FEDERAL MINISTER REVEALS AMBITION TO TRIPLE WOODFIBRE LNG CAPACITY
Energy minister Tim Hodgson told investors that Woodfibre LNG has ambitions to double and triple its size—raising critics’ fears that the project could act as a ‘regulatory Trojan horse’
PAGE 16
CHILDREN’S FEST RETURNS
Buddy and friends return to the Railway Museum of B.C.
REVERSED + COLOUR PALETTE
STEFAN LABBÉ
slabbe@lodestarmedia.ca
Owners of Woodfibre LNG, are seeking to massively expand the facility’s size, according to Canada’s federal energy minister.
The company is officially permitted to produce 2.1 million tonnes of liquefied gas per year, but federal Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson recently revealed the project’s scale could grow significantly beyond its current permits.
“I know Woodfibre has ambitions to double and triple the size of their production,” Hodgson said.
Hodgson made the comments March 24 at the CERAWeek energy conference in Houston, Texas—an event billed by S&P Global as the “world’s premier energy conference.”
Later posted online in a podcast, his remarks
have since prompted a backlash from critics who say Woodfibre appears to be a “regulatory Trojan horse” designed to bypass a full
WLNG: Continued on 2
FILE PHOTO BY OISIN MCHUGH Modules arrive at Woodfibre LNG on March 17.
SKYFALL - NET ZERO HOME EAGLEWIND GEM L - ZERO
environmental assessment.
Neither the company nor the government has previously disclosed plans to expand the Woodfibre LNG project.
In an email, Woodfibre LNG spokesperson Sean Beardow did not deny the substance of Hodgson’s comments.
“Our priority remains the safe and successful delivery of Woodfibre LNG’s current project,” Beardow said.
When asked to confirm how the minister learned of Woodfibre’s goal to expand, his office cited “regular contact” with current and prospective proponents of LNG projects.
“This includes Woodfibre LNG, and we look forward to seeing first cargoes from that project—which will be the first net-zero LNG in the world—in 2027,” the spokesperson said.
Woodfibre’s consultants and executives met with federal officials 38 times over the past 12 months, according to the federal Registry of Lobbyists. Five of those meetings were with Hodgson.
MINISTER’S COMMENTS PROMPT CALL FOR NEW ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
The Woodfibre LNG project is 65% complete and on track to be finished by 2027. Once operational, the terminal will process gas from northern B.C. that will be delivered via a new 47-kilometre pipeline from Metro Vancouver.
Progress has come at a steep price.
Construction costs have ballooned to US$8.8 billion—a significant increase from the US$5.1 billion estimate in 2022 and the company’s original US$1.6 billion projection.
While the facility is currently seven times smaller than LNG Canada in Kitimat, critics argue Hodgson’s comments suggest a “phased expansion” is already in the works.
Tripling its capacity would not only significantly close the gap with its northern rival but also increase the frequency of LNG carriers transiting Howe Sound. For more than a decade,
opponents have warned that the project was being overbuilt to eventually exceed its stated production goals.
In 2015, a report authored by environmental group My Sea to Sky concluded the facility appeared to be planning power upgrades and gas pipeline capacity six times more than needed to satisfy the company’s planned LNG production.
In an email, My Sea to Sky chair Eoin Finn said the energy minister’s comments raise the question whether Woodfibre LNG has “misled the public to exploit regulatory loopholes and sneak in a project up to three times larger than initially assessed.”
“This confirms our suspicions that Woodfibre LNG is a Trojan horse that has overbuilt infrastructure to enable a phased expansion of the project while sidestepping the environmental assessment process,” Finn said.
“Did the provincial and federal governments know this was the plan from day one?”
In a joint statement, My Sea to Sky and Sunshine Coast Conservation Association called on the federal and provincial governments to require a new, comprehensive environmental assessment for the entire Woodfibre LNG and FortisBC Eagle Mountain Pipeline expansion projects.
The two groups are also seeking an assessment to understand the cumulative impacts of the project on Howe Sound and the Salish Sea.
“If Woodfibre LNG doubles or triples in size, tanker traffic would as well, impacting ferry traffic and transforming Howe Sound from a globally recognized recreational destination into an industrial shipping corridor,” said Suzanne Senger, executive director of the Sunshine Coast group.
In the past, both groups have raised concerns over Woodfibre’s impacts on nearby communities, local air pollution, underwater noise and global warming.
They have also questioned the project’s actual economic benefits to Canada. Finn and his colleagues have pointed to large government subsidies and tax breaks, and what it sees as a
failure to be transparent over the nature and ultimate ownership of the export terminal.
LNG KEY PIECE OF CANADA’S RISING ‘ENERGY SUPERPOWER’ STATUS: MINISTER
Back in Texas, Hodgson defended the federal government’s goal of making Canada an “energy superpower”—a term Prime Minister Mark Carney used as part of his successful 2025 election campaign.
“We need to be a clean and conventional energy superpower. It’s not one or the other, it’s both,” said the minister.
Hodgson described the Montney gas formation in B.C. as an “incredible resource” and “the least drilled major gas play in North America.”
“All the American fields are starting to peak and the productivity of each of their wells is starting to go down,” Hodgson said.
“The Montney wells are still going up, and they will go up for some considerable period of time. The world has figured that out, and the world is coming to Canada.”
Hodgson commented on plans to expand the capacity of the Trans Mountain Expansion (TMX) bitumen pipeline by more than 300,000 barrels by 2028, while also building out renewable energy and electricity supply across the country.
The minister’s comments came as energy markets shuddered amid the war in Iran. The threat of missile attack has largely shut oil and gas tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz—a choke point where about 20 per cent of the world’s fossil fuels must transit before reaching global markets.
In Texas, Hodgson said Canada’s allies see the country as a solution in a “hinge moment.” But some experts questioned whether Canada can truly fill the growing supply gap.
Andy Hira, a political economist at Simon Fraser University, said that as oil and gas prices climb, the prospect of a Canadian LNG “gold rush” ignores a market reality.
By the time new projects are operational,
If
Woodfibre LNG doubles or triples in size, tanker traffic would as well, impacting ferry traffic and transforming Howe Sound from a globally recognized recreational destination into an industrial shipping corridor.
SUZANNE SENGER
cheaper pipeline gas from places like Russia, Kazakhstan and Myanmar will likely undercut Canadian exports to China. And as key Asian and European markets pivot to renewable energy, long-term demand for B.C. gas remains shaky, he added.
“In the short-term, there will be a supply crunch that will certainly benefit LNG Canada and Woodfibre,” Hira said. “But will that market be there in 20 years to pay off government investment? That’s where I’m skeptical.”
Minister Hodgson’s office maintains a different outlook, framing exports as a “strategic necessity” and part of its goal to boost Canada’s LNG exports to 50 million tonnes per year in the 2030s and 100 million tonnes annually by the 2040s.
“Canada is an energy superpower and we have what the world wants, especially when it comes to LNG,” said the minister’s spokesperson. “Our low-risk, low-carbon LNG is in high demand from our allies.”
WLNG: Continued from 1
GOT NEWS?
Email your news tip or story idea to: jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca emcdonald@lodestarmedia.ca ipace@lodestarmedia.ca
BC PARKS DEVELOPING PLAN TO REMOVE VW BEETLE FROM THE PAPOOSE
Stunt above Highway 99 draws safety warning, resource concerns, and rebuke from Squamish Nation
LIZ MCDONALD emcdonald@lodestarmedia.ca
BC Parks is working to remove a hollowed-out red Volkswagen Beetle suspended from the rock face of The Papoose near Shannon Falls and says the operation will not be cheap or simple.
The province closed the surrounding area after the car was discovered hanging above Highway 99 and powerlines on March 30, attributed to what appears to be a UBC engineering tradition. In a statement to The Squamish Chief, the Ministry of Environment and Parks said a removal plan is expected to be complete within the next week, with preliminary cost estimates still being explored.
“Addressing this matter requires team capacity and budget and directly impacts BC Parks ability to deliver services to visitors in Sea to Sky parks and protected areas.”
The area will remain closed until the vehicle is removed. The ministry said the car’s position above active infrastructure means the risk is ongoing.
RIGGING CALLED DANGEROUS
That urgency is backed up by what local route developer Ryan Block found when he rappelled to the car on March 31. Block has been developing climbing routes on The Papoose for years and went up to assess the situation himself.
He did not like what he saw.
“The workmanship, the quality of this
engineering prank—it appears to be quite low, quite poor,” he said. “Getting up close to it, I was only able to see a handful of hard points at which the frame was attached. One of those was on, I believe, a bumper strut. And that bumper strut looked like it was currently being detached from the frame of the vehicle.”
