Lake Louise Ski Resort is in Alberta, Canada in the Canadian Rockies, near the border with British Columbia. It is about one and a half hours drive to the west from Calgary and is one of the major resorts in Banff National Park and Canada.

The town of Banff is the base for 3 resorts in the area, including Lake Louise.

Season: Late November through April
Province: Alberta
Accommodation: Yes… staff housing provided. Some people choose to live in Banff and commute to work daily
Min Age: 19
Jobs: Snowmaking, Lift Operations, Retails, Rental, Guest Services, Snowmaking, Food & Beverage
Interview Locations: Australia

Located 130 miles west of Calgary in Alberta, the Banff region has three ski areas: Sunshine Village, Mt. Norquay, and the Lake Louise Ski Area. Although the region is similar in size to Vail, its base facilities are not as extensive as those in the U.S. What it lacks in facilities, Banff makes up for by being a “real” town with an emphasis on friendliness instead of attitude. There are more than forty hotels and resorts in Banff and a high percentage of its visitors are international, most of them from England, Germany, and Japan. Prepare to be awestruck at your first look at Lake Louise, forty miles from Banff. Craggy mountain peaks protect the waters of this sparkling emerald lake. Chateau Lake Louise, nestled between the water and the mountains, completes the picture to fairy-tale perfection.

Winter Activities

The Lake Louise ski area is the largest of the three with 4,000 skiable acres. It is comfortable for all levels; the real thrill-seekers can ski the Canadian men’s and women’s downhill race course for fun. Those suffering from high anxiety should know that some of the chairlifts carry skiers directly over the Continental Divide. Sunshine Village tends to the intermediate, and Mt. Norquay/Mystic Ridge is a day ski area only. Daring skiers can try helicopter skiing to areas in the Canadian Rockies that are inaccessible any other way. There are also hundreds of cross-country tracks maintained by Parks Canada. Other unique opportunities include gliding on skates across frozen Lake Louise.

For a break from the slopes, explore the Victoria glacier, ride in a sleigh or a toboggan, or take a bus tour and try out the woodsy hot springs in Banff National Park. Lake Louise is open nightly for ice skating. There are also bus tours to nearby Bow Falls, Vermilion Lakes, and Castle Mountain.

Summer Activities

Summer in Banff offers amazing photo opportunities. Take a gondola ride up the mountainside, or hike the alpine meadow trails and capture the natural beauty of the Canadian Rockies. For hiking, mountain biking, and other outdoor recreation

Transportation

Banff is 130 miles west of Calgary on Trans-Canada Highway 1. Major airlines such as Air Canada, American West, Continental, Delta, and United serve Calgary International Airport. From the airport, ground transportation to Banff is available from Laidlaw Transportation, (403) 762-4558, and Brewster Transportation, (403) 762-6700. Banff is five miles east of Sunshine Village, four miles north of Mystic Ridge, and thirty-five miles southwest of Lake Louise.

Because the town of Banff is set away from the slopes, free buses run four times per day back and forth from town to the different ski areas. At night the Happy Bus shuttle runs for $1 Cdn. to take night owls to the various hot spots around Banff until midnight.

STAFF ACCOMMODATION

Full-time seasonal employees of the Lake Louise Ski Area (LLSA) are offered affordable, subsidised shared staff accommodation in either company-owned housing or a resort-leased property located in and around the Lake Louise area.

All employees are required to sign a Tenancy Agreement outlining the rules and regulations of LLSA Staff Accommodation and are required to pay a security deposit of $200 upon check in, no exceptions.

Staff transportation is provided from all of our accommodations to the resort on a set schedule, and this can take up to 15 minutes to reach Lake Louise Ski Resort from Lake Louise Staff Housing.

When can I start to move into staff housing?

48 hours before your first day of work. The housing office is open seven days a week, and check-in times are between 8:30 am and 5:30 pm. If you are arriving in Lake Louise after 5:30 pm you will need to organize your accommodation for the evening. You must present your criminal record check and picture ID at the time of check-in.

Eight hundred employees are hired each winter and fifty are added for the summer season

JOB VACANCIES

The Lake Louise ski area is a world-class resort that offers some of the finest terrain in North America. If you combine this with outstanding training and the most competitive wages in the area, you have found the ultimate job.

You must be enthusiastic, self-motivated & have an unquestionable work ethic! Applicants must be 19 years of age or older. Training is offered to all roles, however, some roles may require previous experience.

Lake Louise Jobs available on the Powder Program:

• Cashier
• Guest Services
• Lift Operators
• Prep Cook
• Rental Shop Technician
• Snowmaker

STAFF BENEFITS

YOUR SEASON PASS IS PACKED WITH PERKS

• Unlimited alpine access and year-round exclusive deals
• Free skating
• Free night skiing discounts & savings at the resort
• Free Nordic Trail access
• Free snowshoe trail access, Club 65

There are great activities organized for staff – visits to hockey games in Kelowna, ice hockey tournaments between departments at the skating rink, BBQs, film nights, and at the end of the season, an end-of-year party at Kelowna golf course, a Christmas dinner and party, plus lots, lots more.

