Skiing, snowboarding and other activities that take place at ski areas involve the risk of injury. The information contained in the Safety and Risk Awareness section of this website is intended to inform you of the risks, dangers and hazards that you may encounter at a ski area and help you to stay safe while enjoying these activities. Whether you are a participant in these activities or a parent or guardian of a minor participant, please take the time to familiarize yourself with the Safety and Risk Awareness information on this website.

EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY

The use of ski area premises and facilities and participation in activities at ski areas involves various risks, dangers and hazards. It is a condition of your use of the premises and facilities and your participation in these activities that you assume all risk of personal injury, death or property loss resulting from any cause whatsoever, including negligence, breach of contract, breach of statutory duty of care, or breach of any other duty of care on the part of the ski area operator. Your legal responsibility as a user of the ski area premises and facilities or participant in activities at the ski area is explained in the following notice, which you will see posted at the ski area.

SKIING AND SNOWBOARDING

Skiing, snowboarding, and cross country skiing (nordic) involves various risks, dangers and hazards including, but not limited to the following:

  • boarding, riding and disembarking ski lifts;
  • changing weather conditions;
  • avalanches;
  • exposed rock, earth, ice, and other natural objects;
  • trees, tree wells, tree stumps and forest deadfall;
  • the condition of snow or ice on or beneath the surface;
  • variations in the terrain which may create blind spots or areas of reduced visibility;
  • variations in the surface or sub-surface, including changes due to man-made or artificial snow;
  • variable and difficult conditions;
  • natural and man-made objects;
  • freestyle terrain and other recreational features;
  • streams, creeks, and exposed holes in the snow pack above streams or creeks;
  • cliffs; crevasses;
  • snowcat roads, road-banks or cut-banks;
  • collision with lift towers, fences, snow making equipment, snow grooming equipment, snowcats, snowmobiles or other vehicles, equipment or structures;
  • encounters with domestic and wild animals including dogs and bears;
  • collision with other persons;
  • loss of balance or control; slips, trips and falls;
  • accidents during snow school lessons;
  • negligent first aid;
  • failure to act safely or within one’s own ability or to stay within designated areas;
  • negligence of other persons; and NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART OF THE OPERATOR.

Exclusion of Liability

Always consult the resorts web site and trail maps to familiarize yourself with the facilities and terrain to help ensure an enjoyable day.

RESPONSIBILITY CODE

There are elements of risk that common sense and personal awareness can help reduce. Regardless of how you decide to use the slopes, always show courtesy to others. Please adhere to the code listed below and share with others the responsibility for a safe outdoor experience.

  • Alpine Code
  • Nordic Code

Alpine Skier Responsibility Code

TRAIL SIGNAGE

  • Trail Difficulty
  • Freestyle Terrain

Circles, squares and diamonds: Understanding trail designations

These symbols represent a ski resort trail designation system that categorizes ski and snowboard slopes by difficulty. Resorts throughout North America (and much of the world) use green circles, blue squares and black diamonds to indicate difficulty. Nordic trail systems also often use these symbols. Each resort ranks it’s own trails based on the relative difficulty of their specific area. Normally about 25 percent of the trails are designated green, 50 percent blue, and 25 percent black.

Degree of Difficulty Signage

HELMET POLICY

The Ontario Snow Resorts Association and Laurentian Ski Hill recommend wearing helmets for skiing and riding. Skiers and snowboarders are encouraged to educate themselves on the benefits and limitations of helmet usage. The primary safety consideration and obligation under the Alpine Responsibility code is to ski and ride in a controlled and responsible manner.

All staff who are required to ride or ski as part of their job are required to wear a helmet.

Helmets are mandatory in the terrain park.

EMPLOYEE CODE OF CONDUCT POLICY

Intent

Laurentian Ski Hill is committed to providing a safe, healthy workplace that promotes a high level of job satisfaction and a respectful work environment. We believe that it is a shared responsibility of all employees to work towards the constant improvement of our workplace. To assist the organization in maintaining an exemplary work environment, we require that all employees of Laurentian Ski Hill conduct themselves in an ethical and professional manner, at all times.

Scope

This policy applies to all employees, including contractors, volunteers and students.

Policy Guidelines

To preserve the core values and business principles that our organization is founded upon, we have compiled a list of unacceptable behavioural actions that have been classified as either:

  1. Hazardous to employee safety;
  2. Criminal;
  3. A negative influence on workplace morale; or
  4. Detrimental to the success of our business.

Laurentian Ski Hill reserves the right to discipline and, in certain cases, terminate the employment of any employee for participating in any conduct that violates Laurentian Ski Hill’s Code of Conduct standards and policies.

