Kelowna RCMP investigate bear spray incident outside of Big White pub Sunday night

RCMP investigate bear spray

Photo: Snowshoe Sam's

RCMP investigate bear spray incident outside of Snowshoe Sam's on Sunday Dec.14, 2025.

Kelowna RCMP is investigating a bear spray incident that happened outside of a pub at Big White ski Resort Sunday night.

RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Allison Konsmo tells Castanet they were called to the incident at 10 p.m. on Dec. 14 outside Snowshoe Sam's Pub.

"Police attended, and the investigation is still ongoing, she said.

Big White Ski Resort vice president, Michael J. Ballingall, tells Castanet the incident seems to have started earlier in the evening when a group of underage individuals weren't allowed to buy alcohol at the Market, Liquor and Wine Cellar, and then they were denied entrance into Snowshoe Sam's Pub.

"They tried to convince somebody in line to go in and buy them liquor at the market. They were told to go away. So they went away, then they came back with balaclavas on, and they got in a fight with somebody standing in line. And the security came out, and they pepper-sprayed security," says Ballingall.

Some of the patrons and staff suffered chemical burns, Ballingall says, the Big White Fire Department and an ambulance responded and at least 15 people were treated.

"Sam's shut down right away, and they looked after the people who were affected. So it was really hats off to Snowshoe Sam's for doing what they did. It didn't happen inside, it happened outside their bar."

Ballingall says Snowshoe Sam's was hosting an industry night for the ski hill employees and some of the people caught in the spray had only been on the mountain for a few days.

"These are not mountain people. These are people who have come from somewhere else, underage, so they're staying in someone's apartment that obviously either owns it or is old enough to book it. So that's very concerning, very upsetting.

"Everyone's just in a good mood and jolly, and these are city problems that every once in a while come to the mountain," Ballingall says.

The Christmas season starts this Friday at Big White. Right now there are 76 runs and 10 lifts operating, Ballingall says he's hoping cooler temperatures bring more snow.

The skating rink and the Tube Park remain closed. The resort received so much rain that the Tube Park was washed out, and the skating rink is also mostly water right now.

Ballingall says he has also offered condolences and counselling in the wake of the shootings at Bondi Beach in Australia.

"You know, at least 30, 40 per cent of the kids here are from Australia, from the Sydney area. Everybody knows Bondi Beach, and everybody knows Australia and Australians, it's upsetting to all of us," Ballingall says.