June 4, 2026

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PAGE 19

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THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2026

S Q U A M I S H C H I E F. C O M

FORMER RESIDENT SENTENCED TO 15 MONTHS FOR CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE MATERIAL

Adriaan Schipper, 70, now resides in North Vancouver LIZ MCDONALD

emcdonald@lodestarmedia.ca

Content warning: This story contains descriptions of child sexual abuse.

A

PHOTO BY JENNIFER THUNCHER/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF

TRAGIC WEEKEND: Police are urging caution on lakes and rivers in the Sea to Sky Corridor after responding to three separate incidents in less than a week—two involving missing paddlers and another that ended with an officer entering the Squamish River to rescue a man clinging to a log. Murrin Provincial Park remained closed as of press deadline as first responders continued the search for the two paddleboarders who went under on Browning Lake Saturday afternoon and did not resurface. Another paddleboarder is missing from Alta Lake, the biggest lake in Whistler.

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former Squamish resident has been sentenced to 15 months in jail and 24 months of probation for charges related to child sexual abuse and exploitation material.

Adriaan Schipper, who now lives on the North Shore, appeared in North Vancouver provincial court May 27 for a sentencing decision by Judge Ariana Ward.

On Feb. 24, 2025, Schipper pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child sexual abuse and exploitation material (CSAM) and one count of transmitting, making available, distributing, selling, advertising, importing or exporting CSAM. He was arrested in Squamish on April 27, 2023, following an investigation by Sea to Sky RCMP, which uncovered more than 1,000 images and videos of abusive files. The material included depictions of sadism, bestiality, penetrative and non-penetrative acts, child nudity and child sexual activity.

Part of the police investigation included communications with other individuals online, in which Schipper discussed, received and distributed CSAM. COURT: Continued on 2

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COURT: Continued from 1

LANGUAGE CHANGES AROUND CSAM

SENTENCE TERMS

Before delivering her decision, Ward grounded her reasoning in language that reflects what she described as an adequate depiction of the material.

“The phrase child pornography does not properly capture what these images and videos represent. Pornography makes it sound like what is being depicted is consensual or taking place between two actors,” she said. “These are not actors, and the activity is not consensual.”

She noted that in 2025, Parliament renamed the term child pornography to child sexual abuse and exploitation material.

Ward also addressed attitudes she observed in Schipper’s online communications.

“These are images and videos that show children being sexually abused. Those who consume this material are not ‘open-minded’ or ‘cool,’ nor should non-consumers be considered ‘prude’ or ‘old-fashioned.’ This is how Mr. Schipper describes consumers versus non-consumers in some of his online conversations. Let me be clear, consumers of this material are viewing children being abused— nothing about what they’re doing is cool or open-minded,” she said.

OLIVER SCALE CATEGORIZATION OF CSAM To assess the severity of Schipper’s collection, Ward applied the Oliver Scale, a five-category framework used to evaluate the gravity of CSAM offences. His catalogue spanned all five categories.

Category 1 involves erotic posing without sexual activity. Category 2 involves sexual activity between children or by the child alone. Category 3 covers non-penetrative sexual activity between adults and children. Category 4 involves penetrative sexual activity between adults and children. Category 5, the most serious, involves sadistic acts or bestiality involving children.

The terms of Schipper’s sentence require him to keep the peace and display good behaviour, appear in court when required, report to his probation officer within one day of release and notify probation of any changes to his name, address, employment or occupation.

He cannot hold employment or volunteer in any role that places him in a position of trust or authority over anyone under 16. He cannot have a relationship with anyone who has children under 16 or access to them, and cannot go to places where children under 16 are present or would reasonably be expected to be present, including parks, public swimming areas, daycares, school grounds, playgrounds and community centres. He is not permitted to have any contact, direct or indirect, with anyone under 16, except for incidental contact in public when they are accompanied by adults.

Schipper also faces extensive restrictions on internet use and electronic devices. He may possess only one phone and one tablet or computer at home, with written permission required for a second work device. He must provide his MAC address, WiFi address and IP address to his probation officer. He cannot delete his internet history, own more than one SIM card per device, use a VPN or use apps that automatically delete communications. He is not permitted to use social media where he has a profile, access pornography of any kind or access discussion forums about pornography. Police will have access to his device and IP information, and he cannot access public WiFi networks.

He also has a no-contact order with a specific individual for the duration of his sentence.

Schipper is required to attend counselling or education programs as directed by his probation officer, register under the Sex Offender Information Registration Act (SOIRA) for 20 years and provide a DNA sample.

‘GRAVITY OF HIS OFFENDING IS HIGH’ Crown counsel sought a term of two years less a day plus three years of probation, a DNA order and a 20-year SOIRA registration. The defence asked for a 24-month conditional sentence with three years of probation.

“Having balanced the relative factors, I find that the appropriate sentence falls in between the positions advanced by counsel,” Ward said.

Ward reviewed available case law involving conditional sentences and found that none of the mitigating factors that have reduced sentences in similar cases—such as small collections of less severe content or significant health complications—applied to Schipper.

“None of these factors exist for Mr. Schipper. I have determined that a conditional sentence is not a fit and proportionate sentence in the circumstances of this case,” she said.

Ward noted that appellate authority in British Columbia underscores that incarceration is often required even for a single CSAM possession charge, stating that “jail gives meaningful effect to the objectives of denunciation and deterrence.”

“In this case, Mr. Schipper has [pleaded] guilty to possession and the more serious offence of distribution of CSAM. The gravity of his offending is high, and his moral culpability is also high,” she said.

While Ward acknowledged mitigating factors—including Schipper’s age of 70, his lack of a criminal record and his guilty plea—she found a jail term appropriate.

‘SPIRITUAL BYPASSING’ Another factor in Ward’s decision was the self-reports Schipper made to various therapists and psychiatrists following his arrest. She found those accounts were not reflective of the full nature of his offences as detailed in court proceedings, and noted his return to a Christian faith-based community and a vow of celibacy as overly simplistic solutions to deeply ‘offending behavior.’

