It’s been almost three years in the making but the owner of Hemlock Resort near Agassiz got his proposal for a $1.5 billion expansion of the small ski hill into an all-season playground approved today.
The B.C. Ministry of Forests, Lands and Naturals Resources made the announcement and said the major expansion plans at Hemlock Resort will be done in a collaborative approach between the province, the Langley-based Berezan Group and local Sts’ailes Band.
“I am pleased we have achieved an agreement with the Province to allow Hemlock Resort to become a summer as well as a winter playground,” Berezan said in a press release.
“And we will be bringing new year-round activities to our enlarged recreation area. After working with the Province and Sts’ailes, we are all now able to move forward.”
Ralph Berezan bought the resort for $3 million in 2006 knowing he was in for a challenge. Previous owners were never able to keep afloat and the hill had gone into receivership twice.
Since buying the resort, the Berezan Group has invested $10 million into upgrading the existing infrastructure for 217 private homeowners. Currently there are 36 ski runs, 1,076 bed units and four ski lifts.
But now, thanks to a $1.5 billion investment, it looks like Berezan’s grand plans will be coming to fruition.
The expansion plans for Hemlock Resort will be rolled out in five phases and will see the addition of more activities and base-area development as well as:
- An increase to the controlled recreation area to more than 6,000 hectares from 350 hectares;
- An increase of approximately 20,000 bed units and an additional 23 lifts at build-out over a period of 60 years;
- An estimated capital investment of $500 million for Phase 1 of the expansion, with an estimated total $1-billion investment at build-out and,
- Phase 1 of the expansion will create the equivalent of 1,153 full-time jobs.
Along with an expansion, an agreement was made between the Berezan Group and Sts’ailes Band, which includes opportunities for a joint venture development on Harrison Lake. Development plans over the next two decades include a lakefront First Nations-themed residential village and small marina, with year-round activities like mountain biking, hiking and ATVing.
“The West Harrison area already draws significant numbers of recreational users, and the resort’s partnership with Sts’ailes complements the First Nation’s interest in continuing to develop tourism and recreation as a key economic driver for the community,” said Sts’ailes Chief Harvey Paul in a statement.
“The agreement also addresses environmental and heritage protocols during development.”
According to the ministry, the collaboration between the three parties will reduce the impacts of the resort expansion on existing forest licensees in the area.
The Berezan group says, pending local government approvals, they hope to start the first phase of the development next summer.
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