Whistler Housing Authority
2015 Employer Housing Needs Assessment
Survey Research



Purpose:

Measure current & future projected employment levels

Monitor proportion of workforce living locally

Track shortages of employee positions

Gather information on employer-provided staff housing
Target population = 576 businesses registered with
RMOW
Surveyed businesses represented 77% of Whistler
workforce

Total employees = full-time + full-time equivalent (FTE)
2
positions
2014/15 Winter Workforce

Whistler Winter Workforce Total = 13,200 FTE positions


11,400 full-time and 1,800 FTE positions from the
part-time workforce
Increase of 400 FTEs over 2013/14 winter season
# of
Businesses
Total FTE
Positions
Full-time
Positions
Part-time FTE
Positions
Small (0-5 Employees)
242
540*
450*
90*
Medium (6-19 Employees)
211
2,000**
1,500**
500*
Large (20+ Employees)
123
10,700**
9,500**
1,200**
TOTAL
576
13,200**
11,400**
1,800**
* Rounded to the nearest ten
** Rounded to the nearest hundred
3
2014/15 Winter Seasonal Workforce


Seasonal workers account for 43% of total winter
workforce in Whistler
Seasonal Whistler workforce total = 5,700 FTE
positions
# of
Businesses
Total Seasonal
FTE Positions
Seasonal
Full-time
Positions
Seasonal Parttime FTE
Positions
Small (0-5 Employees)
242
100*
80*
20*
Medium (6-19 Employees)
211
400**
200**
200**
Large (20+ Employees)
123
5,200**
4,600**
600**
TOTAL
576
5,700**
4,900**
800**
* Rounded to the nearest ten
** Rounded to the nearest hundred
4
Projected 2015/16 Winter Workforce

13,300 FTE positions projected for 2015/16

0.8% projected increase from 2014/15 employment levels
# of
Businesses
Projected FTE
Positions,
2015/16
Full-time
Positions
Part-time
FTE
Positions
% Change
from
2014/15
Small (0-5 Employees)
242
550*
480*
70*
1.9% 
Medium (6-19 Employees)
211
2,000**
1,600**
400*
0.2% 
Large (20+ Employees)
123
10,800**
9,600**
1,200**
0.8% 
TOTAL
576
13,300**
11,700**
1,700**
0.8% 
* Rounded to the nearest ten
** Rounded to the nearest hundred
5
Actual vs. Projected Workforce
Note: All numbers rounded to the nearest hundred
6
2015 Summer Workforce

Summer Season Whistler Workforce Total =
9,800 FTE positions

8,500 full-time and 1,300 FTE positions from the
part-time workforce
# of
Businesses
Total Seasonal
FTE Positions
Seasonal
Full-time
Positions
Seasonal Parttime FTE
Positions
Small (0-5 Employees)
242
580*
510*
70*
Medium (6-19 Employees)
211
1,500**
1,200**
300**
Large (20+ Employees)
13
7,700**
6,800**
900**
576
9,800**
8,500**
1,300**
TOTAL
* Rounded to the nearest ten
** Rounded to the nearest hundred
7
Local Residency of the 2014/15 Workforce

79% of workforce lived in Whistler (10,400 FTE’s)
Community
Goal – 75%

86% of seasonal workforce lived in Whistler
8
2014/15 Winter Season Employee Shortages

17% of businesses unable to meet staffing needs

Main reasons for shortages (only 35 responses):




Workforce retention/transient nature of workforce (14)
Lack of job applications received (12)
Availability of Housing (8)
Cost of Living/Wages (1)
9
2015 Anticipated Summer Employee Shortages


78% of businesses anticipated they would be able to
meet staffing needs for 2015 summer season
Main reasons for anticipated shortages (45 responses):




Lack of job applications received (18)
Workforce retention/transient nature of workforce (14)
Availability of Housing (9)
Cost of living/wages (4)
10
Employer Provided Housing in Whistler

13% of employers provided some staff housing

2,400 beds are supplied by these businesses
11
Employer Provided Housing in Whistler

Types of staff housing supplied by employers:

Rented year round by the company (37%)

Market real estate owned by the company (31%)

Resident restricted housing owned by company (17%)

Rented seasonally by the company (14%)
12
Employer Views on Employee Residency
in Whistler

Importance to businesses for employees to live in
Whistler
 45% feel it is very important
 43% feel it is somewhat important
 12% feel it is not important at all
13
Next Steps:


A copy of the full report will be placed on the
Whistler Housing Authority’s website at:
www.whistlerhousing.ca
A copy of the report will be emailed to
business respondents
THANK YOU
14