Mandatory helmets reconsidered at Brookvale

P.E.I.'s provincial ski park will be taking yet another look at making helmets mandatory following the death of British actress Natasha Richardson after a fall on a ski slope in Quebec.

Richardson died earlier this week after she hit her head during a skiing lesson at Mont Tremblant. She wasn't wearing a helmet. Currently there is no mandatory helmet rule at P.E.I.'s Brookvale Ski Park or at ski hills anywhere in Canada.

Earlier this month, the province told CBC News it would wait to review the law until after new CSA-approved helmets are on the market in the fall.

But Greg Arsenault, the assistant deputy minister responsible for the park, told CBC News Thursday the Richardson accident has prompted an earlier review.

"I think most jurisdictions will probably revisit looking at the entire issue," said Arsenault.

"I don't think it's just an issue of legislating helmets. There are lots of issues that need to be looked at, including the promotion of wearing helmets at ski hills and that sort of thing. There are health implications and whatnot, so I would imagine other departments would get consulted."

Arsenault said the Department of Tourism will review helmet laws in other provinces over the next few months.

Currently, Quebec is considering a mandatory helmet law after several emergency room doctors demanded the province take action.