'Homeless In Whistler' Film Zeroes In On Big Problem In Resort

Whistler, B.C. is a popular resort with celebrities and the wealthy, so it may be surprising to find out that homeless people struggle to find shelter there.

By one homeless man's estimate, around 200 people have no homes. Many live in their cars or surf from couch to couch.

It contrasts with the picture of the tony resort that tourists are used to, and the attractive seasonal work that brings people from other parts of Canada and the world.

Whistler filmmaker Chris Dickinson said he thinks this perception is exactly what has led to a gap in housing services.

"The reality is that not only is this place a resort, it’s a town. Our population is beginning to urbanize and people here are facing struggles and challenges and we need to acknowledge that," he told the Whistler Question.

He's hoping to raise awareness with a new film, "Homeless in Whistler." The documentary follows several people in tenuous housing situations, including Sylvain Travers, who was living in his camper until it was impounded for being illegally parked in a lot.

Dickinson has launched an Indiegogo campaign to help Travers get his camper back.

"The frustration does not lie with the towing company who impounded the vehicle (and have agreed to reduce the impound fees by 70% to see that Sylvain gets his home back), but rather the municipality and province who refuse to acknowledge that there is a homeless population in Whistler and that they should be adequately supported," he said in his campaign pitch.

Whistler has no homeless shelter. But Mayor Nancy Wilhelm-Morden told the Question she thinks that agencies like Whistler Community Services Society, which runs an interim housing program, as well as emergency services, do a good enough job of helping homeless residents.

Homeless people were moved out of Whistler during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics to a temporary emergency shelter in Squamish, according to CBC News.

A 2010 project called "Home For The Games" matched Whistler homeowners with Olympic visitors looking for a place to rent, but while 50 per cent of the rental fees were directed to charity, all the money went to affordable housing organizations in Metro Vancouver.