Unacceptable Actions / Behaviour

Unacceptable behaviour shall include, but not be limited to the following:

  • Causing physical harm to another person.
  • Threats or harassing behaviour.
  • Willful damage or destruction to employer property, or employee property.
  • Possession of a weapon while on employer premises, or while conducting business on behalf of the employer.
  • Disorderly, immoral, or indecent conduct.
  • Violation of health and safety practices, policies and procedures.
  • Theft, including physical and intellectual properties.
  • Insubordination.
  • Dishonest, illegal or improper business activities.
  • Job abandonment.
  • The use, possession, sale, manufacture or dispensation of any illegal drug, alcohol, or paraphernalia associated with either.
  • The use of alcohol or illicit narcotics off employer premises that adversely affects the employee’s work performance, the employee’s own safety or the safety of others at work, or the employer’s reputation in the community.
  • Failure to report to management the use of any prescribed drug which may alter the employee’s ability to safely perform his/her duties.
  • Arriving to work late without providing advance notice and/or without reasonable cause.
  • Failure to properly report an absence.
  • Failure to meet stated goals, objectives and/or performance metrics required for a position.

Employees are expected to perform their job duties in a manner conducive to a safe workplace, following all employer practices, policies and procedures.

Integrity

In dealing with customers and the general public, all employees must show a high degree of courtesy and integrity. Any unethical or discourteous behaviour to a visitor, caller or fellow employee is prohibited and may result in disciplinary action up to and including discharge

Competence

Employees are expected to conduct their work in a conscientious, diligent and efficient manner.

Criminal Record Check Policy

Laurentian Ski Hill will comply with all Federal and Provincial legislation regarding the protection of human rights for applicants when conducting criminal background checks. As Laurentian Ski Hill deals with vulnerable populations, we have a responsibility to protect and maintain their safety, and may do so by conducting thorough screening protocols for potential applicants.

Criminal Records Checks will be required for individuals that will work with, work in close proximity to, or have access to children and vulnerable adults including persons with certain types of disabilities. This requirement is in place to make sure that potential staff, members or volunteers have not engaged in harmful behavior in the past that could pose future risk.

Criminal Record Checks will be utilized upon completion of all other previously established Laurentian Ski Hill hiring procedures, including application blanks, interviews and reference checks.

Confidentiality

Employees have a duty to hold all information concerning the business affairs of Laurentian Ski Hill in strict confidence. Under no circumstances are the affairs of the company to be discussed or revealed to any outside source. This confidentiality is expected during and following your term of employment with the company.

Examples of confidential information (but not limited to);

  • Compensation data
  • Financial information
  • Marketing strategies
  • Pending projects and proposals
  • Personal information on staff members, management or board members

Employees should avoid participating in or commenting on matters concerning Laurentian Ski Hill.

All requests from the media should be referred without comment to Trish Pecore or a member of the management team.

Conflict of Interest

Laurentian Ski Hill does not tolerate behaviour which is a conflict with the interests of the company and the conduct of its business. The appearance of such behaviour is also not acceptable. Employees are expected at all times to act in good faith and with the best interests of the company in mind.

Workplace Harassment Policy

Laurentian Ski Hill does not tolerate harassment of our job applicants, employees or customers. Any form of harassment related to an employee’s race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, place of origin, age, disability, family status or any other personal attribute protected by federal or provincial law, is a violation of this policy and will be treated as a disciplinary matter.

Harassment, including sexual harassment, involves an incident or series of incidents, wherein unwelcome comments or actions concerning a persons race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, place of origin, age, disability, family status or any other personal attribute protected by federal or provincial law, when:

  • Such conduct might reasonably be expected to cause insecurity, discomfort, offense or humiliation to another person or group
  • Submission to such conduct is made either implicitly or explicitly a condition of employment
  • Submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as a basis for any employment decisions including, but not limited to, promotions, salary increases, job security or benefits; or
  • Such conduct has the purpose or effect of interfering with a person’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment.

Sexual harassment, one of the most common forms of harassment, is defined as any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that detrimentally affects the work environment and might reasonably be perceived by the employee as placing a sexual condition on employment, training or promotion or leads to other adverse job related consequences.