Block found the materials used, including open hooks and degraded nylon webbing, were wholly inadequate for an overhead rigging load or life supporting applications.
He also found the weight was not distributed between the two steel cables. “The entire working load was on one line,” he said.
“Everything was on one bolt.”
“I knew pretty much as soon as I’d rapped down to it that I did not want to touch it, interact with it, get below it, or anything that would put me in its line of fire,” Block said.
He added that whoever staged the stunt drilled two new eye bolts into the rock face, damage he said is permanent and serves no climbing purpose.
workmanship, the quality of this engineering prank— it appears to be quite low, quite poor.
RYAN BLOCK
SACRED SITE, PUBLIC COST
Squamish Nation chairperson Sxwíxwtn Wilson Williams said hanging any item on Squamish Nation territory is unacceptable. “Placing or hanging anything upon it is extremely disrespectful both to our People, and to our land,” he said. “The placement of this car, and its subsequent removal, also puts people unnecessarily at risk.”
BC Parks and RCMP are jointly investigating. Potential charges include mischief, criminal negligence if injuries occur, or fines under the Park Act. No one has been identified. UBC Engineering Undergraduate Society denies any knowledge of the prank, and the Faculty of Applied Science said in a statement to The Squamish Chief that it has not confirmed who may be responsible.
PHOTO BY LIZ MCDONALD/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF As of press deadline, the VW Bug remains on The Papoose.
OPEN HOUSE DRAWS MORE THAN 100 AS LOCALS WEIGH OVERHEAD TRANSMISSION LINE TO WOODFIBRE LNG
More than 100 people turned out on March 31 to question BC Hydro and Woodfibre LNG about a proposed powerline
INA PACE
ipace@lodestarmedia.ca
An open house was held for the Squamish community on March 31 with over 100 attendees to discuss plans for BC Hydro to construct a 19 km, 138 kV overhead power line through Brackendale, from Cheekye Substation to the Woodfibre LNG site.
The power line will support the facility’s new “long-term power requirements,” which have changed since the Interconnection project was first proposed in 2015 as a series of upgrades to existing lines—including the existing 500 kV line on the west side of the Squamish River— Woodfibre LNG representatives confirmed at the meeting.
“Both Woodfibre LNG and BC Hydro are committed to open and transparent communication throughout planning and construction. This includes meaningful consultation with First Nations, the public and anyone affected by construction for feedback,” the Woodfibre LNG’s January press release reads.
Some Brackendale residents who attended the open house, held at the Executive Suites Hotel, said they received a letter in January from BC Hydro on their doorsteps as affected property owners, without prior consultation about project changes.
The new powerline will be erected along a right of way, near residents; homes and in their backyards.
Brackendale resident Vairdy Frail said she is one of these affected property owners. She shared over email that according to the Brackendale Owners and Tenants Association (BOATA), BC Hydro is relying on “an outdated right-of-way established in 1957 … now running through 40 private properties valued at approximately $1.5 million each.”
“This approach will maximize community impacts,” Frail said.
“All the property owners are aware we have the right of way on our property, But never in our imaginations would we have thought they’re going to build a second set of lines, which is major construction,” Frail said.
CALLS FOR CONSULTATION
Frail told The Squamish Chief that BOATA called for a “transparent town hall meeting,” involving group discussions with BC Hydro and Woodfibre LNG, via an online petition that garnered over 450 signatures.
That format for the open house, Frail said, was refused.
ATTENDEES’ CONCERNS
Attendees at the open house addressed Woodfibre LNG and BC Hydro representatives with concerns around the construction, parameters, and longevity of the new overhead line, including the potential devaluation of
affected properties, restrictions placed on those properties, and their demolition, as well as the demolition of trees, biodiversity and privacy.
Health concerns were also expressed, regarding potential exposure of electromagnetic radiation for residents living near the lines.
Attendees suggested that Woodfibre LNG re-visit their 2015 proposals, in particular one of their original plans to “step down” the power of the existing 500 kV line. They also questioned whether alternate power sources and methods had been considered.
What remained unclear to the majority of attendees was Woodfibre LNG’s reasoning for their new power requirements, along with their change of the “step down” plan. Several attendees called out that “no acceptable answer” was given by the Woodfibre LNG representatives, despite repeated questions.
Brackendale resident Josh Thome described how attendees were met with “blank stares” from the representatives when asking about the 2015 proposals.
“I think they wanted tonight to talk about engineering and where the line is going,” Thome recalled.
“It’s up to communities to push back.”
WOODFIBRE LNG AND BC HYDRO
Representatives clarified they could not build alternate energy sources, like solar and wind, due to lack of consistency, and wiring needed to power relevant generators.
BC Hydro’s manager of public affairs for capital projects Greg Alexis said that BC Hydro does not have property rights to install power lines underground in some areas. Woodfibre LNG elaborated this would also be too time consuming, having already had multiple delays on the LNG project.
Woodfibre LNG clarified the right of way was designed according to the needs at the time when rights were acquired.
Although parameters are fixed, the width of the path, they said, will not be consistent due to safety factors, such as the sway of the line, which Woodfibre LNG confirmed will not be directly above houses. The maximum and minimum distances of this sway (depending on weather) are unknown due to the project still being in the conception stage with an unconfirmed design.
Attendees were assured the right of way plan will be emailed individually, though attendees called for the plan to be made available online.
Regarding health concerns and the potential decline of property value, representatives directed the community elsewhere, advising residents to seek advice from their “chief health officers,” and BC Assessment.
On its website, BC Hydro states the EMF lines, which stands for electric and magnetic fields,”are invisible fields produced anywhere that electricity flows such as transmission lines, household appliances such as coffee makers, vacuum cleaners, lights, cell phones—it’s present around the wiring in your walls, it’s found indoors and outdoors in the environment.
We rely on international health agencies, including the World Health Organization and Health Canada, to determine what is safe for human health. These organizations have thoroughly reviewed decades of peer-reviewed research, and both conclude that there are no confirmed health consequences from EMF at levels to which the public would be exposed from our transmission lines.”
Representatives described the mitigation of environmental impacts, such as deforestation, as “tough.”
Both Woodfibre LNG and BC Hydro concluded that plans for each property would be discussed and tailored to individual needs.
“We always take into account that everyone’s got a different scenario,” Alexis said.
“We heard one person tonight talking about a shed. Another person [was] talking about kids.
So we try to work as much as we can with individual property owners.”
Representatives said that, for now, Woodfibre LNG and BC Hydro are “still determining what makes the most sense,” and there will be further discussion at length internally between both organizations, especially as not all decision makers were present.
“More conversations are obviously needed,” Alexis said.
“We want to give people time to look into this … to find answers.”
WOODFIBRE LNG’S ‘WHY’
The company has argued that using electricity instead of natural gas for the liquefaction process, Woodfibre LNG will be able to produce LNG with nine times less greenhouse gas emissions than a conventional export facility.
The so-called Woodfibre LNG Interconnection Project Stage 2, is to ensure Woodfibre LNG has reliable access to clean and renewable power, the company says.
Woodfibre LNG representatives said that what they thought was best for the Interconnection project in 2015 is not the same as what they know in 2026, having made continual updates to the project, including capacity requirements for electricity.
Woodfibre LNG’s director of media relations Sean Beardow said the new power line is being erected for reliability, rather than capacity and cost, clarifying it would ensure there is no power interruption or trip to the facility, and thereby no interruption to the liquefaction process. Restarting the motor, so to speak he said, would be a “very long process.”
Beardow also echoed representatives from the meeting who discussed the need for a constant supply of electricity, as some BC Hydro customers require electricity “24/7.”
PHOTO (LEFT) BY VAIRDY FRAIL; (RIGHT) BY INA PACE/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF
Left: Mayor Armand Hurford meets with Brackendale residents prior to the meeting about the proposed new line; Right: Crowd listens at the open house.
FORMER CRASH SURVIVOR SAYS TRAFFIC DELAYS ARE MINOR COMPARED WITH THE LIFELONG IMPACT ON VICTIMS AND RESPONDERS
A serious two-vehicle crash north of Squamish shut down the Sea to Sky Highway for roughly seven hours March 2
looks like for the crash victims themselves, is that it’s not a matter of a couple hours or a day.
JENNIFER THUNCHER jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca
In the wake of a weekend crash that closed the highway for about seven hours north of Squamish, a woman who was hurt in a 2023 Sea to Sky Highway collision is using her experience to again remind drivers of the humanity behind these incidents.
MARCH 29 CRASH
At 3:38 p.m. on Sunday, March 29, the Squamish RCMP were dispatched to a two-vehicle crash at the viewpoint at Chance Creek Forest Service Road.
