News

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Decision on Hemlock Valley’s Future now up to Property Owners Following FVRD Approval

 

Hemlock Valley, BC — December 23, 2025— The future of Hemlock Valley is now in the hands of local property owners.

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At its December 11 meeting, the Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD) passed a resolution approving the draft bylaws and resort promotion area for the proposed Hemlock Valley Resort Association (HVRA), formally advancing the process to a property-owner petition that will determine whether the association can be created.

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The FVRD approval follows extensive engagement over the past year involving homeowners, the Resort Operator, and the Sts’ailes, as well as discussions with regional and provincial staff. That work centered on how a resort association would provide a community-driven structure to enhance the quality of life for residents and visitors, guide sustainable development that respects the area’s natural beauty and rich history, and help protect the future of the resort area for generations to come.

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“For decades, people who care deeply about Hemlock Valley have talked about the same challenges, but had no real mechanism to act on them together,” said Jason Vance, a Director of the Hemlock Valley Homeowners Association and member of the Hemlock Valley Resort Association Steering Committee. “This decision moves the power into the hands of property owners. The petition will decide whether we finally have the tools to shape the future of this community ourselves.”

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If approved by property owners, the HVRA would be led by a board that includes representation from homeowners, the Resort Operator, and the Sts’ailes, with homeowners holding the majority of board seats—a governance model that is unique among British Columbia resort communities. The association would provide a dedicated, locally controlled funding mechanism to support community priorities such as amenities, events, trails, and beautification, while also strengthening collaboration and advocacy on larger infrastructure and service needs.

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“We envision this association will generate interest in the resort itself, assist the homeowners and community in creating events and attractions outside of the ski hill itself, and help raise awareness of the challenges facing this ski hill.” Ralph Berezan, owner of Sasquatch Mountain Resort, said.

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“Sts’ailes has been engaged throughout the development of this proposal and sees long-term value in the Hemlock Valley Resort Association,” said Kelsey Charlie, Tixweltel, Director, Xwiléxmet, Sts’ailes Nation. “The HVRA creates a structure where homeowners, the Resort Operator, and Sts’ailes can continue working together at the board level to guide development, support community amenities, and improve recreational opportunities within Sts’ailes territory.”

 

While the FVRD has unanimously approved the proposed resort promotion area and HVRA bylaws, the resort association will only be established if a majority of property owners, representing at least 50 percent of the assessed property value within the area, vote in favour through the upcoming petition.

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The petition is expected to launch early in the new year. Information packages will be distributed to affected property owners outlining the proposal, the governance structure, and how to participate.

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If the petition is successful, the bylaws, Resort Promotion Area, and petition results will be submitted to the Province for final consideration. The Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs would then issue an order formally establishing the Resort Promotion Area and incorporating the Hemlock Valley Resort Association.

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More information about the HVRA and the upcoming petition process is available at www.hemlockvalleyresortassociation.com.

 

Media Contact:
Deanne Steven, MBA
Coordinator
Hemlock Valley Resort Association Steering Committee

250-231-1247
info@hemlockvalleyresortassociation.com

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Hemlock Valley Resort Association Update # 4

Engagement Update

 

Thank you to everyone who attended the in-person event August 23rd at Hemlock.  We had a great turn-out and gathered some really helpful input on what you would like the Hemlock Valley Resort Association to look like.  

 

HERE is a summary of the input that was received.    

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The bylaws have now been reviewed and updated based

on this input.  They were then vetted by outside council to

ensure that they aligned to both the Societies Act and the

Resort Association Act.  The new proposed bylaws can be

found HERE.  

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The next engagement session will be online Thursday

November 6th at 7:00PM.  This will be an interactive

session with an opportunity for you to provide input and

discuss the bylaws which have been revised based on stakeholder input.  HERE is a link to the event

 

Next Steps

On Thursday December 11th, we will be formally asking the Fraser Valley Regional District to approve the bylaws, and maps which will allow us to then continue with the petition process to all owners.

 

Are you a Hemlock Valley stakeholder?

Please register as a stakeholder HERE, as your contact info helps us keep you posted and makes sure you’re included in the upcoming petition process.  

 

​Steering Committee

 

A big thank you to all of the members of our volunteer steering committee:

Ken Howsam- Deputy Chief, Hemlock Valley Volunteer Fire Department

Adam Perry - Hemlock Hollow

Jeff Murphy- Hemlock Valley Trails Society

Brad Giddens- Sasquatch Resort

Jason Vance- Hemlock Valley Homeowners Association

Terry Pratt - Berezan Hospitality

Sts’ailes- Kelsey Charlie

Angelika Vance- Homeowner
 
Revised Bylaws:
There have been a number of revisions of the bylaws based on your input and feedback.  Here is a summary of some of the larger changes:

 

• Board structure- redistribution of seats based on community engagement

  • 2 Directors appointed by the Resort Operator

  • 3 Residential Directors (homeowners)

  • 1 Residential Lodging Director (homeowners)

  • 1 Director appointed by the Sts'ailes

• Purpose: Revised with more of an emphasis on community and sustainable development “The Hemlock Valley Resort Association (HVRA) is a community-driven organization committed to enhancing the quality of life for residents and visitors, guiding sustainable development that reflects and respects the area’s natural beauty and rich history, and protecting the future of the Resort Area for generations to come.”

• Enhanced wording around Conflicts of Interest

• Clarity around Voting, and fees for the Hotel Lodging classification

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Hemlock Valley Resort Association Update #3 

The next engagement session will be in-person this Saturday August 23rd, from 10am to 2pm, at the Sasquatch Mountain Resort day lodge.  This will be an interactive session with another opportunity for you to provide input into what you would like the future of the Proposed Hemlock Valley Resort Association to look like. Non-alcoholic refreshments will be provided.  

