Brandon Barrett, Pique NewsMagazine Journalist Profile

Articles

Farewell, sweet mistress (for real this time)

1 month ago | piquenewsmagazine.com | Brandon Barrett

My love for journalism didn't come at first sight. In fact, it was another romance that inspired me to dip my toes into this unique profession. Fresh off a yearlong stint teaching English in South Korea, I had few meaningful job prospects waiting for me back in Canada. More importantly, I also had a girlfriend waiting for me I desperately wanted to impress.
Injured skier's parents' ski passes deactivated after she refused to pay balance

2 months ago | piquenewsmagazine.com | Brandon Barrett

Emilie Noble has been skiing Whistler Blackcomb (WB) for the better part of 25 years. That is, until a knee injury kept her on the sidelines this ski season. A 30-year-old local physio, Noble suffered a torn ACL and MCL last June, weeks after she had already put down a deposit on her Epic Pass for this winter. Months out from the start of the ski season, Noble wasn't initially sure if she would be healed up in time to hit the slopes.
Magnitude 5.1 earthquake recorded southwest of Whistler

2 months ago | piquenewsmagazine.com | Brandon Barrett

An earthquake recorded near South Pender Harbour could be felt in Whistler on Friday, Feb. 21. The magnitude 5.1 quake was recorded at 1:26 p.m. about 36 kilometres northeast of South Pender Harbour. Natural Resources Canada said it could be "lightly felt" across southwestern B.C. This most recent earthquake comes less than 24 hours after two smaller quakes were recorded near Grand Cache, Alta. Learn more at earthquakescanada.nrcan.gc.ca/index-en.php.
Invictus Games brought around 1,000 room nights, media spotlight to Whistler

2 months ago | piquenewsmagazine.com | Brandon Barrett

The Invictus Games not only brought hundreds of military veterans, their families and coaches from around the globe to Whistler for the very first winter edition of the adaptive sporting event, it also generated approximately 1,000 hotel room nights and a flurry of media attention, according to Tourism Whistler.
Whistler to receive $2.5M from Housing Accelerator Fund - Western Investor

2 months ago | westerninvestor.com | Brandon Barrett

Federal agreement with Resort Municipality of Whistler aims to cut red tape & spur construction of 62 homes over next 3 years and 814 over next decade.
Whistler to receive $2.5M from federal Housing Accelerator Fund

2 months ago | piquenewsmagazine.com | Brandon Barrett

Whistler will receive $2.5 million through the Government of Canada's Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), money that will help spur the construction of 62 homes over the next three years and 814 over the next decade. Sea to Sky MP Patrick Weiler announced the news at the Whistler Public Library on Thursday, Feb. 20, calling it "a really important day" for the resort's housing landscape. "This is more than just about numbers. It's about making housing more accessible, faster and more efficient.
Teen who skied with Snow School instructor day he was paralyzed calls for support

2 months ago | piquenewsmagazine.com | Brandon Barrett

Santiago "Santi" Vizhnay, 15, was one of three teens skiing with their Snow School instructor, Chris Song, on Jan. 28 when the 38-year-old was paralyzed after falling off a cliff on Blackcomb Mountain. After witnessing such a harrowing, life-altering accident, Vizhnay knew he wanted to do something to give back to the instructor he's skied and biked with for more than two years.
Trial date for accused St'atl'imx Tribal cop will be set Feb. 26

2 months ago | piquenewsmagazine.com | Brandon Barrett

A trial date will be set next week for a Stl'atl'imx Tribal Police Service (STPS) officer facing multiple charges related to allegedly filming sexual acts without his partners' consent. Cst. Michael English was formally charged in September with three counts of voyeurism in connection to offences alleged to have occurred while he was off-duty in Pemberton and Vancouver between 2020 and 2022. He was subsequently placed on administrative leave while the investigation was ongoing. On Wednesday, Jan.
Unravelling the potential conflict of interest facing Sea to Sky MLA and Whistler's top bureaucrat

2 months ago | piquenewsmagazine.com | Brandon Barrett

On the campaign trail this fall, BC Green candidate Jeremy Valeriote's marriage to the Resort Municipality of Whistler's (RMOW) top bureaucrat, CAO Ginny Cullen, was brought up several times by both constituents and candidates as a possible conflict of interest. Now that Valeriote has been elected provincial MLA for West Vancouver-Sea to Sky, Pique wanted to unravel the practical implications of this perceived conflict.
Annual retreat offers Whistler council chance to reflect-and forge ahead

2 months ago | piquenewsmagazine.com | Brandon Barrett

Newly elected and fresh off the birth of her baby, Jessie Morden's first council retreat as an elected Whistler official came with a steep learning curve. "I was two weeks post-partum, I was in brain fog and the job was new to me. It was scary looking at all these things. I didn't really understand a lot of it and a lot of it looked like a pipe dream to me," said Morden, who became the municipality's first born-and-raised Whistlerite elected to council in 2022.