According to Staff Sgt. Gareth Bradley, operations supervisor for the Whistler detachment, it appears one vehicle crossed the centre line and collided with another vehicle causing a head-on collision.
There were serious injuries to several occupants of both vehicles, and one person was airlifted by Emergency Health Services to a hospital in Vancouver in critical condition. On last report, both drivers were in stable condition with life-altering injuries
When there are serious and potentially life-threatening injuries, the RCMP’s Integrated Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Service (ICARS) is sent out to investigate and determine the cause of the collision.
The team arrived on scene at 5:17 p.m., according to Bradley.
After the analysis the vehicles were removed and the highway was reopened at around 10:30 p.m.
Impairment does not seem to be a factor in this collision, he said.
Jehan Jiwa was in a crash on Jan. 9, 2023. She has told her story before, including in Pique Newsmagazine, and is telling it again in the wake of the recent crash.
“It’s really triggering, honestly, to hear that it’s still happening,” said Jiwa on the morning of March 30.
For her crash, her father was driving and they were near Britannia Beach, returning from their vacation home in Whistler, to their home in Vancouver, when suddenly they were hit head on by an SUV.
She doesn’t remember much after that, other than waking up in the ICU at Vancouver General Hospital.
She has been working to recover ever since.
“I see people being so frustrated, like, ‘Oh, I’m stuck in traffic.’ And I’m always like, yeah, that part sucks, but are we looking at it from the point of view of the people who are actually involved? And so, just trying to bring some … humanity to the situation,” she said.
“It was a couple hours later than you’d hope, but most people got home. But this is what it
This is life that’s never going to be the same. So let’s really be careful out there and make sure we’re not doing anything to put anyone in that situation.”
She said her heart goes out to the first responders on the scene of these crashes too.
She and her father have connected both with the RCMP corporal who was the first on the scene of their crash and with Britannia Beach Volunteer Firefighters Association Fire Chief Robert Nicholls.
“[It] was incredibly inspiring, just to be able to thank him and his team for everything they did, literally saving my life,” she said.
“But it’s traumatic. They talk about the trauma that they have to endure.”
For every crash that closes the highway, there are many people impacted, she added.
“So, there’s so much trauma and so many people involved in the trauma that we don’t always realize,” she said.
“So certainly when something like this happens, I think of them and my heart goes out to them.”
On the flip side, she also takes heart in how people come together to help travellers who are impacted by the crash.
“It’s always gratifying to see people hopping on and saying, ‘Hey, if anyone needs a place to stay, if anyone needs food.’ It’s really gratifying to see how the community takes care of one another.”
Jiwa also noted that many locals have been calling for changes on the Sea to Sky Highway to make it safer.
“I know my crash, our crash could have been easily prevented because it was on a stretch of the highway by Britannia where there’s no barricade between the northbound and southbound lanes,” she said.
Matthew Paugh, a Squamish local who has been long advocating for changes to the highway, and who operates the 93,000-strong Sea to Sky Road Conditions Facebook page is promoting his petition he has circulated since 2023.
The “Increase the Safety on the Sea to Sky Highway” petition calls for more speed limit enforcement along the highway, more signage and decreasing the communication time it takes to inform he public of issues.
The petition is directed at the Ministry of Transportation (MOTI), local MPs, RCMP, districts and local governments within the Sea to Sky Corridor.
“It’s gotten doors open to mayors, councils, MLAs and MPs, but to date requests have been ignored by RCMP and more importantly MOTI for a meeting,” Paugh said in a post sharing the petition again on the day after the March 29 crash.
Paugh told The Squamish Chief that when he saw there was another long closure, he thought about how preventable these crashes
seem to be. While police can’t be everywhere, a cement divider and a speed camera are permanent and can help reduce at least some of the crashes.
He was also frustrated, as were many online, with the lack of information available from DriveBC, which is run by the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure and is supposed to give “real-time” road conditions in the province.
“At least include a summary of what’s happening,” he said, calling the frequency of DriveBC alerts for the March 29 crash “atrocious.” “It’s always dragging them along with a tease [of] something in another hour. In the meantime, this was almost eight hours of delay. Just turn people back. Send them back to Squamish and Whistler; stop allowing them to leave and go that far south only to sit in traffic more and more.”
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Transportation and Transit told The Squamish Chief on Monday afternoon that their thoughts are with those affected by the incident on March 29.
“Whenever incidents happen on B.C.’s highways, the ministry and its maintenance contractors work together as quickly as possible to facilitate the safety of all travellers,
including enacting road closures when needed, providing updates to the public and working with law enforcement,” the spokesperson said, adding digital message signs were urgently updated on the highways to notify those individuals already on the road.
The ministry’s Traffic Management Centre received notification about the incident and closure March 29 at 3:55 p.m., and DriveBC was updated at 4:33 p.m., the spokesperson noted.
The road reopened to travellers at 10:45 p.m.
The team operating the Traffic Management Centre provided nine updates during this event.
“This ministry is always looking at making its systems more streamlined to ensure people can plan ahead for their travels. The ministry will continue to look into how to make this process as fast as possible,” the spokesperson said.
While hearing about crashes is still triggering, Jiwa and her father still do drive the highway.
“Thankfully, we’ve been able to overcome the scars and get back up here,” she said.
With a file from Liz McDonald/Pique Newsmagazine
B.C. TO INVEST UP TO $400K IN QUANTUM TECHNOLOGY TO EXPAND MANUFACTURING
A provincial cash injection of up to $400,000 is set to help Quantum Technology Corp. grow its Queens Way operation, as the company works to meet rising demand for its helium and hydrogen industrial technologies
JENNIFER THUNCHER
jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca
Squamish’s Quantum Technology Corp. is getting a cash injection from the provincial government to grow its production capacity, produce a wider range of products and create more jobs.
Through the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund and the Look West strategy, the province is giving up to $400,000 to Quantum, which is based on Queens Way in Squamish.
According to a government news release sent out March 26, this funding will help Quantum Technology double the size of its manufacturing space and purchase the specialized equipment it needs to meet growing demand.
The investment will also help add 10 new jobs.
“B.C.’s manufacturing sector is a cornerstone of our economy, creating good jobs and building stronger, more resilient supply chains,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Jobs and Economic Growth, in the release.
“That’s why we’re making strategic investments to help innovative companies like Quantum Technology grow, compete and succeed. This is what our Look West strategy is about—supporting high-value B.C. manufacturing that creates new opportunities for workers, while driving economic growth in
communities across the province.”
Quantum Technology Corp. specializes in helium and hydrogen technologies for industrial applications.
“With support from the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund, we’re expanding our Canadian facility to enhance production of our advanced
OPEN HOUSE: Continued from 4
Beardow considered the open house constructive despite not being able to provide answers for “important questions,” which several attendees did not consider satisfactory.
“There’s certainly a hunger for a lot more information, and we look forward to providing that,” Beardow said.
B.C.’s manufacturing sector is a cornerstone of our economy, creating good jobs and building stronger, more resilient supply chains.
GOVERNMENT NEWS RELEASE
recovery, purification and liquefaction systems for specialty gases, especially helium and hydrogen,” said Elena Baglietto, chief operating officer of Quantum Technology Corp. “This investment strengthens B.C.’s clean tech sector, supports highly skilled jobs and boosts our capacity to deliver specialized technologies to global markets—designed and built right here in British Columbia.”
Thome shared similar sentiments, saying the open house “emboldened” him to “change the situation.”
Sḵ wx wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) Elder TlatlaKwot Christine Baker raised concerns at the open house, namely environmental concerns. She said Nation members had not been adequately consulted about the project.
“There’s perhaps a need to have discussions in a couple of different forms. We’re going to go back to the drawing board. This [open house] is really the first step.
“Woodfibre is always committed to being a good neighbour. Through more dialogue, we could end up at a place where people understand the ‘why’ and are OK with it.”
STARTING A NEW CONVERSATION
Brackendale resident Karin Burns, who was “completely shocked” by the proposal of the new line, said she felt the open house was successful despite not being executed in the desired format, nor having several questions answered.
“We had this amazing back and forth … actually a best case scenario. It definitely took the whole community coming together speaking up for a better consultation process, understanding how things have changed from 2015 to now,” she said.
“The goal for this evening was to start a new conversation and to pivot plans so we’re not continuing forward with the ‘solution’ they have presented.”
“I don’t feel this is the right avenue. People are not happy being told ‘this is going to happen.’ I recommend meetings all along that line, not just the residents but concerned citizens. There has to be a better plan,” Baker said.
Beardow told The Squamish Chief that both Woodfibre LNG and BC Hydro have been in “frequent consultation” with Squamish Nation. This included a dedicated open house on March 10 at Totem Hall, which he said he was told was “lightly attended.”
“There’s certainly an opportunity to do that again, if there’s a need,” he said.