 

​Steering Committee

A big thank you to all of the members of our volunteer steering committee:

Ken Howsam

Adam Perry - Hemlock Hollow

Jeff Murphy- Hemlock Valley Trails Society

Brad Giddens- Sasquatch Resort

Jason Vance- Hemlock Valley Homeowners Association

Terry Pratt - Berezan Hospitality

Sts’ailes member to be confirmed

 

 

Visit the HVRA Events Page
 
More FAQ’s
Here are some of the questions we have heard since starting the engagement:

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Q.   Alternative options:

Given the rare use of a Resort Association in BC, what alternative options were explored to promote/improve Hemlock Valley and how does it compare to a resort association?

Ie. using the existing HVHA to apply for grants, solicit internal funding or creation of non-profits/societies to improve specific areas (eg. trail networks) by volunteers/fund raising events…

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A.  Yes this is possible, however the challenge is that in order to be eligible for the MRDT, there has to be an existing long term source of funding available.  MRDT has to be incremental funding- and they would need to guarantee a certain level of funding every year in order to be eligible for it.  A Resort Association would provide this long term funding, guaranteeing the availability of the requirement for incremental funding for the MRDT.  

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Q.  Do you have any estimates on how much funding under the current proposed model the Resort Association would bring in annually with member assessments?

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A.  Yes, It is estimated that there would be:

Rental Lots           $60,525

Vacant Lots           $12,000

Non Rental Lots    $28,600

Resort Operator    $25,281

Total Annual Income Estimate: $126,406

For more FAQ’s please visit the website.  

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Hemlock Valley Resort Association Update # 2, August 7, 2025

Engagement Update

The next online engagement session will be on Monday August the 11th at 7:00 pm.  

Are you a Hemlock Valley stakeholder?
Register HERE to receive your event invite.  Your contact info helps us keep you posted and makes sure you’re included in the upcoming petition process.  

To learn more about our upcoming events, and to view past recorded events, CLICK HERE.  

Steering Committee

A big thank you to all of the members of our volunteer steering committee:

• Ken Howsam

• Adam Perry - Hemlock Hollow

• Jeff Murphy- Hemlock Valley Trails Society

• Brad Giddens- Sasquatch Resort

• Jason Vance- Hemlock Valley Home Owners Association

• Terry Pratt - Berezan Hospitality

• Sts’ailes member to be determined

• Troy Bilodeau- Berezan Hospitality

 
More FAQ’s
Here are some of the questions we have heard since starting the engagement:

Q.  Could homeowners be liable for Association debts?

A.  Homeowners (Resort Association members) are not personally liable for the association’s debts. Under BC’s Societies Act (which governs HVRA, in conjunction with the Resort Associations Act), a member “is not, in that capacity, liable for a debt or other liability of the society”. This provision (Societies Act s.5) is explicitly applied to resort associations by the Resort Associations Act. In other words, if HVRA owes money to creditors, homeowners cannot be forced to pay those debts out of personal funds. The association’s liabilities are its own. Conversely, Association members (homeowners, businesses that are members and the Operator) do owe their own levies and fees to the HVRA. The Resort Associations Act makes each levy a debt of the owner and allows the association to register a lien on title for any unpaid assessment. But this lien is only for the owner’s debt to the association (levies), not for the HVRA’s debts to others.

Therefore, if the HVRA became insolvent or bankrupt, members would simply lose the benefit of the association’s services; they would not be legally obliged to cover HVRA’s creditors. No additional fees, special assessments, or liens (beyond existing levy liens) could be imposed on homeowners to bail out HVRA. The Society’s assets (reserve funds or property) would satisfy creditors to the extent possible, but members’ liability stops at their unpaid levy amounts

Q.  What would an equitable Board of Directors for HVRA could look like, with comparisons to Whistler, Sun Peaks, Red Mountain, and Silver Star?

A.  The draft HVRA bylaws call for a seven-member board at inception: 3 directors appointed by the resort operator (Sasquatch Mountain Operator), 3 elected by property‐owner members (two “Residential” owners and one “Residential Lodging” owner), and 1 appointed by Sts’ailes First Nation. This 3–3–1 split (operator–owners–First Nation) gives the operator 43% of the seats. By contrast, other BC resort associations have a smaller operator share and more owner‐elected representation. For example, Tourism Whistler (Whistler Resort Association) is governed by 12 directors – seven elected by members and five appointed by vested interests (including Whistler Land Co and the two ski operators, each with 1–2 seats). Destination Silver Star has an 11‐member board: nine elected by members and two resort appointees (Silver Star Resort Ltd. holds two seats). Tourism Sun Peaks likewise combines member-elected and operator seats: it historically has had ~10 directors (about 7–8 elected owners versus ~2–3 resort-appointed). In the Red Resort Association (Rossland/Red Mountain), all homeowners in resort developments pay mandatory levies and elect a volunteer board; the resort itself contributes funding but does not dominate the board (no evidence of majority control by the operator).

An equitable HVRA board would similarly balance stakeholder interests. A plausible model is 9 seats (the planned expansion): perhaps 2–3 for the operator, 5–6 for homeowners, and 1 for Sts’ailes First Nation. The draft’s initial 7-seat mix favours the operator (3 of 7). By comparison, Silver Star (2 of 11) and Sun Peaks (2–3 of ~10) give the resort operator a much smaller fraction. Reducing HVRA’s operator‐appointed seats (e.g. to 2 of 7 or 2 of 9) would bring it more in line with those examples.


For more FAQ’s please visit the website.