Image: Spuzzum First Nation / The Fraser Valley Regional District board is set to consider a recommendation at its meeting this week from staff that the regional district work with the province on a proposed all-season resort project put forward by Spuzzum First Nation north of Hope. The South Anderson Mountain Resort would consist of a 330-hectare alpine ski resort on three mountains, 11 ski lifts capable of transporting 9,000 skiers per day, an 18-hole golf course in the river valley along with a pedestrian resort village, public and private accommodations featuring townhouses, low-rise apartment buildings, single-family homes and employee housing, and more.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Proposed resort northeast of Hope

FVRD to seek collaboration with B.C. govt. on all-season mountain resort proposal northeast of Hope

Apr 23, 2024 | 11:11 AM

SPUZZUM — The Fraser Valley Regional District board is set to consider a recommendation at its meeting this week from staff that the regional district work with the province on a proposed all-season mountain resort project put forward by Spuzzum First Nation north of Hope.

According to agenda item 12.13 of this week’s FVRD board meeting, Spuzzum First Nation has submitted project paperwork, known as an expression of interest (EOI), to the Mountain Resorts Branch of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport for what the band says would be the first “Indigenous-driven comprehensive all-season mountain resort in BC.”

The EOI stage, where the project currently sits, is characterized as preliminary and conceptual, but more detailed if the project advances to subsequent stages. The provincial government is seeking early comments that help measure FVRD’s broad interest.

The proposed South Anderson Mountain Resort, which is currently a temporary name, is situated in the Cascade Mountains east of Highway 1, northwest of the Coquihalla Summit Recreation Area Highway 5, roughly 44 kilometres north of Highway 1. The project encompasses 7,415 hectares within the South Anderson and Central Anderson watersheds.

By comparison, Sasquatch Mountain Resort in Hemlock north of Agassiz is 1,255.6 hectares in size while the proposed Bridal Veil Mountain Resort would occupy 4,772 hectares, if approved.

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Spuzzum First Nation envisions an all-season resort that consists of a 330-hectare alpine ski resort on three mountains, 11 ski lifts capable of transporting 9,000 skiers per day, an 18-hole golf course in the river valley along with a pedestrian resort village, public and private accommodations featuring townhouses, low-rise apartment buildings, single-family homes and employee housing.

Image: Spuzzum First Nation / A rendering of phase 1 of the proposed South Anderson Mountain Resort northeast of Hope.

The vision doesn’t stop there. Spuzzum hopes to construct commercial and industrial support facilities such as hotels, restaurants, rental shops, retail, and develop First Nation ecotourism enterprise concepts like hut-to-hut trails, wilderness campsites, guided backcountry tours, horseback riding, guided fishing tours, paragliding, mountain climbing, interpretive talks and more.

Phase 1 of the project calls for 7,473 bed units; including single-family, townhouses, condos, hotels, a golf course, and two hotel developments containing approximately 2,500 beds. Phase 2 consists of an estimated 3,652 bed units consisting of single-family homes, townhomes, and condos. Phase 3 envisions 1,173 bed units including single-family units, townhomes, and condos, and a campground on the west side along South Anderson River.

Image: Spuzzum First Nation / Top: view from Parcel 6 village site. Bottom: View of the upper ski terrain near Lift 3 of the proposed South Anderson Mountain Resort.

The primary road access route is north of Hope via Hwy #1 and 25 km east of Alexandra Bridge Provincial Park via former logging roads. A secondary emergency access route is proposed from the Coquihalla Highway at Box Canyon, following the configuration of old mining and logging roads. However, a strong interest in creating a direct connection for communities along Highway 1 to the new resort development pointed unequivocally to the conclusion that the new public road access to the site should come from Highway 1. The new access road would be a paved, two‐lane highway, designed and constructed to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure standards.

Spuzzum First Nation Chief James Hobart wrote in a May 2023 letter to the Mountain Resorts Branch of the B.C. government that its project submission followed three years of feasibility analysis resulting in its decision to proceed with the next stage of planning for the project.

“The South Anderson Mountain Resort will be a crucial undertaking for the Spuzzum First Nation, area First Nations, and other communities in the Fraser Canyon,” Chief Hobart wrote. “Moreover, we will help BC continue to achieve excellence in tourism infrastructure with an Indigenous foundation. In the spirit of reconciliation, we invite British Columbia to join with the Spuzzum First Nation to develop the South Anderson Mountain Resort – the first Indigenous-driven comprehensive all-season resort in BC.”

The motion on the FVRD agenda this week calls on the province to collaborate with FVRD on coordinating the review and approval processes that will likely entail the adoption of a new Official Community Plan, identifying planning processes that align resort master planning with comprehensive planning for the creation of a new small city in a distant mountain environment, and consider a variety of land tenure options including Indigenous self-governance and Indigenous land management. FVRD also wants the province and the proponent, Spuzzum FN, to comprehensively address matters of aboriginal rights and title. Further, FVRD would like the province to provide capacity funding to support the “significant body of work” required of FVRD if the proposal advances to what’s known as the resort master planning process. Lastly, FVRD states the applicant should maintain ongoing communication with FVRD and other public interest entities through the provincial review process.