“I believe it would be beneficial for Mr.

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Schipper to address his offending behaviours more in depth with a skilled clinician. My impression is that Mr. Schipper is using spiritual ideas, practices, and beliefs to avoid confronting difficult emotions and psychological issues. This attitude, along with his tendency to minimize his offending behaviour, creates a barrier to his prospect for rehabilitation. Therapy is most effective when an individual accepts that he needs help and is willing to engage wholeheartedly in the work that he must do,” Ward said.

The defence argued that serving a sentence in custody would have a disproportionate impact on Schipper due to his age and sexual orientation. Ward held that a custodial sentence was nonetheless appropriate.

“Jail is a difficult place for many people. No doubt some prisoners are exposed to discrimination, harassment, violence, and sexual assault.

However, these are issues for the correctional authorities to address. While I recognize that my jail sentence may have a disproportionate impact on Mr. Schipper because of his age and sexual orientation, I cannot use this potential hardship as the sole reason to decline to impose a custodial sentence, especially where one is otherwise warranted. If that were the case, then individuals with same-sex preferences could never be incarcerated,” she said.

While Ward determined Schipper required time served in custody, she did not impose the length of sentence sought by the Crown.

“Schipper must serve a real jail sentence. I am not satisfied that the range, as recommended by Crown counsel, is appropriate because it does not take into account the significant collateral consequences and the mitigating factors in this case, nor does it properly address the prospect of rehabilitation,” she said.

Ward recommended that correctional facilities consider his age and sexual orientation when placing him, and that he have access to psychological treatment while incarcerated.

He was handcuffed and taken away by the court sheriff after Ward’s decision.

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THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2026 | 3

GOT NEWS? Email your news tip or story idea to:

jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca emcdonald@lodestarmedia.ca ipace@lodestarmedia.ca

FREIGHT-FIRST PLAN COULD SAVE CN RAIL CORRIDOR: CONSULTANT With CN’s one-year notice period set to expire on July 11, 2026, municipalities and First Nations along the Squamishto-100 Mile House rail corridor are scrambling for clarity on whether the province will help keep trains running authorities; and, finally, notify the Canadian Transportation Agency if the line will be discontinued.

Once the lease is done, others will be allowed to submit offers to operate along the corridor.

Without a viable option, the line could be sold for salvage.

Scholz is urging stakeholders like Squamish to push hard for the line to be saved, for its own sake.

JENNIFER THUNCHER

jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca

T

he vulnerability and urgency for local and regional governments in the saga around the set-to-be-discontinued CN rail corridor between Squamish and 100 Mile House has echoes of the old Clash song, “Should I stay or should I go.”

“Should I stay, or should I go now?

If I go, there will be trouble And if I stay, it will be double So come on and let me know.

This indecision’s bugging me.”

First Nations and municipalities, including Squamish, are rushing to figure out what can be done, without knowing for sure the desire of the provincial government, which holds more of the power in this relationship.

There is a strong business case for a rail service being reinstituted between Prince George and Squamish, according to a presentation at council

by Peter Scholz, a consultant with Cairnstone Planning.

Scholz, a land use and transportation planner, presented “Prince George to North Vancouver Railway: Transitioning from Class 1 Management” at council’s committee of the whole meeting on May 26.

Scholz has been presenting to local governments along the rail corridor.

Phase 1 of the study Scholz spoke to, was funded by the Northern Development Initiative Trust.

The backdrop of this presentation is that in July of 2025, CN disclosed in its three-year plan to go—discontinue operating the segment of track between Squamish and 100 Mile House.

The corridor is owned by the provincial government through the BC Railway Company

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‘EXACTLY WHO I’M SUPPOSED TO BE’: FREIGHT IS WHERE IT IS AT

FILE PHOTO BY JENNIFER THUNCHER/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF

The CN rail line just beyond Mile 44.

and operated by CN under long-term agreements.

‘SET ME FREE’ The Canada Transportation Act sets out steps CN must take to be relieved of the line.

First, the corporation isn’t allowed to do anything until the plan has been publicly known for a year, which is up on July 11, 2026, creating some urgency for local governments who want to see the line taken over, not dismantled.

Next, the railway must “publicly advertise the railway line’s availability or any operating interest that the railway company has in the line.”

Then it must negotiate with interested parties; offer to transfer all of its interest in the railway line to the applicable federal, provincial, and municipal governments and urban transit

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He said, according to research, a combined freight and passenger line is financially viable along the to-be-discontinued portion of the rail corridor.

It would mean converting some of the freight moved by truck onto the rail.

“What it breaks down to is about one-third of the existing [trucking] traffic would need to switch to track and you’d have a functional service and we expect the number would increase with time being driven by the external port.”

He said moving forward, a formal agreement with Squamish Terminals would strengthen the business case even more.

Scholz said he knows that there is a lot of support in Squamish for passenger rail service, but reminded councillors of the prospect of freight.

“You also have to think of Squamish as being the port of the Cariboo. The Port of Vancouver has become very congested and is recognized as a generally inefficiently run port. So the import-export functions to the B.C. Interior would be naturally drawn to the port of Squamish,” he said.

He added that passenger rail services don’t pay

for themselves in North America.

“Passenger services have to be tacked on to freight services,” he said.

Squamish industry and employment sectors would benefit from freight, he said.

An example could be having a rail system for grocery delivery, he said, noting that is what many of the trucks coming into town are.

Scholz said, in his personal opinion, “the province of British Columbia has, from the beginning, not leveraged their role in this trackway to the maximum benefit of the people of British Columbia.”

‘THIS INDECISION’S BUGGING ME’ Coun. Eric Andersen asked Scholz if the District and the other local governments and First Nations in the corridor should arrange to speak directly with BC Rail Company or direct attention elsewhere in the Ministry of Transportation and Transit.

BC Rail Company (BCRC) is a provincial Crown corporation that owns the former BC Rail railway lands and infrastructure, which is leased to CN Rail.

“I recommend that municipalities, local governments and First Nations should consider their interests, what they would like to see and take every opportunity to engage with all parties on that,” Scholz said.

