Barbara James aims to make it easier for others
JUDGE SIDES WITH COUNCIL AFTER CHALLENGE BY COMPANY BEHIND PARADISE TRAILS
A British Columbia Supreme Court judge has upheld the District council’s unanimous decision to reject a proposed eco-village
BOB MACKIN
For The Squamish Chief
AB.C. Supreme Court judge upheld District of Squamish council’s unanimous decision to reject the proposed Paradise Trails at Squamish eco-village near the Cheakamus River.
“The enactment of the rezoning bylaw was reasonable, and there was no breach of any duty of fairness owed to the petitioners,” said Justice Mark Underhill in an Aug 20 written ruling “I also find the rezoning bylaw was adopted in good faith.”
Tantalus at Paradise Valley Inc. and parent company Tri-City Properties at Squamish Ltd. filed for the judicial review, calling District council’s June 18, 2024 vote unreasonable and procedurally unfair.
“A third ground, bad faith, was also raised, although it was pursued to a lesser extent in the petitioners’
COURT: Continued on 2
PHOTO BY INDIGO LEMAY CONWAY/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF
CLIMB ON: The Hive Dyno Comp was held at Junction Park on Saturday as part of the Arc’teryx Academy Climb weekend.
COURT: Continued from 1
submissions,” wrote Underhill, who heard arguments from lawyers for the developer and District from April 1 to 4 in Vancouver.
In 2007, Tantalus applied to rezone the western portion of its 168-acre property from rural residential and resource to comprehensive development zone It wanted to build an equestrian centre and 82 rural residential lots up to two acres in size The lots were without municipal water, sewer infrastructure or fire protection services and located outside the District’s growth management boundary.
A 2008 staff report recommended against the proposal due to geological hazards, but the proponent’s 2012 report by LaCas Consultants recommended measures for flood control and mitigation. The District and Tantalus reached a master development agreement to let the project conditionally proceed. The proposal was adopted September 2012.
“While the staff report before council continued to express concerns about the rezoning and the fit of the proposed development at that specific location and within the Paradise Valley more generally, it did state that the property ‘may be developed safely for the use intended subject to appropriate mitigation works,’” Underhill said
NEWS BRIEF
BUS ROUTE CHANGES EN ROUTE
It is that time of year again when summer slips into fall.
Thus, seasonal BC Transit service changes are on their way to Squamish.
As per every autumn, Route 5 South Parks will be seasonally discontinued as of Sept. 2.
The route served eight bus stops in the Squamish area over the summer months, taking riders to Darrell Bay, the Sea to Sky Gondola, Stawamus Chief, Adventure Centre
Five years later, in 2017, the District adopted an Integrated Flood Hazard Management Plan (IFHMP), which restricted densification in all Cheakamus River flood hazard areas. The District repealed the existing 2009 official community plan in 2018 The property lands were designated resource and recreation Tantalus began talking with the District again about development of the property in September 2021 and applied in March 2024, claiming that engineers it retained had found significant mistakes in the flood studies that
formed the basis of the IFHMP.
By June, staff told District council that Tantalus had yet to provide a report to address the relevant guidelines in the development permit area, so there was no formal application to be processed.
Council had the discretion to hold a public hearing, but Underhill found the failure to exercise the discretion was not a matter of procedural unfairness He acknowledged the petitioners provided a lengthy, eight-page email on the morning of June 18, 2024, and had in-person meetings with individual councillors and multiple meetings with the mayor.
“There is no evidence before me that the petitioners would have said anything more or differently in the meeting on June 18 than what they said in writing or in the individual meetings they had with the members of council.”
Underhill also found that council made its decision out of concern for the need to potentially take on more diking responsibilities
“In my view, it is not irrational or illogical for council to pursue rezoning, and specifically rezoning which provides for less development, in an area outside of its growth management boundary where there are few municipal services and a recognized flooding risk,”
In my view, it is not irrational or illogical for council to pursue rezoning, and specifically rezoning which provides for less development, in an area outside of its growth management boundary where there are few municipal services and a recognized flooding risk.
JUSTICE MARK UNDERHILL
wrote. The Tantalus property was assessed at $3.4 million last year, down from a value
and downtown
Also effective Sept 2, there will be a service expansion to several routes in the system.
BC Transit also announced in its news release on Aug. 19 that more travel opportunities will be added between Brackendale, Garibaldi Highlands, Valleycliffe and downtown Squamish.
The specific routes are:
• Route 1 Brackendale
• Route 2 Garibaldi Highlands
• Route 3 Valleycliffe
• Route 9 University
“During the week, the additional service will be offered in the evening, while weekend service will increase in the early mornings and later evenings,” the release reads.
“This service expansion in Squamish has been made possible by an increase in local government and provincial funding.
“The operating grant provided in the 2025-26 provincial budget will allow BC
Transit and its local government partners to continue to provide safe and reliable service and demonstrates that public transit remains a priority in our communities.”
BC Transit encourages customers to use the Umo app, Transit App, Google Transit or any other app of their choice for real-time bus tracking and planning their next transit journey.
For more information about trip planning, schedules, and to sign up for customer alerts, please visit the BC Transit website.
Underhill
PHOTO BY NATTRASS/ ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES Drone view of the Cheakamus River, which runs through Paradise Valley
Q&A: MAYOR ARMAND HURFORD ON WHY HE’S NOT RUNNING IN THE NEXT ELECTION
The Squamish Chief interviewed Hurford to ask about what led him to his decision, his plans for the future and any parting advice for the next mayor
INDIGO LEMAY-CONWAY ilemayconway@squamishchief.com
Earlier this year at the annual Mayor’s Luncheon, Armand Hurford announced that he wouldn’t be running for the position of Squamish’s mayor in the next civic election.
The Squamish Chief interviewed Hurford over the phone to talk about what led him to his decision, his plans for the future and any advice he would give to the person who steps into his shoes.
What follows is a version of that conversation edited for length and clarity.
Q: How do you feel since breaking the news on June 9?
A: It felt good to say it out loud, but it wasn’t a decision that I made going up the gondola on the way to the event or anything like that I do my utmost to be as forthcoming as I can be with this folks, and in the couple of months leading up to that, when I already knew what I wanted to do, people were asking me what I was going to do, or what I wanted to do, and I had to be kind of a bit cagey on it. So it feels much nicer to be able to speak directly about it.
Q: When did you make your decision not to run and was there anything that triggered it?
A: There was nothing that really triggered it, [it was] more just thinking about the future
and what I want for myself and my family, and having discussions with them as well. It’s a role that is an incredible privilege to have, and it also comes at a cost, and that is, to do the work is kind of all encompassing, or all consuming, I guess.
Often, the extra time that it takes to do [the job] comes at the expense of things that are good for your physical and mental health, and time with your family and that kind of
thing. I think we maybe are all looking forward to a finish line, and for this sort of pace to not be something that happens in perpetuity.
Also, once I knew [I wasn’t going to run again], yes, I wanted to be free, to be able to have the discussions and explore what’s next for myself, but also to give the community time to contemplate whether they want to step forward and try to take a
run at the role, whether that’s my council colleagues or the community more broadly. Because it does take a lot to even organize for a run, never mind organize your life so you can step into a role that, just by the very nature of it, is temporary.
Q: Do you plan to run for a councillor position or will you step away from local politics as a whole?
A: No, I won’t be running for council. At this point, the plan is to step away from elected life It’s something that I thought I would come to later in life, in general, and then it sort of happened earlier than I thought. So maybe it’s something that I could see myself revisiting, or exploring elected opportunities in the future, but certainly not the next step I need to recover a bit from the efforts of the last eight years. It has been seven at this point, but by the time we get there, it’ll be eight.
Q: What do you plan on doing after then?
A: I don’t know, that’s the honest answer, but I will say this role has exposed me to, I don’t even know how many positions and organizations and initiatives that I just wasn’t aware of before, that are really interesting. So now, with the announcement, and subsequent to that, I can explore those things without feeling like having an element of cloak and dagger to them. But I don’t have a clear destination at this point, but I have some space to explore that
FILE PHOTO BY INDIGO LEMAY-CONWAY/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF
Mayor Armand Hurford giving a speech at the annual Mayor’s Luncheon on June 9.
Q: What was the response from the community to your announcement?
A: I heard from people thanking me for the work, I’ve heard some people saying ‘We’d love it if you could continue’ but I also think that just Murphy’s Law, we went right into the Dryden Creek fire response right after and it kind of took over and became the most important thing, and it clearly was. So I’ve had some feedback, but also, it wasn’t top of mind for everybody.