Construction of the new line is anticipated to begin in spring of 2028.
Folks can email their questions and concerns about the new power line on the Interconnection Project website, or request to join BOATA via boata2026@gmail.com.
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.
NURSE AWARDED BRAVERY MEDAL FOR LIFE-SAVING ACTIONS IN MUDSLIDE RESCUE
Laura Ronson, who grew up in North Vancouver and now lives in Squamish, was one of two people who rescued an injured family whose vehicle was hit with a mudslide in the atmospheric river of November 2021
JANE SEYD jseyd@lodestarmedia.ca
It was around 8 o’clock at night on Nov. 14, 2021, and off-duty nurse Laura Ronson was driving home to the Lower Mainland through a torrential rain storm.
Highway 1 from Hope was closed. A bridge had blown out.
Traffic was being redirected to Highway 7 through Agassiz, said Ronson, on the north side of the Fraser. Ronson said she wasn’t particularly worried about that: “I’ve driven in crazy snowstorms and rain storms,” she said. “Also, I didn’t know how bad it was.”
But as she headed towards Agassiz, she came across the point where a mudslide had already come down across the highway. She turned around to head back to Hope, but by that time, a second landslide had come down, cutting off that route back.
“I saw I was blocked in by the second one,” she said.
All the power was out and the rain continued to pound down.
Ronson said she saw other cars in the darkness. In total more than 270 people found themselves on that stretch of road, cut off from help and unsure of when the next landslide might hit. “We all realized we were stuck,” she said.
It was at that point as she sat in her Subaru absorbing the situation that a man covered in mud banged on her vehicle window.
“He said, ‘My family is trapped.’” The van the family had been travelling in had been pushed over an embankment and flipped upside down by a slide, the man told Ronson. His wife and children were down there in the darkness, injured.
Ronson took a moment to collect herself.
“I realized I had to do something. I’m a nurse,” she said. “When you sign up to be a nurse you don’t just sign up to be a nurse when you’re on duty.”
Ronson, who grew up in Lynn Valley and previously worked at Lions Gate Hospital, now lives in Squamish and splits her work time between Whistler’s medical centre and Bella Bella.
On Thursday, she was recognized at a ceremony in Ottawa for her actions that night with a Governor General’s Medal of Bravery. The awards are given to “those who have risked their lives” to save another person whose life was in immediate danger.
“When you sign your licence there’s a piece that says would you be OK to be called in a
natural disaster?” she said. “I signed up for that.”
Ronson got out of her car and put on a raincoat.
“I didn’t have any proper shoes on,” she said, so she went car to car until she found someone who could lend her a pair of boots.
She also found Sgt. Makenzie Lee, a reserve unit soldier from Kamloops B.C., who had a large rope in his car, and who joined Ronson on the rescue.
Together they secured the rope at the top of the embankment. Ronson then used the rope to lower herself to the overturned van, which was being held on to the slope by tree branches.
The ground was steep and covered with wet rocks and mud. All the windows of the van were broken, said Ronson.
Inside were the members of the Weiss family, including 14-year-old Elijah, the most severely injured.
“He was not fully conscious,” said Ronson. “He had major head injuries. All the glass had blown out into his face.” The boy’s mother, Lori-Ann Weiss, also had injuries to her arms. Ronson assessed them and determined it would be safe to move them from their dangerous location.
That involved getting the family members out of the van and getting them up the slope with the help of the rope. Together, Ronson, Lee and the injured boy’s father pushed and pulled him up the slope. At the top of the slope, the rescuers moved the injured family members into different vehicles for emergency first aid. Ronson used clean water to flush glass out of the teenager’s eyes.
Others, including a pediatric nurse, also came to help.
There was no way for an ambulance to get through the mudslide. When help finally came, it was through members of a search and rescue team from Hope hiking over the slide area with a stretcher.
More than four years after the dramatic rescue, Ronson said while some of the details of that night have now blurred, there was never any question about stepping up to help, despite the danger.
“You just do it,” she said. “I was there. Another person is asking for my help, I’m going to help him.”
It was the family members who Ronson and McKenzie helped to save that night who nominated both of them for a bravery medal.
“They’re very grateful that we assisted,” she said. “There’s all the what ifs.”
Notice of Intent
To Consider Squamish-LillooetRegionalDistrict ProcedureBylaw No.1899-2026
In accordance with subsection 225(2) of the LocalGovernmentAct,noticeis herebygiven that theSquamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) Board intends to consider adoption of Squamish-LillooetRegionalDistrictProcedure Bylaw No.1899-2026
Requests fora copy of theproposedBylaw andquestions or comments canbe directedtoAngelaBelsham,Corporate Officer, at 604-894-6371, or 1-800-298-7753, orcorporate@slrd.bc.ca
Governor General Mary Simon (centre) presents Decorations for Bravery to nurse Laura Ronson and soldier Makenzie Lee during a ceremony March 25 at Rideau Hall in Ottawa.
Development& Business
LicenceFee Bylaw2026
Update and Open House
4:30–6:30 pm,April 20, 2026
The55Activit yCentre
Distric tStaff have under taken areviewofBusiness Licenceand Development fees fora variety of applicationtypes (environment,planning, building,and engineering) andare proposing several feeupdatestokeep up with the cost of delivering these services
Join us for an open house to ask questions and provide feedback!
Staff from theBuilding,BusinessLicensing, Planning,Environment,and Engineering Depar tments will be available to answer questions
More informationcan be found at: squamish.ca/dev-biz-fee -bylaw
Forany questions,please email planning@squamish.ca or call 604-815-5002
Get Ready foranExciting Summer by Planning Ahead!
Exploreawide range of summer camps and programs viewableonline rightnow!
Mark your calendars—registration opens on April 14 at 8 am!
Whether your interests lie in spor ts,arts, adventure, or science, you’ll finda varietyof engaging and fun camps and programs to choose from:
•Wastewater system upgrades continue along partsofMadillStreet,Garibaldi Avenue,Britannia Avenue andBuck ley Avenue,replacinganaging sanitary forcemain
•Vic toriaStreet Ac tiveTranspor tation Upgrades have resumed.
•A nesting survey preceding thedanger tree removalinNor th YardsParkisunder way. Removals will take placethis week if the sur veyresults allow. squamish.ca/building- our-future
BusinessOppor tunities
Request forProposals
•Transit ShelterDesign
•Junction Park Building:Feasibility Study &Options Analysis
Request forQuotations
•Annual Road LinePainting
•Mount Garibaldi Cemeter yExpansion Phase2 squamish.ca/doing-business-with-the -distric t
at the55Activit yCentre Wednesdays,4:30–5:30 pm
Online Now!
•and manyMore! Join our Team!
We arecurrently look ing to hire enthusiastic andenergetic individuals to become par tofthe Distric t’srecreation team as programleaders for theupcoming summerseason. This is agreat oppor tunityfor thosewho enjoyworking in afun environment. Multiplepositionsavailable. squamish.ca/careers
Check out the arena andpool schedules! April15, 11:30 am–12:30 pm at Municipal Hall (Council Chambers) View this ad online:
Summer Programs
Registration: April14
INDIGENOUS DOCUMENTARY RECEIVES SQUAMISH ARTS GRANT TO FORWARD PRODUCTION
With ‘20 hours of footage in the can,’ production is now set for a budding documentary, thanks to Squamish Arts: A testimony of hope following Indigenous trauma
INA PACE
ipace@lodestarmedia.ca
It’s not intended to be a comfortable watch, it’s a continual “listening practice” that, for many, may be quite unsettling.
WHAT’S THE STORY?
Indigenous documentary “Seeds of Hope” is the testimony of Kwakwaka’wakw (Kwakiutl) and Sḵ wx wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) Elder Chésha7 Gwen Harry, who “alchemised” her trauma from residential school experience; she reformed children’s education, and bridged gaps in cultural knowledge accordingly.
Harry, who is now 94 years old, and a descendent of Mary Capilano, attended St. Michel’s Residential School with her brother, from when they were five and three years old respectively. She went on to found Squamish’s Totem pre-school in the 1960s, and served on the advisory board at the founding of Quest University, for which she directed cultural programming. She received an honourary degree from Quest in 2022.
“Seeds of Hope” has been produced by Takaya Productions in collaboration with communications company Aria Consulting.
Squamish Arts announced in early March that the documentary, directed by Esk ɨnuopitijk Nation member Lee Jay Bamberry, received their 2026 Community Enhancement Arts & Culture Grant, meaning that production can now move forward.
According to Bamberry, 20 hours of raw footage can now be put together into a rough cut for further edits.
“We really wanted to collaborate with the Squamish Arts council because of the work they do to support local artists and make arts and culture more accessible in the community,” Aria Consulting’s founder Laura Guzman wrote in an emailed statement.
