April 30, 2026

THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2026

OUTCRY MOUNTS OVER PROPOSED TEMPORARY HOUSING SITE

BC Housing says it is working closely with the District to assess 37956 Loggers Lane for viability as a suitable location

JENNIFER THUNCHER jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca

Alot has happened in the last week regarding the HEARTH temporary housing being contemplated for Xwúneḵw Park

Here’s what we know so far.

It looks like some of the key answers many in the public have been asking for will take a bit longer to find out.

A spokesperson for BC Housing said Friday that identifying a suitable location for social housing is complex and said it is the responsibility of both the local government and provincial agency.

The province, through BC Housing, is working with Squamish “to help people sheltering outdoors to move indoors and stabilize.”

The Homeless Encampment Action Response Temporary Housing (HEARTH) program provides

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PHOTO BY BRIAN AIKENS

A LIGHT SNACK?: A Squamish blue heron enjoys a bite

emergency housing and sheltering options and immediate co-ordinated supports

The spokesperson for BC Housing told The Squamish Chief that a variety of factors are considered in choosing where to put the HEARTH housing, including working with local governments on their recommended location options, and evaluating a site’s access to essential services such as health care and transportation, and feasibility for construction

“Typically, locations for HEARTH sites are brought forward by the municipality for consideration and evaluation by BC Housing,” the spokesperson said, adding that BC Housing is working closely with the District to assess 37956 Loggers Lane for viability as a suitable location for new temporary housing.

“If this location is deemed suitable, BC Housing and the District will engage with the community to share information about the project, answer questions and collect feedback on how to best integrate the housing into the neighbourhood.”

When asked for specifics on engagement, the spokesperson repeated what the District has said, which is that more information, including specific public information plans and project timeline, will be made public once site suitability has been determined.

“Communities are stronger and safer for everyone when we bring people indoors to stable shelter and housing, so people have better opportunities to connect to the supports and services they need,” the spokesperson said “Providing shelter and housing with supports in communities means there will be fewer people experiencing or at risk of homelessness cycling through emergency rooms and in unsafe sheltering conditions such as encampments. Moving indoors can open new opportunities for people to build confidence and healthy routines—with access to meals, showers, and laundry—that will help them move toward other longer-term housing solutions and a better quality of life.”

Meanwhile, opposition to the project has been intense and increasing.

There is an online petition against the location on change.org, that has almost 1,200 signatures as of press deadline

Some of those opposed showed up to Municipal Hall at the start of the regular council meeting on April 21 Council voted to allow unscheduled public attendance, and then, for more than one hour, the issue of the proposed Xwúneḵw Park location for the HEARTH program was the topic of discussion

Kerry Neil, executive director of the Downtown Squamish Business Improvement Association (DSBIA), reiterated the concerns of the Joint Engagement Committee, which is made up of members of the DSBIA, Squamish Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Squamish.

“We are asking the District to pause advancement of this proposal until a clear, transparent and publicly communicated engagement process has taken place,” Neil said. “We also ask that the community be provided visibility into what alternative sites were considered and how this location has been selected. This is not simply about one project—it is about how decisions are made regarding significant public assets

Engagement in this case is not optional, it is essential to maintaining public trust.”

Matthew Upton, co-owner and general manager at The Broken Seal also spoke as the local business owner closest to the potential site, reiterating his concerns regarding transparency on the decision making and the impact of the potential shelter housing on businesses and families.

He too demanded a public engagement process.

In addition to concerns about process and transparency, resident Paul Arcus spoke to the reality of living downtown that is feeding fears of what the temporary housing at the suggested location could lead to.

“There’s a reason why our heart rates go through the roof, because we’ve stepped out of our doors and been near syringes. We’ve had our propane tank stolen, we’ve had our gas syphoned, we’ve had our windows broken, it is getting progressively worse. No one can debate that. This is a snake eating its tail scenario I really truly believe that if this isn’t managed well, it will become a problem,” he said

Mayor Armand Hurford acknowledged that there has been a “misstep in the launch” of the proposal, but stressed that this is very early in the process.

“There is more engagement coming on this,” he said

“It’s a multi-jurisdictional response to encampments in community. And we’ve been long asking for help from the province And the province, in the form of BC Housing on the site, is the partner to advancing the work, which is really looking at feasibility at this point in time [So] whether we can, and then there’s the whether we should.”

“So both of those pieces are very important. And in isolation, neither of those decisions really mate until we know if it is feasible,”

He also reiterated what the District has said in its responses previously, that the District has very limited land holdings.

“It is a really challenging discussion, but this is not something that’s at the very end of a process

that the community has sort of stumbled upon or a mystery in a way. This is really early in a process that will involve a substantive amount of engagement,” he said “There will be some more information forthcoming and a lot of the questions broadly are yet to be answered in the process. It’s not like those answers exist and aren’t being shared at this point in time.”

He also addressed the assertion that what is being constructed at Xwúneḵw Park right now is a new park

He noted that what is under construction is a sea dike, and that it was never stated to be a public park with playgrounds, or anything like that.

In the future, there was the idea of a park there, but that is not what is happening there now. It is a sea dike and a walkway, he said.

“It is not a situation where it was scheduled to be a … playground, a lush grassy area.”

Many on council stressed that they are seeing and hearing the negative feedback on the location and noted that they don’t have all the answers at this point, given it is a BC Housing led initiative

Coun Jenna Stoner noted that the housing proposed is meant to be rapidly employed and temporary. She called it bridge housing that would aim to feed into the new supportive housing project being built on Government Road

She proposed a motion that was supported by council to direct that District staff and BC Housing representatives come back to a public council meeting to provide more details on the project.

She and others noted that there isn’t a public hearing, which is a formal, specific type of feedback gathering within government, because supportive housing is an allowable use at that site and throughout Squamish. However, council stressed repeatedly, that this doesn’t mean there can’t be more engagement on the topic.

“I don’t think there’s ever a welcome place often, unfortunately, to house those who are the

Continued on 3

PHOTO BY JENNIFER THUNCHER/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF

The sea dike is currently under construction

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HOUSING:

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‘THE ROCK WAS HIS HOME’, PROFESSIONAL CLIMBER WILL STANHOPE DIES

The ACMG guide and prolific climber is being remembered by family as having ‘an inspiring spirit.’

LIZ MCDONALD emcdonald@lodestarmedia.ca

Aprofessional climber who died after a fall while climbing on the Stawamus Chief is being remembered as a man who lived with passion and courage.

Will Stanhope died after falling while climbing a route called Rutabega, a two pitch 5.11a trad route on the right side of the grand wall at the base of the Stawamus Chief.

The BC Coroners service has confirmed in an email they are investigating his death.

Squamish Search and Rescue confirmed that they responded to an incident on April 13

“Once we realized the critical nature of the injuries and the very rough terrain, we arranged a long-line rescue of the subject, and we flew the subject to our forward operating base at St’a7mes School, where we were met by BC Ambulance,” said Sue Nicholson, search manager and board member with Squamish Search and Rescue Nicholson said around 20 members of Squamish SAR responded to the incident, as well as Squamish Fire Rescue

“We met the advanced care paramedic who was deployed by BC Ambulance, and we helped that individual stabilize the subject…He took at least, probably about a 20 metre fall, so he had

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most vulnerable in our community,” Stoner said.

“But there are, as for our last Point-In-Time count, 125 individuals who need a home—not in six months, not in 12 months, not in two years, but today. Over 73% of those folks have called Squamish home for over a year 50% of them have called Squamish home for over five years. These are folks who just need a place to call home,” she said

“And so how we advance this conversation in community with our community partners in a way that is sensitive to the folks who are just trying to make ends meet, that we can help prop them up and give them some better supports to be able to live in community is important. But I think that for my council colleagues that needs to start with having BC Housing staff and our staff come and do a presentation on how we’re making sure that HEART and HEARTH shows up in our community in a way that we can all support.”

Coun. Chris Pettingill noted the situation in

multiple critical injuries,” Nicholson said.

BC Emergency Health Services says they received a call at 3:01 p.m. that day, and deployed an ambulance with primary care paramedics and an advance care paramedic response unit

“After a local search and rescue crew and first responders brought the patient out, paramedics provided emergency medical treatment and transported the patient to hospital in serious but stable condition,” said BCEHS paramedic public information officer Brian Twaites.

Penticton where its council rejected the offer of HEARTH housing as presented by BC Housing.

The offer didn’t get changed. It just didn’t happen.

“One of the risks, as we have seen in Penticton, is if you turn away HEART and HEARTH, you may end up with encampments that grow and that you can’t deal with,” he said, adding that more information is needed, but the situation may not be as simple as picking another location and getting the same offer.

