FAQ's

The HVRA is a proposed organization established under the Resort Associations Act and is

designed to support Hemlock Valley and Sasquatch Mountain Resort by accessing sustainable funding for marketing, infrastructure, and community development. It would be the fifth Resort Association in British Columbia and the only one located so close to Metro Vancouver. Other Resort Associations operating in BC are Whistler, Sun Peaks, Red Mountain and Silver Star. If approved, the Hemlock Resort Association will represent homeowners, business owners and other stakeholders in the Controlled Recreation Area and the Village of Hemlock Valley. It will be governed by a Board of Directors composed of representatives from homeowners, the resort operator, and other key interests. For more information about Resort Associations in BC, visit the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs website.

Currently, Municipal Regional District Tax (MRDT) funds collected from short-term rentals in Hemlock Valley are directed to Tourism Harrison, with limited reinvestment in our community. The Resort Association would be eligible to receive those funds directly and reinvest them into marketing, programs and projects.

It will also be able to apply for major grants from programs like the Destination Development Fund, Gaming Capital Grants, and the Outdoor Recreation Council of BC.

The proposal is being jointly advanced by the Hemlock Valley Homeowners Association (HVHA) and the Berezan Hospitality Group (BHG), the owner of Sasquatch Mountain Resort. HVHA and BHG have been working for two years to develop a fair funding model and board structure. The agreement is set out in draft bylaws which are now open for public review. Deanne Steven from Larch Business Services is leading the application process as an experienced third-party consultant who has worked directly with Silver Star and Red Mountain Resort Associations.

The Hemlock Valley Resort Association promotion area must be approved by resolutions of the Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD). A petition process of the land owners within the Resort Promotion Area must receive support from at least 50 percent of the property owners representing at least 50 percent of the net taxable assessed value of the lands within the resort area must pass. The successful petition, bylaws and supporting documents are sent to the Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs for decision.

For more information on the process for applying to become a Resort Association in BC, see Quick Reference Guide to Creating a Resort Association

The HVRA engagement process began in earnest in 2023. Community engagement, bylaw revisions, and petition collection will happen through the summer and early fall of 2025. If the petition is successful, an Application for the Resort Association will be submitted to the Province of BC where the Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs may approve the Resort Association Application or not. If submitted in Fall 2025 it is anticipated the Minister would make a decision sometime in early 2026. The HVRA would begin operations shortly thereafter. If the Application to establish a Resort Association is not approved, or is not approved in within funding timelines, Hemlock Valley and Sasquatch Mountain Resort could miss the opportunity to apply for access to MRDT funds before the money short-term rentals generate here will be awarded again to Tourism Harrison until 2032.

If the Application is not approved, Hemlock Valley community and Sasquatch Mountain would have to wait another 5 years for the opportunity to access MRDT funds through a Resort Association.

If less than 50% of titleholders with less than 50% of the total assessed property values within the proposed Resort Area oppose the petition and do not sign it, the application will not proceed. That means MRDT funds will continue to go to Tourism Harrison, and many planned local improvements will be delayed or abandoned.

Sts’ailes have been kept informed at each step in the process since the early stages of discussion around establishing one. The Sts’ailes community will have one seat on the Resort Association Board.

As directed by the Province, the Hemlock Valley Resort Association Steering Committee will consult with neighbouring First Nations identified by the Province, on the establishment of the Resort Association.

The Steering Committee is a group of people with an interest in the Resort Association process. It will consist of local business owners, homeowners, local community group members, HVHA, Sasquatch Mountain Resort and potentially others including Sts’ailes and Destination BC. The purpose of the group is to guide the Engagement phase of the Application process to ensure it is robust and thorough. The Steering Committee will receive technical advice from the Province of B.C. (Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs and Mountain Resorts Branch) and the Fraser Valley Regional District. The Steering Committee is currently being put together and will be finalized after the first online engagement session on July 14, 2025.

The main risk of joining a Resort Association is the cost of annual fees—but the risks of not having one are more concerning and hit directly at the three priorities homeowners have told their HVHA directors they care most about: fire protection, utility stability, and road safety. Without a Resort Association to coordinate and attract economic activity, the mountain remains underdeveloped, with fewer permanent jobs and fewer year-round residents. That means fewer volunteers for our under-resourced fire department, fewer customers to help stabilize the costs of Hemlock Valley Utilities, and fewer cars on Hemlock Valley Road—making it even harder to convince the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to prioritize desperately needed improvements. A Resort Association would help reverse this downward spiral by bringing in stable funding, supporting community infrastructure, and creating the kind of long-term economic momentum that leads to safer, better-serviced, and more livable mountain life. Without it, we risk remaining a transient and overlooked community—vulnerable to rising costs, unreliable services, and preventable emergencies.