He said that in a recent meeting, Minister of Transportation and Transit Mike Farnworth said that the provincial government wouldn’t seek to give the line up to CN for scrap once the lease ends.

He pushed the District council to get that in writing.

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COUNCIL SEEKS ANSWERS ON WOODFIBRE LNG POWER LINE SHIFT Move comes after Brackendale residents raise concerns over a newly proposed transmission line route

JENNIFER THUNCHER

jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca

C

oncerns related to the Woodfibre LNG project were front and centre at Squamish council on May 19, when the Brackendale Owners and Tenants Association (BOATA) presented as a delegation.

Following the presentation, both Woodfibre LNG and BC Hydro representatives told The Squamish Chief they heard the concerns and are planning a follow-up public meeting.

THE ISSUE The residents are upset about the planned BC Hydro transmission line through more than 40 Brackendale properties to power the Woodfibre LNG project. They say this is going ahead in spite of a commitment by BC Hydro in 2015 to use the existing 500 kilovolt transmission line on the west side of the Squamish River adjacent to the Woodfibre site.

They say that in the 11 intervening years, there was no consultation about the change.

BOATA were asking council for a letter demanding BC Hydro and Woodfibre LNG use the existing 500 kilovolt transmission line adjacent to the Woodfibre LNG site, rather than building a new line through Brackendale.

In the end, council voted to have the mayor write a letter supporting the 2015 plan and requesting that BC Hydro and Woodfibre LNG attend a future public council meeting to answer questions.

Woodfibre LNG is using electricity rather than natural gas to power the liquefaction process, thus the need for BC Hydro upgrades.

This is Stage 2 of BC Hydro’s work with Woodfibre LNG. Stage 1 was meeting Woodfibre LNG’s initial power requirements by connecting the facility to an existing power line. Stage 2 will add the new transmission line constructed within the existing BC Hydro right-of-way from the Cheekye Substation through Brackendale to the Woodfibre LNG facility.

More than 500 residents have signed a petition calling for a reconsideration of the current BC

PHOTO BY JENNIFER THUNCHER/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF

The Cheekye substation.

Hydro route plan.

“The proposed transmission line through Brackendale would negatively impact more than 40 properties and valued community spaces, including Fisherman’s Park,” said presenter and Brackendale resident Vairdy Frail.

“Construction—expected to last more than two and a half years beginning in spring of 2028—would significantly disrupt homes and require the removal or relocation of yards, gardens, sheds, fences, play structures, etc.

Residents are concerned about increased noise, traffic, industrial activity, reduced access to outdoor spaces, along with the construction of a temporary access road through the right-of-way corridor.”

“In short, we believe this project would cause irreparable damage to Brackendale’s environment, culture, and community. It is seen as especially unjustified given that a viable alternative already exists to meet Woodfibre LNG’s power needs through the originally proposed 500 kV transmission line across the river.”

Resident Diane Gould challenged BC Hydro’s language around the safety of the power lines in terms of electric and magnetic fields (EMF), which are invisible forces found everywhere electricity is used.

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“Unlike many other countries such as Italy, the Netherlands, and China, which focus on the precautionary principle for public safety, Canada and, therefore, B.C. do not have uniform, legally binding legislation to limit EMFs from power lines in residential areas. This allows BC Hydro to ‘cherry-pick’ information from the WHO and Health Canada that supports their agenda,” she said.

“BC Hydro refuses to acknowledge that human exposure from cramming a second high-powered transmission line within the current right-of-way ensures long-term EMF exposure.

Some homes are less than one metre from the right-of-way. Therefore, children, families, and pets would be playing and spending time far too close to the lines.”

On the EMF issue, the Canadian government states the following: “Power lines that distribute electricity around your home emit extremely low frequency EMF. These fields are strongest at their source. This means you are exposed to stronger extremely low EMFs when you are close to a source such as: right beside a transformer box, directly under a high voltage power line,” the Government of Canada website reads.

“As you move away, your level of exposure rapidly decreases. When you are inside your home, the electric fields from transformer boxes and high voltage power lines are often weaker than the fields from household electrical appliances.”

COUNCIL DISCUSSION AND DECISION Though it was ultimately amended, Coun.

Chris Pettingill put forward a motion to support the letter that would express opposition to the 2026 plan and to support the 2015 plan.

A few council members were uncomfortable with the letter as it was proposed by Pettingill.

For example, Coun. Eric Andersen and Coun.

Andrew Hamilton both expressed hesitation on taking a stand on something they ultimately didn’t fully understand.

“My preference would be to ask BC Hydro some questions on our own and with the

information that we’ve received rather than write a letter of support for BOATA at this time,” Andersen said.

Hamilton questioned the jurisdiction of the municipality on the issue.

“I’d like more information on this. I’d be very happy to support a letter requesting additional clarity and information. It’s my understanding from looking at the BC Hydro maps, we already have two 230 kilovolt lines running through Squamish through residential areas,” he said.

“I’m torn here by the jurisdiction piece, where, when a utility has a right-of-way, that’s what right -of-way means. They have the right to put the utility there. And so I struggle right now with the balance between respecting the jurisdictions that are in our land use policies and the actual challenges that residents are going to face with the … use of that right-of-way.”

Mayor Armand Hurford put forward an amendment—that passed unanimously—that council direct the mayor to write a letter supporting the original 2015 plan and asking for further explanation from BC Hydro and Woodfibre LNG at a future council meeting.

“I think this is a good balance and also leaves the door open for dialogue so that they stand a chance of coming to speak to us and with the community.”

In voicing her support for this route, Coun.

Jenna Stoner said she wanted it to be very clear that the 2015 route was the one that was understood and had council earlier support.

Andersen voiced his support for this version of the letter, saying this isn’t the first time Squamish has seen controversy around BC Hydro plans.

“Squamish has been here before many times.

