Canada Mega Thread
Samesun on Granville St is the staple for most ski bums. It’s decently located, cheap and not bad at all.
For you’re other questions, here is my post from page 1:
6. Arriving in Vancouver
Yes Vancouver is a major city. But it’s no New York or Los Angeles, so you don’t need to spend a week there to see all the sites. Remember that you’re likely on a budget so don’t go crazy shopping and touristing before you even get to your ski hill and start your job. You should have a hostel or hotel booked for when you arrive. Check your luggage in and start getting the important stuff done. I would commit about 4 days tops to see and do everything worthwhile in Vancouver and add 1 day for Vancouver Island and 1-2 day(s) to visit Whistler if you’re not working there.a. Visa
Get off the plane and leave your bags at the luggage unload. Go straight to the Visa area and beat anyone that’s on your plane to that line. Most likely you just got off your Air Canada flight and arrived at 7am and are the first one there. If you wait for everyone else, you can get stuck in a queue. Your bags will be fine (often taking longer to get off the plane than your Visa takes anyway.b. SIN Number
Once you’ve checked in, the most important thing is your SIN Number. It’s the same as a social security number in the USA and is required for work, bank account and a few other things. Remember to take a picture and send it to yourself in an email so you have a copy. The closest downtown Vancouver location is here: https://goo.gl/maps/kpwAtc. Change your money into Canadian dollars.
Never do this at the airport as you’re throwing away about 5-10c per dollar. When you are swapping a few hundred, this adds up. On Granville St in downtown Vancouver is Charlies Currency Exchange which has really good rates. As always, carrying a lot of money on you is a risk (especially walking in and out of currency exchanges) so be careful and keep an eye out for anyone looking less than legit.d. Bank Account
Make an appointment to sign up for a bank account. You’d think you could just walk in and do it… but you can’t. So call up the bank of your choice and organise to speak with someone. The bank you should go with changes per resort. RBS or TD bank for Whistler (or Scotia if you’re living in Creekside). Sun Peaks doesn’t have a bank on the hill so any are fine. One massive positive for Scotiabank is that they are part of the international banking alliance which means you can withdraw in the USA at any Bank of America bank for free (after the exchange rate) They also have hockey team cards if you’re a fan of the NHL.e. Phone / Plan
This only applies to mountains where you can get phone reception otherwise it’s pointless. Manning park for instance has 0 reception. The main carriers are Telus, Rogers and Bell. Telus is the one I went with due to decent sized data plan and good reception at Sun Peaks.f. Transport
Either book a bus (Greyhound) or buy a car. The positives to having a vehicle are that you can drive to and from the hill if required, can do shopping runs when required and can do road trips to other mountains when you feel like it, not when someone else is going. The negatives are that people ask you for favours all the time, petrol / insurance is costly and if you have an accident it will cost you. (luckily there are no kangaroos to hit but deer can still ruin a car)
Make sure that you have winter tyres fitted or you will not do very well on snow or icy roads.
Yeah thanks dude, I’ve got this page bookmarked! It’s an absolute wealth of info, I appreciate you sharing so much knowledge!
Hey Guys,
Awesome thread Swish. Thanks heaps for all the info.
I got my Visa Work permit approval yesterday and I’m super keen to head over for this season.
Im 29 so its my last chance hahaha.
I’ve been actively searching all the sites and forums i can for advice on jobs and accom because i find it such extortion to use IEP or TWHC. Also i think im too late for them anyway.
So:
I Finish Uni end november and hope to get the flight over for the 25th November. Unfortunately that means I miss most Job fairs right?
I’m not picky where I work, I’m happy with mountain or town work at any resort. I’d Love Sun Peaks or Big White if possible, but honestly anywhere. I’m just alittle confused as to which places will do via skype interview.
Can you get work anywhere without actually being there at some point for an interview?
I’m gonna shoot off some resumes to several mountains for jobs that I like the look of.
Im also a licenced electrician and have heaps of technical and customer service experience so i hope ot helps.
Any advice on what the best method to apply for work with such a late arrival would be greatly appreciated.
This is a bit of a dream of mine so im hoping it works out and i can go over and shred some with everyone.
Cheers
Welcome @Quincy,
As per all the knowledge that has been written down, I’m happy to try and help where I can. I’m in the same boat (or a slightly worse one) where the age limit has been hit and I can’t go back. Though I got 3 seasons in so I guess I should be pretty stoked on those 
.
Most places require you to be at the job fair. Sun Peaks do skype interviews and the RCR resorts (Fernie, Kicking Horse, Nakiska and Kimberley) allow you to make a video showing the type of person you are. When I went to Fernie I showed up and kept asking at the main office if there were any jobs going. Ended up talking to Ugo who is the lifty manager and he gave me a job that afternoon.
So while it is nice to go having a job lined up, if you’re persistent (annoying a bit) you can probably get in without too many hassles. There are also jobs in the towns not with the resort that hire too.
If you’re looking for a lifty job or any resort job, I’d email your resume around early August (is generally hiring time) but check the employment pages per the main page. If there is an option to do a video resume, give it a shot, can’t hurt and if you get more than 1 job, choose your preferred place.
I like Fernie over Sun Peaks (the 2 I worked at) because it’s got better terrain (steeper and more tree runs) and you get to work 4 days and have 3 off. You also live in town 6km away from the hill so you can go shopping for groceries and not have to travel 45 mins off the hill etc.
But Sun Peaks had it’s perks too. Staff Accom parties there were awesome and I made some sweet friends.
Anyway, hit me up if you have more questions.
TJ
That sure is lucky, 3 seasons is a sweet run!
