Canada Ski Blog

Over the past 24 hours the pound sterling has gained strength as markets continue to digest the emergency budget measures adopted by Britain’s new coalition government.

With a lot of early bird ski holiday deals in Canada, some of which are exclusive to the U.K. market, there is not a better time to lock into low rates for the winter 2010-2011 ski season.

50% OFF Panorama accommodation ends June 30 2010 so be sure to check out these low rates (the lowest we have seen!). Obtain an online quote using the link below and book by June 30 2010 to receive an additional $50 off any online booking. Be sure to call and mention “CANSKI50″ and an additional $50 will be discounted off your quote.

Visit www.BookSkiHoliday.com for an online quote or to book.

We are amazed at some of the winter 2010/2011 early-bird deals out there. Just came across this one:

- 50% OFF lodging at Panorama Mountain Resort when you book by June 30 2010

- There are no blackout dates

- Minimum night stay is 5

- Discounted lift passes must be included in package

To book, contact Ski Holidays Canada or book your Canada ski holiday online.

What is HST?

The Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) is the single harmonized value-added tax that will replace the GST and PST in British Columbia on July 1, 2010. The HST will apply at a rate of 12 per cent to those goods and services that are subject to GST. In other words, the PST will be eliminated and a 7 per cent provincial rate will be added to the 5 per cent GST. This 12 per cent combined tax will be called the HST.

Which of your featured ski resorts are affected?

All ski resorts in British Columbia (BC), Western Canada, will be affected by this new HST. Out of our featured ski resorts, these include Fernie, Kimberley, Kicking Horse, Panorama and Whistler Blackcomb.

Will my ski holiday in British Columbia cost me more?

In short, yes. The main impact is on the lift passes which will now be subject to 12% tax (instead of 5%) at all the ski resort in British Columbia. A full list of ski resorts in BC can be viewed HERE.

How can I avoid this tax?

If you book and pay in full by the end of this month, April 2010, then you will not have to pay the additional 7% tax for next season. May 1 2010 onwards, you will have to pay the additional tax.

If you want to avoid the tax completely after May 1 2010, take your ski holiday in Alberta where goods and services are only subject to 5% GST. Out of our featured ski resorts, these include Banff Norquay, Sunshine Village, Lake Louise, Jasper Marmot Basin and Nakiska. I suspect suppliers in British Columbia may lower rates or at the very least keep rates the same as last winter to keep competitive with suppliers in Alberta.

Booking in advance will save you money as there are some great early-bird ski deals available. Ski Holidays Canada for example have free ski days, hotel nights and kids ski and rent for free at select ski resorts as early-booking incentives.

There is a lot going on at the Lake Louise Ski Area this weekend!

April 17 – 2010 : ATB Financial Snow Day

Take a “Snow Day” with ATB Financial! Show your ATB credit card or debit card at Guest services on April 17, 2010 and receive a full day lift ticket for just $50+GST! In addition, the first 300 ATB customers will receive a free BBQ hamburger voucher with the purchase of each discount lift ticket, and all ATB customers can enter into a draw to win a 2010/11 family season pass!

Location: The Lake Louise Ski Area

Time: All Day!

April 17, 18 – 2010: CJAY 92 Celebrity BBQ Weekend

CJAY 92 celebrities will be rocking out Temple Beach will flipping burgers at Temple Beach on the backside of the ski area.

Location: Temple Beach at Temple Lodge

Time: 11am – 2pm

April 16, 17, 18 – 2010: The Lake Louise Reunion Party – 1st Annual

The Lake Louise Ski Area would like to thank everyone who has worked in Lake Louise by holding a special weekend long celebration!

The event kicks off on Friday April 16th with the Summit Cup event (optional), and an evening Torchlight Dinner & Ski party (optional). On Saturday April 17th prepare yourself for a huge Reunion Party that includes live music, dancing, appetizer buffet, cash bar, and more! Enjoy a delicious buffet breakfast on Sunday April 18th (included in your reunion ticket price)! Experience the best skiing that Lake Louise has to offer at heavily reduced rates (up to 3 days)!