We have a number of hydro transmission corridors through our valley, and they’ve all been controversial,” he said. “[Former] mayor [Pat] Brennan campaigned against BC Hydro’s lack of consultation and planning. We have a giant scar across the river, and on the other side of that line at Dunsmuir, the substation was bombed by protesters. So, BC HYDRO: Continued on 5

squamishchief.com

CN: Continued from 3 he said.

‘THERE WILL BE TROUBLE’ Scholz also questioned the condition of the current track, saying time is of the essence in more ways than one.

“If we move at the pace we have been moving at … we will not have ready operations after Rocky Mountaineer ceases the season in October, and we don’t know if they’re going to start again in March,” he said.

“And if there isn’t maintenance and preparation in winter that means the track will not be operational in summer of 2027.”

He said once the track is non-operational, it quickly gets much more costly to bring it up to standard.

‘SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO?’ Scholz reiterated that getting the rail line taken over and soon is in everyone’s best interest. “[A] win for the First Nations, win for the feds, win for the province, win for the local governments, win for CN, win for the short line,” he said.

“If you have freight trains regularly using the port of Squamish and providing grocery services at lower cost throughout central and northern British Columbia along this railway through roll-on-roll-off systems, everyone will benefit including government, which will have increased tax revenue from all the increased economic activity, and CN will benefit because there will be just increased short-haul aggregation supply from small and medium enterprises through central British Columbia which will be transfer points at BC HYDRO: Continued from 4 we’ve been here before and Hydro knows that or should know that. So, I welcome that engagement with BC Hydro, and I believe that we should acknowledge the well-presented concerns and information from the Brackendale Owners and Tenants Association.”

(Andersen was referring to the bombing in Dunsmuir on Vancouver Island on May 31, 1982.

The BC Hydro substation was dynamited by an eco-extremist group called Direct Action. The group said they were protesting industrial expansion. Those responsible were dubbed The Squamish Five as they had training grounds near the Tantalus lookout.)

‘ELECTRICITY REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN REDUCED’ For its part, in a joint statement, Woodfibre LNG and BC Hydro told The Squamish Chief the concerns have been heard loud and clear.

“Both BC Hydro and Woodfibre LNG understand that residents have questions about the approach being considered today—especially how it compares to the options reviewed in 2015, and why some residents preferred the 500-kilovolt option at the time,” the statement reads.

“A key difference comes down to how much electricity the project needs now compared to

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2026 | 5

Quesnel or Prince George into the main system.”

Council members decided later in the May 26 council meeting to have the mayor write a letter to the Minister of Transportation and Transit and BC Rail Company requesting a delegation meeting with partners along the rail line to seek clarity on the province’s approach to CN withdrawal.

This was set to be ratified by council on June 2.

7 7 8 - 8 8 8 - 74 74

‘SO COME ON AND LET ME KNOW’ A spokesperson for the Ministry of Transportation and Transit reiterated to The Squamish Chief that the federal government, under the Canada Transportation Act, regulates rail discontinuance and sets out a multi-step process that CN must follow. The first step of this process, related to the advance notice period, is happening now.

Asked specifically about Farnworth saying in a meeting that the province wouldn’t seek to give the line up to CN for scrap once the lease ends, as Scholz stated, the spokesperson did not respond to that question.

The spokesperson did say the ministry is actively engaged and has already met with CN leadership to better understand their decision to discontinue the portion of the line from Squamish.

“The ministry, in collaboration with the BC Railway Company, is assessing available options and gathering additional information,” the spokesperson said.

“The province recognizes the strategic importance of preserving transportation corridors where possible. This rail line is part of a larger transportation network and could continue to play a role in moving goods and connecting communities.” what was expected in 2015. Back then, the 500-kilovolt option was studied based on a much higher projected demand. Since then, Woodfibre’s electricity requirements have been reduced. With that updated information, BC Hydro reassessed the options to ensure the solutions match today’s needs.

Based on this review, the 500-kilovolt option is no longer considered the more practical approach. It would provide far more capacity than required—essentially overbuilding the system—and wouldn’t align with Woodfibre’s project timeline,” the statement continues.

“The solution shared at the March 31 open house instead focuses on using the existing 138-kilovolt system, including the current right-of-way through Brackendale. This approach builds on infrastructure that’s already in place, limits the need for new construction and better matches the actual electricity demand—while still meeting reliability requirements and project timelines.”

“We heard clearly at the open house that some residents would like us to revisit the 2015 proposal. We take that feedback seriously. Our team is reviewing the earlier studies and materials, and we’re working to schedule a follow-up meeting to share what we’ve found, answer questions, and walk through how different options are evaluated. “

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6 | THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2026

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HOUSING GROUP CITES PROVINCIAL PROGRAM PAUSE IN PUSH TO MAINTAIN MUNICIPAL SUPPORT Squamish Housing says its financial outlook changed after the province cancelled and indefinitely suspended a BC Housing Community Housing Fund round that was expected to help deliver about 100 affordable rentals JENNIFER THUNCHER

jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca

S

quamish Community Housing Society (Housing Squamish) is asking to maintain the status quo on its funding from the District, rather than see a reduction, due to the current challenging economy.

Sarah Ellis, executive director of Housing Squamish, presented at council’s committee of the whole meeting on May 26.

“We are now navigating a time of economic uncertainty, tightened senior government budgets for affordable housing, and unforeseen senior government decisions,” she said.

Squamish Housing’s original 2025-2029 Contribution Agreement with the District set the municipality’s operating contribution to the housing society at $500,000 per year for 2025 and 2026, and then reduced this contribution for 2027 and 2028 to $450,000 annually.

“This step down in funding of about $50,000 was based on the society’s capacity to raise revenue from a pipeline of development and acquisition projects,” Ellis said.

But times have changed and the society is requesting to maintain that $500,000 amount for

FILE PHOTO BY JENNIFER THUNCHER/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF

Housing Squamish has an operating agreement for eight homes at Highline, in the Garibaldi Springs neighbourhood.

2027 and 2028, deferring the step down to 2029.

Ultimately, council unanimously voted to refer the request for an additional $50,000 next year to be included in the 2027 budgeting process.

