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Kaslo approves Zincton proposal, with reservations

Zincton is a proposed year-round resort located about 30 kilometres from Kaslo
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The Whitewater Canyon area of the Selkirk Mountains within the proposed tenure of the Zincton ski resort. Photo: Nicky Blackshaw

by John Boivin

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Valley Voice

Kaslo Village councillors have no problem with the proposed Zincton ski resort – if certain concerns are addressed.

The Village’s official response to the call for input about the resort proposal was debated at a special meeting of council Nov. 16. The province was soliciting input on the proposal from various stakeholders and members of the public until Nov. 23.

Zincton is a proposed year-round resort located about 30 kilometres from Kaslo. The proponent is seeking tenure for about 5,000 hectares of Crown land backcountry for skiing, biking and hiking operations.

Council’s submission to the province said the Village had “no objection to approval of the project, subject to the conditions outlined below.”

“The scale of the proposed development will place additional pressure on neighbouring communities such as Kaslo,” the Village response explains. “This will be especially true in the early stages where the complement of services available on site remains limited, and nearby centres will be forced to absorb this increased demand for services.”

Particular areas of concern for the Village were housing availability and affordability, increased highway traffic, increased burden on emergency services, health care and law enforcement, and strains on local supply chains.

The project could also cause more shortages in the local labour pool as competition for service and hospitality jobs increase.

And for all that trouble, “Kaslo will not see any additional revenue streams to offset the associated costs,” the response states.

The province’s Mountain Resorts Branch will review all the responses over the winter, and will decide in 2022 if the Zincton project can proceed to the next stage, developing a Master Plan.

READ MORE: Zincton proponents answer questions in virtual open house