The Whistler Housing Authority (WHA) owns and operates over 300 rental properties throughout Whistler which are available for qualified applicants through the Employee Housing Rental Program.

The majority of WHA rentals are apartment style units and include Studios, One Bedrooms, Two Bedrooms and Three Bedrooms as well as a limited number of townhouses. Rental rates are calculated at 30% of a tenants Gross Household Income (subject to upper and lower limits). WHA rental vacancies are advertised directly to eligible applicants on the WHA Rental Waitlist.

The private sector owns and operates an additional 745 employee restricted rentals. Private sector rentals are not managed by the WHA. Rainbow Plaza includes 65 rentals available to rent to any eligible employee; Interest may be registered with Mountain Country Property Management. The remainder primarily house employees of larger employers such as Whistler Blackcomb and large hotels.

WHA Ownership Properties are also described as Price and Occupancy Restricted Employee Housing units. There are almost 1,000 homes in the WHA Ownership inventory ranging from studios through to single family homes. Price and Occupancy Restricted properties are sold to eligible applicants on the WHA Ownership Waitlist with a certain number of units prioritized for eligible seniors. The majority of WHA Ownership properties must be occupied as the primary residence by the eligible owner, however a limited number of properties sold prior to 2006 do allow for long term rental to eligible Whistler employees. Price and Occupancy properties are monitored and enforced by the WHA and RMOW’s bylaw department.

To understand the evolution of the housing covenants, click here.

Throughout Whistler there are homes sold in the open-market that carry an occupancy restriction registered on title. These homes must be occupied by a Whistler employee, however the owner is not required to be a Whistler Employee or resident.

Examples of these Occupancy Restricted homes can be found complexes such as Eagles Crest and Lorimer Ridge.

These properties are not sold through the WHA Ownership Waitlist Program.

Employee restricted suites have restrictions registered on title that limit the occupancy of the suites to Whistler Employees. Some suites also include rental rate restrictions.

Infill housing opportunities increase densification in single family neighbourhoods within Whistler, creating additional employee restricted dwelling units within existing residential areas.

Homeowners may be granted the ability to subdivide a small lot from their existing property, either as vacant land to be built on or with a detached dwelling. Infill housing strategies may also include the stratification of both detached and attached suites of a new or existing property. A covenant is registered on title as a condition of the approved subdivision or stratified suite, creating additional housing for the employee housing inventory with the intention that the property sales are first offered to the WHA Ownership Waitlist. To learn more about Infill Housing opportunities in Whistler, visit the RMOW’s website at: https://www.whistler.ca/services/housing/housing-actions/infill-housing.