Q: Is there anyone on council you would like to replace you or do you think some fresh eyes could be better for the community?
A: I think you could do the role without having been a councillor However, I think you would need to be very intentional about it, whether that’s spending every Tuesday for the next 12 months in council, reading reports and watching. I think you could do a reasonable job with the right skill set and initiative to get yourself up to speed. However, when I look around the province and I see mayors and councils that have
been very dysfunctional, and I think, doing a disservice to their communities, a lot of those are headed by a mayor that hasn’t been a councillor.
As to who would be best for the mayor’s role, I think we have some very capable humans on council, and I believe we have some very capable humans in the general public of Squamish, but it takes someone being intentional, as far as getting ready to do the job, as well as bringing themselves up to speed with how the various processes work There’s a lot more nuance to actually doing the work than nearly anyone understands, in the general public
Q: The province announced today (Aug. 21) the housing targets for Squamish over the next five years as being 1,069 homes. Do you think it is possible to meet it?
A: I think we have likely more than that approved already. One of the challenges with the targets is, I understand what the province is trying to accomplish here; however, where they’re measured is really challenging because, yes, we have control over rezoning areas and all these types of
things, but we don’t have control over individual landowners’ finances or the actual piece that triggers a building permit, like to actually build it.
So I see some challenges with being sort of held to account, to something where we don’t have all the control, but at the same time I think it’s entirely possible I also think you could argue that we’ve been meeting our virtual housing targets for quite some time And I don’t know that anyone in Squamish thinks that developments are happening too slowly
Q: Do you have any advice for whoever steps into your shoes as mayor?
A: I’ll take it away from being the mayor’s shoes, and just go to elected life, because it’s different. The elected officials that I know, are all just so engaged in their community, and want to be that agent of change and all those things, but the role forces you to be so introspective and do so much work on yourself and checking in with your values and your skill set and that part of it, I really wasn’t [prepared for]. Like I was prepared to debate clauses of the OCP ... and go on these very nerdy policy pieces. But that piece of self reflection and constantly checking in with your values while you have very challenging conversations with your colleagues is hard, and that part of it, I really hadn’t given a lot of consideration to and I know that piece of it has also been surprising to other elected officials
I’m really excited to finish off strong this time and do my utmost best for the people of Squamish.
MAYOR ARMAND HURFORD
Q: Is there anything else I haven’t asked you that you would like to say?
A: I really want to restate that this is not [an exit interview] This isn’t coasting to the finish line. This is about having a finish line in sight and pushing towards that. I tried to say this in my remarks when I announced, but ... in a running race at the track, or in a cycling event… when you come through the finish line into the last lap, they ring a bell, and during that lap, it is not a time to ease up. Quite the opposite. It’s a doubling down, to push all the way to the line. So I’m really sort of reinvigorated to give everything that I have to the role and to be free from whatever pre-campaigning and campaigning that may happen in the community in the runup to the election I’m really excited to finish off strong this time and do my utmost best for the people of Squamish
Squamish CommunityForest Forest OperationsMap ID #2524
NoticeofPublicReviewand Comment
Noticeis hereby giventhatSquamish Community Forest,holderof Community Forest AgreementLicence K5Y, is seekingpublic review andcomment on Forest OperationsMap (FOM)ID#2524,which is coveredbyForestStewardship Plan #970, for a30-dayperiod fromAugust29, 2025, to September28, 2025.ThisFOM consists of sixproposedblocks(LAVA1, LAVA4, LAVA5, LAVA9, LAVA11,LAVA13) and associated roads, locatedinthe MamquamRiver/Lavaflow area,between MamquamRiver andRingCreek,inthe SeatoSky NaturalResourceDistrict.
!EXHIBITS& EXHIBITPRIZES! FriSept5,4-6 pm
Exhibit EntryForms available at: Local Roots Farm Market until Sept.4 Brackendale GeneralStore &Annas Interiors Aug. 21 to Sept.4. FORTICKETS, EXHIBIT CATEGORIES,VOLUNTEERING & MORE Brackendalefarmersinstitute.org
Brackendale Farmers Institute Park 41976 Government Road
TheFOM canbeviewedathttps://fom.nrs.gov.bc.ca/public/projects, andby searchingfor FOM# 2524 or FOMHolderSquamish Community Forest,using the‘Find’ function. TheFOM canalsobemadeavailablefor in-personviewing duringregular businesshours (MondaytoFridayfrom9:00am-3:00pm)at ChartwellResourceGroup Ltd.’s office at #201 –1121CommercialPlace, Squamish BC,V8B 0S5.
Commentscan be submitted anytime duringthe 30-dayperiodthrough theFOM onlineportalathttps://fom.nrs.gov.bc.ca/public/projects, e-mailed to SquamishCF.FOM@gmail.com, or mailedtothe addressnoted above. Please referencethe FOMIDwhensubmitting comments.
Following thereviewand comment period,thisFOM maybe reliedupon toapplyfor aRoadPermitorCutting Permit within a3-yearperiod, ending September28, 2028.
COULD PREFAB HOMES OFFER FASTER, AFFORDABLE HOUSING?
A local family has turned to an innovative solution for multigenerational living—an affordable, factory-built carriage home that’s changing how people think about modular construction
JENNIFER THUNCHER jthuncher@squamishchief.com
It is a way to speed up home building in the midst of a housing crisis
Rohe Homes recently brought one of their prefabricated homes, a carriage house, to a Squamish client
While a traditional build takes 24 to 39 months, Rohe homes take 13 to 18 months from pre-development to final occupancy.
“What we’ve designed is a foldable building system. So, something that takes all the critical construction, like plumbing, mechanical, electrical, structural, insulation, windows and doors, and packs it in a dimension that fits a truck, so it doesn’t need any specialized permits. It doesn’t require pilot cars They can travel on any transport route. And the idea being is that if we have that fixed scope of work of construction complete, it really helps enable a faster, smoother construction process, especially for rural communities,” said Salik Z. Khan, co-founder and chief experience officer at the company.
The company became an idea when the founder and CEO of Rohe Homes, Rohan Kulkarni, visited his father’s home village in India.
“I grew up in the U.S. My professional background is in architecture and design I worked out in the field on high-rise residential construction when I started off,” Kulkarni recalled.
“We were working for very expensive apartment home projects in New York City. What I noticed there was that we were using a lot of very archaic methods to build these super luxurious, luxury apartments... [When I ] visited my father’s village, that was the first place where my eyes were opened up to housing issues and the lack of proper housing for rural and remote communities. That really got at least my architectural brain moving,
and I started, just on the back of a napkin, thinking of ways that we could actually start providing housing to remote areas without having to have this huge infrastructure cost, this huge cost for getting trades and supplies out to these areas. And so I started getting into pre-fabrication.”
Customers so far have included property owners in the Okanagan, Sechelt, Vancouver Island, Terrace and Squamish.
The Squamish family wanted a carriage home for the parents. The mother and the father are moving into the carriage home, and the daughter and her family is taking over the primary house.
“Part of it was the affordability challenge in Squamish,” Khan said “The other, I think, is just they want to be closer together.”
While the company was moving the home onto its foundations, passersby stopped and were interested, the men said
“Being in the neighbourhood, deploying this for the last week, a lot of families actually have just walked by, come in and enquired, because they’re thinking about the same thing, where it’s like, ‘We have a large lot We could put a duplex We could put a three-plex, or we could put a garden suite in the back and allow more family.’ And I think that’s also picking up in a lot of, I guess, North American communities, where people want to be close to family,” Khan added.
MODULAR IS NOT A TRAILER
Asked what misconceptions they battle, Khan said it is that people associate modular with manufactured homes, and the two are different.
“When they think of a modular, their association is a trailer—something that is temporary on site It’s not necessarily something that equates to an increase in
property value, and they don’t see it as the same construction materials as traditional ones So, that’s the narrative that we have to fight all the time Prefab is a new form of industrialized construction, which allows for a smoother process, but uses all the same materials. So we’re still meeting all the code compliance We still have to get our structurals, still have to get our accessibility requirements, but it’s now done in a way where it’s a lot more standardized. That is what we would like to showcase.”
The Squamish client’s model is a 720-square-foot Lotus Series lock-up kit.
