One hour of ice time in Nelson costs more than the Edmonton Oilers pay to practice.
In the spring of 2024, James McEwan's company Infinite Ice ran a camp at Edmonton's Downtown Community Arena where the Oilers practice. He was charged $365 for an hour of ice time.
That same hour at either of Nelson's rinks would cost him $524.01.
鈥淲ho charges that?," said McEwan. "It鈥檚 outrageous.鈥�
Infinite Ice runs five-day camps for players ages seven to 18 in July and August. This year will be the first time in seven years McEwen doesn't bring his camp to Nelson due to how much the Regional District of Central Kootenay charges for commercial ice rentals, which are among the most expensive rates in B.C.
Hourly ice rental rates vary by size of the facility, time of year (off-season rentals are in lower demand, and therefore less expensive, than winter bookings) and who the user group is. Cities, regional districts and privately owned rinks usually have different rates for non-profit organizations and youth groups, which are always less expensive than those for businesses.
Commercial indoor ice rentals for one hour at either the Nelson and District Community Complex (NDCC) or the Nelson Civic Arena cost $524.01, which is the second highest price among 23 B.C. municipalities and regional districts surveyed by the Nelson Star and also more expensive than what is charged in Calgary and Edmonton.
Only the City of Vernon, which charges $534.35 to non-resident businesses, was more expensive than Nelson.
The RDCK said McEwan was also offered $326.33, the same private rate the regional district charges at its rinks in Castlegar and Creston 鈥� which is still higher than what Vancouver, Victoria, Penticton and Calgary ask 鈥� but he turned it down.
鈥淚 really like the small communities and growing roots and working with the community," said McEwan. "We had a great relationship with the community and Nelson, and so it's really disappointing that we weren't able to make something work.鈥�
The RDCK owns the NDCC and manages the Civic Arena for the City of Nelson. That requires higher overhead costs than if the regional district operated just one rink in the city, and fees are based on a cost-recovery model with ice times prioritized for the public and non-profit groups.
鈥淲e鈥檙e constantly trying to strike a balance between user fees and taxation," said an RDCK spokesperson in a statement to the Star.
"Some people in the community want us to reduce our operations to keep taxes down, while others are asking for us to increase our operations and keep rental rates and user fees lower. It鈥檚 a tough balancing act because if we lower both user fees, rental rates and taxation, it can affect the quality of our operations and services and the overall maintenance of our facilities.鈥�
Few regional districts in B.C. manage rinks. The cheapest commercial hourly rate among regional districts found by the Star was Strathcona, which charges $84-$127.30 for rentals at its two-rink facility. Fraser Valley Regional District's rate at Hope Arena is $153-$162, while Comox Valley charges $174.55.
The RDCK plans to review its ice rental rates this month and will consider if Nelson's should match those in Castlegar and Creston.
Nelson Minor Hockey Association president Kelly Everett said in a statement the RDCK's commercial rate is an obstacle to local player development. Sixty players took part in Infinite Ice's 2024 Nelson camp.
鈥淗aving these camps available locally in Nelson allow our members to access affordable, high-quality training close to home, contributing significantly to their growth on and off the ice. Unfortunately, the financial constraint of rising rental fees have made it impossible to continue providing this essential opportunity at this time.
"Nelson Minor Hockey remains committed to finding alternate ways to support the development of our athletes, and will continue to explore new options to provide similar opportunities in the future.鈥�
McEwen says he paid $160 per hour in Nelson before the rates were changed for the 2024-2025 season. Under the RDCK's current commercial rate, McEwen estimates it would cost him approximately $10,000 to host two groups of players over five days, which he can't afford.
鈥淚鈥檓 not a big corporation here," he said. "They didn't seem to care. They said, 鈥榃ell, no, we have our private rates.鈥� It's been very frustrating.鈥�
