A ski or snowboard instructor side hustle in Canada usually means a part-time weekend job at a resort snow school, after a Level 1 course from the Canadian Ski Instructors’ Alliance (CSIA) or the Canadian Association of Snowboard Instructors (CASI). Level 1 courses for 2026/27 cost about $500 to $610 at the resorts and associations below, and four resorts’ 2026/27 job postings offer Level 1 instructors $19.00 to $21.00 an hour to start, close to Job Bank’s $19.00 national median. Fees and wages here were read on each organisation’s own page on October 19, 2026.
Related reading: sports refereeing is another certified weekend job, group fitness instruction covers teaching groups for pay, and best winter side hustles compares other winter work.
| Quick fact | Figure (read October 19, 2026) |
|---|---|
| CASI Level 1 course | $552.98 early / $608.28 regular |
| CASI Level 1 retest | $167.13 early / $183.84 regular |
| CASI regular membership | $112.42 a year, plus tax for Canadian residents |
| CSIA Level 1 at Grouse | $545, three days, lift ticket extra |
| CSIA Level 1 at Whitewater | $499 before or $524 after the early deadline |
| Ski instructor median wage, Canada | $19.00 an hour (Job Bank, 2023-2024 data) |
| Level 1 starting pay, 4 resort postings | $19.00 to $21.00 an hour (2026/27) |
| Cypress part-time minimum | 18 days available, 12 worked, 8 of them peak or holiday days |
How does teaching skiing or snowboarding pay in Canada?
Teaching skiing or snowboarding in Canada pays an hourly wage from the resort’s snow school, so the side hustle is a part-time seasonal job rather than a business. Job Bank’s ski instructor wage page, updated November 19, 2025 from Labour Force Survey data for 2023-2024, lists these hourly figures:
| Region | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $15.44 | $19.00 | $31.00 |
| British Columbia | $18.25 | $23.74 | $35.00 |
| Alberta | $15.50 | $20.00 | $35.00 |
| Ontario | $17.95 | $18.50 | $31.00 |
| Quebec | $16.60 | $18.75 | $29.00 |
| Manitoba | $16.40 | $17.50 | $24.04 |
| Nova Scotia | $17.00 | $17.00 | $24.34 |
| New Brunswick | $15.90 | $16.80 | $25.00 |
The Job Bank occupation is broader than ski schools (it sits in the recreation, sport and fitness instructor group), and the reference period is before 2026 minimum wage increases. Treat the median as a starting point for what to ask in the interview, and the high column as what certified, experienced instructors reach.
What do Canadian resorts pay instructors for 2026/27?
Canadian resorts’ 2026/27 snow school postings start Level 1 instructors at $19.00 to $21.00 an hour and pay more for each certification level. These are the rates posted on each job page when read on October 19, 2026:
| Resort | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 | Extras in the posting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Mountain (Ontario) | $19.00 | $20.26 | $23.55 | $36.77 | Part-time averages 1 to 3 shifts a week; posted until December 1, 2026 |
| Cypress Mountain (North Shore, B.C.) | $19.50+ | $22.50+ | $25.50+ | $32.50 | Hourly bonuses of $0.50 to $2.00; $15 to $20 per requested private hour; unlimited mountain access |
| Revelstoke Mountain Resort (B.C.) | $19.91 to $23.29 | Free winter season pass; lessons are “commissionable” | |||
| Whistler Blackcomb (B.C.) | $21.00 to $57.06 (Level 1 and 2 posting) | (same posting) | Free Epic pass and lessons; posting says the range is minimum base wages, with teaching incentives on top |
Whistler’s single posting covers both Level 1 and Level 2 and gives one range, so the top of it is not a Level 1 rate. Cypress’s bonuses apply for dual-discipline, park or adaptive certifications, second languages and loyalty, as the posting lists them.
What do snow schools require besides the course?
The same postings list what you need on the first day:
- A Level 1 certificate: CSIA, CASI or PSIC Level 1 (Cypress and Whistler also accept recognised foreign equivalents; Blue Mountain accepts another recognised organisation’s certification).
- A police check: Blue Mountain asks applicants 18 or older for a Vulnerable Sector Check; Cypress asks for a Police Information Check with vulnerable sector screening dated April 2025 or later; Revelstoke asks for a criminal record check less than 3 months old.
- Minimum age: 16 at Cypress; Whistler’s Level 1 and 2 posting accepts minor hires from 14.
- Holiday availability: Blue Mountain lists Christmas, Family Day weekend and March Break; Cypress says winter holiday availability is a requirement.
