How to Solve Whistler's Staff Housing Shortage? Shipping Containers of Course!

With the fast-approach of the 2010 winter Olympics, officials at Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort have proposed shipping containers to house local workers.

The Whistler Housing Shortage Issue

While long-term accommodation in high-priced Whistler is always an issue, the 2010 Olympics and the extra exposure the resort has gained has exacerbated the situation. As reported by the Vancouver Sun, Whistler's total workforce during high season is approximately 14,000 while Whistler itself is only prepared to house around 10,500 workers.

The proposed contain-ment park would be a temporary installment made to facilitate the expected increase of migrant workers before and during the 2010 Olympics.

The Whistler Athlete's Village, which is nearing creation, will create more than 1000 beds after the 2010 Olympics for a partial long-term solution to the Whistler housing shortage.

The Plan

Developed by the Whistler Housing Authority, Whistler Chamber of Commerce, and municipal councilors, the proposed plan is to create approximately 250 beds by setting up stackable shipping containers. The shipping containers would be modified to liveable standards, of course. Electricity, windows, plumbing, ventilation, insulation and flourishes of homeliness would be installed.

A stackable container park would be a cheap, quick, and a safe short-term way to solve the accumulated Whistler accommodation shortage.

Although proposed at the municipal level, the temporary housing container solution would have to be underwritten entirely by local businesses at $500/month per bed. Ironically, not even the Whistler municipality can budget-in accommodation for the people who keep the resort running.

Too Little too Late?

A shipping container park as staff accommodation is a very cool and unusual idea, and a modified container for a place to sleep is better than nothing. Other container-made structures have even been constructed with considerable architectural flare!

If nothing else, the proposed contain-ment park brings attention to the long-ignored Whistler housing shortage. Years of ignoring the rising housing issue have resulted in the current situation, where Whistler workers adhere to the 4-to-1 rule (four people typically living in the same amount of space built for one). Throughout Whistler, as much as twelve people live in a three-bedroom apartment, "couch-surfers" are a common household accessory, and closets and crawl spaces are converted into sleeping spaces.

In 2010 with the world's eyes cast on Whistler, the image of metallic containers stacked on top of each other, against the beauty of Whistler's surroundings may not be pretty. But at least the local workers who keep the resort running, will have a place to sleep.