An excerpt from the article Opinion: The reality behind the need, by Braden Dupuis. Published in Pique Newsmagazine on December 26, 2025.
“…a community that’s supposed to be a playground for visitors, but one where many residents, long-term workers and families are struggling just to keep their heads above water.
In Whistler, that struggle shows up in real numbers. Visits to the food bank at the Whistler Community Services Society (WCSS) exploded—an increase of hundreds of percent over the last half-decade as more people find themselves priced out of the local economy. Food bank use jumped roughly 700 per cent from 2019 to 2024, and other essential outreach services have seen similar upward pressure.
In its 2024-25 Impact Snapshot, WCSS reported 21,865 food bank visits in one year, including 1,402 unique seniors and 2,659 children and youth (a significant year‑over‑year increase). WCSS also served 81,142 nutritious snacks in local schools through its School Food Program.
Outreach workers fielded more than 10,000 visits supporting mental health, crisis response, financial strain, housing insecurity, and social connection, 33 per cent of which were first-time clients.”