Coun Lauren Greenlaw stressed that community voices need to be heard and that the most important thing is that the program is well planned and well rolled out.

“We want this to be a success story,” she said

“I don’t think that anybody would argue with the need that we have for this in our community, and I think we are generally a very receptive community to the HEART and HEARTH program. I also think we need to listen to the members of our community. It is very important that they feel that they are heard and we need to collaborate with the experts in the room.”

According to a post on Instagram by his parents, he died April 23 after sustaining a severe head injury

‘SHATTERED HEARTS’

The news was announced on Stanhope’s Instagram account.

“It is with shattered hearts that we share the news that our beloved Will passed away yesterday. A severe head injury sustained after a fall on a route called Rutabaga, on the [Stawamus] Chief was the cause,” reads the post.

“Will lived with a passion and courage that most of us only dream of. He had a prodigious memory and great stories. He was a kind and gentle man with a [f]tantastic sense of humour. The rock was his home, and the climbing community was his family He faced every ascent with an inspiring spirit “To all of you who climbed with him, followed

his journey, and loved him: thank you for being part of his adventurous life Your memories of Will are hugely appreciated. At some date this spring, we will organize a celebration of life in Squamish With love and profound grief, His Dad, Mom and Sister.”

FIRST ASCENT OF SMOKE AND MIRRORS

Stanhope is a well-known and well-loved climber, who completed the first free ascent of Smoke and Mirrors, a route on Mt. Combatant in the Waddington range.

According to Gripped magazine, the 2024 project took 16.5 hours, with Stanhope completing the route alongside world-renowned climber Tim Emmett

He worked as an ACMG rock guide and is listed as a guide with Rock Solid Guides, a company based out of Golden, B.C.

Skwxwú7mesh Squamish Bird Festival MAY8-30

WHAT’S ON?

Guided bird walks Wingspan boardgamenight Film screening of TheBig Year Talks on birdingand bird-friendly gardening Kids storytime& crafts

PHOTO VIA YOUTUBE/MOVES MEDIA The late Will Stanhope

COUNCIL AMENDS 10-YEAR FINANCIAL PLAN, BOOSTS RESERVES WITH WOODFIBRE LNG TAX WINDFALL

Squamish council has approved spring amendments to its 2026-2035 Ten Year Financial Plan, including a major transfer into capital reserves fuelled by higher-than-expected taxation revenue from Woodfibre LNG properties

JENNIFER THUNCHER

jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca

It is that time of year when the rubber on the municipal budget hits the road

A couple of Squamish budget items were on the agenda at the April 21 council meeting for locals to note—including a bit of a windfall in taxation revenue from Woodfibre LNG.

If all goes according to plan, each spring District staff review the budget, which was passed in January this year, and make recommended amendments

“Amendments to operating budgets are typically a result of inflationary or market comparison cost increases, labour contract settlements and changes to revenue or expense forecasts,” the staff report to council notes.

Amendments for projects are often because “costs, scopes or funding have changed or where new grants have been received after the financial plan adoption.”

On April 21, council passed three readings for amendments to the 2026-2035 Ten Year Financial Plan, which apply to the remainder of this year, 2026.

What were the amendments?

Staff recommended adding to the operating budget a new position of a senior financial services specialist, with a salary and benefits package of $170,000 per year

“This position will strengthen financial oversight, improve organizational resilience, and support sustainable growth,” Laura Turner, director of financial planning and reporting, told council.

This will be funded by the operating support provision and will have no tax impact in 2026

This operating support fund was started in 2023

It is a fund created to fund new positions There’s currently a balance of about $200,000 in it that has not been allocated.

“We contribute about 10% of their new salary into the provision and then that can be used to fund those new positions,” explained Turner.

For the budget’s special operating and capital projects, as council had previously endorsed, staff recommended an increase to the cricket pitch project budget of $98,000, with $18,500 externally funded from the Squamish Cricket Club The 2026 project budget is thus amended to $140,000, with $121,500 funded from Community Amenity Contributions (CACs).

CACs are funds from developers who are granted the right to development in the district

This amendment will also have no impact on the 2026 tax requirement.

Put more simply, it won’t increase the amount of tax revenue needed.

As noted in a staff report and presentation at a council meeting on April 7, the cost of the cricket

pitch for Brennan Park fields has increased due to several factors, including, among other things, the costs being better understood as the project evolved, costs increasing due to current market values (such as for the cost of concrete), contracting out of work not within the municipality’s capacity, and unexpected turf remediation.

There was also more of an accounting move in an amendment to reclassify $100,000 slated for Ravenswood neighbourhood park planning from operating to capital expenditures in the budget

BEEFING UP RESERVES

Turner said that one of the challenges during the 10 year budgeting process was the limited availability of long-term funding sources, including limited reserve funds.

Therefore, staff recommend an increased transfer to each of the District’s four capital reserves, for a total of $7.2 million.

“The proposed increases in reserves will assist the District in addressing capital projects that are already identified in the District’s Asset Management Plan, Real Estate and Facilities Master Plan, Transportation Master Plan, Brennan Park Field and Land Master Plan and Integrated Flood Hazard Management Plan,” the staff report to council reads.

This means an increase in required taxation revenue of $5.8 million, with the rest coming from already allocated provisions.

Where is the extra money coming from?

This money is coming from Woodfibre LNG taxation in 2026.

The staff report notes that the total assessed values for the Woodfibre LNG properties has gone up due to the development on these sites.

Based on the 2025 approved mill rate of 125, taxation revenues from the Class 4 – MI are approximately $7.2 million in 2026

This is an increase of $5.8 million over taxation

revenue expected in the approved 2026-2035 Financial Plan of $1.5 million, which was based on previous assessment values

The District doesn’t want to become dependant on such funds for regular budget items, so is directing it to reserves, the staff report explains.

“It is best practice not to rely on revenue generated from a single large business, particularly one that may be undergoing unpredictable changes, to fund ongoing municipal operations, as this poses an increased risk of future tax fluctuations and volatility should that business cease operations or experience changes significantly affecting its assessment,” the staff report reads. “

Accordingly, the amount equal to the tax revenue received from such a single large business should be transferred from general property taxation to reserves and utilized to fund one-time or temporary expenditures thus avoiding ongoing operations becoming dependent on single business revenues By limiting the increase in taxation revenues to offset the reserve transfer only, the District preserves full funding for core operations while preventing reliance on a single large business for recurring service delivery The increased revenue is thereby redirected to reserve for one-time or temporary purposes.”

SAMPLE COUNCIL COMMENTS

Council unanimously passed three readings of the 2026-2035 Ten Year Financial Plan Bylaw No. 3213, 2025 (Spring) Amendment Bylaw. Coun. Chris Pettingill was happy to see reserve funds increased.

“We know the rec centre has been a focus of conversation We have moved aggressively over the last few years to get critical infrastructure like fire halls and public works… [completed]. So that we can move quick as we can onto a rec centre. And so when we say capital and we say

contributions to reserves, that means the funds that would pay for something like a rec centre And so I’m glad to see that we were able to make some extra progress on those reserve contributions.”

Coun Jenna Stoner said that while she had some hesitation supporting the new finance position part way through a year, which isn’t standard practice, she did support the three readings.

“The biggest piece here is increasing the amount of money that’s going into our asset management reserve strategy And I think that this is a really good practice,” she said

“Allocating this additional money to those reserves is a really important move that we can make to be able to ensure that we can continue to deliver the level of service and the growing level of service that our community is expecting of us.”

Mayor Armand Hurford said he wanted it to be clear, though he supported it, that while there won’t be a taxation impact due to the additional staff position in 2026, there will be an impact in 2027

“That said, I support the addition,” he said “I think that as our organization continues to grow and gets more and more complex, … having the appropriate staffing level—particularly in finance—is incredibly important.”

He too felt the increased transfer to reserves was critical

“I know the reasons why, but at the end of the day, there has been a historical underinvestment in our assets as a community and those have been well documented,” he said

“I really believe that this is one of the ways that this council is showing the spirit of planting the tree.”

He went on to expand on that idea saying that hopefully future councils, because of the actions of this one, won’t have to grapple with the same shortages in funding to replace assets the community needs over time

“I’m not only happy to make that contribution I’m quite proud of our … willingness to take that on as a council because we are in a society of those short-term wins being celebrated often at the expense of long-term planning. So, I’m happy to have this sizable contribution to our asset management be part of our 10-year financial plan.”

Later the same meeting, council also gave a unanimous three readings to the Squamish 2026 Property Tax Rate Bylaw.

The total municipal tax revenue required for 2026 is 61.9 million.

The municipal tax requirement for the average residential property is approximately $3,294, which is a $320 or 10.8% increase over 2025, Turner explained.

