Interior Health warns of safety risks at resort north of 100 Mile House, B.C.

A resort in B.C.’s interior is under public health alert amid expired permits and water safety issues — and officials say they’ve faced challenges with the property for years.

Interior Health (IH) has ordered the immediate closure of the restaurant, pool and hot tub at Spruce Hill Resort & Spa at 108 Mile Ranch, just north of 100 Mile House – saying people using them may be at risk.

health authority issued advisory on Friday and said the resort has been operating without valid operating permits for food service, pools and hot tubs since March 31 — and has continued to welcome guests, despite multiple shutdown orders.

“We have seen non-compliance at this facility for the last four years,” said Courtney Zimmerman, Interior Health’s corporate director of environmental health.

“Officials have posted orders on restaurant doors and it appears the operators are seeking to remove those orders.”

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He said the resort has had more than 200 enforcement actions in that time.

“This is everything Complaint inspection for orders, tickets and court appearances,

Zimmerman said inspectors recently found the resort was not notifying guests about active boil-water notices.

“If someone comes to a resort and unknowingly drinks water that could potentially be contaminated with things like E. coli, they can become very sick,” he said.

“Restaurants have been ordered to close because there is no safe water for cooking.”

The health authority is also warning guests not to use pools or hot tubs.

Zimmerman said the resort has made changes to the equipment, including increasing the pump size, which have not been reviewed by engineers.

“There are significant concerns about things like entrapment hazards – if they increased the size of the pump, someone might inadvertently get their hair pulled into the jet,” the official said.

The IH official acknowledged that enforcement has been a challenge.

“We close them, and as soon as we pull out of the driveway, they open back up,” Zimmerman said.

“We want to warn the public so they don’t unknowingly get involved in this facility.”

The health authority says it is now working with its legal team and Crown prosecutors on further enforcement.

Zimmerman said public complaints about the resort go back several years. Fourteen complaints were filed in 2025 alone, the most recent in October.

He added, “It makes me sad.” “Before COVID, I loved living there.”

The resort has also faced scrutiny over its past treatment of employees.

In 2018, the BC Human Rights Tribunal It was ordered to pay more than $173,000 Seven former employees said that owner Kin Wa Chan discriminated against them because they were Caucasian.

Chan became the owner in 2015.

Spa ‘temporarily closed’

The resort told CBC News in an email that it is working with the health authority to address its concerns, but did not provide any further details.

On Friday, a note on Spruce Hill Resort & Spa’s online booking form said its spa and restaurant services were “temporarily closed while staff and employees are on leave.”

The resort’s website continues to promote its wilderness setting, outdoor activities, and “memorable spa vacation experience.”

Interior Health is urging anyone who recently swam, ate or drank at the resort and is feeling unwell to contact their primary care provider or health protection office.