“Since this project is about telling a story rooted in the original people of the land, many of whom are also artists, it felt like a natural fit.”
Guzman explained that she met Harry through mutual project work at Quest University, and that she agreed to help bring the Harry family’s story to life, as they desired.
WHAT’S THE DOCUMENTARY’S FORMAT?
Bamberry described the documentary not as a dramatization of Harry’s life, but a series of first-hand interviews that will have “striking” visuals; namely, footage of some of her children at work, who are knowledge keepers, peacekeepers, and artists. Harry’s children, he said, are her literal seeds of hope, intending to carry her legacy and work.
Bamberry also mentioned that the production team intends to include drone footage of “old
PHOTO BY DAVID KARUHIJE
stomping grounds,” and will potentially make old photographs move through editing “wizardry.”
INTERVIEWEES AND INTERPRETATIONS
Bamberry explained how Harry would recall vivid memories with “bravery,” such as driving away from her siblings as she left for the residential school, and her experiences there. He interpreted Harry’s recollections and endeavours as her realizing she had to be the person that “no one else was becoming … she took matters into her own hands, wanting to instill in her [traditional knowledge and language] that she was forgetting.”
Other interviewees include her children, notable Squamish Nation figures master carver Xwalacktun Rick Harry, cultural speaker Alice Tsawaysia Spukwus Guss, and hereditary chief, Pekultn Siyam, Dale Harry, who is also one of the film’s producers.
“A lot of the people we interviewed, we asked them, ‘If you could go back a couple of hundred years and sit with your ancestors, what would you ask them?’” Bamberry said.
“There may be some long passages of silence just allowing the viewer to bask in the question, or in some of the sentences. We just need to live in that.”
THEMES OF RECURRING DISCOVERY
As a key takeaway from filming, Bamberry explained—from his personal perspective— that the theme of reconciliation became questionable.
“One of the recurring discoveries we were making was this question of reconciliation. I’m not really sold that reconciliation is imminent or even possible,” he said.
“In order for reconciliation to happen, both parties need to have been at odds, and in the minds of the Indigenous people, they did nothing wrong. They were wronged.”
As explained in his director’s statement,
“Seeds of Hope” is intentionally provocative … not framed as something to be memorialized, but as something still in motion … [making] space for true listening.”
“You have to carry the conversation as far as you can. There doesn’t have to be an endpoint,” Bamberry said.
“Seeds of Hope” will centre on Harry’s perspective of reconciliation, which is unique from Bamberry’s.
BRIDGING ERASED HISTORY
Besides the uncertainty of true reconciliation, Bamberry described another abstract concept he felt had arisen in making the film: the notion of an “identity crisis” for Indigenous Canadians.
“If you’re wrapped up with anger at the fact this land has been colonialized, you’re going to be trapped, because you cannot revert back [to life as it was centuries ago.] But at the same time, ‘What is your role here moving forward?’ What’s the bridge, that development, if people like Gwen and others didn’t stand in the gap? Would a family get erased?’”
Harry’s testimony, and others like it, it seems, will leave room for uncertainty, yet important discussions that otherwise may not occur.
PLANNED RELEASE
Bamberry said his production team plans to enter “Seeds of Hope” into film festivals once it is released, so the world may see the story of Indigenous Canadians and their relations.
To date, there is no official release date for “Seeds of Hope,” though Guzman clarified the team’s goal is the end of this year, as they seek further funding opportunities to support post-production.
“When our film is ready, we would love to showcase it within the Squamish community as one of our first stops,” Guzman said.
“We recognize that time is precious, and documenting the stories of Elders is incredibly important. This project is rooted in that urgency.”
More details about the documentary’s production and content can be found on the “Seeds of Hope” website.
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.
Chief Dale Harry, Elder Gwen Harry, her granddaughter, Gwen Harry.
PUBLISHER SARAH STROTHER sstrother@lodestarmedia.ca
The Squamish Chief is a member of the National Newsmedia Council, which is an independent organization established to deal with acceptable journalistic practices and ethical behaviour. If you have concerns about editorial content, please contact Editor Jennifer Thuncher at jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca. If you are not satisfied with the response and wish to file a formal complaint, visit the web site at mediacouncil.ca or call toll-free 1-844-877-1163 for additional information.
Reproduction of any material contained in this publication is expressly forbidden without the prior written consent of the publisher.
QUEST QUESTIONS
Whether there was wrongdoing in the legacy of Quest University Canada’s financial history is not for us to decide. However, there have been enough questions over many years for investigating this at the provincial level to be a worthwhile pursuit.
As we reported, MLA for West Vancouver-Sea to Sky Jeremy Valeriote and some alumni of Quest University Canada have raised concerns about the recent merger announcement by Quest and Columbia College.
On March 5, the two non-profit schools announced they were joining forces to create a new university based in Vancouver.
Should the initiative get the approval of the provincial Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills, the new university, under a new name, would offer a bachelor of arts and sciences degree, two associate degrees—associate of arts and associate of science—and specialized programs in allied health.
Before that approval is granted, Valeriote, supported by former students and Mayor Armand Hurford, called on the attorney general to investigate how Quest ended up in such dire straits that it ultimately ceased operations in April of 2023.
To be clear, the very best chance Quest has of rising from its ashes may be the Columbia College deal. There are people behind it, some formerly involved with Quest on the academic side, who truly seem to want the best for its future and students. If the alternative is that the unique former Squamish post-secondary school is truly no more, then this indeed may be the best thing.
However, as Valeriote said, given the District of Squamish’s financial support for Quest and the province’s purchase of its campus for CapU, the provincial government needs to reassure the public, especially former students and residents in Squamish, that there wasn’t any wrongdoing involved behind the scenes.
While Valeriote has not come through on some main hyperbolic election promises those who voted for him may have hoped for (regional transit? Cancelling of Woodfibre LNG permits?), he deserves kudos for saying in the Legislative Chamber what some Quest devotees have been saying for many years. By doing so, he made these concerns very public, and saying it in the chamber meant that the media could cover it with less fear of legal repercussions, because what is said in the chamber is privileged, meaning protected, legally. In response to Valeriote’s questions, Attorney General Niki Sharma said she would meet with Valeriote to discuss his concerns.
Let’s hope from there she launches the investigation so many who care about Quest and public accountability have been calling for. It is time.
READY TO RISE
YOUTH COLUMN CINNAMON TONE-UNSWORTH
When I ask my friends how they’re feeling about going to university next year, I am always met with the same response— excited, but extremely nervous. This is exactly how I feel as a 2026 graduate. University is a new adventure, something exciting, but it also requires you to take care of yourself on a level most have never done before. Most teens go from living at home, not filing taxes or worrying about rent, to taking care of their own finances.
I have found that many don’t know how to file taxes or manage money, and because of that most will make reckless financial decisions because they’ve never had to consider the cost of living.
Students will also likely be living without their families for the first time, which requires them to know skills like cooking and cleaning.
Even for young adults who are not enrolled in university, these skills are essential to living. They directly impact the ability to thrive on your own, and without them, many will feel like they aren’t able to. The lack of knowledge with these skills is incredibly scary for students, and can be one of the most daunting things about going to
university. Many are forced to figure it out in their first semester, which takes time away from their studies and overall experience.
In my opinion as a graduating teen, Squamish needs to hold more events like Rise Youth Summit, a full day experience at Howe Sound Secondary happening April 26 from 8:30 a.m to 3:30 p.m. It is an event created by the Squamish Youth Council, which I am currently a part of, and is the culmination of months of hard work. Rise is an all day free experience that will include hands-on workshops, inspirational keynotes, and useful skills for after high school. It is targeted towards youth ages 15 to 22, and will include free lunch for every participant. Experts will teach participants basic skills, like mending clothes and managing money, but also will address topics such as switching directions in life, overcoming adversity, and speaking with confidence. Despite it running all day, youth don’t have to stay for the entire time if there is a scheduling conflict. Even showing up for an hour will teach valuable life lessons that you aren’t likely to learn anywhere else.
Rise is the perfect example of an event that will have a lasting positive impact on youth in the community. Having someone to teach you these skills makes them feel less daunting, and gives young adults like me the confidence to live on
(We have good feelings that we live, we work and we play on the lands of the Squamish Nation)
RISE: Continued from 10
their own. The fact that it is free means that it’s accessible to people struggling with money, or cannot spare the
APRIL AS SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH
PearlSpace Support Services invites communities throughout the Sea to Sky corridor to take part in recognizing April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). For 25 years SAAM has brought survivors, advocates, and communities together in a shared effort to prevent and end sexual violence. What began in the United States as a campaign focused on education and prevention has grown into a movement across North America. This milestone is both an opportunity to celebrate progress and an opportunity to reflect on the work still ahead. This year’s theme, “25 Years Stronger: Looking Back and Moving Forward,” highlights the critical role that community efforts play in preventing sexual violence and creating a safe environment for everyone.
