Resort pledges housing options
Residents of shared accommodation at Big White who’ve tested positive for COVID-10 will soon be moved into living quarters where they can self-isolate, resort officials say.
Efforts are underway involving resort managers, Interior Health, local government officials and the RCMP to quickly provide suitable quarantine space to as many of the 60 currently-infected individuals.
“The focus (is) to help all those that require accommodation to isolate, to transition into this space as soon as possible, and to continue to operate the resort in a safe manner and in accordance with our COVID-19 safety plan,” resort president Peter Plimmer said.
The cluster of cases at the resort has been traced to group housing and social gatherings in late November. Interior Health sent public health teams to the resort south-east of Kelowna to conduct on-site testing last Friday and again this week.
Interior Health has said its safe for skiers and snowboarders to continue visiting the resort as long as they follow all COVID-19 protocols such as observing physical distancing and wearing masks.
“The risk is low for families and individuals visiting Big White who stick to their immediate household bubble and avoid socializing and gathering with people outside their immediate bubble,” IH says.
“Outdoor activities a Big White are considered safe for anyone following public health direction,” IH says.
Just over half the 636 people who work at Big White are directly employed by the resort. The rest work in other privately-owned businesses.
Of the 636 Big White workers, 152 live in accommodation managed by Big White. The rest stay in other residences owned by individuals or strata corporations.
On Nov. 28, a large number of people attended a party at Big White. Any resort employees who were at the gathering were violating an employment contract that requires them to obey all relevant COVID-19 safety protocols, such as avoiding large groups with strangers.
That contract also requires employees to sign a daily “health declaration” in which they attest they do not have any symptoms of the disease.
“Big White Ski Resort Ltd. has a zero tolerance policy with any employees who are found to be in breach of these documents,” a resort press release stated. “To that end, we have had to let go some of our employees.”
All other Big White workers have, for the third time, been presented with a social responsibility contract, in which they advised to obey all “prevailing government legislation at all times both on and off duty” or risk losing their jobs.