“Essentially, a home that is unfinished that homeowners can take on, or they hire a general contractor to take on. We simply build and ship the unit, install it, and hand it off. So that’s a model, I think, that’s actually pretty open for a lot of people in Squamish I feel that they are pretty handy, so they can take that on The big thing is that all the critical construction is complete,” said Khan Kulkarni said that cost and time savings are a big reason clients turn to them
“We’re able to cost control 50% of the project, and also time control 50% of the project, because as soon as the foundation is built, this unit is showing up It’s being put onto the foundation And now you save about six months of construction right there, and we’re able to do it in about six hours.”
The cost for the units is about $170 per square foot.
The company, which manages the design, manufacturing and installation of the homes, is based in South Surrey.
“The idea behind what we’re trying to do is essentially to make development easy for homeowners.”
The Squamish client is going to host an open house for locals to tour, when the unit is complete in September.
Sign up on the Open House Invite List in our online story to be included in that tour, or email Rohe Homes at info@rohehomes.com
PHOTO SCREENGRAB FROM ROHE HOMES VIDEO
A modular Rohe Homes unit is placed on a Squamish property earlier this month.
BARBARA JAMES BUILDS A PATH FOR FUTURE TRADESPEOPLE
From tying rebar to teaching net-zero-ready skills, James has carved out a unique space where culture, sustainability, and mentorship intersect
Squamish’s Barbara James is a red seal carpenter, the president of the BC Trades Equity Society and a part-time instructor at BCIT in its School of Construction and the Environment.
James, who was raised in Squamish and graduated from Howe Sound Secondary in 2005, is also a mom to a young son.
She hails from the Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nation in Port Hardy. Her ancestral name is Malizdas.
The Squamish Chief met up with James, who identifies as Two-Spirit, for a chat about her background in trades, what she is doing now, and her advice for young people coming up behind her.
Squamish Transit ServiceChange
Effective September2,2025
Improved service on routes: 1Brackendale, 2Highlands,3Valleycliffe and9 University.
- Weekdays: later evening serviceon routes 1, 2, 3and 9.
-Weekends: earlier morning and/or later evening service onroutes 1, 2and 3.
Route 5South Parks isseasonally discontinued.
Visit bctransit.com to viewschedules.
What follows is a version of that conversation edited for length and clarity.
Q: How did you first become interested in construction? As a little girl, did you love building things?
A: I was more of a tomboy, I guess you would say. I was always playing outside, catching snakes, catching frogs, and playing with the boys. It wasn’t until high school that I realized that I really liked getting my hands dirty and building. I took shop class and enjoyed that. I took automotive mechanics in Grades 11 and 12, and I was really good at that And I think those were my first As ever And then I also did a work experience with Alta Lake Electric here in town, so that really opened up my eyes to electrical I was just always interested in the trades
Q: How was it starting out when you were in high school? Were there other girls in the class?
A: Nope, just me I think I convinced my best friend to take mechanics with me, and she actually enjoyed it too, but she did not pursue it. I won a bursary in Grade 12 because I was the only female from high school who was going into trade school, so I automatically won.
Q: What made you choose carpentry?
A: It’s funny because I did the Trades Discovery for Women course at BCIT. You can try about 20 different trades. I left that
wanting to pursue electrical I did not enjoy carpentry when I did it then It wasn’t until 2017, I was tying rebar, and it wasn’t that great of money. And my boyfriend at the time was a formwork carpenter, and he suggested I try carpentry like him. I thought I didn’t like it, but I had never formed concrete, so I went and I did that, and his boss was like, “Wow, you’re a natural,” and gave me a huge raise off the bat. So I realized, OK, there’s potential here So in 2018, I enrolled in my first year at BCIT, and I just kept going from there.
Q: What is formwork carpentry?
A: So all the concrete you see is formed with plywood that is nailed together. Carpenters actually do that work. We form the concrete.
Q: We hear there’s been a lot of change in the trades, such as encouraging more diversity, hiring more women. But is that true on the ground?
A: It is slowly getting better I’m president of the BC Trades Equity Society. We work towards inclusive work sites. We do mentorship, we do training We support young and upcoming apprentices through the trades We discuss toxic work culture. We do everything in our power to make it a more inclusive industry So, it is getting better People like myself and the other people in our society volunteer a lot of hours towards making their path a lot easier and accessible for the next generation.
Q: For someone who’s reading this, and they’re curious but intimidated by the trades, what are the pros and cons of a job in construction?
A: The pros for me are:
• It’s like a gym membership You’re constantly labouring. It’s a good workout.
• At the end of the day, you can stand back and look at a job and just be like, “Wow, I built that with my hands!”
• The money. I’m a single mother, and I support my son very well with my wage
• There are a lot of different types of things you can get into with carpentry. You can get into renovations, new builds, concrete formwork, finishing carpentry, and teaching.
• You can get into the union, and then there’s lobbying and politics. Most of my apprenticeship was through the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBC). I worked on the
TRADES: Continued on 7
PHOTO BY JENNIFER THUNCHER/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF Barbara James on the boardwalk of the Mamquam Blind Channel.
Patello Bridge, the Sky Train, YVR, and the Royal Columbian Hospital. If you want to make money and you want to get into an apprenticeship and get hours, there’s a lot of work right now.
For the cons, obviously, there’s still some sexism, still some racism, and some people don’t necessarily take you seriously. So that’s the change we’re working towards.
I just feel like if people see me in this role, I feel like it’s my responsibility to show the next generation what we’re capable of It wasn’t always an easy path, but if we can make it easier for the next generation, then they’ll obviously be more likely to choose trades at a younger age. We do a lot of work with summer camps, getting girls involved at a young age so they can realize, “Hey, I could become a carpenter, an electrician, a plumber, HVAC.” Just introducing it at a younger age so they’re more likely to pursue it, just giving more opportunities.
Q: For a Squamish kid who is interested, what path would you suggest to follow?
A: I went straight to trade school out of high school Not everyone has the same path, and I try to point that out. It took me years to finally pick a trade and pursue it through the apprenticeship So don’t feel like you have to do it straight out of high school if you want to go out and work and
get experience. That’s what I did—tried multiple trades before I picked one. There’s a lot of funding right now for trades foundations courses, which introduce you to the trades—you learn safety, how to use tools, and then you’re not coming out green. And I feel like employers are more likely to hire you because you’ve shown that you’re willing to learn. So, right now is a really great time to get into the trades, just because of all the funding that’s available, especially for women and underrepresented folks. And it’s in high demand
Q: What’s one of the things you’ve worked on that you’re most proud of?
meant to be.
About a local is a regular column about interesting Squamish residents. If you have a suggestion of someone we should feature (and their permission), reach out to jthuncher@ squamishchief.com. TRADES: Continued from 6
A: I actually moved to Port Hardy, which is one of my hometowns I grew up in Squamish, but Port Hardy is where my family is from, and I’ve helped build the big house, which is like a place of ceremony, built with heavy timbers, cedars, hemlock and spruce. And that was very important to me, because this big house was burnt down back in the 1960s when our people were forcibly relocated from Blunden Harbour to Port Hardy. So this has been a long time coming, and our people have suffered a lot because of that So this is like community coming back together As soon as I got my red seal and graduated from BCIT, I got on Indeed, and there was a job with K’awat’si Construction Company helping build the big house. It was perfect timing It was just
Q: What else would you like people to know?
A: I jumped into teaching for BCIT, and now I’m teaching net-zero ready skills. I’m getting into the green aspect of building, and I’m starting to build with intention and put my Indigenous values into my work I teach these skills, high-performance building, and I’ve been doing a lot of work with Indigenous youth and Indigenous women. Now that is my passion. I feel like I’m aligning my values with my skills
Q: What are some of those values?
A: Caring about the environment, building with intention, picking and choosing your materials that are better for the environment—that are going to last longer, that work well together, that aren’t going to go to waste, and then just teaching these skills to the next generation so that they can grow up thinking about what we’re doing to our environment while we build. I’ve done work at the Cheakamus Centre. We’ve been retrofitting all their cabins, which were about 50 years old. We bring in cohorts of youth, and we teach them these net-zero-ready skills Now if you stay in those cabins, they are so nice
My goal ultimately is to become a full-time instructor; however, you must hold your red seal certification for five years before applying for full-time teaching positions at
There’s a lot of funding right now for trades foundations courses, which introduce you to the trades—you learn safety, how to use tools, and then you’re not coming out green.
BARBARA JAMES
BCIT.
So, I’m currently pursuing a bachelor of technology in trades leadership through Thompson Rivers University online. I am also starting my own business to do side work.
James is available through her social media channels: @bossbabebarb on Instagram and Barbara James on Facebook.