April 17 – 2010: Cardboard Box Downhill Derby

Get creative with cardboard for the annual Cardboard Box Downhill Derby! Put your carpentry skills to the test by building a sled using only cardboard, string, tape, and glue. Teams can be made up of 1-4 people.

Location: Easy Street

Time: 11:30pm – 1:30pm Registration (tent beside Kokanee Kabin)

2:00pm Race Start

Awards immediately following the race!

Cost: FREE

April 17 – 2010: 1-5-9 Style Session

Arts Vs Crafts and Rude Boys present the 1-5-9 Style Sessions hosted in the Lake Louise Ski Area’s terrain park. Pick your heat: 180′s, 540′s or 900′s. There will be $3000 in cash prizes awarded to the competitors who execute the 1, 5, or 9 with the best style and control. Rude Boys is also bringing truck loads of product prizing. Sorry skiers, this is a snowboarder?s only event.

Location: Showtime Terrain Park

Time: 9:00am registration beside the Kokanee Kabin

Cost: $20

April 17, 18 – 2010: Spring Music Session – The Dudes

The Dudes formed in 1996 using their energetic live sound to grasp the hearts of Calgarians, the town that they call home, and is now winning the hearts of all Canadians. Influenced by artists like The Flaming Lips and Weezer, they have now played festivals as large at The Virgin Fest in Calgary and the JunoFest in Vancouver.

Kokanee Beer Gardens

Time: 2:30pm-3:30pm & 4:00pm-5:00pm

Cost: FREE

rocky-peak Ski Holidays have just completed their U.K. ski site: SkiHolidaysCanada.co.uk. This site has all the details you need to help plan your perfect ski holiday in the magnificent Canadian Rockies and Western Canada.

Now that the ski resorts in Western Canada are closed, and most are now preparing for their mountain bike season, we thought we would provide a few tips for getting the best ski deals for 2009-2010.

The ski resorts are bracing themselves for a tough winter season and are offering wholesalers such as rocky-peak Ski Holidays excellent early-bird lift pass rates and promotions such as “kids ski free”. With deposits of just 10% required for most ski packages, it is well worth getting your ski holiday in Canada booked early.

Jasper Marmot Basin this year are offering International guests travelling with rocky-peak Ski Holidays FREE ski shuttles to the ski hill when the lift passes are pre-booked as well as kids ski and rent free.

It is not just the ski resorts who are offering their best ever rates. Ski rental shops are also offering promotions such as “kids rent free” as well as price freezes and ski package discounts.

There are also great early-bird accommodation deals with the hotel and property owners wanting to secure bookings early.

There will no doubt be some last minute deals, but booking in advance will certainly save you a money!

Banff-Lake Louise Resorts will be First to Open in Canada – NOVEMBER 8 2008!

BANFF, Alberta, Canada

Mt. Norquay and Lake Louise Ski Area will be the first two ski resorts to open in Canada! Both openings on Saturday 8th November will see lifts start at 9am, benefitting from the recent snowfall on Canada’s Protected Playground, Banff National Park.

The high speed Glacier Express Quad Chair and the Wiwaxy run at Lake Louise, and the Cascade Lift and Speculation run at Mt. Norquay will be open for skiers and riders to hit the earliest snow in Canada. The three resorts of Banff-Lake Louise; Mt. Norquay, Lake Louise Ski Area and Sunshine Village, enjoyed another 11cms of snow in the last 48 hours. With more winter weather in the forecast, there will be extra terrain opening soon, and Sunshine Village is scheduled to open on 14th November.

“We’re very excited to have our world’s finest resorts opening! In Banff National Park we’re lucky to have such great snow and the teams at Mt. Norquay, Lake Louise and Sunshine Village have been working hard to ensure the mountains are ready”, said Dan Markham of Ski Banff-Lake Louise-Sunshine. “Being the first resorts to open in Canada, we hope the world will join us in shaking off the summer rust and kicking off a great season.”