Thanks for the advice. I’ll definitely give that a go. I’m an intermediate skier at best, but I love it and can’t wait to improve. Would you say KH and Revelstoke are a bit too gnarly as a first mountain? I heard it can sometimes be a little easier to find work at the smaller mountains? and they just look so freakin beautiful.
Also,
Is there an optimum time to get flights and season passes sorted? I know sometimes the mountains will include passes or discounted passes with jobs. Would they be refundable if I get a season pass early?
Sorry it’s just all questions haha. Cheers for your time.
Hey Quincy I picked up one way flights for mid October with AA for 550. Last time I checked the prices went right through to mid November. Check out the Skyscanner app.
That sure is lucky, 3 seasons is a sweet run!
Thanks for the advice. I’ll definitely give that a go. I’m an intermediate skier at best, but I love it and can’t wait to improve. Would you say KH and Revelstoke are a bit too gnarly as a first mountain? I heard it can sometimes be a little easier to find work at the smaller mountains? and they just look so freakin beautiful.
Also,
Is there an optimum time to get flights and season passes sorted? I know sometimes the mountains will include passes or discounted passes with jobs. Would they be refundable if I get a season pass early?Sorry it’s just all questions haha. Cheers for your time.
No worries. I check every few days and I’m happy to tag you (or quote you) so you get an email too.
If you’re an intermediate skier, you probably won’t be dropping the big boy runs on your first day but you’ll be able to ride at both of these resorts. And by all means you’ll get much better quickly too! In regards to work, it can be easier at smaller resorts (think Apex, Manning Park, Castle Mountain, not KH or Revvie). Revelstoke is one of the hardest resorts to get work since it’s not a huge town but due to it’s epic-ness everyone wants to go there. Kicking Horse and Fernie can be the same at times too. Go in with an open mind and look around. Anyone who is keen to be in town will find a job somewhere… even if you’re just packing shelves at the supermarket or doing dishes, there is always a way to make some money.
Season passes should be sorted ASAP if you’re buying early. Some places have deals which go up as you get closer to the season. If you get a resort job (working for the lift company in any job), you will get a free lift pass. And they will refund what you paid. I got all my money back from Fernie for my pass when I got a job as a lifty. For me though I had already planned to just go to Fernie and get a job if I couldn’t be a lifty anyway so there was no plan to move if it didn’t work out. (I would have used the pass till I went broke-ish and then flown home and lived with mummy and daddy till I got a job to get back in the black)
Overall, I wouldn’t be too scared by any mountain. Everywhere has green and blue runs. Just be keen and keep going harder till you get good!
@Coops Awesome, Thanks Ill check it out. Has anyone done the flights with 1 or more stopovers? how painful are they? haha. Worth the savings?
@TJswish Ahhh I see. Well thats good to know. I have applied for everything thats up in most resorts right now and I’ll keep my eye out.
Got a Skype interview with the Sutton Place Hotel at the Base of Revvie. Just simple Room attendant, but I don’t care haha. Anyone heard of anyone who has worked there?
Thanks again. Wish me luck.
Good luck. I’m sure it’d just be a job and accom anyway but you’d probably be stuck working days which will suck. I’d accept it and keep looking and hope something better comes up. But thats me haha.
Good luck. I’m sure it’d just be a job and accom anyway but you’d probably be stuck working days which will suck. I’d accept it and keep looking and hope something better comes up. But thats me haha.
Good luck. I’m sure it’d just be a job and accom anyway but you’d probably be stuck working days which will suck. I’d accept it and keep looking and hope something better comes up. But thats me haha.
@TJswish
Cheers, yeah we will see.
Well job and accom would be nice right! hahaha
I’m confused, don’t most jobs work days like any other job? lifty, barista etc? or do you mean there just might not be a lot of night work to free up days for the snow?
For sure, good advice, I’ll let you know.
Good luck. I’m sure it’d just be a job and accom anyway but you’d probably be stuck working days which will suck. I’d accept it and keep looking and hope something better comes up. But thats me haha.
Hey Guys,
Also Does anyone have any idea of what Manning Park is like? both snow and work life? Its pretty remote right?
Mountain only open 5 days a week (Closed Monday / Tuesday). Can be good snow or terrible wet sludge (but is epic when it’s good) Very quiet so you’ll have plenty of terrain. But if you work 5 days a week you will have days off when the mountain is closed :(.
Staff accom is decent with pretty average at best internet and land lines to call around to other houses. No mobile reception when I was there in 2014 for a holiday.
Pub is cool, has a pool table and dart board and good priced drinks. Can definitely not go broke as I think staff accom is free.
I think @Andy Aitken worked there as an instructor many years ago too so maybe he can chime in.
Hey Quincy,
Yeah I worked there about 10 years ago. It was open 7 days a week when I was there but it changes owners a lot because it’s not a big money mountain.
But as far as recommending it I would say hell yeah! It was one of the b est seasons I ever had. Amazing fresh snow, very little snow making which means the base isnt concrete like the bigger mountains. Super quiet so a pow day lasts about 4 days if you know where to go and dry champagne powder because it’s way more inland than Whistler for example.
Awesome close staff vibe. Everyone knows each other so staff are always friendly to each other and it’s nice to have a mostly Canadian staff when visiting Canada rather than an international hub (which is cool too, but not really why we visit a country right?)
100% do it. You won’t regret it.
@TJswish and @Andy Aitken again, the info is very much appreciated! That video is awesome. Waiting to hear back from both right now. Looks like there might be some issues with my length of commitment with Uni going back in early March.
I’ll keep you posted.