Happy LabourDay from BC's largestunion, CUPE BC
CUPE BC's 110,000 members deliverthe important publicservices that make ourcommunities abetter place to live, learn, work, and play.
Better Services. BetterCommunities.
Your prizedonations helped make Squamish
Community Chipper Days
Protectyour home and help keep your neighbourhoodFireSmart. If youare aresident of alisted area, youcan take the opportunityto forcurbside chipping andremoval of treesand branches forfreeonthose dates!
Dentville September 8 Paradise Valley September 15–18
What’s Accepted:
Tree limbs and trunks smaller than 30 cm in diameter Branches 1cm or larger in diameter
What is NOTAccepted:
Yard debris: Leaves, grass,weeds,dirt, sticks smaller than 1cmin diameter,rocks.
Root balls
Constructionwaste
Dirtyorsoiled wood
squamish.ca/firesmart
Check out the arena schedule:
squamish.ca/rec/arenaschedule
Dance, Dance,Dance!
RecreationServices offerseight differenttypes of danceclasses -see if there’s onefor you!
•NEW Belly Dance
• Clogging (Beginner and Advanced)
•FREE International aditional Dance
• Line Dance (both 19yrs+ &55yrs+, variouslevels)
•FREE ReducedMobility
Folk Dance
•NEW Salsa &Bachata
• Swing Dance
•NEW TapDance
Pool Shutdown:September 3–October 17
This year’s shutdown has been extended in order to completeworkrelated to the Brennan Park RecreationCentre renovation project.
HolidayHours
September 1
Ukulele Programs at The55ActivityCentre
Fall GetTogether
Thursdays,10 am–12 pm
Tuesday, September 2 10 am–3 pm
MunicipalHall Closed
BylawServices
Brennan Park RecreationCentre9 am–3 pm
Public Works Foremergencies: 604-815-4040 Office Closed
Take aprogressive series of lessonsfor thiseasy-to-learn instrumentthatissomuchfun!
Joineither of our self-led drop-ins($2) or, if you’re not readyfor that Whynot tryone of ourinstructor-ledclasses?
SquamishFireRescue Foremergencies: 911 Office Closed
SquamishPublic LibraryClosed
The55Activity Centre Closed
JoinusatThe 55 ActivityCentre forlight refreshments and information about ourmanynew and returningprograms forfall— EVERYONE IS WELCOME!
During Stage2,the hand watering of trees, flowers,and shrubs is allowed anyday from 6–9 am and7–10 pm
Hand watering of vegetablegardens is allowed anyday at anytime.
Lawn wateringwith asprinkler is allowed oneday perweek based on neigbourhood:
•Odd numberedaddresses: 6–9 am.
•Evennumberedaddresses: 7–10 pm
Monday Valleycliffe, Hospital Hill and SEAandSKY
TuesdayDowntown
Wednesday Dentville,Business Park and North Yards
Thursday Loggers Lane Eastand UniversityHighlands
Friday GaribaldiHighlands
SaturdayGaribaldiEstates
SundayBrackendale
INDIGENOUS PLANT WISDOM SHARED THROUGH ESTUARY
In a rare guided event as part of the Squamish Arts Festival, ethnobotanist Dr. Leigh Joseph led a group through the estuary
INA PACE
Local Journalism Initiative reporter
The power of plants can be quite something, especially when linked with cultural knowledge.
Sḵwálwen Botanicals has been offering opportunities this month to learn about Indigenous cultural connection with the land in Squamish, and how folks may reciprocate its summer offerings.
On Aug. 8, Sḵwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) member, Sḵwálwen founder and ethnobotanist Dr. Leigh Joseph, PhD, (Styawat), took The Squamish Chief on a guided group tour of Sḵwálwen studio, followed by a walk in the Squamish Estuary; a rare but timely event, she clarified, that was intended as a part of the Squamish Arts Festival this year
Joseph said she has been sharing her knowledge and leading walking tours in some form for the last 15 to 20 years.
“Sḵwálwen represents more than skincare It is a ceremonial offering of Indigenous plant wisdom that keeps ancestral tradition alive,” the Sḵwálwen website reads. The website also refers to the business’s upcoming non-profit The Sḵwálwen Indigenous Botany Society, which will further knowledge of “culturally important plants and places … and increase access [to them] for Indigenous communities.”
This furthering of knowledge was exactly what Joseph demonstrated in her presentation to the group. She also shared parts of her personal history and scientific information about various
plants growing in the estuary.
The Squamish Chief, along with the rest of the group in attendance, first had the opportunity to look around the Sḵwálwen Botanics’ studio and store, located at 37756 on Third Avenue In the studio, the group sampled two types of hot and cold herbal tea, as well as various testers of skincare products, before embarking on the estuary walk The walk itself was taken at a steady pace, with frequent stops to observe various plants, often with views of the surrounding area or, indeed, their ecosystem. Joseph provided flashcards and other learning resources containing further information.
Joseph said that yarrow, for example, is used in Sḵwálwen bath salts, and showed the group how the leaves could be crushed to bring out a strong scent. She described how its properties can contribute to anti-inflammation, slowing bleeding and healing sunburn.
“We isolate the compounds and discover the benefits,” she said
She also told the group her personal stories associated with the plants, and described them as “relatives,” (as opposed to just resources)
Sḵwálwen, which promotes the use of organic ingredients and sustainable harvesting techniques for skincare, is about fostering relationships in responsible and reciprocal ways, according to Joseph
“What my responsibility is in terms of sharing knowledge and [learning] about ways to do that, that are respectful and not sharing overly sensitive cultural information … [is] finding that intersection where people are open to the
Continued on 11
BusinessOpportunities
Requestsfor Proposals
• ComprehensiveDikeInspectionServices
• Powerhouse SpringsWell8 Design& Consultation
•ParadiseValleyDry HydrantEngineeringServices squamish.ca/doing-business-with-the-district
Infrastructure Upgrades
•Installationworkonthe watermain nearBill’sPlace hasbeenpausedand will resume earlySeptember
•Sanitaryforcemain upgradeonPia Road continues.
•Watermain upgrade on Birken Road continues.
•Annual road paintingrefresh programcontinues.
•Anongoing culvertreplacement at thehairpin turn on SkylineDrive will causetraffic impacts.
•Workonthe Victoria Street Active TransportationUpgrades continues. squamish.ca/building-our-future
School is backinsessionon
Tuesday, September 2!
TheDistrictofSquamish urgesall driverstoslowdownand take theirtimeon the road as Squamish youthheadbacktoschoolnextweek
•Please adhere to all30km/hschool zone speed limitsbetween thehours of 7:30 a.m. and7:30p.m.onany schoolday.
•Please be careful andwatch forchildren as they maketheir waytoand from schoolonfoot, skateboards, scooters,and bikes
•Please keep sidewalks andbikelanes clearfor youthtotravelsafety.
•Please avoidparking or stopping in designatedNoParking areas
Viewour Active andSafeRoutestoSchoolmapsat squamish.ca/safe-routes
Be BEAR SMART
Thereisplentyofbearactivitybeing reportedinareas around Squamish,so please don’tlet bears gettoo comfortableatand around your home. Followthe checklistbelow andbeBEARSMART in 2025!
•Lock andsecureyourtotes at all times except forcollectionday
•Onlyput totesout forcollection on themorning of collectionday andNEVER thenight before.
• Freeze odorousfooditems andplace them in thetoteon themorning of collection.
•Removebirdfeeders or ensure they are10feet offthe ground with aseed catchtray.
•Pick fruit as it ripens and don’t let it collectonthe ground
•Keep barbecues cleanand grease-free by burninganextra 5minutes afterremovingfood and don’tforgettoremove and/ or clean allbarbecuetools.
•Rinse allrecycling.
•Talktoyour neighbours about managing theirattractants.
If your tote is brokenordamaged,please contactGFL at 604-892-5604 or email squamishtotes@gflenv.com to get your tote on thislist. Let’sworktogether andkeep bears safe in ourcommunity.
ReportALL wildlife sightingstothe Conservation OfficerService 24/7 hotline: 1-877-952-7277.
PHOTO BY INA PACE/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF
Ethnobotanist Dr Leigh Joseph, (Styawat) in the Squamish Estuary.
GIVING BACK TO THE LAND: LOCAL APIARY DEMONSTRATES
HOW, WITH INTERACTIVE TOURS
An apiary in Paradise Valley is hosting tours of its hives and honey extraction processes to demonstrate how to give back to nature
INA PACE
Local Journalism Initiative reporter
Creating something ‘bee-autiful’ can give you a buzz (maybe that’s ‘punny’), but it’s quite literally how an apiary in Paradise Valley came about.