The property tax for an individual property is calculated by multiplying the BC Assessments property value of the property by the tax rate

The 2026 tax notice to be mailed in May.

PHOTO BY LIZ MCDONALD/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF

The Woodfibre LNG site

TOURISM SQUAMISH STUDY FINDS $408M VISITOR IMPACT, BUT RESIDENTS INCREASINGLY SKEPTICAL

A new economic impact study commissioned by Tourism Squamish puts a dollar figure on visitation—but a companion resident survey reveals growing skepticism about who gains

LIZ MCDONALD emcdonald@lodestarmedia.ca

Tourism generates hundreds of millions in economic activity for Squamish each year, but a recent study reveals residents are growing less certain they’re feeling those benefits—even as 86% say tourism is important to the local economy.

Tourism Squamish commissioned the economic impact study to evaluate visitor spending, employment and tax revenues in the region, and paired it with a resident satisfaction survey of more than 1,200 people

The town received an estimated two million visitors in 2024, the vast majority from domestic travel—1.9 million—with the bulk coming from Greater Vancouver. Just 127,300 visitors arrived from the United States or elsewhere, representing 6.77% of total visitation

More than 60% of international visitors stayed overnight, while just over 65% of domestic travellers came only for the day.

Those visitors spent an estimated $408 million in 2024, generating $85 million in tax revenue. Spending created direct economic impact through local employment, indirect impact through businesses that supply tourism firms, and induced impact as tourism workers spent their wages in the community.

RESIDENTS LESS CONVINCED

Residents are now less likely to believe tourism creates good jobs, improves infrastructure or delivers amenities they can use. The resident satisfaction survey describes the gap between broad support for tourism and skepticism about its daily benefits as “the central tension.”

When asked whether tourism enhances quality of life in Squamish, the results were nearly split: 43% agreed, 38% disagreed and 18% were neutral or unsure. While those proportions are similar to previous years, the study notes fewer residents now strongly agree—and neutrality is increasing.

“We love living here—it just feels busier and harder to access the places we used to enjoy,” one survey respondent wrote.

Residents called for shuttle service to local lakes and the preservation of free access and free parking. Congestion and parking were among the biggest concerns, though the study notes those pressures stem from population growth and broader development, not tourism alone.

By comparison, a Destination BC survey found 70% of British Columbians feel tourism enhances quality of life in their communities.

The study authors note the gap reflects the lived reality of sharing space with visitors daily, and the tendency to attribute development and population pressures to tourism.

PHOTO BY LIZ MCDONALD/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF

“That gap is the most important insight. Residents are not rejecting tourism, but many are unsure whether it is making day-to-day life better. That tension between strong economic value and lived experience is really the headline finding, and it’s shaping how we move forward,” Lesley Weeks, executive director of Tourism Squamish said

Support for tourism was stronger among newcomers, commuters, higher-income earners and those working in the industry, while long-time residents, people in outlying areas and those with lower or middle incomes were less supportive

In total, 53% of residents view tourism’s impact as positive, and 60% say the benefits outweigh the negatives.

PARKING AND INFRASTRUCTURE

“Supporting infrastructure is critical to long-term viability. We are good at building the attraction but we need work on building the supporting infrastructure to support it—parking, turning lanes, toilets, garbage disposal, collection of user fees,” one survey respondent wrote.

Mayor Armand Hurford said the tension between visitor growth and livability is real but manageable, and that the study gives decision-makers something concrete to work from

“I think there absolutely is [a way to balance those tensions],” Hurford said in an interview.

“Just even that our tourism folks are measuring [resident sentiment] is great…the tension is acknowledged.”

On parking specifically, Hurford said the municipality is pursuing a range of options— from neighbourhood node initiatives and active

transportation to regional transit and more hotel accommodations—to reduce the number of same-day car trips from Vancouver.

“No one piece of that is the solution, but actions like that should all come together in efforts to address that issue,” he said “Over time, there will need to be some form of paid parking structure”—what he called demand management—to move vehicles through more efficiently.

He also flagged the role fixed-roof accommodations could play. Overnight visitors exploring Squamish on foot or by transit create less traffic pressure than same-day drivers, and overnight stays represent more tourism revenue.

“Those overnight stays are where the money is in the tourism side,” Hurford said

DESTINATION STEWARDSHIP

Tourism Squamish’s Destination Stewards program deployed five staff across 17 recreation sites in summer 2025, logging more than 4,000 visitor conversations and removing 254 kilograms of litter Recommendations to land managers include improved waste signage, upgraded pit toilets at popular lakes and waste

Those overnight stays are where the money is in the tourism side.

MAYOR ARMAND HURFORD

bag stations at climbing areas.

Weeks says the overall data is informing decision-making moving forward, with a shift away from marketing toward destination management and, ideally, a tourism master plan Advocating for infrastructure and encouraging longer stays were among the key points she touched on

“We are also focused on smoothing out the peaks and valleys of visitation That means building stronger shoulder seasons and more consistent demand throughout the year, which helps create more stable employment and more predictable business conditions.”

INTRODUCING

The Squamish Adventure Centre

COULD AI IMPACT SQUAMISH’S NEXT ELECTION?

An academic and the outgoing mayor weigh in on generative artificial intelligence use in municipal elections

LIZ MCDONALD emcdonald@lodestarmedia.ca

With Squamish’s general local elections set for Oct. 17, the question isn’t just who will run, but how technology could shape the race

Generative artificial intelligence can produce videos, images and polished written content that can reach voters at scale. Those capabilities are neutral in themselves. But ahead of the last Squamish municipal election, in 2022, anonymous attack ad campaigns targeted then-councillor Armand Hurford, who was ultimately elected mayor, and other council incumbents. Four years later, Hurford says the tools available to bad actors have grown considerably

“Think about just what we see online every day in relation to national and international events,” Hurford said “I think it’s important to question what you’re seeing and make sure that you have sources of truth to refer to Because it is, I find, in the run-up to an election, whether it’s local, provincial or federal, there becomes a flurry of activity, and it’s particularly hard in the midst of it to sort of distill down what’s actually happening.”

Is your neighbour articulating a well-thought out political argument, or is it your friendly neighbourhood chatbot? With apps like ChatGPT out in full force, only time will tell whether artificial intelligence impacts municipal elections in Squamish

Hurford, who is not seeking re-election, noted that residents already saw how much money

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•Annual WatermainUpgrades will beginMay 7inBrackendale. Work will take placeonBirken Road, FaithRoad, DepotRoadand Axen Road.Please expect single-lane traffic, dust/noise,trafficdelaysand potentially temporary interruptionofwater services.Any disruptionstothe waterservice will be duringworking hoursonly(8a.m.to6 p.m.). Aminimum of 48 hoursnotice will be giventoaffectedhomes squamish.ca/building-our-future

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• 1343 WinnipegStreet– DevelopmentVariancePermit

• 38050Loggers Lane (Water Lot) –ZoningAmendment squamish.ca/review

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Request forQuotations

•MamquamBridgeDeck Resurfacing squamish.ca/doing-business-with-the-district

anonymous actors were willing to spend in 2022, and the conditions that enabled it have worsened.

“We saw in the last election a lot of anonymous direct advertising, and we could see how much money they spent, And I think, four years on from that, it is likely that should the same folks or different organizations wish to wade into the conversation, the level of anonymity available online now is even greater because of AI.”

As reported by the National Observer, an Israeli company called LogiVote recently pitched its AI-powered Victory App to Canadian political strategists, instructing ordinary voters to copy and paste AI-generated comments onto social media—effectively turning supporters into digital campaigners Researchers warned the tool could make it nearly impossible to distinguish genuine grassroots political speech from machine-generated messaging.

RESEARCH POINTS TO INFORMATION POLLUTION AS THE BIGGER RISK

Chris Tenove, assistant director of the Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions at the University of British Columbia, studies AI’s impact on elections. He said the threat isn’t necessarily the dramatic deepfake, but the sheer volume of low-quality content.

“When we started confronting more AI-generated communication in politics, the focus was on trickery and harassment, often by creating deepfake videos of people,” Tenove said.

“That’s a real problem, and it’s something we’ve done research on, and we’re starting to get better policies to address But then there’s another issue—what we refer to as information pollution. It’s not specific, manipulative or deceptive messages, but it’s high volumes of often

low-quality communication. And the problem there is that people in this polluted information environment can’t find good information.”

Tenove said the challenge is compounded because AI-generated text is designed to read like credible information

“Large language models are created to look like good communication, and so compared to if it was done with very bad writing, it can be really hard to spot errors or those sorts of things.”

The concern becomes greater at the local level, where there is simply less published information for AI systems to draw on compared to provincial or national elections.