- A season commitment (Cypress): part-time instructors must be available at least 18 days and work 12, including at least 8 peak or holiday days and 10 consistent weekends, evening or night days; full-time instructors must be available 64 days and work 52.
What does it cost to get certified?
Getting certified costs the Level 1 course fee, the association membership, and your lift access during the course. The published 2026/27 numbers:
| Item | Price | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| CASI Level 1 snowboard course | $552.98 early, $608.28 regular | CASI; retest $167.13 early / $183.84 regular |
| CASI regular membership | $112.42 for 1 year, $224.84 for 2 years, plus tax for Canadian residents | CASI member types |
| CSIA Level 1 ski course, Grouse Mountain | $545, lift tickets not included | Grouse; mountain admission 50% off on day 1 of the course |
| CSIA Level 1 ski course, Whitewater | $499 before the early deadline, $524 after | Whitewater |
| CSIA Level 2 at Whitewater | $370.70 early / $389.30 per module | Whitewater, for later seasons |
Grouse’s page says participants must be 14 or older and at ability level 5 or higher, and the course runs 9:30 am to 4:30 pm over three days. CASI’s page says Level 1 gives new instructors basic tools to teach beginner and novice snowboarding.
Illustrative example: when does a Level 1 course pay for itself?
This is an illustrative example. The course fee, membership and wage are sourced; the hours you get and the lift and gear costs are assumptions.
Snowboard route (CASI):
- Sourced: course $608.28 (regular) + membership $112.42 = $720.70 before tax.
- Assumed: $60 for lift access during the course and $0 in new gear because you already ride.
- Up-front cost: $720.70 + $60 = $780.70.
- Sourced wage: the national median of $19.00 an hour.
- Hours to earn it back before tax: $780.70 ÷ $19.00 = 41.1 hours.
| Weekend hours (assumed) | Weeks to recover $780.70 at $19.00 | Weeks at the B.C. median of $23.74 |
|---|---|---|
| 6 a week | 6.8 | 5.5 |
| 10 a week | 4.1 | 3.3 |
| 14 a week | 2.9 | 2.3 |
Ski route (CSIA at Grouse): $545 + an assumed $60 for half-price mountain admission across the course = $605, so $605 ÷ $19.00 = 31.8 hours at the national median. Add the CSIA membership when you register; check the current fee on the CSIA site.
Over an assumed 12-week season at 10 hours a week and $19.00: 12 × 10 × $19.00 = $2,280 gross, or $2,280 − $780.70 = $1,499.30 after the snowboard course costs, before tax and the drive.
Illustrative example: a part-time season at posted resort rates
This is illustrative. The hourly rates and Cypress’s 12-day part-time minimum are from the postings above; the 6 hours a day and the number of extra days are assumptions.
| Season (assumed) | Blue Mountain at $19.00 | Cypress at $19.50 | Revelstoke at $19.91 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 days × 6 hours = 72 hours | $1,368 | $1,404 | $1,433.52 |
| 20 days × 6 hours = 120 hours | $2,280 | $2,340 | $2,389.20 |
| 30 days × 6 hours = 180 hours | $3,420 | $3,510 | $3,583.80 |
Formula: days × hours a day × hourly rate. At Cypress, each requested private hour adds $15 to $20 on top, so 10 requested private hours over a season would add $150 to $200. Before tax, and before the $605 to $780.70 course costs worked out above.
How do you get hired at a snow school?
You get hired at a snow school by applying in the fall, booking a Level 1 course early in the season (often at the same resort), and telling the school which days you can commit to. A first-season plan:
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| October | Check your resort’s snow school job posting and Level 1 dates; register before early-price deadlines |
| November | Apply; confirm the course dates you can attend; sort a lift pass or course-day tickets |
| December | Take the 3-day Level 1 course (Grouse’s first session is December 11 to 13, 2026) |
| January | Teach your first lessons, usually children and beginners on weekends |
| February | Holiday weeks (Family Day, March break planning) are the busiest; offer extra days |
| March to April | Ask about a Level 2 module for next season; keep your hours log |
A message you can copy to a snow school
Subject: Part-time instructor, weekends 2026/27
Hi [snow school supervisor],
I'm a level [ability] [skier/snowboarder] in [city] and I'm registering for
the [CSIA/CASI] Level 1 course on [dates]. I can teach Saturdays and Sundays
from January to March, plus [holiday dates].
Are you hiring part-time instructors this season, and should I take the
course at [resort] to be considered?
[Name], [phone]What other winter teaching work sits next to this?
