Learning

Whistler is committed to being a learning community. The Learning Strategy addresses resident and visitor needs for formal and informal learning opportunities, and includes school programs, distance learning, professional learning, and learning to enhance personal fulfillment and community participation. It does not include the employee training needs of individual Whistler businesses, as these are addressed in the Visitor Experience and Economic Strategies.

Introduction

Whistler is a unique community with a well-educated population that expects high quality, diverse and affordable opportunities to meet lifelong learning and formal education needs. There are tensions between delivering learning opportunities that are diverse and of superior quality, yet affordable, especially when supported by a relatively small permanent population of 10,000. However, accomplishing the right balance is a critical part of ensuring that individuals and families will remain in Whistler and contribute to the vibrancy and social fabric of the resort. Along with challenges, there are also opportunities to market learning offerings to visitors. This will complement and diversify Whistler’s tourism economy, support local learning initiatives, and enhance the visitor experience. A community’s ‘knowledge base’ is regarded as a fundamental factor for effective local development* and adapting to change. Therefore, strengthening Whistler as a learning community to further develop local human and social capital will help to build the resort community’s capacity to achieve the shared vision of success and sustainability...

* "Cities and Regions in the New Learning Economy”. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2001.

Desciption of Success

In 2020, Whistler has developed and facilitated learning opportunities that enable personal and professional development and that help to achieve Whistler’s vision.
By this time:

Diverse, affordable and accessible lifelong learning opportunities exist to meet the community’s needs
A learning culture is nurtured and promoted locally and regionally through diverse formal and informal opportunities and leverages Whistler’s international stature
The early learning needs of children in the resort community are met
A high quality kindergarten through post-secondary education system offers a diversity of programs that meet the needs and expectations of the community
Residents and visitors have many opportunities to actively learn about the resort community, the natural environment and First Nations culture
Opportunities exist within developed and recreational areas for people to learn about the natural environment
Learning opportunities contribute to the local economy and attract visitors to the resort community for learning vacations
Learning opportunities foster collaboration, trust and community engagement and build the community’s capacity for achieving Whistler’s vision of success and sustainability for future generations