Bee Wild is a family-oriented apiary, located at 4311 Paradise Valley Rd., that actively works with nature in a reciprocal way, in order to remain self-sufficient. In other words, it works with what is known as a permaculture system, or regenerative farming, so that wildlife and biodiversity can thrive.
The Squamish Chief joined one of the apiary’s Bee Adventure tours on Aug. 15 to discover more about Bee Wild’s methods, and to capture some ‘bee-roll’ for visuals (OK, let’s stop that now)
“It’s always been a passion of mine to make something beautiful out of the land and I really was passionate about making [Paradise Valley] a beautiful place. Just through [wildlife]
interactions out here and seeing the world come to life I thought, ‘Why not try beekeeping as another way I can interact with the world around me, and as a way that gives back to the land as well?’” Bee Wild founder and apiarist AnnaMarie Rutishauser told The Squamish Chief.
Rutishauser showed the tour group her permaculture-based garden, explaining how the native wildflowers, plants, and trees all worked together, and how she had wanted to re-create these interactions in nature.
She said the growth of flowers and fruit naturally attracted bees and pollinators, so bee-keeping seemed a logical step forward in conserving the beauty of the land.
Rutishauser also showed the group the bees, which were collected on each frame of the hives (each honeycomb frame takes between two and four weeks for the worker bees to fill), using a blower to create smoke and air pressure, so that the bees would move safely towards the bottom of the hive She explained the smell of the smoke made the bees instinctively gather around their
BEES: Continued on 11
Construction Progress at WoodfibreLNG
TheWoodfibre LNGsiteistaking shape.Onland,crews are progressingonfoundations afterplacing the pipe rack modules.Offshore, piling hasbegun forthe first permanent supports forthe floating storage tank —amajor step in marine construction.
Allmarine work is supportedbymarine mammal observers and hydroacoustic monitoring.These safeguards pause work if underwater sound nears regulatory limitsorifmarine mammals enterexclusion zones
We’reproud to be building the world’s first net zero LNG exportfacilitysafely,responsibly,and under the oversightof the Sḵwxwú7meshÚxwumixw (Squamish Nation) —follow us to see howit’staking shape righthereinSquamish.
PHOTO BY INA PACE/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF Bee Wild founder and apiarist AnnaMarie Rutishauser shows the tour group a frame full of bees
PLANTS: Continued from 9
natural beauty of plants, and how we can tend to our own well-being through those plants. Also … what we can do to tend to the ecosystems and waters that support these plants as well It’s really [about] connecting to cultural plant knowledge and place,” she said Joseph described the acquisition of knowledge of the land as a humbling experience, and how important it is to leave behind some plant life for animals and other Indigenous communities, or “all who utilize these spaces.”
“Without this [plant] life, we don’t have what we need to survive. We learn how we create our own impact,” she said In order to preserve the land and its resources for all forms of life, Joseph explained how Sḵwálwen is veering away from wild harvesting and turning more towards working with local organic growers.
She also explained on the tour that she has family who attended residential schools; they were barred from having access to such cultural knowledge and forbidden to share their language.
“It’s really important to me to offer as many opportunities to learn about the history and context, as well as the current renewal of knowledge and connection taking place. I’m so proud to have Sḵwálwen as a business here in my home territory It really offers me a way of
BEES: Continued from 10
honey to protect it, as if defending it from a forest fire, and minimizing contact with humans upon inspection or honey harvesting She said bees typically begin to build their hives around May, and their honey is harvested through to September. It typically takes 12 bees to produce one teaspoon of honey.
Rutishauser explained the process of starting a bee colony to The Squamish Chief. She said bees can be bought as packages from New Zealand and shipped over. You place your bees in a hive body you have created, and the honeycomb frames can be bought ready-made to accommodate the bees’ honey cell and wax production Their production expands over time, depending on how they thrive in the environment that you provide, until you can split the hives and raise “locally mated” queen bees
Rutishauser said an aspiration for Bee Wild is to become a more self-sustainable apiary over time More immediately, she hopes that one of the hives, which is currently without a queen bee, will produce its own “locally mated” queen.
She explained that queen bees, which can live for up to three to five years, are the only bee that mates with the drones—the fewer male bees, which are identifiable by their distinguishable black or brown colour, and are slightly larger in size—and that she can produce over 3,000 eggs per day. Her cells/eggs are fed “royal jelly” (a type of colostrum) by the worker bees, and the first egg to hatch becomes the new queen.
It’s really important to me to offer as many opportunities to learn about the history and context, as well as the current renewal of knowledge and connection taking place.
DR. LEIGH JOSEPH
giving back to [the] community.”
Joseph told The Squamish Chief that she hopes to create more studio tours and walks in the next year, and involve schools and health authorities.
The Sḵwálwen Botanicals store is open 9.30 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Monday to Friday, and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays.
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
Rutishauser said that Bee Wild started with two hives, and to date, it now has 11, with around 30,000 bees per hive Only the honey from the top tier of the hives is harvested, which is the surplus amount This surplus honey accounts for around 10 to 20% overall, meaning the bees have enough food to survive.
The tour ended with a honey-tasting session; the group was able to dip teaspoons in a jar of the harvested honey (harvested on a separate occasion), to sample.
Rutishauser has been beekeeping for over four years now. Originally from Vancouver Island, she said she relocated to Squamish in 2008 to raise her family and to create a home where they felt they could thrive in nature, and learn about the impact of their daily actions.
She said she wants to keep expanding tours in the Sea to Sky Corridor to help people have a similar experience; to have them interact in a way that also makes them aware of their day-to-day actions in nature
Bee Wild produces and sells raw, unfiltered, and unpasteurized honey that is “true to nature,” according to their website. On the website, folks may also book a Bee Adventure Tour, and/or a Honey Tour Experience this summer. Updates about the apiary and their tours are also on Facebook and Instagram.
General enquiries may be sent to beewildparadisevalley@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
Don’t put your child’s eyesight on hold: book a
Dback-to-school optometrist visit
id you know that more than 80 per cent of learning happens through the sense of sight? Ensuring that your child has optimal vision is crucial to their academic success and personal development.
Clear eyesight allows children to easily read books and textbooks, follow lessons on the blackboard and perform better in physical education classes.
Conversely, vision problems can lead to comprehension difficulties but can also impair concentration and cause headaches. If left undetected, poor vision can also adversely affect a child’s academic performance and self-esteem.
Don’t forget that, even if your child doesn’t complain about their vision, you should still schedule an eye exam with a local optometrist. Keep in mind that some serious vision problems can go undetected without a thorough examination.
Don’t wait! Book an eye exam for your child before school starts This simple step can significantly enhance their academic success and overall well-being From Newspaper Toolbox
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Limitedspace availableinour grade6/7 class. Emailthe school formoreinfo.
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EDITOR
JENNIFERTHUNCHER jthuncher@ squamishchief.com follow @thuncher
REPORTER
INDIGO LEMAYCONWAY ilemayconway@ squamishchief.com
REPORTER INAPACE inapace@ squamishchief.com
SALESMANAGER
CATHIE GREENLEES cgreenlees@ squamishchief.com
MULTI- MEDIASALES REPRESENTATIVE KIMBOATMAN kboatman@ squamishchief.com
CIRCULATION MANAGER DENISE CONWAY dconway@ squamishchief.com
PUBLISHER SARAHSTROTHER sstrother@wplpmedia.com
TheSquamishChief is amemberof theNationalNewsmedia Council, whichisanindependentorganization establishedtodealwithacceptable journalistic practicesand ethical behaviour. If youhaveconcerns abouteditorial content, please contactEditorJenniferThuncherat jthuncher@squamishchief.com. If you arenot satisfiedwiththe response andwishtofilea formal complaint, visitthe websiteatmediacouncil.ca or call toll-free1-844-877-1163for additional information
Reproduction of anymaterial containedinthispublicationis expresslyforbiddenwithoutthe prior written consentofthe publisher.
EDITORIAL
TARGETS?
Withabout oneyeartogountil thenext municipalelection, whichwillbeheldin October2026, locals canbet that creating more housingwillcontinuetobefront andcentreon council’sagenda.
Creating more housingwas akey priority in the District’s 2025 budget,and last week,the provincial governmentset newhousing targetsfor afourth roundofmunicipalities, includingSquamish, to bringthousands of newhomes acrossB.C
EffectiveMonday, Sept.1,2025, thefive-year target for theDistrictofSquamishis1,069 newunits
Thatis75% of thetown’sestimated housingneed of 1,425, accordingtothe government news release.