Other winter teaching work that suits the same skills includes coaching and refereeing, which also pay by the session. Useful neighbours:
- Learn-to-skate and hockey help at community rinks. Ask the city recreation department.
- Refereeing youth hockey or ringette. See the sports referee guide.
- Group fitness classes for ski conditioning in the fall. See group fitness instruction.
- Backyard rink care for families. See backyard rink flooding.
- Other resort jobs: check the same resort careers page for non-teaching winter roles.
Which tax rules apply to ski instructor pay in Canada?
Ski instructor pay from a resort is usually employment income. The CRA’s line 10100 page says employment income, including wages and tips, is usually shown in box 14 of your T4 slip, and lets you claim the Canada employment amount. Tips not shown on a T4 can be reported with additional CPP contributions, as that page explains. Private lessons you sell yourself, where a resort allows them, would be self-employment income on Form T2125.
The free pass is the other tax question. The CRA’s recreational facilities page says use of an employer’s in-house recreational facility is not a taxable benefit when it is available to all employees free or for a minimal fee, and is taxable at fair market value when only a select group gets it. That page does not mention ski passes by name, and Whistler’s posting lists free passes for dependents as a full-time benefit, so ask payroll how passes show up on your T4. This is not tax, legal, or insurance advice.
What can this guide not confirm?
This guide cannot confirm wages at resorts not listed above, whether a posted rate will still apply when you are hired, the hours a snow school will give a first-year instructor, whether a resort lets instructors sell private lessons on its hill, or the current CSIA membership fee (the CSIA’s own site did not load for this guide). Job Bank wages are from 2023-2024 data and cover a broader occupation group; the resort rates came from job postings read on October 19, 2026 (Revelstoke’s through the CareerBeacon job board). Course fees were read on October 19, 2026 and can change before registration. This is not tax, legal, or insurance advice.
Which guides sit next to ski and snowboard instructing?
- Learn-to-skate coaching: Skate Canada’s CanSkate course, coach fees and Job Bank pay for skating coaches.
- Sports refereeing: certified weekend work paid per game.
- Group fitness instruction: teaching classes with a certification.
- Best winter side hustles: the full winter list.
- Seasonal holiday jobs: other part-time jobs from November to January.
What are the common questions?
How much does a ski instructor course cost in Canada?
For 2026/27, CSIA Level 1 was $545 at Grouse Mountain (lift tickets extra) and $499 early or $524 at Whitewater. CASI Level 1 for snowboarding was $552.98 early or $608.28 regular, plus $112.42 a year membership plus tax.
How much do ski instructors make in Canada?
Job Bank lists a national median of $19.00 an hour, with a $15.44 low and a $31.00 high, based on 2023-2024 data. For 2026/27, resort postings start Level 1 instructors at $19.00 (Blue Mountain), $19.50+ (Cypress), $19.91 to $23.29 (Revelstoke) and from $21.00 (Whistler Blackcomb).
How old do you have to be to take CSIA Level 1?
Grouse Mountain's course page says participants must be 14 or older and at ability level 5 or higher.
Is ski instructor pay self-employment income?
Usually not. Resort snow schools normally employ instructors, so the pay is employment income shown on a T4 slip and reported on line 10100. Private lessons you sell yourself would be business income on Form T2125. This is not tax advice.
When should I sign up for a Level 1 course?
In October or November. Grouse's first 2026/27 session is December 11 to 13, Whitewater's is December 19 to 21, and early-price deadlines come before the course.
Which sources support this guide?
The rules, rates, and platform requirements in this guide are checked against these primary sources. Retail price ranges are labelled as ranges to verify locally, and they are not quotes.
- Level 1 Instructor — Canadian Association of Snowboard Instructors
- Member Types — Canadian Association of Snowboard Instructors
- CSIA Instructor Certification — Grouse Mountain
- Instructor Courses — Whitewater Mountain Resort
- Ski Instructor in Canada: Wages — Job Bank, Government of Canada
- Certified Ski Instructor - Winter - Full/Part-Time — Blue Mountain Resort
- Ski & Snowboard Instructors - Winter 2026/27 (Cypress Mountain) — Canada West Ski Areas Association
- Certified Ski or Snowboard Instructor, Level 1 & 2 — Whistler Blackcomb (Vail Resorts)
- RMR Winter 26/27 Snow School - Ski Instructor Level 1 — Revelstoke Mountain Resort (via CareerBeacon)
- Recreational facilities and club dues — Canada Revenue Agency
- Line 10100 – Employment income — Canada Revenue Agency
- T2125 Statement of Business or Professional Activities — Canada Revenue Agency