Ellis noted that Squamish’s rental housing

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vacancy is well below 1%. A healthy community has a vacancy rate above 3%, she said.

The cost of rentals has not kept pace with income, she added.

For example, the monthly price for a two-bedroom rental in town has gone up 75% from 2018 to 2025, she said, quoting Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation stats.

Housing Squamish has a waiting list of 300 households hoping for available rental housing.

That list, she said, is “made up of couples, singles, families, and seniors.”

“With all of this need in mind, our goal is to bridge these gaps in housing need, generally serving working or retired households earning a broad range of incomes between roughly $45,000 and $135,000 a year who live in Squamish and who don’t require ongoing supports and services directly attached to their housing,” she said.

“Our tenanting policy prioritizes households where at least one member works a minimum of 20 hours a week in Squamish or is retired, having previously worked in Squamish.”

The organization is working on providing a wide range of housing options.

She noted that two years into the current partnership agreement and four years since the organization began, it has taken a $2-million investment from the District and turned it into $17.5 million in partner investment in housing.

“This is almost a 10 times return on investment in a very short period of time and we believe an even higher return is possible as we grow and scale,” she said.

Since 2023, Housing Squamish has brought 48 homes under its management, including the co-purchase of Tantalus Manor with Hiy̓ ám̓ Housing Society and an operator agreement for eight homes at Highline, in the Garibaldi Springs neighbourhood.

THE CHALLENGES Ellis noted that Housing Squamish had been

working with the District for 100 affordable rentals on municipality-owned land at Government Road and Centennial Way, securing and investing over $500,000 to get the project to shovel-ready status in order to qualify for the BC Housing Community Housing Fund, which Housing Squamish applied for last July.

“We were deeply disappointed by the province’s decision earlier this year to cancel that funding round and indefinitely suspend the program, one of several actions taken in the last provincial budget to re-pace or delay affordable housing commitments.”

The project represented a significant portion of the society’s operating revenue annually for 2027 and 2028, Ellis said, which would have filled the loss in revenue from the planned step down in District funding.

In a letter submitted to council, Ellis said that the project was supposed to provide $48,000 per year in operating revenue for the society for 2027 and 2028.

“This has happened alongside other setbacks to our pipeline of projects, including changing market conditions, slowing down the delivery of district secured (perpetually affordable housing) units, challenges accessing free or low-cost land essential to our projects, and limited capital to support pre-development costs and close equity gaps in our projects,” Ellis said.

She said the organization is adapting and pivoting, but is now conservatively projecting no revenue from development projects in 2027.

“This reflects the current government funding environment for development.”

SAMPLE COUNCIL COMMENTS In voicing their support for granting Ellis’ request, councillors praised Housing Squamish.

“I really, really appreciated the big audacious goals and it’s OK if we need to pivot along the way,” said Coun. Jenna Stoner. “We still hold that same vision for our community that we can bring homes to those who need them. It just might take us a little bit longer and that’s OK.” Stoner also praised fellow council members for the work the last few years to squirrel away some money in the affordable housing reserve fund, which could help fill the funding gap for Housing Squamish.

Mayor Armand Hurford spoke to the worsening crisis around housing in Squamish and thus the continuing importance of the work Housing Squamish is tasked with.

“Happy to support this and just thank you for all the work that you and your team are doing,” said Hurford. “Delivering housing to our community is both incredibly important and we’re learning more and more about the many ways that it’s extremely challenging to do so. I think this ask is reasonable … (with) these other orders of government stepping back from this file broadly. But the crisis persists and ever worsens in my opinion.”

squamishchief.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2026 | 7

BLACK BEAR CHARGES RUNNER NEAR SQUAMISH ESTUARY A man sustained minor injuries after a sow bear swiped at him when he surprised her cubs near Spit Road LIZ MCDONALD

emcdonald@lodestarmedia.ca

A

man running in the Squamish Estuary was minorly injured by a black bear sow while running alone on May 25.

The incident happened around 7 p.m., as the runner was accessing trails near Spit Road.

“He came upon two bears suddenly, and then a sow bear. [She] charged him with a warning and swiped at him a few times,” said Calvin Rochon, BC Conservation Officer Service member for the Sea to Sky Zone.

“With the help of other members of the public, by making themselves look large, yelling aggressively at the bear, they were able to safely haze the bear off,” he said.

The man’s injuries are described as minor, and BC Emergency Health Services were not called, according to Rochon. Officers swept the area and found the sow and her cubs. Because the bear responded defensively, officers left them and are urging the public to avoid the area.

“For a sow that has small cubs of the year, it is regular behaviour to act defensively when a perceived threat goes near her cubs. So this is quite normal, and just really, again, asking people to avoid the area, to avoid this conflict happening again,” he said.

PHOTO BY LIZ MCDONALD/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF

Calvin Rochon, BC Conservation Officer Service member for the Sea to Sky Zone.

Officers installed trail blockers and signage, and are stationed in the area and will be actively enforcing and fining anyone with an off-leash dog.

“We came back early this morning and are doing some enforcement on off-leash dogs in the wildlife management area, and sitting at the trailhead asking members of the public to not

enter the area.”

Having an off-leash dog is illegal in the wildlife management area where the bear charging happened. Rochon says dog owners can face fines of $300 for not following the rules.

“Always keep the dogs on leash when walking in bear habitat. It is a legal obligation to do so in the wildlife management area, also to make noise when walking through bear habitat, and to carry spray when applicable,” he said.

The Skwelwil’em Squamish Estuary Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is 673 hectares of land that was designated for “[m]aintenance and restoration of significant habitat for fish and wildlife species,” according to the Province.

The land provides a rich habitat for wildlife, and bears can often be seen feeding in the area.

According to WildsafeBC, a provincial non-profit that aims to reduce human-wildlife conflict, bears’ diets are 80% vegetation. When they come out of their dens in the spring, they forage for vegetation including horsetails, grasses and skunk cabbage.

Skunk cabbage grows in swampy areas and in gentle streams like the estuary.

“It is zoned as that for this reason, so that the wildlife has… somewhere that they can have a natural space to forage and live their natural lives,” Rochon said.

