If you are Irish, Black, Asian, or of any nationality or background other than white Canadian, I would strongly caution against staying at Lilac Resort. My experience there was nothing short of appalling and left me deeply disturbed.
When we arrived, everything appeared normal. My friend pulled in first, and I parked next to him shortly after. Within a few hours, the resort manager came by taking photos of our vehicles, claiming the RCMP had instructed him to document "any pavers with Irish accents." I was taken aback but initially gave him the benefit of the doubt.
The next evening, while my family and I were having a barbecue, an RCMP officer showed up at my door asking for my ID and work permit. I was shocked. The officer informed me that the resort manager had called the police, claiming I might be a paving scammer--based purely on my accent, nationality, and line of work. It was a clear case of racial profiling.
After the officer left, I went to the office to speak directly with the manager. Instead of apologizing, he smiled and tried to downplay the situation. When I confronted him with what the officer had told me--that he had made the complaint--he denied any wrongdoing and mockingly said, "If you have nothing to hide, why be upset?"
Then he told me, "You can leave tomorrow if you want." I calmly replied that I would. But instead of leaving it at that, he smirked and continued with sarcastic comments like, "Why do you want to leave if you haven't done anything wrong?" and "Wish you luck!"--all in a condescending tone clearly meant to provoke and humiliate. As I walked away, I could hear them talking behind my back, laughing and making generalizations about Irish people being scammers.
To make matters worse, as I was packing up, several other guests privately shared that they or their friends--particularly those who were Black or Indian--had been treated with the same kind of suspicion and disrespect by the staff. This clearly isn't an isolated case. There is a pattern here, and it's ugly.
As for the facilities themselves--don't be fooled by their advertising. The bathrooms are supposed to be "modern," but many look and feel like they haven't been updated in decades. Some smelled strongly of urine, to the point that we avoided using them entirely. For the prices they charge, it's shocking how poorly maintained the basics are.
This was one of the most humiliating and discriminatory experiences I've had in Canada. People deserve to know how this place treats anyone who doesn't fit their narrow idea of who belongs. Avoid this place at all costs. read more