“These models, when they are doing what they always do, which is kind of make guesses about what reality is, have less to go on and are more likely to be wrong,” he said.

A DEMOCRATIC PROBLEM

To Tenove, AI-generated political content is a threat to something more fundamental than accuracy

“We want to hear people’s authentic views, views that they understand and endorse, rather than just having someone shovel text at us that they’ve not really considered themselves Because otherwise we’re just talking to and listening to a machine rather than a fellow citizen.”

He offered a vivid analogy for what happens when one voice dominates a democratic conversation

“Even if it’s good quality content, whether it fills up a discussion space so others can’t contribute—it’s like a relative at a family dinner. Even if they’re not bad to listen to, if one person is doing all the talking, no one else gets to share their views, and the family doesn’t get to understand what everyone’s up to. And similarly, in democratic communication, if particular voices are taking up all the room because they’re mass-producing content, then you can’t hear from other people.”

HOW TO GET INFORMED

On a practical level, Tenove says media literacy advice hasn’t changed much in the AI era.

“You still want to identify sources that you think you can trust and that have a track record, at least to fact-check some of the things you might hear from others We also know that AI systems are being used to advise people on how to vote, and we’ve seen there are some problems with that.”

Hurford echoed that message, urging residents to build their information habits before the campaign period intensifies.

“Folks have an opportunity to really start to think about where they’re going to get their information from and how they’re going to make a decision AI can be anything from AI-generated posts to deepfake videos The possibilities are sort of endless. So it’s important to shore up your understanding in advance of having to make a big decision.”

PHOTO BY LIZ MCDONALD/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF

APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR NEXT FALL AS PRO MERITA WRAPS UP ITS FIRST YEAR

A private education provider with campuses in North Vancouver and Langley has opened a new program in Squamish, pitching itself to families whose children juggle academics with demanding sports, arts or travel schedules

JENNIFER THUNCHER

jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca

“We’re not for everyone.”

It is not the pitch you expect to hear from the founder of a new private school, but that is just what Pro Merita founder Sarah Ahmadi says first about the school which has recently opened a program in Squamish.

Located on the Capilano UniversitySquamish campus, the program is aimed at students in Grades 5 through 11 who balance academics with significant extracurricular commitments, Ahmadi said

The school’s academic program runs Monday to Thursday from 8:45 a.m. to 2:15 p.m., and Fridays from 8:45 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., with the option of a four-or five-day week

The idea is that this schedule would work well for kids and their families where the students are involved in 12 to 15 hours per week of athletics, arts, or other high-level extracurricular activities, or for those with a rigorous travel schedule

While the school is new this year to Squamish, with the first academic year wrapping up this June, Pro Merita is in its 20th year, with campuses in North Vancouver and Langley.

Ahmadi founded the school after being frustrated by her experience with her own daughter when she was in school.

“She was a competitive dancer and a competitive gymnast, so we would get up in the morning at 7 a.m., get home at 10 p.m. at night, and then we would start homework. When did we have time to go do a picnic as a family? When did we have time to actually share those moments where time is so precious as a child?,” Ahmadi recalled

“I realized there has to be an alternative.”

Thus, Pro Merita was born

Students study the B.C. curriculum, through North Island Distance Education School (NIDES), B.C.-certified teachers, and earn a fully recognized BC transcript

Teacher of Grades 5 to 7, Rhys Adams, said the program is very different from what people think of for traditional schools.

“We provide the in-person environment and NIDES provides the online side of things when we’re doing hybrid education,” Adams explained, adding that class sizes are kept low, with a 10 students to one teacher ratio.

“It’s different because we keep a low ratio of educators to students, so we work really hard to be available for their questions and the support that they need.”

She also spoke to the beauty of the CapU campus and the access to its facilities, both of which enrich teaching and learning, she said Parent of three, Jenn Hembruch, has her 14-year-old twins and 10 year old in the program.

“I have always been interested in alternative educational models,” she said, adding her family was part of a forest school program that got started in Squamish in 2019, Squamish Nature Learners.

“I’m an entrepreneur and I feel like what Pro Merita is really teaching my kids or helping them understand is an entrepreneurial mindset to their own education,” she added.

“Previous to Grade 8 and Grade 5, I wouldn’t say that my kids were really interested in knowing what their grades were They weren’t really motivated yet by that kind of analytics. They were just learning and it was beautiful But what’s been fascinating is that since coming here, they are very driven and interested in their own metrics. Where are they? How are they doing? And it’s coming from a place of self It’s not a pressured thing.”

She said the school teaches a sense of ownership over students’ education and helps them learn to balance life

“We are very happy. Loving it.”

She noted that her daughter is an up-andcoming equestrian and her other kids participate in sports, but they aren’t elite athletes.

The school still works for them, though, she noted.

“They’re learning that if I want to go snowboard on Friday, I need to get XYZ done Monday to Thursday Or if I’m going to be travelling this month, then I’m going to do this work ahead of time And it’s just really starting to give them what I feel like is a very real-world experience,” she added.

Hembruch, Adams, and Ahmadi all spoke about a strong sense of connection that is fostered at the school

“As much as it’s an online system, it is community too,” Ahmadi said

“We’re in a community. So, to be able to have a group of like-minded kids who have that strong connection, teachers that really care about their individual emotional and psychological state, that community is where learning can really take place.”

The school is now accepting student applications for next fall.

Annual tuition for the program is $6,500 for 2026-2027.

Find out more on Pro Merita Learning Centre’s website, promerita.ca.

FILE PHOTO COURTESY CAPU

Pro Merita Learning Centre is located on the Capilano University campus

Stage 1Outdoor Water

UseRestrictions in effect starting May 1.

During Stage 1, lawn watering with a sprinkler is allowed twodaysper week from 4–10 am and 7–10 pm based on street address.

•Odd numbered addresses can water onThursdays and Sundays.

•Evennumbered addresses can water on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

squamish.ca/water

Brennan Park Recreation Centre

TemporaryPool Closure

Sunday, May3,9 am–1 pm 1 23 4 STAGE STAGE STAGE STAGE

Squamish Youth Triathlon

at BrennanPark Recreation Centre

Sunday, May3

Come down and cheer on our local youth athletes as they competein the Squamish Youth Triathlon!

We areaiming to re-open the pool to the public at 1p.m.

Co-Living inSquamish

TheDistrictisreviewinghowco-living housingcanbedefinedandregulatedin theZoningBylaw.

Wewelcomecommunityinputonthe regulatoryapproachforco-living—a newshareddwellingmodel.

Thissurveyisopenforinput untilMay5.

LetsTalkSquamish.ca/co-living

IceAllocation

55+ BusTrip

Minor League Baseball

Sunday, May31

Take me out to the ball game!

Come with us down to Rogers Field to watch the Vancouver Canadians vs the Eugene Emeralds.

Bus trip ticket includes transportation and admission to the game.

Iceallocation requestsfor the August 17, 2026 –May30, 2027 period arenow being accepted

RequestDeadline May1,2026

IceAllocation Meeting

Wednesday, May20at6 pm at Brennan Park Recreation Centre

Application details and the application form are available at squamish.ca/iceallocation,orcall Brennan Park Recreation Centre at 604-898-3604 to request apaper copy.

Do youorsomeone you know livewith adisability?

We’rereviewing our Districtof Squamish AccessibilityPlan.

Drop in forachatand some snacks!

Saturday, May9,12–2 pm Squamish Public Library

Come skate with us!

Only afew more weeks to go until the 2025–2026 IceSeason comes to aclose. Don’tmiss the last public skateonMay 29!

Haveyou registered fora Summer Program yet? Head to ourwebsitetosee all the details!

Checkout the arena andpool schedules! View this ad online:

B.C.’S NEW PST ON SERVICES SPARKS BACKLASH FROM LOCAL BUSINESS GROUPS

British Columbia’s decision to broaden the provincial sales tax base is drawing sharp criticism from small business advocates in Squamish, who say the change—set to take effect Oct. 1, 2026—will add non-refundable costs that many independent operators can’t absorb

JENNIFER THUNCHER jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca

Lauren Greenlaw, District councillor and Sweet Threads Yarn & Fibre owner, says the PST expansion is a financial hit that the textile industry, specifically, and small businesses in Squamish, more generally, can’t afford. Her store, on Third Avenue, sells mostly natural fibres for knitting, sewing and crafting and says the expansion will do “irreparable harm” to the textile industry.

WHAT IS HAPPENING?

The provincial budget 2026 announced an expansion of the provincial sales tax (PST) to certain professional services

The bill that made it a reality passed on April 16, meaning Bill 2: Budget Measures Implementation Act, 2026 received royal assent Thus, PST will apply to the following services at the rate of 7% effective Oct. 1.

