When actress Natasha Richardson died in March after falling on an icy beginner slope at Quebec’s Mont Tremblant Ski Resort, many wondered if she would have survived had she been wearing a helmet.

That question remains unanswered, but the company that owns the resort where Ms. Richardson’s tragic accident turned a global spotlight on ski industry practices yesterday introduced new helmet guidelines that are expected to have a ripple effect at resorts in Canada and around the world.