Bridal Veil Mountain Resort
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Overview
Dates: January 15 to February 28, 2025
Who: The Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport and Bridal Veil Mountain Resort LTD.
What: Proposed Bridal Veil Mountain Resort
Where: Fraser Valley
Why: An invitation for public comment on the Expression of Interest and call for Expressions of Interest from other parties who may want to develop an all-seasons resort in the area
How: Online
Engagement summary
For new resorts in B.C., an Expression of Interest is the first step in a multi-stage major project review process under the All-Seasons Resort Policy and Guidelines. Project planning information at this initial stage of the major project review process is preliminary and conceptual. The overarching goal of the review process at the EOI stage is assessing the initial project feasibility and confirming a sole proponent.
More detailed planning information about the project is developed if it advances to the next stages. If successful, the proponent will be invited to move forward in the review process and submit a Formal Proposal, the second stage of the major project review process. Additional public engagement would occur at that time.
Public engagement is a key component of the major project review process. At this Expression of Interest Stage, MRB sought public input to better understanding the following:
- Use and interests in the proposed area
- Public interests related to the proposal itself
- Aspects to consider in the major project review process
Engagement approach
Public comments were collected via an online survey, email and mail responses were also accepted. The online survey questionnaire was co-developed by the Province’s Mountain Resorts Branch and Citizen Engagement Team with input from the project proponent. The survey was hosted on the govTogetherBC website between January 15 to February 28, 2025.
Results
In total, 277 unique emails and 3,535 complete survey responses were received. No mail responses were received.
Almost all emails highlighted concerns about the environment while several emails referred to impacts on public recreation use and interests, alignment with neighborhood plans and concerns about geotechnical hazards.
The majority online survey respondents were members of the public (94%) not representatives of First Nations, local governments, NGO, or a tourism business. Note this public engagement period was targeted at members of the public as separate engagement processes take place with First Nations, local government(s) and other agencies.
Almost all (91%) online survey respondents had been to the study area. Most were motivated to visit by doing non-motorized activities (90%; e.g., hiking, nature and wildlife viewing), and only 4% of trips were motivated by winter/snow (cross-country and backcountry skiing and snowmobiling).
Online survey respondents were asked what aspects MRB should consider in the major project review process. Respondents most frequently commented on environmental aspects (32%), followed by social and community aspects (22%), economy and jobs (18%), health and recreation (15%) and Indigenous culture and traditional values (8%).
When online survey respondents were asked about positive and negative impacts of the resort, more than half of respondents provided a negative/negative with conditions comment (59%), 33% provided a positive/positive with conditions impact comment and 8% of comments were balanced/provided no direction.
Online survey respondent communication preferences are social media (24%), online local/community news (20%), a local/community newsletter or mailing list (13%), provincial webpage (12%), newspaper advertisements (11%), or in person open house (10%).
Read the full engagement summary report for more detailed results.
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