•Accounting services, including bookkeeping and assurance services

•Architectural services

•Engineering and geoscience services

•Security services, including private investigation services

•Non-residential real estate services, including trading services, rental property management services and strata management services

In other words, if you sell any of these taxable services on or after Oct. 1, you’ll be required to charge and collect PST on those services, unless a specific exemption applies.

‘PUTTING THE TAX BURDEN ON INDIVIDUALS’

Greenlaw says the expansion has two damaging parts.

“They’re no longer deeming mending and slow fashion essential, which—just to put it out there—clothing is a protected human right by the UN,” she said “They’ve decided to start applying PST to yarn, fibre, fabric, leather— mending materials.”

She said that will have knock-on effects through the entire supply chain, “because you’ve just increased the cost to all of our clients.”

The second issue has to do with the PST on the above-mentioned services, which Greenlaw says has implications for every B.C. citizen.

“They’re removing the exemption for professional services so this includes things like bookkeepers, accountants, lawyers, strata managers, building managers, property managers, lawyers, architects, engineers and this is going to have knock-on effects to your housing prices, your products at any local business, all costs for local businesses are going

to increase, people with private practices are going to become more expensive and have a similar outcome to us where people can’t afford their services anymore,” she said

“The biggest issue about this to my mind is that we are, once again, putting the tax burden on individuals instead of exploring the things that people have said they wanted like wealth taxes and ending subsidies to the fossil fuel industry.”

Greenlaw is imploring the powers-that-be to reconsider this legislative change.

In a letter she wrote to the provincial government, which Greenlaw shared with The Squamish Chief, she says the letter is just the first in a series of actions that the textile industry, small businesses and their supporters intend to take in the coming months

“We are coordinating across the province and will be submitting a legal petition, as well as an emergency resolution at UBCM, among other actions,” she said in her letter

“Small businesses are the backbones of our communities, providing culture, connection and jobs to the places where we operate.”

‘MENDING AND MAKING IS ON THE RISE’

In particular, she says the expansion hurts vulnerable communities most.

“Mending and making is on the rise. Our province’s textile industry is vibrant and growing, providing beautiful well-made alternatives to fast fashion while supporting supply chains from farmers down to consumers: please don’t knock us down,” she wrote.

“Making economies are dominated by women, seniors and LGBTQ+ people who supplement their incomes through selling their mended and

made products, helping to alleviate gender and age-based wealth disparities.”

“Please reconsider these legislative changes before it shutters the doors of countless textile businesses and small businesses across the province and exacerbates the affordability crisis we are all enduring.”

Greenlaw said she doesn’t think most businesses even know this extension is happening, but she is far from alone in her opposition.

She raised the issue at council on April 21 and Coun. Chris Pettingill shared the concern and noted it will impact local governments as well.

“There’s concern amongst municipal governments that we rely on a lot of professional services and so we will be suddenly paying … PST on all these services So, we are going to see some impacts to our municipal budgets, which then often go onto property taxes.”

He added he could stomach the change if municipalities like Squamish were getting more housing, encampment and senior long-term care support.

LOCAL BUSINESS ADVOCACY

Kerry Neil, executive director of the Downtown Squamish Business Improvement Association, also penned a letter to the provincial government on behalf of the Squamish Joint Engagement and Advocacy Committee, which is made up of the BIA, Tourism Squamish and the Squamish Chamber of Commerce objecting to the PST expansion, due to the “disproportionate impact it will have on small businesses, particularly in communities like Squamish.”

“The proposed PST expansion would add another layer of financial burden. Whether through increased costs on essential services, inputs, or operations, businesses will be forced to either absorb these costs, further shrinking already thin margins or pass them on to customers. In a price sensitive environment, this risks reducing consumer spending locally and driving business away from small, independent operators,” the letter reads.

PST: Continued on 12

PHOTO BY JENNIFER THUNCHER/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF Lauren Greenlaw at Sweet Threads Yarn & Fibre.

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EDITORIAL

LEARNING FROM OUR PAST

Itiscomplicated andmind-numbingifyou aren’t afinancial professional type,but councilapprovedthe District’s property tax policy at aspecial meeting on April21.

Back in February of 2025,council votedfor theDistricttogowithwhatiscalledthe revenuedistributiontax rate calculation methodology.

This wasdifferent from what theDistricthad historically done to calculatethe taxrate. Previously,the rate wasbased on establishingratiosbetweenclasses.

“This methodologyprovidespredictable and consistent relationshipsbetween property tax classes,”the staffreporttocouncil reads.

Youcan dive into thereportand discussion at councilifyou desire to feel like youhave eatenice creamafter getting your teeth cleaned, butfor therestofus, somethingthat stood outwas adiscussionabout notbecoming tethered to onebig industrial client,which, though no oneoncouncil said thename, meanscompanies such as WoodfibreLNG.

Staffnoted that it is best formunicipalitiesto not depend on tax revenuefromasinglelarge business,“particularlyone that maybe undergoing unpredictablechanges.”

Thus,the District’s approach will be to take theamountequal to thetax revenuereceived from alarge business—$7.2million in 2026 from WoodfibreLNG—and transfer it from generalpropertytaxationtoreservesand useit tofund“one-time or temporaryexpenditures, thus avoiding ongoingoperationsbecoming dependent on single business revenues.”

CouncillorsChris Pettingill andJenna Stoner highlightedlessons learnedinSquamish’s historyonthis.

“Our communityhas been throughthis before,backin2006, 2007 when themillclosed andwelost20% of ouroperating revenue basicallyovernight anditwas ahugeimpactto ourcommunity,” Stoner noted. “SoI think beingreallydiligentabout howweaddress any revenuefromasinglelarge business is critical to ourfinancial planning andsustainabilityin thelongterm.”

Agreed.

By beefingupreserves, Pettingill said,we canget closer to having theamenities many have been callingfor,likesportsfacilitiesthat meet theneeds of ourlargercommunity.

Taxpolicyisfar from sexy,but it is foundational to ensure we arenot repeatingthe errors of ourpast.

MARK CARNEY’S FIRSTYEARASPRIME MINISTER EARNSHIGHRANKING AMONGCANADIANS,POLLFINDS

NATIONAL VIEWS

MARIOCANSECO

Beginning in 2020,Research Co.has asked Canadiansabout theirviews on recent prime ministers. Theideawas to establishacut-off point of 50 years, whichmeant starting ournine choiceswithPierreTrudeau and ending them with hisson,Justin.

In that same year,weasked Americans to select fourpresidentsfor anew MountRushmore. Respondentstothispollwereparticularlyfondof JohnF.Kennedy, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan andBarackObama.

This year’s survey on Canadian primeministers combined thesetwo methodological approaches in auniqueway.Canadianswereasked to pick four namesout of alistofthe 24 differentindividuals whohaveheadedthe federalgovernmentasthe best—and worst—ever.

Only sixprime ministersemerged with avote from more than oneinfiveCanadians as thebest: PierreTrudeau (30%), Mark Carney (29%), Stephen Harper (also29%), John A. Macdonald (27%), Jean Chrétien (also27%)and BrianMulroney(23 %).

Thegenerationalanalysisoutlinessomefascinatingfluctuations. Baby Boomersput theelder Trudeauinfirst place(34 %),followedbyMulroney (32%), Lester B. Pearson(31 %),Macdonald(29 %) andChrétien(also 29 %).GenerationXisfondof Harper (37%), Pierre Trudeau(34 %),Chrétien(33 %) andMulroney(also 33 %)

Theyoungest Canadiansgravitate partially toward recent primeministers.Millennials put Chrétien in firstplace (31%), followed by Carney (28 %),PierreTrudeau (27%), Harper (25%)and Macdonald(also 25 %).Generation Zchooses Carney (32%), Justin Trudeau(28 %),Macdonald(27 %),Harper(26 %) andPierreTrudeau (also26%). In B.C.,three namesgarnerthe votesofatleast a thirdofresidents:PierreTrudeau (35%), Carney (33 %) andHarper(also 33 %).Appreciationfor Harper reaches41% in Saskatchewan andManitobaand 47 %inAlberta.Macdonaldisthe topvote-getter in Ontario(35 %) andChrétieninQuebec(30 %). Atlantic Canada puts Carney aheadofeveryoneelse (38 %).

Theraceisnot as closewhenCanadians areasked to select theworst four primeministers of alltime. Almost half (47%)saveavotefor Justin Trudeau, with Harper andPierreTrudeau tied forsecond place(23 %each),followedbyCarney(21 %) and KimCampbell(20 %).