In October 2025, a woman was attacked and

minorly injured by a black bear while walking her dog in this part of Squamish.

The estuary is popular for walking, running and dog-walking throughout the year.

Aside from leashing pets in the WMA, WildSafeBC says activities like biking and running require extra caution.

“When mountain biking or running, you may be travelling relatively quietly and at a higher rate of speed. This can increase your chances of surprising a bear. Also, the higher speed may also trigger a chase response. Slow down around blind corners and call out more frequently to avoid surprising a bear.”

Rochon says they don’t believe this sow has been involved in any other conflicts.

“We’re just thankful that the victims are saying just minor injuries again. Bears are our top predator; they’re to be taken seriously, and people need to have a healthy respect of them, and give them their space,” he said.

According to WildSafeBC, on average, there is less than one fatal black bear attack on humans every three years in B.C. “We’re just really asking people to avoid the areas, and when even when the areas reopen, to make sure to have their dogs on leash, make noise when walking through the woods, and to carry bear spray when applicable, if walking alone,” said Rochon.

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8 | THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2026

squamishchief.com

View this ad online:

Annual Municipal Report

Stage 1 Outdoor Water Use Restrictions remain in effect.

Notice is hereby given that the District of Squamish 2025 Annual Municipal Report will be presented at the June 16, 2026, Special Business Meeting in Council Chambers, Municipal Hall, located at 37955 Second Avenue, Squamish, B.C. The 2025 Annual Report is available for public viewing either: In person at Municipal Hall (37955 Second Avenue, Squamish, B.C.), Monday to Friday: 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Online at squamish.ca/annualreport Questions and input from the public are welcome and may be submitted by: • Email to info@squamish.ca • Mail to PO Box 310, Squamish, B.C., V8B 0A3 • Hand delivery to 37955 Second Avenue, Squamish The deadline for written submissions is 12 p.m. on June 16, 2026.

Council will receive the 2025 Annual Report at the June 16, 2026 Special Business Meeting.

Members of the public can watch the Council meeting in person or view the live stream at squamish.ca/live-meetings.

Sprinkler and Automated Irrigation

Two days per week based on street address.

• Odd side: Thursdays and Sundays • Even side: Wednesdays and Saturdays

Sprinkler

4–10 am and 7–10 pm Automated Irrigation

10 pm–4 am

Try to limit your watering to one hour!

Hand Watering and Drip Irrigation

Trees, flowers, shrubs or gardens is allowed anytime.

For more information and to see the full water restrictions, head to our website: STAG E

2

STAG E

3

1

AGE ST

squamish.ca/water

AGE ST

4

Residential Campfire Ban in effect.

Active Kids Camp - Full Week (7–9YRS) at Rose Park Monday to Friday, 9 am–4 pm

Spots still available! These camps offer a fun, supportive environment where children of all abilities and needs are welcomed and celebrated. Each day is filled with choicebased, kid-led adventures — from active group games and park play to arts & crafts, nature walks, sports and outdoor exploration.

All About Animals Camp (7–12YRS)

at Brennan Park Recreation Centre June 29 to July 3, 9 am–4 pm

Campers will take part in a variety of art projects and active games each day while learning about nature and wildlife living in Squamish and beyond. This camp will go swimming in the pool.

Pursuant to Sections 98 and 99 of the Community Charter, municipalities in British Columbia are required to produce an annual report before June 30 each year and to make the report available for public inspection. The annual report must include the following: • The audited annual financial statements for the previous year.

• Information and amounts of each permissive tax exemption provided.

• A report respecting municipal services and operations for the previous year.

• A progress report respecting the previous year in relation to the objectives and measures established for that year.

• Any declarations of disqualifications made under Section 111 of the Community Charter.

• A statement of municipal objectives, and the measures that will be used to determine progress respecting those objectives, for the current and next year.

• Any other information the Council considers advisable.

squamish.ca/fireban

Open Gym at the Westwinds (55+YRS) at the Westwinds Tuesdays and Thursdays

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN

RECREATION CULTURE

Are you 55+ and want access to fitness AND equipment? Sign up for an Open Gym session today to kick off your own independent workout routine and train at your own pace Pre-pay at The 55 Activity Centre, Brennan Park Recreation Centre or online.

Check out the arena and pool schedules!

Ice out for summer!

Thank you to everyone for a fantastic season. We are officially on break and will see you back on the ice.

squamish.ca/rec

squamishchief.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2026 | 9

POSSIBLE WIND PILOTS AND A RENEWABLE ENERGY STRATEGY EMERGE IN COUNCIL’S LATEST CLIMATE UPDATE

A revamped landfill gas system and tougher standards for new construction are emerging as two of Squamish’s biggest levers for cutting greenhouse gases JENNIFER THUNCHER

jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca

A

lot has been accomplished to make the municipality more climate friendly, but more work has to be done, according to a recent District staff report to council.

Ian Picketts, District manager of climate change and sustainability presented a community climate action plan progress (CCAP) update to council at the committee of the whole meeting on May 26.

“There has been a lot of progress on CCAP implementation and this is ongoing, including but not limited to zero waste, circularity planning, active transportation, transit, EVs and home efficiency,” said Picketts. “But there’s obviously and certainly a lot of work that still needs to be done both by the sustainability department and through other departments throughout our organization.”

Notably, Picketts said that updated 2025 emissions projections show that due to actions taken to date, even with a 2.9% year-over-year projected population growth, Squamish should achieve a 90% per capita emissions reduction by 2050, with 60% overall reductions.

“And we believe with new technologies and the potential to offset remaining emissions, this is close enough that we will get to net zero by 2050,” he said.

“The reductions are mostly influenced by some key accomplished actions of our landfill gas system most notably and the adoption of the zero carbon step code for new buildings, others are EV mandates and the low carbon fuel standards which reside with other levels of government.”

BACKGROUND In July 2019, the then council declared a climate emergency and asked staff to create a climate mitigation plan for the municipality.