Though theprovincehas intervened when other communities have failed to meet theirtargets—like in OakBay andWestVancouver,for example— MayorArmandHurford said theDistrictisontrack to meet its target.
“I thinkwehavelikelymorethanthatapproved already,”hesaid. Buthealso explainedthe challenge of trying to meet thetargets when thecouncil doesn’t have totalcontrol over theoutcome.
“I understand what theprovinceistryingto accomplish here;however,where they’remeasured is really challengingbecause,yes,wehavecontrol over rezoning areas andall thesetypes of things,but we don’thavecontrol over individual landowners’ finances or theactualpiece that triggers abuilding permit, like to actually buildit.”
CoquitlamMayor Richard Stewarthas also pointedout that “municipalitiescontrol land use, policyand approvals, butwedonot controlinterest rates, construction costs or labour shortages.”
Whetherthe increase in supply will mean more trulyaffordablehousing forSquamishisyet to be seen.
At least27urbanists—planners, academics and otherhousing experts—don’tthink theprovinceis on theright trackwithits currenthousing policies.
They penned ajoint letter on Aug. 14 to Premier DavidEby andB.C.MinisterofHousing and MunicipalAffairs ChristineBoyle,replete with criticismsand solutionsto thehousing crisis, Squamish andmanytowns across B.C. face
“Supplyhas increasedsignificantly in cities like Vancouver—wherehousing starts have outpaced population growth fordecades—yet prices remain disconnected from incomes,”reads theletter.
“Without addressing land valueinflation,financial speculation, andtenuresecurity, supply-side interventionsriskworsening theverycrisistheyaim to solve.”
As notedbyHurford,who isn’trunning againnext election,iflocalswanttobeatthe tablefor the discussion around Squamish’s affordability, by being on council, nowisthe time to be tuning in and watching thecurrent cohort of electedofficials,so youcan be ready to runonthe ballot with your solutions.
EXTRA, EXTRA,YOU’REREADING
ALLABOUT IT!
Newsflash,Canadians arestill gettingtheir news from,well, thenews!
If youare readingthis, Iamlikely preachingtothe converted, butperhaps you can tell that friend or relative whoonly quotes current events from social media“contentcreators” about this column
News MediaCanada, theassociation that advocatesfor themedia industry,has measured newspaperreadershipacrossdifferent platforms— print, computer,tablet, cellphone—andbytimeof daysince 2012.
Last week,the organization released its2025 Newspapers 24/7 study, whichshowedthatfourout of five people in Canada,or86%,readnewspaper contenteachweekand trustthe contenttheyread, regardless of format.
Thestudy wasconducted nationwide during the winter of 2024–25and included responses from 2,418online interviews.
At TheSquamishChief,westopped labelling
ourselvesstrictlya newspaper yearsago.Wecall ourselvesamedia outlet.Obviously,weare proudly stillinprint,but we know many of ourreaders are consumingusonline.
Personally,Ihopewealwayshaveprint papers especially here in Squamish,considering the modern-day versionofour town wasbuilt by the forest industry
Butwe also meet people where they areat(other than on Facebook andInstagram, where accredited news is banned). Thus,wehaveour populardaily newsletter that arrivesinyourinbox;weare on lots of social platforms, like thejournalism-founded Syrup, andwetellstories in photos,text, andvideo
Back to thestudy
News MediaCanadafound that 54%ofthe adult population readsnewspapersintraditional formats: either in printoran e-edition. (FindThe Squamish Chief’se-edition digitalformaton our website, underthe NEWS tab at the topof squamishchief.com.)
Sixout of 10 (57%)adultscurrently access newspapers in an online format.
Butdoyounger folksreallyconsume news from mediaoutlets like ours? Yes, indeed!
NOTEBOOK: Continuedon13
EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK
JENNIFER THUNCHER
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)
NOTEBOOK: Continued from 12
The study found that total weekly readership across all formats by Millennials, also called Gen Y (ages 28
– 44) is 89%, slightly higher for Gen Z (ages 18 – 27) at 90%.
All this to say, the media, ironically, gets some bad press, but is still the main way folks find accurate stories
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
LET’S BUILD BELONGING, NOT JUST BUILDINGS
In Squamish, not everyone gets the chance to build a stable life Some of us, like me, live in vans or tents—not by choice, but because we’ve run out of options Homelessness is not a lifestyle decision. It’s the result of trauma, job loss, health issues, or a lack of affordable housing. No one plans for their life to unravel.
When local housing initiatives like the Under One Roof program or the supportive housing project at Government Road and Centennial Way come under fire, we need to ask ourselves: are we truly seeing the people affected, or just reacting to fear?
Programs like Under One Roof, run by Squamish Helping Hands, offer more than shelter. They provide hot meals, showers, medical support, and a safe place to rest These are not handouts—they are lifelines. For people like me and many others in our town, these programs are the only buffer between survival and crisis Opposition often comes dressed in language like “concern for property values” or “safety,” but these fears rarely reflect reality. In fact, numerous studies show that supportive housing does not increase crime and often leads to safer communities by reducing instability.
When we claim shelters “hurt neighbourhoods,” what we’re often really saying is: “I don’t want to be reminded of suffering.” But homelessness doesn’t disappear when we ignore it—it grows. Judging an entire group by a few negative stories is a dangerous generalization that undermines real progress.
Homelessness exists in Squamish. It’s not an urban problem we can
LETTERS POLICY
blame on Vancouver. It’s here, it’s growing, and ignoring it won’t make it go away We need to stop calling the police when someone is having a hard day and start listening instead. Compassion is not weakness—it’s courage in action
Supportive housing is not charity. It’s justice. It gives people a chance to rebuild, regain dignity, and rejoin the fabric of the community. The project at Government Road isn’t just about construction—it’s a moral statement about what kind of town Squamish wants to be.
Will we let fear decide who deserves help—or will we build a town rooted in kindness and resilience?
Let’s stop debating whether people are “worthy” of housing. Everyone deserves a foundation. And if we won’t build that foundation together, then we all live on shaky ground.
Jeff Maxwell Downtown Squamish
ECONOMIC, SOCIAL COSTS OF HWY SHUTDOWNS
Highway 99 is the lifeline of the Sea to Sky Corridor, but every time it shuts down, whether for an accident, mudslide, or an event like the Gran Fondo, the economic and social costs are far greater than most realize. As I calculate it, a full six-hour closure results in roughly $3.5 million in direct economic losses: stalled commuters, stranded tourists, delayed deliveries, lost business revenue, and the costs of emergency response Add the stress, frustration, and well-being impacts on tens of thousands of people, and the total climbs above $7.5 million, by my numbers, for just one event.
The damage doesn’t stop there. Governments at all levels lose almost
about what is happening in their communities.
That is a fact we take very seriously here at The Squamish Chief. Thanks for reading!
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
How would you rate your 2025 Squamish summer?
Have your say at squamishchief.com
$1 million in tax revenue per closure, $70,000 for local municipalities, $455,000 for the province, and $420,000 for Ottawa Over a typical summer with four major closures, the corridor could lose $14 million in direct economic activity, $16 million in psychological impact, and nearly $4 million in forgone tax revenue. In years with heavier incident frequency, the burden could balloon to $42–84 million annually.
For residents and businesses in Squamish, Whistler, and Pemberton, these closures are not occasional inconveniences; they are recurring economic shocks. Tourism, service industries, commuters, and supply chains all suffer ripple effects that compound over time. Beyond the dollars, repeated highway shutdowns erode trust in the corridor’s resilience and reputation.
Some years ago, an RCMP spokesperson said that it would be too expensive to have an ICARS unit based here. I guess they didn’t model opportunity costs. More recently, some pundits have been saying that a train would be too slow and too expensive. Ditto. Squamish and the SLRD are developing needed housing at a breakneck speed. So much so that they are now bedroom communities of the cities to the south.
We urgently need serious investment in mitigation strategies: alternate routes, stronger incident management, or a reliable rail service. When we weigh the costs of building better infrastructure, we must also weigh the hidden but very real opportunity cost of doing nothing. Every closure is a reminder that the status quo is not sustainable for our communities or our economy.
