moves, it can free up a family home.
- A seniors space now. Town rooms are booked up. The seniors groups call the Spruce Grove Fieldhouse ideal, but they only have it in summer. I'll push for a regular, year-round seniors booking there. I'll also push for a seniors room in the Northlands project. That depends on talks with the developer.
- Tax deferral. Eligible homeowners 55 and over can put off their property tax through the province. It's a loan, with interest that adds up each month, and it's paid back when the home sells. Homes on land leased from the town don't qualify. I'll ask that every town tax notice explain it in plain words, including who can't use it.
- Leased-land homes. In 2022, Lorimer Ridge owners asked council to turn their leased-land homes into owned homes. The local-worker rules would stay. I'll find out where this stands and push to finish it.
What I won't promise
A seniors centre needs someone to pay for it and a council majority to approve it. Neither is named yet. Care beds are run by the province, through Vancouver Coastal Health. I'll tell you what each step costs before I ask for it.
