60-Year Ski Resort Development Plan

What is the Ski Resort Development Plan (SRDP)?

The SRDP is a long-term plan to improve what already exists inside Cypress Mountain's existing boundary. It does not expand that boundary and does not take new land. It addresses long-standing gaps in beginner terrain, base facilities, and parking, and adds a summer season, so the mountain works for the region twelve months a year.

Is Cypress Mountain expanding the ski area?

No. The Controlled Recreation Area boundary stays at 293 hectares. There is no development into new, undisturbed terrain outside it. Skiable terrain grows modestly, by 2 hectares, from 137 to 139, and ski trails go from 61 to 66.

Has the plan been approved?

No. The SRDP is under review by BC Parks. Even once a plan is approved, every individual project still requires its own submission to BC Parks, its own environmental and archaeological assessment, and its own First Nations consultation before any construction begins.

Why is this happening now?

The plans currently governing the resort are 30 and 22 years old and predate the current lift fleet, current guest expectations, and the current scale of regional demand. The existing Park Use Permit runs to 2034, and planning for what follows needs to start well in advance because capital projects of this type take years to design, permit, and build. BC Parks policy requires resorts operating in provincial parks to maintain and update a Ski Resort Development Plan, and this process began in 2019.

What is changing on the ski hill?

The centrepiece is a new, purpose-built Beginner Area, replacing the existing Easy Rider area with a series of surface carpets suited to new skiers, along with a new children's centre and snow school building. The Lions Express, Eagle Express, and Raven Ridge chairs would be upgraded on their existing alignments, no new lift corridors are proposed. Snowmaking would be extended to several key trails to support a more reliable season from November to early April.

Will there be a lot more skiers on the mountain?

No. The measure used to plan for skier density on the Alpine side increases by a modest amount, from 4,713 to 4,866 people at one time. The plan is focused on improving the quality of the experience and filling existing gaps, not substantially increasing the number of people on the hill.

What is changing in the Nordic area?

Cypress operates the largest Nordic trail network in the region, and it currently has too much advanced terrain relative to beginner and intermediate terrain. Nine intermediate and beginner trails already approved under an earlier 1996 plan will be built, adding about 2.9 km of trail. The tube park is being redesigned, expanded, and relocated, growing from 250 to 800 tubers per day. Trail lighting will extend across the Nordic and snowshoe network for night use.

What is happening with the Nordic base area?

The Nordic base is currently the most undersized part of the resort. Restaurant, rental, retail, and guest services would consolidate into a new lodge, with additional parking, a dedicated drop-off area, and direct connections to trails and the tube park.

Is Cypress becoming a summer resort?

No. Winter remains the dominant season. Summer and shoulder-season visitation are expected to grow, but they are not projected to surpass winter, and summer activity does not change the resort's planned capacity or the parking and building numbers in the plan.

What summer activities are planned?

Lift-accessed mountain biking, designed and built by Gravity Logic within areas already approved under an earlier 2004 plan, is expected to open in summer 2027. It will include a beginner-focused learning area for people new to the sport. Other planned elements include an expanded hiking network, improved signage and interpretive programming, and a candidate list of adventure activities (such as a zipline course, aerial adventure park, and climbing wall) that will each need their own approval through BC Parks before being built.

Will there be more parking?

Parking is planned to grow from 2,540 to 2,880 stalls at full buildout, an increase of about 780 spaces. This is paired with continuing demand-management measures already in place, including a free shuttle available to both resort guests and park users, a carpool incentive, and coach service from Vancouver and the North Shore.

Will parking pressure be eliminated?

The plan reduces parking pressure but does not eliminate it entirely on the busiest days. Parking is planned in proportion to the resort's overall planned capacity, and is paired with the transit and shuttle measures described above.

Will I lose backcountry access?

No. The plan does not change the Controlled Recreation Area boundary and does not propose to close or restrict existing backcountry access. Current arrangements, including the marked corridors used by hikers and skiers to reach the Howe Sound Crest Trail, Black Mountain Trail, and Hollyburn Peak, remain unchanged.

Who decides on backcountry access matters outside the resort boundary?

Those decisions rest with BC Parks. Cypress Mountain will continue to work with BC Parks, stakeholder groups, and the public to support continued access.

Is the plan affecting old-growth forest?

Forest values, including older stands in and around the resort area, are assessed project by project by qualified environmental professionals, in coordination with BC Parks. The plan concentrates new development in already-developed areas, adds only 2 hectares of skiable terrain overall, and does not extend the resort boundary.

What other environmental protections apply?

Every individual project under the plan requires its own site-specific environmental assessment before detailed design proceeds. Approval of the overall SRDP does not remove this requirement for any future project.

Do the First Nations support this plan?

Each Nation speaks for itself. Cypress Mountain Resort sits within the unceded traditional territory of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation), xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam Indian Band), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation). The Nations provided input during the planning process, and any formal consultation on individual projects is led by BC Parks as the Crown authority, with Cypress Mountain Resort's participation and support. Questions about a Nation's position on the plan should be directed to that Nation or to BC Parks.

Why is a 60-year permit being sought?

The plan is intended as the basis for a new, longer-term Park Use Permit, replacing the current permit that runs to 2034. A longer permit term supports the kind of long-lived capital investment required for lifts, lodges, and snowmaking. It does not reduce oversight: every individual project still requires its own BC Parks submission, environmental assessment, and First Nations consultation throughout the life of the permit.

When will everything be built?

Construction is expected to proceed in phases over the life of the plan, with pacing driven by market demand, visitation, and economic conditions. The one project with a confirmed date is the lift-accessed mountain bike park, expected to open in summer 2027, reflecting work already underway under an earlier approval. No other phase has a committed date.

Who makes the final decision on the SRDP?

BC Parks. The plan is reviewed and decided upon by BC Parks, and the public comment process is owned and managed by BC Parks and the Province.

How can I share feedback on the plan?

Cypress Mountain Resort leads public engagement activities and open houses, while the public survey itself is hosted and managed by BC Parks through the Engage BC platform. Comments and feedback on the plan should be directed through that BC Parks process, where they will carry weight in the decision.