CANADA: Continuedon11

Ha7lh skwálwen cht kwis emút cht iy sts’its’áp’ cht iy kw’shétsut cht na7tkwa temíxw tl’a Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw

(We have good feelings that we live, we work and we play on the lands of the Squamish Nation)

CANADA: Continued from 10

Justin Trudeau is at the top of the list across all four generations, but at different levels of animosity: 56 % for Generation X, 53 % for Baby Boomers, 43 % for Millennials and 34 % for Generation Z. The “recency bias” is also at play on a regional basis. Quebecers (35 %), Atlantic Canadians (39 %), Manitobans and Saskatchewanians (44 %) and British Columbians (47 %) all have Justin Trudeau at the top of the list of regrettable heads of government. The proportions reach 51 % in Ontario and 63 % in Alberta.

The survey shows more than a quarter of Canadians expressing affection for prime ministers whose policies were foundational, had staying power or fostered proper economic management and national unity. Carney, in office for just over a year, may be enjoying a significant bump because of the counterpart he has had to deal with in the United States

In any case, just how these numbers will evolve is extremely difficult to predict If somebody had told me a decade ago that a Liberal prime minister enjoying the first few months of a majority mandate that included every

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

DEMOCRATIC COUNCIL?

Editor’s note: This letter was sent to the District of Squamish and copied to The Squamish Chief regarding the BC Housing temporary shelter being considered for Xwúneḵw Park.

As we all know, we live in a democratic society. And so I have to ask, what is democratic about how this local government is operating?

You have all been elected by the people of Squamish to represent the people of Squamish, with the duty and responsibility of always keeping our best interests in mind, as all elected officials are expected to have You were not elected to betray us Public endangerment, especially that of children or vulnerable people of any kind, should never be taken lightly and must always be taken very seriously into account when it comes to anything posing any kind of potential risk to the public The very public that you claim to serve.

This housing project is absolutely outrageous, intolerable, and shows a severe lack of competence as far as myself and my neighbours are concerned. And rest assured, I have spoken with many of my neighbours on this matter.

I have always believed in helping others who are in legitimate need. But one thing I do not support is drug use / addiction, or any form of criminal activity. And the sheer audacity of allowing a housing project to support drug users and criminals alike, especially in the location you’ve so carelessly chosen, is nothing short of disgusting.

Having a housing project of this nature immediately adjacent to this incredibly family-oriented community, as well as others, is flat out irresponsible.

Upon the long-awaited and very soon to come completion of the new bridge connecting this community to downtown Squamish, children will be regularly using this connector to walk to and from school, appointments, extra curricular activities, and a number of other things Nobody should have to be telling a single person that this is completely unacceptable, let alone any members of our local government It is infuriating and mind-boggling that our elected officials would even consider this plan at all, especially without public input of any kind The very public whose best interests you’ve been elected to always have in mind

Bear in mind, with election time coming up again soon, rest assured this will not be forgotten. By me or any of your local constituents.

Paul Soukup Squamish

LETTERS POLICY

seat in Atlantic Canada would be ranked the “worst ever” in April 2026, I would not have believed it.

Mario Canseco is president of Research Co

Results are based on an online survey conducted from April 11-13, 2026 among 1,002 adults in Canada The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region in Canada The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20

BE BEAR AWARE

Iwas surprised and dismayed to come across two bears feasting on garbage on Depot Road in Brackendale at 11:30 a.m.

The bears had tipped over a garbage bin and were chowing down within metres of the roadside bike/walkway used by pedestrians and children. Bears are common around Depot Road and Arrowhead Park, one block to the north, where last summer they were frequenting open garages in broad daylight going from one house to the next Now the bears seem to have learned when it’s garbage pickup day and bins will be unlocked

It is time for us humans to up our game and for the District to adopt a new strategy—ie. better bear-proof bins, or a policy of keeping bins locked until crews arrive and unlock them just before pick-up.

While the bears seemed unfazed by people passing by this morning, I worry a child or adult could come around a corner and startle the animals into an attack—a potential tragedy we must work to avoid.

Margaret Munro Squamish

The Squamish Chief welcomes letters to the editor of up to 400 words. Letters should be exclusive to this publication and are meant to respond to a local story in The Squamish Chief or raise an issue happening in town Please include your name, neighbourhood and daytime phone number The deadline is 5 p.m. Monday to be considered for Thursday’s edition. Full names and neighbourhood will be published with the letter The publisher reserves the right to refuse and edit letters for length and clarity or to address legal concerns Email letters to: editor@squamishchief.com

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

How often do you leave Squamish for your kids’ (or your own) sports/ training?

Have your say at squamishchief.com

How supportive are you of the proposed location for temporary shelter housing at Xwúneḵw Park? (Top 3)

MOST READ STORY

‘The rock was his home’, professional climber Will Stanhope dies

DARTS & DAFFODILS

TRUCK LOAD OF DARTS

awarded to the bright sparks who decided to install concrete edged bike lanes on Victoria Street from Loggers Lane to Third Avenue. Dedicated bike lanes in this location make little sense. However, the fact that thousands of our dollars have been spent pouring concrete and resurfacing most of Victoria Street, instead of painting bike lanes on the road is LUDICROUS. It is causing traffic problems, which is obvious to anyone who cares to stand a while and watch delivery drivers trying to do their jobs !

BUNCH OF DARTS DRIVERS

who are ignoring the highly visible new speed limit signs around town Especially the one as you pass by McDonald’s when exiting the highway heading for downtown DARTS to electric bike and scooter riders who speed and weave along the side walks on Cleveland Avenue and Second Avenue I have witnessed so many near misses between youngsters and senior citizens with or without walking sticks. Riders of these “silent” vehicles should have licenses to drive. At least go through some sort of driving test to learn the “rules of the road” as it were. If this is not possible, they should have bells that they can ring when coming up behind pedestrians At least we’d have time to get out of their way!!

Got something nice to say or some constructive criticism? Send your Darts & Daffodils: Email: news@squamishchief.com or drop off at The Chief office (38117 Second Ave.) during business hours. Deadline for submissions is Monday at 4 p.m. for Thursday’s paper. All submissions must be signed and include a phone number for verification. Maximum length is 75 words. Darts are intended to be an anonymous critique between private parties Darts must not directly or indirectly identify an individual or business.

NEW SPORTS INDOOR TRAINING FACILITY SET TO OPEN THIS SUMMER

A new indoor training option for hockey and baseball players is taking shape in town. The Yard Sports Lab is expected to open in late June with turf space, batting cages—including one with HitTrax—and a synthetic ice shooting lane

JENNIFER THUNCHER

jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca

It is a long-bemoaned Squamish problem that three entrepreneurial parents are aiming to solve—a lack of places for kids to train for their sport

Parents Jhye Hopkins, Kevin Smillie, and Anna Le Good are currently developing a new indoor sports training facility called The Yard Sports Lab, set to open in the Squamish Business Park this summer.

The facility is under construction at 107-39279 Queens Way.

The owners say the space is designed to help fill a major gap in local sports development opportunities.

“Something many families and athletes in our community have been feeling for years,” said Hopkins.

Like the other owners, Le Good has seen from her own experience those gaps

“I’ve been involved in both my kids’ hockey and baseball for the last four or five years, volunteering for both of our associations in town and just seeing the lack of space and resources

for the kids in town,” she said, noting she realized anything new that will be publicly available will take too long

“The underlying motivation is to have a place for the youth in our town to feel welcome and to be working on getting better and not just

loitering outside Walmart… There’s not a lot for those, especially teenagers in our town, to do So we all wanted a safe space for kids to be.”

The facility will feature:

• 1,250 square feet of indoor turf space for training, classes, and general athletic development;

• Two full-length indoor batting cages, with

PST: Continued from 9

“Expanding a non-refundable tax on essential business services increases costs at a time when businesses are already under pressure and competing nationally for investment. We support tools that help the province address its fiscal challenges, including the Strategic Investment Fund, but raising structural costs through a non-refundable tax is not the right approach.”

The letter calls on the provincial government to reconsider the scope and timing of the PST expansion and to undertake consultation with small business and non-profit organizations before implementation

The Squamish Chamber of Commerce, also said it conducted a survey of its members, and found 100% of respondents claimed some form of impact from the expansion.

PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Finance said that since the PST’s introduction in 1948, B.C.’s economy has shifted significantly towards services, which have largely remained untaxed under the PST.

B.C. currently has the narrowest sales tax base of all Canadian provinces with a sales tax, the spokesperson said.

In an emailed statement to The Squamish Chief, Minister of Finance Brenda Bailey, said that with a slower global economy and tariffs

one equipped with HitTrax technology;

• A 500 sq ft synthetic ice shooting lane on the mezzanine level for hockey development.