PearlSpace supports survivors of gender-based violence and sexual assault throughout the Sea to Sky corridor. Our Sexual Assault Support Services team consists of seven members with one of our more notable services being 24/7 access to support through text, call or chat. Team members can assist with hospital visits and forensic exams, court accompaniment, emotional support and resource referrals.
Sexual violence affects people of all genders, ages, and backgrounds, and rates of gender-based violence have continued to rise in the years since the pandemic. In BC, 37% of women and 11% of men report being sexually assaulted since age 15 - this is the highest of all provinces in Canada. Additionally, only 5% of female survivors report SA to police in Canada
expense that this event would normally cost. The experience will be beneficial for all youth, and will ease the worries they have about adulthood. All in all, events like Rise should happen
consistently for youth in order to help them establish themselves as adults.
Cinnamon Tone-Unsworth is a Squamish teen.
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Have your say at squamishchief.com
(Ending Violence Association of British Columbia, 2025). At the heart of SAAM is the belief that communities play a powerful role in creating change. By amplifying the voices of survivors, strengthening public understanding, and encouraging open conversations about consent and sexual violence, we hope to build a safer and more supportive community for all.
Throughout April, PearlSpace will host and partner in events across the Sea to Sky corridor in recognition of SAAM. Highlights include a book display at the Whistler Library and free evening screenings of the Canadian documentaries Breaking Idol and Trafficked Voices on April 22 at the Maury Young Arts Centre in Whistler and April 29 at the Adventure Centre in Squamish. Speakers from Justice for Girls, a B.C.-based organization advocating for teenage girls affected by systemic barriers and exploitation, will attend to raise awareness about trafficking in the region. Door prizes will be available at both screenings.
Additionally, the Fitzsimmons Creek Bridge in Whistler will be lit teal, the official colour of SAAM, on April 10. We are also expanding our education and prevention efforts by bringing youth facilitators into schools across the corridor to lead conversations about consent, boundaries, and available community resources. For more information on how you can get involved and events happening near you, visit our website.
We invite everyone to take part in SAAM initiatives: learn more, attend an event, wear teal, and start conversations that help break the silence around sexual violence.
Let April be a time to reflect on how far we have come while continuing our commitment to the work that lays
LETTERS POLICY
ahead. Together, we can honour the resilience of survivors and continue building communities where safety, respect, and consent are the foundation of every interaction.
To learn more about events and resources, visit PearlSpace online.
Chloe Sharpe, specialized resource worker
Permit Holder: British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Abbotsford. Phone: 1-866 917-5999. Melody Wales Squamish LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
The Sexual Assault Supports Program, PearlSpace
PESTICIDE SPRAYING
Ihope that I’m not the only one outraged by the notice from the Province of BC that the Ministry of Environment and Parks have issued the Ministry of Agriculture and Food to allow aerial spraying applications between April 15 to June 30, 2026 to eradicate the larvae of a moth.
The zone to be sprayed of pesticide is the area surrounding Bailey Street to Cleveland Avenue. and Third Avenue. close to schools, and the seniors’ residences of Westwinds and Shannon Falls. And, the Chieftain Mall.
I have lived in the area for four years and have not even seen a moth. This is not agricultural or industrial land, but an area flanked by the busy, four lane car intersection of Bailey and Cleveland Ave.
Was there no local consultation? How will the spraying of a toxic substance affect those with allergies and other respiratory problems? How will the residue of this toxic pesticide affect other species, insects and our pets?
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.
Do you support the idea of school boards taking over child care/day care programs from the province? (Top 3)
MOST READ STORY
Proposed 73-site campground beside Porteau Cove Provincial Park moves closer to approval
to jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca.
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BOOKSTORE LAUNCHES FREE BOOK FAIR PROGRAM, STARTING AT ST’A7MES SCHOOL
Gather Books & Lovely Things has launched an initiative to reconnect nostalgia and literacy, starting with stories for the Indigenous community in a ‘space that makes sense’
INA PACE
ipace@lodestarmedia.ca
“It’s really important we’re meeting people where they generally are; a place of comfort and joy, [with] room to grow.”
Founder of bookstore Gather Books & Lovely Things Julie Wilkins “wanted to do something great for our community” when she noticed what she considered a gap in access to diverse literature in Squamish.
After having established her brick and mortar bookstore just over four years ago now, and in since garnering connections to grant-funders and resources, Wilkins last year launched her non-profit Gather Literary Society (GLS) with co-manager Julia Bursey to help manage this gap.
According to statistics from online community First Book Canada, a quarter of Canadian households don’t own a single book due to the inability to afford books, GLS’ press release explained.
GLS’ campaign—aptly titled Maybe a book will help—provides opportunities, which from working in retail alone, can be “tricky” to fund, Wilkins said.
GLS will be hosting its first free, out-ofstore, book fair at St’a7mes School this May, from which students will get to keep the books they choose for life.
The Free Book Fairs program, Wilkins explained, is “recipient led.” It will not only create access to books, but meet people “where they’re at,” that is, in a safe space of self-love and acceptance. In this case, Sḵ wx wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation), in a space that incorporates Indigenous learning.
Wilkins described St’a7mes School as an “obvious and easy first choice,” seeing as GLS have “a good relationship” with them.
“We’ve donated lots of books to [St’a7mes School] in the past, and we’ve worked with them on building out their own library … We know their literacy goals,” she said.
Such goals are giving the kids access to not only Indigenous resources but diverse genres, including graphic novels, that “everyone’s reading.”
“We also have really great resources from B.C. publishers and a lot of wonderful Indigenous books to share. We really thought the books we have on hand, that we’ve garnered from our wonderful donors, would be a great fit,” Wilkins continued.
The Free Book Fairs program is entirely funded by donors, which include publishers.
We also have really great resources from B.C. publishers and a lot of wonderful Indigenous books to share. We really thought the books we have on hand, that we’ve garnered from our wonderful donors, would be a great fit.
“The goal for this program going forward is the idea that everybody should feel the joy of a book fair. Having taken the financial equation out of it, [you can] just go in and connect to books, to literacy, and to your peers,” Wilkins said.
“[The fairs program is] getting great traction, because there’s a nostalgic connection to book fairs, and I think people can remember how important it is.” Wilkins said that although GLS is starting out small, she hopes the non-profit will continue to grow “in meaningful ways”; that the Free Book Fairs program might extend beyond schools, to teens and adults, and include communities such as LGBTQIA2S+, for example.
The Free Book Fairs program is GLS’ latest initiative alongside its regular book donations, and lending library programs; namely The Inclusive Bookshelf (travelling shelves with age-appropriate books lent for months at a time to daycares, schools, and businesses) as well as pop-ups at local events.
Whilst always willing to receive book donations, GLS is also currently fundraising for a storage locker to keep them in.
Find out more on the Gather Literary Society (GLS) website.
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 INA PACE/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF St’a7mes School.
JULIE WILKINS
9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline. Just in case.
Be in g on th e ic e m ea ns be in g re ad y fo r a ny th in g th at ’s wh y ho ckey pl ayer s br in g a spare stick. It’s good to be prepared off the ice, too. Like remembering 9-8-8, the number for Canada’s Suicide Crisis Helpline Anyone can call or text anytime for free, confidential suppor t from a trained responder. It’s good to know, just in case.
BUDDY AND FRIENDS CHILDREN’S FESTIVAL BACK AT SQUAMISH RAIL MUSEUM
Families looking for an afternoon away from screens will have a new reason to head to the Railway Museum of BC
JENNIFER THUNCHER jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca
If you are a local parent, grandparent or guardian who would relish an afternoon of entertainment for the kids you could also enjoy—away from screens—this may just be the event for your family.
Buddy and Friends Children’s Festival is returning for the second year to Squamish’s Railway Museum of BC.
Scheduled for Saturday May 2, and Sunday May 3, the event promises to be bigger and better this year, according to organizers.
Entertainers include Juno Award-winning musician and comedian Al Simmons; beloved local family entertainer (and Juno Award winner) Norman Foote; hilarious performing trio the Myrtle Sisters (Candice Roberts, Nayana Fielkov, and Kat Single-Dain); as well as Mike Battie, comedian, juggler, unicyclist, and stilt walker; Squamish’s own Jaeda Willson-Rymer, singer, songwriter, and musician; and the Sea to Sky favourite children’s entertainer, Ira Pettle.
Also set to appear at the festival is The Nylon Zoo, by Angela Brown, which includes an interactive colourful inflatable sculpture.
