Europeans lured to B.C. slopes with bold ad

Last Updated: Friday, February 15, 2008 | 4:49 PM ET

CBC News

While scientists don't like it, a Simon Fraser University marketing professor is praising an advertising brochure circulating overseas for condos at B.C.'s Whistler and Big White ski resorts that claims they are "global warming resistant."
 
Lindsay Meredith said the claim may be a bit over-the-top, but it's still a good technique for luring people to the slopes.

"'Global warming resistant' is kind of like 'fire resistant' ... It'll still burn, but just not as fast," Meredith mused. "[It] could suffer from global warming, but it's a lot better than those others guys."

The ad campaign doesn't seem far off the mark, at least this year, because some European ski resorts are in terrible shape while there is plenty of snow in British Columbia.

Despite the boasting rights for the resort owners, scientists say B.C. mountains are just as susceptible to the global warming phenomenon.

They say that over the past 50 years, the snow season has become shorter by four to five weeks.

Ian Bruce of the David Suzuki Foundation said the ads obscure the true picture of what's happening to B.C.'s climate.

"We will see global temperatures continue to rise and our snowpack seasons continue to shorten, so [climate change] will have a very significant impact," he said.

Scientists say it will take just decades for B.C. to experience a dramatic deterioration in its snow caps, unless measures are taken to slow global warming.

Developer Paul Mailey, who is trying to sell condos at Big White, near Kelowna, to Europeans, said the important thing is to emphasize is that B.C.'s winters are still pretty cold, and that right now there is a lot of snow.