Patrick Smyth Whistler
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
MOST READ STORY
Squamish business beat: Britannia Village is officially open
This week, for her last assignment on her last day at The Squamish Chief, reporter Indigo Lemay-Conway took in the official open house for Britannia Village See this video and many others on our @squamishchief page TOP TIKTOK OF THE WEEK
TERRY FOX RUN RETURNS THIS SEPTEMBER, WITH SOME NEW ADD-ONS
The annual cancer-fighting fundraiser will return this September, with the option to run double the distance
INA PACE
Local Journalism Initiative reporter
Squamish’s Terry Fox family-friendly free event is for everybody, and it’s evolving The annual run (or walk) will take place on Sunday, Sept 14, at 10 a.m., following an opening ceremony.
“Every year we’re going to try to add some more things,” said core organizer Magee Walker. The fun run, sparked by legendary athlete Terry Fox, has been an annual fundraiser in cancer research for The Terry Fox Foundation since 1981.
The Foundation’s website reads that the event takes place in more than 650 communities across Canada
This is Walker’s second year as organizer for the district’s event, alongside her fellow core organizer Jon Milnes
“Everyone from tiny babies to seniors come out and support it So it’s really for the whole community,” she said Walker confirmed that participants and volunteers of all ages and abilities, will meet at the Municipal Campground (39275 Loggers Lane) beside Brennan Park to embark on the typical four-kilometre run and cheer each other on This year, there is the option to complete the course twice, making up a total of eight kilometres. The course is wheelchair and stroller friendly.
Regarding the optional extension of the course for participants, Walker explained that she and Milnes were taking competitive groups into consideration, even though there is no obligation to even complete the course, or to raise any minimal amount.
“Four kilometres may not be enough to get serious runners out. So I thought if we offered the opportunity to double it, then maybe we could attract some more [people] Squamish has quite a few athletes out there, so that’s something that we’re really trying to connect with,” she said
“[We want] different organizations and athletic groups to make teams and have their members come out. We’re still allowing a shorter option for families or people who just want to walk it and not be so serious. Feeling good in the heart is the prize; whether you’re in first or last place, we’ll be standing at the finish line clapping.”
Changes this year will also include live music at the finish line, performed by Monty Biggins, which Walker described as a “big score.”
“We were kind of conservative last year because it was [Jon and mine’s] first time running it, and we didn’t want to bite off more than we could chew.”
Walker said that herself and Milnes hope to have special guests and speakers in attendance this year, as they did at last year’s run, which had
around 215 people participating or volunteering Last year, firefighters from Squamish Fire Rescue joined the event, as well as speakers from Sḵwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) and Coun John French
There was also a post-run barbecue last year that will be happening again this year for all participants
“[We want to] make the experience even more celebratory [this year], and make a full morning of it. It’s a serious event, but it’s also a fun event,” Walker said.
“I know every cancer affects everybody, but in being an organizer for this run, I was surprised at how many people—from the bank teller who helped us with our deposit, to the stores we approached to help us sell T-shirts—had stories of how cancer personally affected them or their loved ones The event is really meaningful for a lot of people.”
The Squamish event has been running since 1989 Last year, it raised about $19,850, the highest amount to date for a Squamish community run.
Both Walker and Milnes are hoping to break that record this year; Walker said they are aiming for nearer $25,000
“I heard of another community where their goal was to raise $1 for every person who lived in that town, and I think that would be an amazing eventual goal,” she said
If they hit that, it will mean Squamish has raised $200,000 over the years.
Squamish’s fundraising goal is reflective of Fox’s own. According to the Terry Fox Foundation website, Fox superseded his goal of raising $1 from every Canadian (a total of $20
PHOTO BY JIM BUDGE Participants at the 2024 Terry Fox run.
TERRY FOX: Continued on 16
LOCALS CLAIM TOP SPOTS AT FAT DOG 120 RACE
Scott Maguire took on the 120-mile course and Anna Goodwin won the 100-kilometre course
INDIGO LEMAY-CONWAY
ilemayconway@squamishchief.com
How long do you think it takes to run 120 miles? How about 100 kilometres? Well, two Squamish locals know exactly how long it takes, after running those distances in the fastest amount of time during the Fat Dog 120 race that took place fromAug. 7 to 9.
The race begins in the Cathedral Provincial Park near the town of Keremeos and finishes in E.C. Manning Provincial Park.
The longest route is 120 miles, which has a cumulative elevation gain of over 26,240 feet or 8,000 metres. For reference, that’s almost five times the elevation gain of the Panorama Ridge trail.
Local ultra-runner Scott Maguire took on this route and won the men’s category, completing the course in 29 hours and 45 minutes.
The next longest route was the 100K course, which follows a similar trajectory as the 120 miler but has an elevation gain of 14,000 feet or 4,200 metres
Squamish’s own Anna Goodwin was the speediest woman on the trail for this race, completing the route in 13 hours and 10 minutes.
The Fat Dog race also includes a 50-mile and 40-mile race option.
The race gets its name, according to a story in the Saanich News, because once the route reaches Manning Park, it follows the Fat Dog Trail.
A BUMPY START
Maguire’s journey to first place wasn’t smooth sailing.
In fact, he missed the beginning of the race by a couple of minutes as a result of a mapping mistake.
“I had kind of an adventurous start to the race,” he told The Squamish Chief with a laugh
“I made such a silly blunder. When I was planning how to get to the race start, I mapped it, using Google Maps to get there, and it was a two-hour drive to the race start. The morning of, I drove there, and halfway through, I punched it into Google Maps to [check the route] just to be sure, and it told me that I was going to arrive 15 minutes after the race start.
“I realized I mapped it from a location that was closer to the start than where I was staying
… but I got there right as it was starting and I had to sprint the wrong way through the whole field to get to the start line.”
He ended up starting the race two minutes after everyone else and had to make his way through the crowd to the front of the pack.
Thankfully, the rest of the race ended up going a lot more to plan, and after running for more than a day, Maguire was the fastest finisher of the Fat Dog 120.
As for what goes through his mind while
running for such long periods, he said, “lots of highs and lows.”
“It’s funny how, for a period of time, you could be really struggling and moving really slowly, and then, seemingly without any explanation, start to feel good again,” Maguire said
“I felt pretty awful around kilometre 80, and then felt really good at kilometre 150, which doesn’t make any sense.”
A RACE FIRST
For Goodwin, however, the race went a lot more to plan.
“It was my first 100K, so I didn’t really know what to expect,” she said.
“I trained for the Vancouver Marathon, which was in May, and then just kind of rode that fitness, and put in a couple of really big weeks in between June and July But I had a pretty solid base from training for the marathon, which was nice
“Everything went as expected I had planned for a lot of different possibilities, like
It was my first 100K, so I didn’t really know what to expect.
ANNA GOODWIN
if certain foods weren’t agreeing with my stomach, or if I needed to switch things up But it went a lot better than I thought I could run, and I think my crew was a bit surprised as well.”
Around a quarter of the way through the race, Goodwin learned from another racer that she was right behind the leader.
“Ultras are so fun because I passed her, and we ran with each other for several kilometres and we chatted, and then I was kind of ahead of her for a good chunk, and then she passed me, and I didn’t actually see her again until about 93K into the race,” she said
“I know that’s still another 7K to go, but that feels like very close to the line when you’ve been out there for 11 hours already. It was pretty exciting, but I was running scared for the end for sure,” she said with a laugh.
Goodwin finished the 100K in just over 13 hours and not just that, she beat the course record by 12 minutes.
As for whether Goodwin or Maguire will compete in the Fat Dog 120 again next year is still up for debate.
“That race is spectacular, and the volunteers and the race director do such a wonderful job putting it on that I would love to go back, but we’ll see how I’m feeling,” Goodwin said.
Maguire also said he is taking some time to consider if he will have another go at the gruelling race.
“Everybody asks [if I will do it again], and I’m deferring my answer to that question I’m not allowed to make any future plans or declarations the week after one of those [kind of races],” he said
PHOTOS BY (LEFT) RAGAN ROSS (RIGHT) SHELAGH MAGUIRE
Left: Anna Goodwin won the 100K race and beat the previous course time by 12 minutes. (Right) Scott Maguire during his 120-mile race
LOCAL ATHLETE TAKES FIRST IN GRUELLING 50K TRAIL RACE
Shaun Stephens-Whale took first place in this year’s Squamish50
men’s 50K
INDIGO LEMAY-CONWAY
ilemayconway@squamishchief.com
Squamish athlete and business owner
Shaun Stephens-Whale says he didn’t have a “perfect” Squamish50 race, but his performance in the 50-kilometre trail run on Sunday was close enough to perfect to earn him first place.