The resulting CCAP in 2020 works toward reducing the District’s community greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 45% by 2030, and to guide Squamish toward net-zero emissions by 2050.

The plan is to be updated every few years.

Council approved the updated plan in May of 2025.

Over the last year, some of the key work that District staff have been doing to meet the CCPAC objectives include, among a long list of others, continuing to expand the landfill gas (LFG) system, and launching the free Wood Reuse Pilot Program, which allows locals to salvage wood that is suitable for reuse from the landfill.

That pilot program began in April.

BIG MOVES The latest 2025 implementation update has six

PHOTO BY JENNIFER THUNCHER/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF

The Reusable Wood Program at the landfill has been a hit, say District staff.

“Big Moves,” 22 strategies and 67 actions in it.

Big Move 1 is “closing the loop on waste.” The 2050 stated vision is “our community diverts all organics and recovers value from waste,” reads the staff report. The 2030 goal is to decrease landfill gas emissions by 90%.

The second Big Move goal is “Shift Beyond the Car,” which includes active transportation projects, working toward regional transit, and accomplishments like Open Street Day, as well as ideas like “paid parking implemented in key tourism hotspots.”

Picketts noted the District’s own EV chargers.

“This has taken some time, but we do now operate community charging infrastructure,” he said.

There are three new Level 3 chargers at Brennan Park Recreation Centre and eight new Level 2 chargers at Brennan Park and downtown.

'The downtown chargers fulfill a very important need in our community because there are many garage orphans around downtown or people who live in multi-unit buildings who don’t have access to infrastructure themselves,” he said.

Big Move 3 includes projects to decarbonize transportation.

Big Move 4 is decarbonize existing buildings and is made up of projects like the Retrofit Assist Program, which is happening for another year, with the help of the Youth Climate Corps, and focusing more on multi-unit buildings, rather than single-family homes.

Big Move 5 is to construct better buildings.

Achievements under this mantle include that the District retained a consultant “to assist with creating an embodied carbon bylaw that will incentivize new developments to have lower

embodied emissions. The staff report to council says that this means emissions associated with the creation of the building. Other steps of this project include performing modelling to determine baselines and targets and working to implement measures in a way that will not be costly or cumbersome.

Big Move 6 is under the umbrella of other organizational actions.

An achievement here was the creation of a Corporate Strategic Energy Management Plan (CSEMP), in March of this year.

“This is a major strategic document that looks at corporate energy use and emissions together, and identifies strategic opportunities and priorities,” reads the report to council.

In other words, it looks at what the municipality is doing within its own organization and things it could do to help tackle climate change.

GASSY TRASHY As noted, a significant player in reducing emissions has been the work at the Squamish Landfill.

The District has been extracting and flaring

methane since 2021.

Matt Fallaise, solid waste technologist with the District, explained to council that the Squamish Landfill currently consists of eight vertical wells and 13 horizontal wells to extract methane.

“And I’m happy to report in 2025 that we extracted approximately 650 tonnes of methane.

And to expand on that success, we recently completed the most recent lift of horizontal wells that we installed in November of 2025,” Fallaise said.

“And with that, we were adding eight new wellheads to the system. Three of these new wellheads are online and actively extracting with methane at the moment.”

These new wellheads have increased the flow approximately 15%, he added.

“Which has significantly stabilized the operations and has reduced system shutdowns.”

In terms of next steps, Fallaise said the remaining five wellheads are currently offline, waiting for more waste to be in place to safely activate them.

CLIMATE: Continued on 17

Call for Expressions of Interest

The District of Squamish is seeking expressions of interest to lease portions of the Squamish Adventure Centre.

Create a standout retail experience in one of Squamish’s most visited destinations! This is a rare chance to secure a high-profile retail space right at the gateway to the Sea to Sky Corridor. Located inside the iconic Squamish Adventure Centre, this space’s unparalleled visibility ensures your business stands out to everyone driving along Highway 99.

For more information or to apply, head to squamish.ca/adventure-centre-eoi or contact Nav Triplett, Portfolio Manager at ntriplett@squamish.ca

10 | THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2026

squamishchief.com

View this ad online:

Notice of Public Hearing – Tuesday, June 16, 2026 at 6 p.m.

Council Chambers at the District of Squamish Municipal Hall, 37955 Second Avenue, Squamish, B.C. or electronically at squamish.civicweb.net

What’s Proposed:

Removing the Zoning Bylaw’s “rental unit maximum” limit for a development in the CD-69 Zone.

This would allow for an additional 42 rental units on Lot O of the Oceanfront.

Proposed Bylaw

FILE RZ000064: District of Squamish Phased Development Agreement Bylaw No. 2387, 2015, (Lot O Density Clarification Zoning Update) Amendment Bylaw No. 3222, 2026

How to Participate

LOCATION MAP

Persons who believe that their interest in property is affected by the proposed Phased Development Agreement amendments will have an opportunity to be heard and to present written submissions for the Hearing.

Affected Lands

Oceanfront Peninsula lands within Comprehensive Development Zone No. 69 (CD-69), Squamish, B.C., as shown on the Location Map.

In Writing

You may deliver a written submission to hearing@squamish.ca, or drop off to the Corporate Officer at Municipal Hall before 4 p.m. on the date of the Hearing. For those participating via telephone or electronically, the District is encouraging that a written version of thei statement be submitted as well.

Proposed Amendments

The Phased Development Agreement (PDA) is a 20-year agreement with the developer, Matthews West Development Ltd, that expires in 2035 and secures certain zoning provisions, contained within the agreement. This PDA amendment proposes to delete the 207 rental unit maximum from the density regulations in the CD-69 zone. The overall density of 1.15 Floor Area Ratio (FAR) maximum for residential rental tenure use would not change. This would allow for an additional 42 rental units to be included as part of the development proposal on Lot O of the Oceanfront.

By Telephone

You may participate by telephone during the Hearing by calling 1-604-449-3026 and entering the Access Code 277 351 97595. Dial *3 to ‘raise your hand’ indicating that you’d like to speak.