“With the ongoing challenges in Squamish limited ice availability and restricted baseball field access—local athletes often struggle to find consistent training time Many families are forced to travel into the city just to access basic facilities Our goal is to bring those opportunities right here to Squamish,” Hopkins said

The business, which is anticipated to open in late June, is for “everybody,” the owners say.

Specifically, they hope to serve youth athletes looking to develop their skills, baseball and slo-pitch players, families for parent and child training time, and trainers and coaches running group sessions. They will also offer opportunities for birthday parties, team events, and general community use.

They plan to offer Pro-D day camps, summer camps, and many development camps.

“This has kind of been a dream of mine for 20 years or so,” said Smillie. “We’ve been talking about it around the dinner table, and now it’s just finally come to fruition.”

The Yard Sports Lab will operate through a Swift: Sport Facility Management Software booking system, with an optional membership model that allows 24/7 access for users.

For future details, follow the company on its social media @theyardsportslab on Instagram.

having a major impact, she knows many Squamish business owners are facing real challenges right now.

“Over the last eight years, we’ve worked hard to build the foundations a strong province depends on, including building the hospitals, schools, housing and roads people need,” she said.

“As part of Budget 2026’s efforts to protect critical services for the people of B.C., the government is taking steps to increase provincial revenue, including by updating the PST. Not only does this change generally align us with other provinces’ sales taxes, it also helps increase revenue to fund health care, education, and other core services people rely on,” she added.

“We made sure there were measures specific for the business community in this budget, including a $400 million strategic investment fund that will allow us to attract major investments into British Columbia and partner on that, and a 15% new tax credit for manufacturing, something the sector has said is meaningful for them.

“Businesses are finding significant savings with the elimination of the carbon tax, and we continue to help British Columbians with the cost of living by protecting the gains we’ve made like cutting child care fees in half, reducing car insurance, and launching the B.C. Family Benefit. We’ll keep taking steps to ensure the right conditions are in place for businesses to succeed.”

PHOTO BY JENNIFER THUNCHER/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF

Parents Jhye Hopkins (far left), Anna Le Good and Kevin Smillie and are currently developing a new indoor sports training facility called The Yard Sports Lab, set to open in the Squamish Business Park this summer

Britannia Mine Museum gratefully acknowledges theircommunity sponsors:

‘I DO NOT TELL THIS STORY FOR MYSELF:’ SQUAMISH ELDER HARRY DISCUSSES IMPACT OF SHARING HER LIVED EXPERIENCE THROUGH DOCUMENTARY

94-year-old Squamish Nation Elder Gwen Harry discusses the power of community and her hope for future generations, as a documentary about her lived experience enters production

INA PACE

ipace@lodestarmedia.ca

The documentary “Seeds of Hope” tells the story of residential school survivor and cultural programmer

Sḵwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) Elder Chésha7 Gwen Harry, but what is her perspective on its making?

Harry shared with The Squamish Chief her lived experience, and her thoughts on the documentary’s portrayal of it, as well as what she hopes for her legacy.

In her written response, she described Lee Jay Bamberry’s “Seeds of Hope,” which is currently in production, as a “different format” from traditional oral storytelling She explained the medium of film is something that enables her children to learn “living history,” by hearing the voices and seeing images of her people

“I didn’t really set out to tell my story this way. It came from my lived experience, the community, [and] the memories that stay with

you In [the Indigenous] way, we’ve always told stories; sitting together, listening, learning,” she wrote.

“Our knowledge as Elders does not come from degrees; it comes from experience This way feels closer to how we’ve always shared knowledge.”

Harry explained however that some parts of “Seeds of Hope” were not easy to share, particularly in speaking about losing “simple freedoms,” for example at residential schools.

“There were times when we had no autonomy, controlled by the Indian Agent. Those things stay with you. Speaking about them is difficult, but it is necessary so people can understand what happened,” Harry wrote.

Harry emphasized the power of team-work and community; actions over words when pushing for and making change for future generations, together with non-Indigenous peoples. The establishment of Totem preschool is such an example of this joint community effort. Harry acknowledged May Harris, Don Ross, and Margaret Marchant amongst ‘many others” for such efforts.

Harry’s personal motivations, she wrote, are her memories, the people, the children, and their future

“Things change, but they also stay the same We still need to educate our children, support our families, put food on the table, and prepare the next generation for what is ahead.

“I do not tell this story for myself I stand with the women beside me; the ones who worked just as hard, who cared just as deeply If I am remembered, I hope it is for people helping people, and never looking down on someone unless you are willing to pick them up,” she wrote.

Harry’s teachings, and what she chooses to carry forwards, are as such.

The planned release for “Seeds of Hope,” which received the Squamish Arts Arts & Culture Grant in March, is the end of this year.

Ina Pace is The Squamish Chief’s Local Journalism Initiative (LJI) reporter

This reporting was produced through the LJI, which supports original civic journalism across Canada

PHOTO BY DAVID KARUHIJE

(Left to right) Chief Dale Harry, Elder Gwen Harry, and her granddaughter of the same name, Gwen Harry.

SQUAMISH MMA FIGHTER JAMEY LYN HORTH LOSES TO JJ ALDRICH

Squamish flyweight Jamey Lyn Horth fell to American fighter JJ Aldrich by unanimous decision at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg on April 18

LIZ MCDONALD emcdonald@lodestarmedia.ca

Apacked crowd at The Backyard cheered their hometown fighter to the final bell on April 18—but the result didn’t go their way.

Squamish UFC flyweight Jamey Lyn Horth lost in a unanimous decision to American opponent JJ Aldrich at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, with all three judges scoring the bout 29-28 in Aldrich’s favour.

Horth, who trains at The Sound Martial Arts Centre, was chasing a third consecutive win after a TKO of Tereza Bledá in Las Vegas last December and a unanimous decision over Vanessa Demopoulos in Atlanta in June 2024. She was one of 10 Canadian fighters on the card.

The bout was tightly contested throughout, with the outcome far from certain as the two fighters sparred at close range. The Backyard crowd screamed Horth’s name and pounded tables in support—making the announcement of the result all the more stinging Shock and disappointment spread through the room when the decision was read Horth, born in 1990, fights at flyweight with

Meet Liam andLevi

This is Liam (brown tabby) andLevi (grey), andtheyare notjustgorgeous, buttotal sweethearts.

They have simple needs:

-Affection,all of it please.

-Watchingbirds througha window? Nothing thrills them more.CatTV isalsoa favorite channel.

Levi likes to be high up andLiamseemstoprefer tobeclosertothe ground,perhaps in case thereis a person around to give himsomeattention.Both of theseboyslovetheir food,especially Liam,and it is agreat waytowin theirhearts. They area bondedpairand need to be adoptedtogether.

I know what I did in there. My team knows it. The people who understand this sport know it. Grateful for the coaches who prepared me and the support that never wavers. We keep building.

a 66-inch reach.

A couple of days after the fight, Horth posted to her social media that the loss was fuel for her.

“I didn’t get my hand raised, but I stand by

that performance,” she wrote.

“I know what I did in there. My team knows it The people who understand this sport know it

Grateful for the coaches who prepared me and the support that never wavers We keep building.

I never do this alone. I owe a huge thank you to my teammates, my family, my community and my body for allowing me to do what I do.”

She thanked her sponsors, too.

“I am proud and confident in my performance and the all work behind it. This isn’t a setback, it’s fuel.”

PHOTO LIZ MCDONALD/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF Supporters watch the fight at The Backyard on April 18

PHOTO BY MARGARET MUNRO

BE BEAR AWARE: The bears are back out in force. Locals are reminded to secure garbage out of sight and smell.

JAMEY LYN HORTH

DONVILLE PAULA

March 4, 1939

(Kitchener,ON)April 25, 2026 (NorthVancouver,BC)

It is with heavy hearts that we announce thepassing of Paula Christine Donville (née Mather) in her 88th year.Paula is survived by herloving and devoted husband of65years, Phil, and her childrenLillian (Leslie), Christopher (Rose), Jason, Neil (Meredith), and Danielle (Steve). She was aproud grandmother to Brennan (Nicole), Nicholas, Kathryn (Carl), Jacob (Kali), Alexandra, Jonathan (Annie), Emily (Wyatt), Michael, and Elizabeth, and great-grandmother toBrooklyn. Sheis also survived by her sister Janet,and is predeceased by her parentsJack and Monica Mather,sisters Maureenand Catharine,and brother Raymond AdevoutCatholic, Paula shared herlove of music for over fortyyears as an organist and pianist in severalCatholic parishes. She was also an active member ofher community inSquamish, BC, includingthe Women on Wheels cycling group, the Howe SoundPerformingArtsAssociation,the Catholic Women’sLeague, and Al-Anon. Paula worked for the HoweSound School Board, retiring as alibrary assistant at HoweSound SecondarySchool.