Mt. Norquay’s opening, earlier than predicted, will enable skiers and riders to hit the snow for weekends only while staff prepare the resort for full opening on 5th December. Both resorts are offering discounted lift tickets to help skiers and riders get the first runs for less. Please see the rates below.

The dependable snow conditions from mid November to May are why Lake Louise hosts the first Men’s and Women’s World Cup races of the year – the only Canadian stop on the World Cup circuit. This years Men’s races will be held on 29th to 30th November, and the Women’s on 5th to 7th December. The International Ski Federation (FIS) last month recommended Lake Louise to host the races until at least 2011, showing confidence in the resort’s performance on the world stage.

Lake Louise is Canada’s largest single ski area with 4,200 acres of skiable terrain and over 3,000 feet of vertical. With unparalleled skiing and riding in an unsurpassed setting, Lake Louise’s beautiful terrain is both vast and varied. Its unique layout of beginner, intermediate and advanced runs down from every chair means groups of all abilities can ski or ride together and, combined with challenging and remote bowls, chutes and glades, Lake Louise is a favourite for snow-lovers across the world.

Family-friendly Mt. Norquay offers outstanding conditions to beginners, intermediate and advanced skiers and riders. Since its opening in 1926, Norquay is the local’s gem. Offering the only night skiing in Banff-Lake Louise, including a fully lit terrain park (starting January 2009), Mt. Norquay is just minutes from the Town of Banff.

More information on Sunshine Village’s opening will come soon. Subscribe to this Canada Ski blog to see the update!

?Early Season Lift Ticket Prices:
Mt Norquay
$20 for adults, $10 for 6-12 year olds, free for 5 year olds and under.

Lake Louise Ski Area
Full day – $38.00 for adults, $26.40 for seniors and youth, $12.50 for children.
Half day – $30.75 for adults, $21.00 for seniors and youth, $10.00 for children.

About Ski Banff-Lake Louise-Sunshine

Ski Banff–Lake Louise–Sunshine is Canada’s largest ski destination, a joint venture of three of the world’s finest ski resorts; Mt. Norquay, Lake Louise Mountain Resort and Sunshine Village. Available on one tri-area lift ticket, these three resorts offer almost 8,000 acres of skiable terrain and one of the longest ski seasons in North America, from mid November to late May, all in the heart of a UNESCO World Heritage Site – Canada’s Protected Playground, Banff National Park.

Source: SkiBig3

For ski holidays in Canada, be sure to contact rocky-peak Ski Holidays for the best deals and personalised service! Their ski specials include kid’s ski free at select ski resorts and get from the airport sooner with their efficient scheduled airport transfer services from Calgary International YYC and Vancouver YVR.

Please see proposed opening and closing dates for the Resorts of the Canadian Rockies (RCR) divisions of resorts in the West. Please note that the following proposed dates of operation are always subject to snow conditions.

RCR Resort: Lake Louise Mountain Resort

08/09 Opening Date: Sat. Nov 8, 2008
08/09 Closing Date: Sun. April 26, 2009.
Re-opening for May 1, 2, and 3 only.

RCR Resort: Fernie Alpine Resort

08/09 Opening Date: Sat. Dec 6, 2008
08/09 Closing Date: Tues. April 14, 2009

RCR Resort: Kimberley Alpine Resort

08/09 Opening Date: Fri. Dec. 19, 2008
Preview weekend only Dec.13-14, 2008.
08/09 Closing Date: Sun. April 5, 2009

RCR Resort: Nakiska

08/09 Opening Date: Sat. Dec 6, 2008
08/09 Closing Date: Sun. April 12, 2009

Take advantage by booking your ski holiday in Canada early. Deals such as kids ski and rent free, early-bird lift pass rates and free ski day promotions are all available up to October 2008. Contact rocky-peak ski Holidays for details.