And that is not all.
There will be food available and a LocalMotion stage with performances by Squamish Academy of Music performers, and Foote is bringing in school performers from Squamish Waldorf, Garibaldi Highlands Elementary and Skyridge Montessori.
Plus, there will be a Creative Corner workshop where kids can build puppets and mural paint, among other hands-on activities.
Of course, being at the railway museum there will also be trains.
Folks from the Canadian Toy Train Association will be operating their huge electric train layout
with a controller for the Thomas the Tank Engine kids can drive.
‘YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE HEART FOR IT’
Asked what the key is to performing for kids, Foote, who has five grown kids of his own, said performances have to come from the heart.
“When I started doing the first shows for kids, all of a sudden I had them laughing. You have to have the heart for it. You want to hear them laughing and they’re participating.”
And performers who do well with family audiences respect them.
“The kind of stuff that I do and that Al does and other people [at this festival] do, it’s a conversation with the audience,” Foote added.
“It’s a musical and comedic conversation.”
ONE PRICE GETS ALL
Fellow festival organizer Gordon Bell noted that unlike many other festivals, the entrance price gets attendees all the acts.
“As soon as the kid comes through the gate, everybody’s equal. Everything’s included,” he said.
Anyone who arrives by foot or bike gets a 25% discount off of the entrance fee.
The event runs rain or shine, with plenty to do inside whatever the weather, Bell and Foote stress.
Bell noted the times are heavy in the world right now for families. This event offers fun and positivity.
“Once they walk through the gate, they can just forget their worries and have a great time,” he said.
For more information or to buy tickets, go to the museum website.
The Railway Museum of BC is located at 39645 Government Rd., Squamish.
PHOTO BY JENNIFER THUNCHER/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF Norman Foote (left) and Gordon Bell with Buddy, the main character of the Children’s Festival.
E-SCOOTERS AND MORE RENTAL E-BIKES ADDED THIS SUMMER
E-scooters are set to join Squamish’s shared transportation options as the District expands its Evolve rental program for the fair-weather season
JENNIFER THUNCHER
jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca
Ready to e-roll around Squamish this summer?
The District-initiated Evolve e-bike share program will return for the late spring and summer this year.
A municipal staff report attached to the March 17 council agenda gave elected officials an update on the program, noting it will be continued and expanded this fair-weather season.
While not set for a staff presentation or official discussion, Coun. Jenna Stoner pulled the staff memo to draw attention to it.
Stoner said she brought it to council’s attention in order to praise the Evolve program, which was first rolled out in 2025.
The rental e-bikes are available from May to October.
In its first year, “there were zero accidents and very few problems reported,” the staff report notes, adding that feedback from users was positive, with 60% of riders saying that they reduced their use of personal vehicles
E-SCOOTERS ADDED
Based on the program’s success last year, municipal staff and the British Columbia Automobile Association (BCAA), which runs Evolve, are expanding it.
The expansion would mean 100 bikes over approximately 33 locations and increase the service area to all of Squamish, including Garibaldi Highlands, the Oceanfront, Brackendale and Mamquam.
“Based on the addition of e-scooters in similar communities in B.C., Evolve has found that approximately 70% of riders elect to use a scooter instead of an e-bike when both options are present,” the report to council reads.
The expansion will also add e-scooters to the program for those over 16 years old.
All e-bikes and e-scooters include helmets and, like the bikes, the scooters would be limited to a maximum speed of 25km/hr.
Outreach about safety will be part of the e-scooter roll out.
“I think that there’s some really great numbers in this memo,” Stoner said. She then noted the expansion of the program, including e-scooters for the upcoming season.
“I think that this is a fantastic opportunity for our community to have different forms of transportation and micro-transportation across our very spread out community.”
Mayor Armand Hurford also celebrated the program’s success and said that, unlike other initiatives, such as some car share programs, which have been less successful, the e-bike program was a good fit for the town.
“I think that this is a fantastic success here,” Hurford said.
“Squamish in various initiatives hasn’t quite been the right size to support some other initiatives as fulsomely, like car share…. [This] shows when there is a fit that works for people, people will use it.”
thanks to the bikes.
According to the staff report, during the 2025 season, 54 of the rental bikes were used from 18 locations. There were 1,318 unique riders who took a total of 3,906 trips over 166 days of operation, the report states.
Lookingahead, together
The rental program is free to the municipality.
“BCAA actively manages the program and very little staff time is required after sites are established and agreements finalized,” reads the staff report.
With thearrival of Dr.JasonDewling as president andvice-chancellor, CapU beginsanexciting new chapter, onerootedinopportunity, inclusion and thestrengthofour localcommunity. Arespected post-secondaryleader,Dr. Dewlingispassionate aboutcreating meaningful learningexperiences and helping students thrive—hereathomeand beyond.
Learn more about PresidentDewling and what brings himtoCapU Scan theQRcode
He noted that the e-bikes and e-scooters are GPS enabled, so when they go missing, they are found and returned. Thus, there isn’t an issue with loss.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing and feeling how the community feels when there’s far more both locations and bikes available,” he said.
PHOTO BY EVOLVE
BCAA’s Evolve E-Bike Share will return and be expanded to include e-scooters this summer.
OLYMPIC SKIER AVERY KRUMME REFLECTS ON MILANO CORTINA DEBUT
The 17-year-old freestyle skier talks Olympic pressure, representing Team USA, and her upcoming move to Park City, Utah
JENNIFER THUNCHER
jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca
Squamish’s Avery Krumme, 17, is so busy that it was hard to catch a time to interview her. The Squamish Chief caught the Olympian late last week literally as she was packing for a trip to Japan. In her inaugural Winter Olympics in February, Krumme competed in Freestyle Skiing Women’s Freeski Big Air, and Slopestyle, ultimately ranking 19th in Big Air and 11th in Slopestyle.
She was the youngest female in both competitions.
Krumme skied for Team USA at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina. (Her mom is from Texas.)
The following is a version of our interview with Krumme, edited for length and clarity. The Squamish Chief: Why don’t we start right where you’re at? Tell me what you’re going to be doing in Japan.
Avery Krumme: I have an event called Swatch Nines Snow (April 6 to 11), in Niseko, Japan. It’s a fun park and they invite some pro riders and it’s going to be sick. I haven’t been to Japan before. I’m stoked. It’s going to be super fun.
Q: The Olympics, it was your first time. Of course everyone was watching you and cheering you on from Squamish. What are some of the things maybe viewers wouldn’t have caught that surprised you about the Olympics?
A: There’s so much media and interviews— way more interviews than I thought I’d ever do. That was crazy. All the security also was pretty crazy.
Q: How did you feel competitively?
A: I felt good. It definitely felt a little different than the World Cup competitions, just being the biggest goal in sport. I mean, I tried my best to stay focused and just try to think of it as if it’s any other comp. I definitely felt the stress and the pressure of the Olympics, but I tried to work through that.
Q: Tell me a bit about representing the U.S.?
A: They give me so much opportunity through skiing and it’s just paid off a lot throughout the season. They’re very supportive and every one of my teammates is super inclusive and open and supportive. So it’s been super great because it’s my first year on the team. It’s been super great getting to know everybody. It was just super awesome. When we got to the Olympics, it was like this whole big setup in a hotel
where they’d take us around and try on all our gear and tell us about Team USA. So that was pretty special.
Q: And I heard there’s food 24 hours a day in the Athlete Village?
A: We were in this hotel and there were different countries’ athletes separated in it. There was us, the U.S. team, and Finland and Sweden. They had a buffet going on for 24 hours and there was different breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Q: Did you have to explain to some of the folks on your team even where Squamish was?
A: Yeah, it was actually pretty funny. On my Olympic bio, because I’m on the U.S. team and they tried to put my hometown, they put Squamish, Utah. They couldn’t put Squamish, B.C., exactly. So I got a few comments on that.
Q: We all grew up watching the Olympics. In
terms of mental health and the pressure, what would your advice be for another athlete who might be going for their first time?
A: Just stay focused and be present and don’t let anybody else get in the way of that. Just be where your feet are and remember, you know, you’re meant to be where you are and just keep pushing and have fun. It’s the most important thing.
Q: What else would you like to tell folks about your Olympic experience?
A: I’m super grateful and lucky to have gone and had such a great team and group to go with. To have my family there as well was awesome. And to have everybody from Squamish, I got so many messages, really supportive messages. So that was really, really awesome and I’m really thankful for all of you guys who are supporting me.
Q: And you obviously still love your sport. What do you love about it?
A: It makes me feel super free. It’s a good way to get adrenaline out. I feel like it gives me an adrenaline rush, which I love. And I love doing new things and trying new things and inspiring others to do that as well. I think it’s super important. I just think it’s a great sport to be creative.