Paulaloved travel, music, art, good food, active living, nature, family,and friendship, and will be deeply missed by those who knew her

Family and friendsare invited to aFuneral Mass celebratingPaula’slife at St. Joseph's Catholic Church on Thursday,May 7at11:00 a.m.,with areception to follow.

Afull obituaryand service details can be found at: www.mckenziefuneralservices.com

ouroffice hasbeen providing

Application for alounge has been received by the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch from Glass Half Full Beverages Ltd. located at Unit 114-1111 Pioneer Way, in Squamish.

Proposed licensed hoursare 1:00 PM to 10:00 PM, daily Person capacity willbelimited to10persons(interior only).

Residents locatedwithina 0.5-mile (0.8 km) radius of the proposed sitemay comment on this proposal by:

The General Manager C/O Senior Licensing Analyst Liquorand Cannabis Regulation Branch PO Box 9292 Victoria, BC V8W 9J8

2)Email to: LCRB.SLA@gov.bc.ca

1) Writing to: PETITIONS AND FORM LETTERS WILLNOT BE CONSIDERED

To ensure the consideration of your views, your comments, name and address must be received on or before May 30th, 2026.

Please note thatyour comments may be madeavailabletothe applicant or local government officials where disclosureisnecessarytoadminister the licensing process. The SeatoSky corridor’stop civil constructioncompany. We arecurrentlyrecruiting professionally minded people to join ourteam:

Layers $25-$45 per hour •Construction Labourers $25-$30per hour •Heavy Equipment Operators

»squamishchief.jobfind.findem.ca

www.whistlerexcavations.com

Employee Health &Wellness Plan available

HEAVY EQUIPMENTOPERATOR– Minimum 5years or 5,000 hours operating experienceonexcavator.CrushingExperience preferred. Full-time, Monday –Friday. $33-$46 per hour

CONSTRUCTION LABOURER – Great opportunitytolearn on-thejob.Staminafor physically demanding work andperseverance to brave inclement weather required. Previous experience preferred but not required. Training provided. $28-$33 per hour.

PIPE LAYER –Minimum 5years experience in civil construction. Full-time, Monday –Friday.$33-$43 per hour

TRUCKDRIVER –BCDL Class 1orClass 3with air brakes required. Manual transmission. 2years experience preferred. $35-$41.50 per hour..

HEAVYDUTY EQUIPMENT MECHANIC – Whistler,Red Seal Certified, Commercial Truck &Transport, Transport Trailer required. CVSE Inspector’s ticket, AirConditioningticket, Class 1or3with air brakes, andseveral years’ experience preferred. $40.19-$42.43per hour

The Sea to Sky corridor's top civil construction company.

We arecurrently recruiting professionally minded people to join our team.

Required:

Commercial Transport or Heavy-Duty Technician.

*Competitive wages, extended health benefits & tool allowance (after 3months)

Please send resume to: Email: info@whistlerexcavations.com

The Museumis currently seeking

Retail & Visitor Services Manager

Responsible for driving earned revenue through retail, ticketing and generalmembership; delivering an exceptional visitor experience; and leading frontof-house operations and staff.

The position will remain posted until filled.Applicationswill be reviewed on an ongoing basis, and candidates areencouraged toapply as soon as possible.

Apply andlearnmorevia the QR code, or email applications to bbeacom@audainartmuseum.com

Photo: Kat Moffat.

1. Formally proper

5. Froth 9. Taxi

12. Religious ceremony 13. Reign 14. Shelleyoffering 15. Exposed 16. Notable times

17.Tennis-courtdivider

18. Woman

20.Wearing boots

22.Snug

24.Scan abook

27.Hockey official

30.Therefore

31. Rowing tool

32. Serious theater

34. Wrongdoing 35. Babies’ beds

37._ Ann doll

39. ____-jerk reaction

40.Top-billed performer

41.Deficiency

44.Boasted

48. Unhappy

50.Puncture

52. Protectedinlet

53. Black gold

54. Stickysubstance

55. Tied

56. Like adesert

57.Relay

58. Take a break

DOWN

1. Instructor,for short 2.Fully matured

3. Part of alist

4. Threaten

5. Refrigerator section

6. “____ Town” (play)

7. Mournful word

8. Engagegears

9. Concentrate

10.Orangecooler

11. Anteup

19.British noblemen

21. Unrefined mineral

23. Century units

25. Corrosivesubstance

26.Disallow

27.Granite

28. Makealiving

29.Kind

30.Comic-strip Viking

33. Equaled

36. Honey-making insect

38. Market owner

42. Nest contents

43. Over hill and

45. Made cloth

46. Nights of anticipation

47.Automishapmark

48. Section of grass

49.Broadcast

51.Daylight source

Crosswordpuzzle answers use American spelling

LASTWEEK’SANSWERS:

HOROSCOPE WEEK OF APR 30,2026-MAY

ARIES March 21-April 19

Anunexpectedopportunitytiedtoa spiritualjourneyorphysicalactivity willtransformyourworldview.This momentwillmarkanimportant turningpointwhereyourpersonal growthandprofessionalpotential willalign,strengtheningyour confidence

TAURUS April 20-May20

Youremotionswilldriveyou tomakebolddecisions.An unexpectedmoveorcareerchange coulddisruptyourdailyroutine Thesechoiceswillmarkafresh startandinitiateanewcycleof opportunities

GEMINI May21-June 20

Amajordilemmawillslightly interferewithyourplans.Avoid makingimpulsivedecisions

Stepbackandcarefullyweigh youroptions.Arusheddecision couldcauseyoutobacktrack unnecessarily.Choosecautionand balanceaboveallelse.

CANCER June 21-July 22

Youmaybetaskedwithnew responsibilitiesthisweek, includingaprojectthatcould generatesignificantfinancial benefits.Youmayalsostart yourownbusiness,leadingto independence,recognitionand unexpectedpersonalgrowth.

LEO July 23-Aug. 22

Asurprisewhirlwindromancemay brightenyoureverydaylife.You’ll feelanintenseandimmediate attraction.However,youmayneed toresolvecertainfamilyissues beforeyoucanfullycommittothis promisingrelationship.

VIRGO Aug. 23-Sept.22

Chooseyourwordscarefully thisweektoavoidtensionor misunderstandings.Onanother note,amoveisonthehorizon, bringingwithitthejoyofcreating andpersonalizinganewliving space

LIBRA Sept.23-Oct. 22

Someonewilltrustyouwitha secretthatwillweighonyour conscience.Shouldyourevealit orkeepittoyourself?Youmay needtorethinksomeofyour friendships,especiallyaround issuesofmoneyorloyalty.This willputthetrustofsomepeople tothetest

SCORPIO Oct. 23-Nov.21

Anunexpectedjobpromotion couldfinallyimproveyour financialsituation.Anearnest conversationwithasuperiorwill supportthisadvancement.In yourlovelife,prioritizesincere communicationtodeepenyour harmonyandconnection

SAGITTARIUS Nov.22-Dec. 21

Youneedresttoregainyour energy.You’llhaveapowerful spiritualawakeningthatwillguide youtowardamoremeaningful, fulfillingandsustainableway oflife

CAPRICORN Dec. 22-Jan.19

Yourboundlesscreativity willbeyourdrivingforcethis week.Launchingapromising artisticprojectcouldleadto realsuccess.Toavoidspreading yourselftoothin,seektheright balancebetweenspendingtime strengtheningyourfriendshipsand focusingonwork

AQUARIUS Jan. 20-Feb.18

You’llbegiventhetaskof organizinganimportanteventor meeting.Althoughit’sstressful,this responsibilitywillhighlightyour interpersonalskills.Assoonasyou daretostepoutsideyourcomfort zone,you’lltrulyshine.

PISCES Feb. 19-March 20

Newprofessionalresponsibilities andenrichingchallengesare onthehorizon,offeringyouthe chancetorevealhiddentalents Financialrecognitioniscoming soon,alongwithrenewed confidenceinyourabilities

HOWTOPLAY:

Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3box contains the numbers1through 9only once. Each 3x3box is outlined with adarker line. Youalready have afew numbers to getyou started. Remember:you must not repeat the numbers1through 9in the same line, column or 3x3box

Holy Communion and Morning Worship

Sundays at 10:00 AM

Rev Cameron Gutjahr

1930 Diamond Road 604-898-5100

www.squamishanglicanchurch.ca info@squamishanglicanchurch.ca

ExaltingJesus,Equipping His Followers,Engaging theWorld

WorshipService Sundays 10am

onour website and Facebook Live 2262ReadCres. 604-898-3737

www.squamishbaptistchurch.org

SUDOKU