Considered one of the most gruelling events of the year in the “outdoor recreation capital of the world,” the Squamish50 wrapped up another weekend of trail running on Aug. 17
“One of the few to ever break four hours and 40 minutes,” announced race founder and organizer Gary Robbins, when awarding Stephens-Whale his first-place medal.
For the 13th annual event, runners had to battle heavy rain on Saturday, but faced dry and cool temperatures on Sunday
Stephens-Whale, who is originally from Roberts Creek, said while he won, and the conditions were “ideal” on Sunday, at one point,
TERRY FOX: Continued from 14 million at that time) for cancer research in his Marathon of Hope, all before his death in June 1981. Fox’s Marathon of Hope fund had totalled
he ended up on all fours vomiting up his breakfast
$24.17 million by February that year. Walker and Milnes will be hosting a community booth at The Squamish Farmers Market on Sept. 6. Participants may register and donate for the
He had lost valuable time, but pulled himself together mentally and physically and managed to come in top spot, with a time of 4:39:52.
The well-known local tower runner and one of the owners of The Ninja Gym has now run the 50K and the 50-mile races twice each He credits his consistent training with helping him come first.
As a first-time business owner, he said learning “work-life balance” this past year has been a challenge, but he was able to “learn to adapt,” to entrepreneurial pressures—like making rent each month while offering quality programming— giving him enough time to train.
This year, The Ninja Gym partnered with Squamish50 to have an activity centre set up at the finish line for those waiting to see someone cross.
Asked what makes the Squamish50 the increasingly popular race series unique, Stephens-Whale credited its founders and organizers Gary Robbins and Geoff Langford
event on the Terry Fox Foundation website, where there is also further information on Fox’s life and work, or they may register in-person at 9:30 a.m. on Sept. 14. For updates and further details, folks can
Meet Hazel!
with doing a “fantastic job” building up the race weekend in the lead-up to it.
He called that anticipation an “under-valued” aspect of such events.
Robbins’ fame helps too, he said, noting some runners likely participated just to meet the ultra-marathoner who is known in Squamish for his race victories and as founding the Squamish50, but to others as the subject of the 2018 Where Dreams Go to Die, documentary, that followed his attempts at the 160-kilometre Barkley Marathons in Tennessee.
The event organizers of the Squamish50 also keep the energy of the race up with great aid stations and enthusiastic volunteers, StephensWhale added.
For anyone who has been inspired to sign up for next year’s Squamish50, Stephens-Whale advised they make it a “fun goal.”
The 23K race is an inclusive run that would make a good first goal, he said
“Start out by running around the block,” he advised.
follow the Squamish Terry Fox run on Instagram or Facebook.
Those interested in volunteering or sponsorship can also contact Walker or Milnes at squamishterryfox@gmail.com.
Themeaning of “Hazel”comes from a Hazeltree, associated with wisdom, learning,intuition anddivineenergy. This beauty encompassesall of these! Sheis inquisitive,constantlylearningtotrust others inher owntime, andhas acalmnature, while still commanding alleyesinthe room to her. She’d love atallcat towertomakeher throne andher ownhumanstoadorn her. Hazel is oneofa kind andwould be theperfect addition to apeacefulhome.
PHOTO BY TY HOLTAN PHOTOGRAPHY/SQUAMISH50
Shaun Stephens-Whale running in last year’s Squamish50
Wherelocals look! CALL OR PLACE YOUR CLASSIFIED AD WITH OUR ONLINE SERVICE FOR EITHER PRINT, ONLINE OR BOTH DEADLINE FORPRINTADS: MONDAY BEFORE 11:30AM Deadline: Monday3pm Squamishchief.com –Classifieds Get theadded punch to makeyour businessad standout with a classified displayad. Free ad design, with colour and other options. Contact asales reptoday! Obituaries –InPrint and Online in our Local Community News With Picture&FreeColour BOOK YOUR AD 604-892-9161 classified@squamishchief.com
BIRD, ValerieAnn
Dec 8, 1951- Jul6,2025
With peaceful hearts,weannounce thepassing of our beloved Valerieafter adecade-plustango witharare degenerativedisease. She is survived by her son Michael(Susan),daughter Christy, grandchildrenEvanand Alaina, and siblings
Brenda, Cheryl andRoger
Valeriewas born to Alanand GiseleBirdand grew up in Squamish,displayinginnatemusical talent (and perfect pitch)fromanearly age. She received aBEd from UBC and taught at West Vancouver Secondary, eventually taking leave to raise her two childrenwithher formerhusband.
Valerielaterfound hercalling as amusic therapist, devoting the laterchapter of her life to makingmusic andhealing others, until her disease rendered her unabletodoso. Valeriewillcontinuetosinginthe heartsofthe many people shetouched throughout her life. She will be deeply missed.
ROUTES AVAILABLE
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Communications Assistant (PT, permanent)
ApplybySeptember 2, 2025
Full jobdescription andhow to apply: squamishlibrary.ca/careers
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lumps
37.Precise
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56. Hiker’sabode 57.Smaller amount
1. Burn with water 2. Harnesshorse 3. Display 4.Kickoff props 5. “____ FolksatHome”
6. Sculpting stone
7. Movie hero 8. Errorsinprint 9. Mortarboard danglers 10. Feel unwell 11. Snoop
19.Long heroic poem 21. Sired
24.Beer’scousin
26.In_ course
27.You betcha! 28. Cake unit 30.First digit 31. Mend 32. Sleepwear fabric 33. Mint 34. Lone
36. Nonprofessional 38. Attract
40.Doteon
41.Cold-cuts stores
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44.Hill’spartner
46. Uttered
47._ anemone
48. Night hooter
50.Picnic insect
Crossword puzzle answers use American spelling
LASTWEEK’SANSWERS:
HOROSCOPE WEEK OF AUGUST28,
ARIES March 21-April19
You’ll takeon new responsibilities at work that will push you beyond yourcurrent skill level. This experience will help you grow and maypave the wayfor apromotion. You’ll alsoget the go-ahead on an innovativeproject
TAURUS April20-May20
You’ll feel inspired to go back to school and work toward adegree, settingyourself up for abrighter future. Aromantic getawaywill revitalizeyourrelationship and deepenyourconnection with yourpartner.
GEMINI May21-June20
Work hasbecome monotonous, and you need achange. Youcan steeryourcareertowardexciting new opportunities with asolid plan and some preparation. Boldnesswill be the keytoyour successinlong-termprojects
CANCER June 21-July 22
It’s often easier to getalong with people with whom you have no emotional connection. Youmight face challengesregarding discipline with one of your children. Useyourdiplomacy skills to resolveany conflicts.
SUDOKU
LEO July 23-Aug. 22
Everydetail counts.You’ll plan alarge work eventthatwill bringmanypeopletogether Communication maybedifficult, so yourpatience andcalmness will be essentialtoovercoming theseobstacles.
VIRGO Aug. 23-Sept.22
Your leadership will shine, whether at work or in your personal life.You’ll first have to overcome doubts or alackofselfconfidence.However,otherswill recognizeyourabilitiesonce you do,and you’ll earn praisefor your achievements
LIBRA Sept.23-Oct. 22
Aloved one could slow you down as you rush to make all yourappointments on time. It mightbetime to consider a change,suchasmovingout of the familyhome.Thespace hasbecome toobig since your children left.
SCORPIO Oct. 23-Nov.21
Expect alot of travel for work or familycommitments.Numerous details will be vyingfor your attention. Asurprisingsecret could come to light. Youcould forge new friendships with people who liveclosetoyou.
SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22-Dec.21
You’ll receivethe greenlight for financingaproject,like purchasing aproperty. The idea of startingabusinesswith a familymembercould appeal to you.Let inspiration and intuition guide you
CAPRICORN Dec. 22-Jan. 19
Everythingischangingquickly, butthings maynot be happening fastenough for yourliking. You’ll suggestinterestingideas to your partner,who will be impressed. Youcould wina sports competition.
AQUARIUS Jan. 20-Feb.18
Health issues could slow you down,but this breakwill allow you to takeastepbackand gain afresh perspectiveonyour professional and personal life. Lean into spirituality; you’ll find it to be asourceofpeace and well-being.
PISCES Feb. 19-March 20
You’ll feel stressed this week,but it mayalsogiveyou moreenergy and boost yourefficiency.You canaccomplish greatthings when you’reina time crunch. Youcould be struck byloveat first sight. However, if you’reina relationship,itmay lead to some confusion.
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: youmust 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 on our website and Facebook Live 2262ReadCres. 604-898-3737 www.squamishbaptistchurch.org