Q: What’s next for you, after Japan?
A: I’m going to take a little bit of chill time and ski spring in Whistler, which will be super nice. And then I know we’re going to Australia in August for a training camp, maybe New Zealand. And I’ll be moving to Park City, Utah, full-time in June. I’ll be moving in with a roommate at the Olympic Park apartments, just to be closer to the team. The whole training facility is down there. And they all go to the gym together, work out together on the program. I’ll probably come back home for the holidays. It’s going to be like I’m going away to college or something, but I’m actually skiing.
PHOTO BY ISAMI KIYOOKA/COURTESY OF RACHEL KRUMME
After stepping onto sport’s biggest stage for the first time at the Olympics, Avery Krumme isn’t taking a long pause. She’s headed to Niseko for Swatch Nines Snow from April 6 to 11, calling it a chance to ride a creative park with invited pros—and finally see Japan for herself.
‘SUCCESSFUL’ LOCAL FIGHT NIGHT AT TOTEM HALL
Squamish’s Roundhouse gym hosted their fourth fight night this year, with over 400 people in attendance, including Chief Dale Harry
INA PACE
ipace@lodestarmedia.ca
Is there any such thing as a friendly fight? It turns out there is.
On March 28, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) gym Roundhouse hosted their fourth Fight Night of the year at Totem Hall (1380 Stawamus Rd.), bringing amateur Muay Thai athletes together, including four “average” Squamish locals.
The event proved popular. According to Roundhouse co-owner and head coach Cole Smith, over 400 people attended. He said they even had to hire someone to monitor people lining up on the street.
Fellow Roundhouse co-owner and head of operations Candace Fan explained the fighting wasn’t just two on two, but a joint community effort rallying for a “common goal” against stigma.
“The night was super successful. It was one of our biggest nights out of the four events that we’ve thrown within one year. People were just having tons of fun,” she said.
“I think a lot of people think that fighters are tough, they’re assholes and all of that, but [one of the fighters] who fought this past Saturday is a dog walker; she’s a fireman, she competes at Loggers’ Sports. She’s a mother of two.”
Meet Lance!
Lance is a big ball of charm with many different personalities. Lance can be chatty and like to share his thoughts and ideas, and he can also be chill and laid back.
Poor Lance had horrible matts and so he has had to have most of his body shaved He has been a super boy and tolerated a bath and some much needed grooming sessions. Now that he is shaved, all will be better, and he will have a beautiful long coat once it has grown back Lance wants you to know that baths are not a popular activity for him.
Candace explained that in establishing Roundhouse, they wanted to show the average person they can fight as well, noting also the diversity of the Fight Night spectators, which on March 28 included enthusiastic members of S
wx wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation.)
Pekultn Siyam Chief Dale Harry, Fan said, was “just raving.”
“It’s cool to see people of all different backgrounds and walks of life being able to accomplish fighting [and attend fights]. That’s an inspiration,” she said.
The results from each two on two fight on March 28 are as follows, including those of Squamish locals Deana Pontin, Sati Singh, Lincoln McCardle, and Seamus Loughran:
• Deana Pontini vs Emily Savard - Winner Emilie Savard
• Sati Singh vs Parmvir Kang - Winner Parmvir Kang
• Noah Lamirande vs Brian Kang - Winner Brian Kang
• Francisco Maturana vs Ben Amey - Winner Francisco Maturana
• Lincoln McCardle vs Kevin Seyforth - Winner Lincolnc McCardle
• Chris Joschko vs Jackson Hardy - Winner Jackson Hardy
• Seamus Loughran vs Kolton Casey - Winner Seamus Loughran
Fan clarified that only seven fights took place out of the scheduled eight due to one fighter having incomplete medicals.
Smith said his personal highlights included the “razor thin loss” of Sati Singh who has
trained at Roundhouse for a couple of years.
“[Singh is] a regular everyday person who came in for fun. We got him prepared, and he did fantastic,” Smith said.
Smith also highlighted Seamus Loughran’s “main event” knockout as “pretty flashy.”
When asked about the growth of the Squamish fight scene and its popularity, Smith said that he was the first UFC local fighter in Squamish who “really pushed the sport here,” having no one else competing at the time he was growing up.
“It’s been a slow, steady rise. We’ve created a very welcoming, safe space for people who are a little bit newer in the sport,” he said.
“The community coming together to make Fight Night grow has just been so incredible. They’re playing a big factor in that. So we do want to thank all of Squamish for coming out and supporting the events.”
Regarding the future of Fight Night events, Fan said Roundhouse will look at expanding into MMA, and exploring other venues.
Fight Night events will continue to be hosted in Squamish throughout the 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.
Lance has the big cheeks of an adult male cat and loves to have them scratched. He will rub up against you asking for more attention and he very much likes being around humans
Although Lance came from a home of many, many cats, he’s not always happy when they’re high energy He may be ok with other calm felines, but he seems to seek out the attention of people more and could be pet all day long Maybe when you have lived with so many other cats, having some individual attention is required.
FYI: Lance will need an extra-large covered litter box
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41. Garfield’s foot
42. Reproduced
44. Birds’ abodes
46. Singled out
49 Ireland, to poets 51 Coop denizen
52. On vacation 54. Kill, as a bill 58. Need aspirin 59. Drama part 60 Verbal exam 61 Force open 62. Army cafeteria 63. Scotland
6. Immediately 7. Notable time period 8. Slacken 9. Per 10 Adhesive substance
11. Small valley 19. Spearhead 21. Interrupt 22 Put into storage 23. Liquid rock 24 Fired
26 Viewed
29. Catcher’s plate
31. Short swims
32. Darn it!
33. Stitches
35. Confed. soldiers
37 Small prefix
40. High standards
43. Provide new weapons
45. Delegate
46. Dude
47 Descendant
48. Lone
50. Cereal grasses
53. Heartache
55. Gay Nineties, e.g.
56. Roofing substance
57 Archaic
Crossword puzzle answers use American spelling
ARIES March 21-April 19
You’ll play an essential role in various activities this week, motivating everyone around you. However, make sure to pace yourself Take a few short breaks to avoid exhaustion and keep your spirits high
TAURUS April 20-May 20
An unexpected event will cause you to take charge temporarily. You’ll rise to the challenge with confidence, revealing hidden talents. This experience will highlight your potential and could open new professional doors.
GEMINI May 21-June 20
Dealing with international customers could stir up old communication insecurities You’ll surprise yourself and others by pushing past your limits A quick skills refresh could boost your confidence, improving relationships with colleagues and superiors.
CANCER June 21-July 22
A major change could bring you closer to a more stable future. A return to school or skills upgrade could improve your financial situation, offering a more promising path forward. Patience and perseverance will be your greatest assets during this transition.
SU DOKU
LEO July 23-Aug. 22
You usually make decisions quickly and easily. However, this time, careful consideration is required. Last-minute information could change your view of the situation and help you make a more informed choice.
VIRGO Aug. 23-Sept 22
You’ll be responsible to manage emergencies and demanding clients, but your composure will defuse tensions Your negotiation skills will come to the fore, boosting your confidence and showcasing your natural flair for communication and efficiency.
LIBRA Sept 23-Oct. 22
You’ll be in the spotlight for a major accomplishment. Praise and recognition will pour in from all sides You may even step up heroically, leaving a lasting impression
SCORPIO Oct. 23-Nov. 21
Family tensions or disagreements could surface this week. Clarify rules and expectations to help restore balance and warmth to your home You’ll take on the role of peacemaker to reestablish lasting balance in your household.
SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22-Dec. 21
Your honesty may catch people off guard this week However, you’ll express aloud what others only think. Meanwhile, getting used to your new phone will test your patience Don’t underestimate how much time you’ll need to learn the ropes. Your persistence will pay off and ultimately increase your efficiency.
CAPRICORN Dec. 22-Jan. 19
Reviewing your bills and accounts will pay off You might spot a financial error or oversight that could benefit you and put money in your pocket. This vigilance will strengthen your financial security and bring you well-deserved satisfaction.
AQUARIUS Jan. 20-Feb. 18
The annoying slowness of certain people could test your patience this week However, results will come with time, perhaps through a flash of intuition. Keep calm. Your patience is the key to success.
PISCES Feb. 19-March 20
You’ll crave rest this week, which will help you slow down. This newfound calm could heighten your intuition, bringing clarity to your professional projects and guiding you toward new and specific goals.
or 3 x 3 box.
The Parish of St. John the Divine, Squamish
Holy Communion and Morning Worship Sundays at 10:00 AM Rev Cameron Gutjahr 1930 Diamond Road 604-898-5100