Examples of sexual behaviour may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Unwelcome sexual or gender related jokes, comments, personal questions, propositions, or taunting about person’s body, attire, sex or sexual orientation;
  • Obscene or vulgar language, noises, innuendo, looks or leering (suggestive persistent staring);
  • Displaying of pornographic or sexist pictures or materials including calendars or graffiti in any form, including on computer;
  • Physical contact such as touching, rubbing, patting, pinching, massaging or standing unreasonably close;
  • Unwelcome invitations or requests, whether direct or indirect, intimidation or any other comments that might be construed as demands for sexual favours;
  • Physical assault that is sexually related

Laurentian Ski Hill also does not tolerate retaliation against persons who have made complaints under this policy, whether for themselves or on behalf of another, persons who have cooperated in an investigation under this policy or cooperated in an investigation under this policy or cooperated in an investigation under this policy.

Retaliation is any action taken against an individual in retaliation for:

  • Having invoked this policy whether on behalf of oneself or another individual;
  • Having participated or cooperated in any investigation under this policy; or
  • For having been associated with a person who has invoked this policy or participated in these procedures.

If you believe you have been the victim of harassment, or know of another employee who has, report it immediately. Employees can raise concerns and make reports without fear of reprisal.

Any supervisor who becomes aware of possible harassment should promptly advice their supervisor or the human resources representative who will handle the matter in a timely and confidential manner.

Violation of this policy by an employee, including retaliation, shall subject the employee to severe disciplinary action, up to and including immediate discharge. Disciplinary action will be taken regardless of the seniority or position of the employee.

What to do if Harassment Occurs

Harassment is behaviour that is not welcome, is personally offensive, adversely affects morale and interferes with work effectiveness. Laurentian Ski Hill will not tolerate harassment by any Manager, Supervisor, co worker or client. All managers and supervisors must take action to limit, prohibit or stop any behaviour that is in any way harassing to an Employee or Co worker once they have been made aware of such behaviour. This extends to all company social functions.

If you ever feel that you are being harassed in your work environment, here is a 3 step plan of action to follow:

Step One:

Do not ignore the harassment. If you feel that you are being harassed, immediately make the alleged harasser aware of your disapproval and/ or discomfort with their comments, actions or behaviour. If the behaviour does not stop immediately go to step 2.

If at any time you do not feel comfortable approaching the alleged harasser, immediately go to Step 2 to contact another party (manager or supervisor) or any member of our senior management team.

Step Two:

Seek guidance. You should contact your manager or the alleged harasser’s manager immediately

Step Three:

File a formal complaint. Write out the details of the harassing behaviour along with your response(s), being as accurate and specific as possible. Provide dates, times, locations, details of exact comments, actions or behaviour, materials (pictures, notes etc.) and names of any witnesses. A written record is not necessary to file a complaint but it can strengthen your case and does help you remember details over time.

Employees may formally or informally raise incidents of harassment with their manager or supervisor. In the case of an informal complaint, if no resolution is forthcoming within a reasonable time period or if the employee(s) is (are) not satisfied with the suggested informal resolution, then the employee(s) may file a formal written complaint with Kathy Wilcox, President of the Board of Directors.

Any formal written complaint of harassment filed by an employee must contain:

  1. the name of the complainant
  2. The name of the alleged offender (s); and
  3. Details of the incident(s) complained of including dates, places, names of individuals involved or witnessing the incident(s), and any other relevant information.

Dealing with a formal complaint:

  1. Once a complaint is received it will be kept strictly confidential, except that the alleged harasser and the manager who is involved, if necessary, will be provided with a copy of the complaint. An investigation will be undertaken immediately by the manager and all necessary steps taken to resolve the problem.
  2. The complainant and the alleged harasser will both be interviewed separately along with any individuals who may be able to provide relevant information.
  3. If the investigation reveals evidence to support the complaint of workplace harassment, the harasser will be disciplined appropriately and the incident will be documented and filed. No documentation whatsoever will be placed in the complainant’s file where the complaint is filed in good faith, whether the complaint is up held or not.
  4. If the investigation fails to find evidence to support the complaint, there will be NO documentation filed concerning the complaint.
  5. Employees who make legitimate complaints of workplace harassment will not have their career affected in any adverse manner. Where the complaint is determined to be frivolous and / or vindictive in nature, Laurentian Ski Hill shall take appropriate action towards the complainant, which may include discipline.
  6. Retaliation against an individual who has filed a complaint or who has been named as a witness or respondent in a complaint, whether or not the complaint was substantiated and whether or not the complaint was resolved through any of the procedures set out in this policy, may itself become an incident of workplace harassment and could result in disciplinary action being taken by Laurentian Ski Hill.

ALL PROGRAMS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE

  • 9 week programs and camps are non-refundable.
  • Classes missed cannot be made up.
  • In the case of hill closure or class cancellation, we will make all attempts to make up the class