What jobs/businesses are in resort towns? - Snowboarding Forum

**Donutz** · 01-19-2013, 12:58 PM

This is just a bit of casual curiosity on my part, and I'm thinking specifically of Whistler but I guess the question could apply to most resort towns. Anyway, as a general question...

I'm a computer programmer, so I could work for a lot of different types of businesses - pretty much any business that's big enough to need computer people (or person). My wife and I have occasionally talked about moving to Whistler after our daughter graduates. I'm just wondering -- is everything in the town geared towards el tourista or are there traditional businesses as well? Understand, I am NOT looking for a snowboarding or even mountain-related job. Working in the city's I.T. dept for instance would be viable.

This is, as I say, just casual curiousity at the moment.

AngelaBabin · 01-19-2013, 01:03 PM

So do you build websites

ARSENALFAN · 01-19-2013, 01:12 PM

Move to Calgary. Better money, easy to find job after job, close to Castle, Sunshine, Lake Louise, Kicking Horse, Revelstoke and zero provincial tax. If you like tax and having no money....move to Whistler.

mixie · 01-19-2013, 01:13 PM

can you transition your current company/clients to letting you work remotley with an occasional trip back home?

this is what I am working on

getting there

luckboxing · 01-19-2013, 01:17 PM

I know Whistler Blackcomb and Whistler Tourism both have their own IT departments. The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) might have one too. I'm actually toying around with a small side business doing computer repair/help up here.

There's obviously a very large percentage of service industry (restaurant/bar/hotel) jobs, but plenty of people build careers up here. Practically everybody is taking a pay cut, but everybody will tell you it's worth it.

Go for it.

luckboxing · 01-19-2013, 01:20 PM

Also, don't a lot of computer programmers telecommute? My friend was considering it.

**Donutz** · 01-19-2013, 03:12 PM

I don't build websites, although I have done so for specific projects. I've got a pretty broad range of IT skills: hardware, software, programming, project mgmt, IT mgmt, DBA, unix sysadmin, ISP, application dev, system dev, god knows how many different languages at this point.

Telecommuting with my employer is an iffy situation. They allow occasional telecommuting, but if you want to do it full-time they have a bunch of requirements (something to do with Workmans comp rules). It's a possibility though, and if I could wrangle it, driving once a week into town wouldn't be that big a deal.

Also, I could live in Pemberton or Squamish, which would be a bit more of a drive to the mountain but certainly cheaper. As to Calgary, believe me I've considered it, and I wouldn't dismiss it as an option. Right now I'm thinking about options for living right in a resort town, but I realize I might have to tone down my expectations.

NoOtherOptions · 01-19-2013, 03:21 PM

I've wondered this myself. I'm an attorney and would love to work in a mountain town (hell I'm about to be certified in Colorado) but I don't know if there's enough industry to move to small towns without living hand to mouth.

ARSENALFAN · 01-19-2013, 05:16 PM

You should go online and check out Canmore, Alberta. Doesn't get any better than that and I think the rent would be cheaper than Whistler. Its the bomb.

luckboxing · 01-19-2013, 05:27 PM

I'm paying exactly half the rent (although utilities are a bit more here) than I was paying in downtown Vancouver.

Pemberton is the same distance to Whistler (30km) as Canmore to Banff.

You're already living closer to a mountain now, might as well go big if you're making the move.

01-19-2013, 12:58 PM	#1 (permalink)
Donutz Drunk with power...er beer. Join Date: May 2010 Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada Posts: 3,662 Blog Entries: 176	What jobs/businesses are in resort towns? This is just a bit of casual curiosity on my part, and I'm thinking specifically of Whistler but I guess the question could apply to most resort towns. Anyway, as a general question... I'm a computer programmer, so I could work for a lot of different types of businesses - pretty much any business that's big enough to need computer people (or person). My wife and I have occasionally talked about moving to Whistler after our daughter graduates. I'm just wondering -- is everything in the town geared towards el tourista or are there traditional businesses as well? Understand, I am NOT looking for a snowboarding or even mountain-related job. Working in the city's I.T. dept for instance would be viable. This is, as I say, just casual curiousity at the moment. __________________ Illegitimi non carborundum Mountain Days: 30

01-19-2013, 01:13 PM	#4 (permalink)
mixie Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: so cal Posts: 576	can you transition your current company/clients to letting you work remotley with an occasional trip back home? this is what I am working on getting there __________________ if a cat fucked a shark, the babies would be called women. snowklinger

01-19-2013, 03:12 PM	#7 (permalink)
Donutz Drunk with power...er beer. Join Date: May 2010 Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada Posts: 3,662 Blog Entries: 176	I don't build websites, although I have done so for specific projects. I've got a pretty broad range of IT skills: hardware, software, programming, project mgmt, IT mgmt, DBA, unix sysadmin, ISP, application dev, system dev, god knows how many different languages at this point. Telecommuting with my employer is an iffy situation. They allow occasional telecommuting, but if you want to do it full-time they have a bunch of requirements (something to do with Workmans comp rules). It's a possibility though, and if I could wrangle it, driving once a week into town wouldn't be that big a deal. Also, I could live in Pemberton or Squamish, which would be a bit more of a drive to the mountain but certainly cheaper. As to Calgary, believe me I've considered it, and I wouldn't dismiss it as an option. Right now I'm thinking about options for living right in a resort town, but I realize I might have to tone down my expectations. __________________ Illegitimi non carborundum Mountain Days: 30

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01-19-2013, 01:03 PM	#2 (permalink)
AngelaBabin Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Michigan Posts: 36	So do you build websites

01-19-2013, 01:12 PM	#3 (permalink)
ARSENALFAN -LIFETIME MEMBER- Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Calgary Posts: 604	Move to Calgary. Better money, easy to find job after job, close to Castle, Sunshine, Lake Louise, Kicking Horse, Revelstoke and zero provincial tax. If you like tax and having no money....move to Whistler.

01-19-2013, 01:17 PM	#5 (permalink)
luckboxing Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Whistler Posts: 76	I know Whistler Blackcomb and Whistler Tourism both have their own IT departments. The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) might have one too. I'm actually toying around with a small side business doing computer repair/help up here. There's obviously a very large percentage of service industry (restaurant/bar/hotel) jobs, but plenty of people build careers up here. Practically everybody is taking a pay cut, but everybody will tell you it's worth it. Go for it.

01-19-2013, 01:20 PM	#6 (permalink)
luckboxing Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Whistler Posts: 76	Also, don't a lot of computer programmers telecommute? My friend was considering it.

01-19-2013, 03:21 PM	#8 (permalink)
NoOtherOptions Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 319	I've wondered this myself. I'm an attorney and would love to work in a mountain town (hell I'm about to be certified in Colorado) but I don't know if there's enough industry to move to small towns without living hand to mouth.

01-19-2013, 05:16 PM	#9 (permalink)
ARSENALFAN -LIFETIME MEMBER- Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Calgary Posts: 604	You should go online and check out Canmore, Alberta. Doesn't get any better than that and I think the rent would be cheaper than Whistler. Its the bomb.

01-19-2013, 05:27 PM	#10 (permalink)
luckboxing Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Whistler Posts: 76	I'm paying exactly half the rent (although utilities are a bit more here) than I was paying in downtown Vancouver. Pemberton is the same distance to Whistler (30km) as Canmore to Banff. You're already living closer to a mountain now, might as well go big if you're making the move.