“It’s the snow” is our motto and we live up to our name with an average 750cm (24.5ft) of Okanagan Champagne Powder falling annually. Our bountiful, dry powder is legendary and was awarded “Best Powder” by Ski Canada Magazine in 2008!

As a family resort, we also put your safety first and want to keep you safe and happy while you enjoy our slopes. You will see our daily “Slow Zones” that make it easy for beginners and people that want to take it slow, and we also have our Safety Tips for using the resort and helping you to watch out for any little hazards Mother Nature may put in your path. We look forward to having you spend time with us out in the Champagne Powder this season!

* Please note that Big White will deduct $10CAD (roughly) each week from your pay cheque as a security deposit for the cost of your season lift pass. On completion of the ski season, you will be refunded this full amount and will have a healthy chunk of savings to take away with you.

LIFE AT LAKE LOUISE

Choose a lifestyle, not just a job! Outdoor enthusiasts from all over the world are drawn to Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada for its pristine natural environment with soaring mountain peaks, the majestic Victoria Glacier and glistening emerald lake.

Many colleagues at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise immerse themselves into the mountain lifestyle and enjoy regular access to countless summer and winter activities at significantly discounted rates.

The village of Lake Louise, Alberta is a small and friendly community with a population of approximately 1,200 residents. Lake Louise is located 56 km (40 minutes by car) from the town of Banff, and 182 km (2 hours by car) from the city of Calgary.

Commitment

There are various positions that have different start dates and end dates. Snowmakers start in early October and are usually finished in late December/early January. When we hire a new employee we want them to make a commitment for the full season for their position. Most start dates will be between October 24th and December 15th and finish dates between April 15th and May 10th. Lake Louise cannot hire employees that are just looking to spend their university break or 1-2 months working at a ski resort. The amount of training and timing of the breaks do not fit with our business goals of providing guests with the best experience possible. It is also very rare that we will be able to accommodate time off for holidays during the season.

If you enjoy your time at Lake Louise, there are many opportunities to carry on your employment into the following season. Lake Louise gives preference to internal candidates for all seasonal positions before we start external recruitment.

Pay Periods

The two-week pay period ends every second Sunday at midnight. Your pay will be automatically deposited into your bank account on every second Monday. You will be required to open a bank account for direct deposit. It is very easy to open a bank account in Canada as long as you have some form of identification; there are some banks that require a minimum deposit of $50. There is an ATB Financial branch in Lake Louise, located at Experience Lake Louise in Samson Mall for an easy set up.

Your Work Week

This once again depends on your position. Most positions work 5 days a week, 8 hours a day and start between 7-9am and finish between 3:30- 5:30pm. Our busiest time is usually on weekends, so the majority of staff will have two days off during the week, which is actually ideal as the hill is not as busy.

Grooming and Appearance Policy for LLSR Employees

Male Employees:

• • Men’s hair must be neatly maintained and combed, be clear of the eyes and ears, and must not extend below the base of the neck or beyond the collar.
• • Male employees must be clean-shaven or have neatly trimmed, well-groomed full mustaches, goatees or beards.
• • Earrings are limited to one small “stud” in a maximum of one ear.

Female Employees:

• • Hair below shoulder length must be neat and not fall forward over the face while working, thus creating a safety hazard.
• • Earrings are limited to two per ear and must be tasteful.

All Employees:

• Extreme hairstyles such as mohawks or half-shaven heads are not permitted.
• Dreadlocks are not permitted.
• Corn rows are permitted ONLY if they are either cut short or pulled back in a ponytail.
• Unnatural hair colours are not permitted (i.e. blue, pink).
• Those working in the catering department must, as per Health & Safety Regulations, tie their hair back if longer than shoulder length.
• Earrings must be tasteful on both male and female employees.  Earrings, in all cases, cannot dangle. Excessive amounts of jewellery may not be worn on duty for safety reasons.
• Small-jeweled nose studs are allowed but limited to one stud on the side of the nose. All other facial piercings must be removed while working.
• Visible tattoos and body piercings must be discrete, tasteful and in keeping with Lake Louise Ski Resort’s world-class, professional and family-friendly image. No tattoos are permissible on the face or neck area. Small and tasteful tattoos behind the ear may be permissible at the discretion of departmental management. Visible tattoos that may be construed as offensive to a guest or fellow employee are not permitted. Managers and supervisors reserve the right to require an employee to cover any tattoos during work periods.  
• Hats/toques should have the LLSR logo present unless otherwise authorized by your manager.
• Good personal hygiene standards are required. Please wear deodorant. Proper dental care is essential.