You will hear a message that “your line has been unmuted” when it is your turn to speak. Prior to the meeting, please visit squamish.civicweb.net for detailed instructions.

View the Proposed Bylaw

A copy of the proposed Bylaw and related information that has been or may be considered by Council may be inspected online or at Municipal Hall.

• Online at squamish.ca/public-hearings-and-meetings • In person at Municipal Hall; 37955 Second Avenue, Squamish, British Columbia, from June 4, 2026 to June 16, 2026 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Electronically

You may participate electronically in the Hearing through the use of the WebEx platform by visiting squamish.ca/participate.

Instruction for electronic participation on WebEx can be found at that site. If you have any questions regarding participation in electronic hearings, please call the District at 604-892-5217.

In Person

Questions?

Contact the Planning Department at 604-815-5002.

All submissions will form part of the public record.

Council will not consider submissions received after the close of the Public Hearing.

This is the first of two notices. Publish date: June 4, 2026.

You may participate in person during the Hearing in Council Chambers at Municipal Hall, 37955 Second Avenue, Squamish, British Columbia.

If you do not wish to participate but would like to watch the meeting, you can do so by streaming the meeting at squamish.ca/live-meetings.

squamish.ca/public-hearings-and-meetings

squamishchief.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2026 | 11

View this ad online:

Temporary Use Permit

Temporary Use Permit

No. TU000079

No. TU000080

NOTICE is hereby given in accordance with Section 494 of the Local Government Act that the District of Squamish has received application and will be considering issuance of a Temporary Use Permit that would allow the short-term rental use in a secondary suite for a period of 3 years. The District of Squamish will receive representations from persons who believe that their interest in property is affected by the proposed temporary use.

NOTICE is hereby given in accordance with Section 494 of the Local Government Act that the District of Squamish has received application and will be considering issuance of a Temporary Use Permit that would allow the short-term rental use in a secondary suite for a period of 3 years. The District of Squamish will receive representations from persons who believe that their interest in property is affected by the proposed temporary use.

Affected Lands

Affected Lands

Legal Description

Legal Description

38607 High Creek Drive, Squamish, B.C., as shown on the location map.

LOT 103 BLOCK 22 DISTRICT LOT 515 GROUP 1 NEW WESTMINSTER DISTRICT PLAN EPP45517

LOCATION MAP

Existing Zoning R-1 (Residential 1)

Proposed Temporary Use

Under the District’s Zoning Bylaw No. 2200, 2011, short-term rental use is not permitted in a dwelling unit that is not a principal residence; shortterm rental use is also not permitted in a secondary suite or accessory dwelling unit (coach house). If approved, the Temporary Use Permit would allow the short-term rental use in the secondary suite for a period of 3 years. The applicant can apply to renew the permit for an additional period of up to 3 years following the expiry of the original permit.

A copy of the proposed Temporary Use Permit No. TU000079 and related information that has been or may be considered by the Council may be inspected online or at Municipal Hall.

• Online at: squamish.ca/showcase • Municipal Hall at 37955 Second Avenue, Squamish, British Columbia, from May 28, 2026 to June 11, 2026 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding statutory holidays.

Public input will be considered by the District in review of the application.

Persons who believe that their interest in property is affected by the proposed Temporary Use Permit may submit written submissions to planning@squamish.ca or, in person to the Director of Community Development. Written submissions can be addressed to the Director of Community Development and will be received up until 4 p.m. June 11, 2026.

All submissions will form part of the public record.

Dated this 4 day of June, 2026, at Squamish, British Columbia.

38577 High Creek Drive, Squamish, B.C., as shown on the location map.

LOT 82 BLOCK 22 DISTRICT LOT 515 GROUP 1 NEW WESTMINSTER DISTRICT PLAN EPP45517

LOCATION MAP

Existing Zoning R-1 (Residential 1)

Proposed Temporary Use

Under the District’s Zoning Bylaw No. 2200, 2011, short-term rental use is not permitted in a dwelling unit that is not a principal residence; shortterm rental use is also not permitted in a secondary suite or accessory dwelling unit (coach house). If approved, the Temporary Use Permit would allow the short-term rental use in the secondary suite for a period of 3 years. The applicant can apply to renew the permit for an additional period of up to 3 years following the expiry of the original permit.

A copy of the proposed Temporary Use Permit No. TU000080 and related information that has been or may be considered by the Council may be inspected online or at Municipal Hall.

• Online at: squamish.ca/showcase • Municipal Hall at 37955 Second Avenue, Squamish, British Columbia, from May 28, 2026 to June 11, 2026 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding statutory holidays.

Public input will be considered by the District in review of the application.

Persons who believe that their interest in property is affected by the proposed Temporary Use Permit may submit written submissions to planning@squamish.ca or, in person to the Director of Community Development. Written submissions can be addressed to the Director of Community Development and will be received up until 4 p.m. June 11, 2026.

All submissions will form part of the public record.

Dated this 4 day of June, 2026, at Squamish, British Columbia.

12 | THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2026

squamishchief.com THE SQUAMISH CHIEF NEWSPAPER, PRINTED EVERY THURSDAY

BY LODESTAR MEDIA 38113 Second Avenue Box 3500, Squamish BC, V8B 0B6

CONTACT US PRINTED EVERY THURSDAY BY LODESTAR MEDIA T: 604-892-9161 news@squamishchief.com ads@ squamishchief.com classifieds@squamishchief.com subs@squamishchief.com production@squamishchief.com obituaries: ads@squamishchief.com EDITOR JENNIFERTHUNCHER jthuncher@ lodestarmedia.ca follow @thuncher REPORTER LIZ MCDONALD emcdonald@ lodestarmedia.ca REPORTER INA PACE ipace@ lodestarmedia.ca SALES MANAGER CATHIE GREENLEES cgreenlees@ squamishchief.com MULTI- MEDIA SALES REPRESENTATIVE KIM BOATMAN kboatman@ squamishchief.com CIRCULATION MANAGER DENISE CONWAY dconway@ squamishchief.com 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.

EDITORIAL

MAGNANIMITY

L

et’s quickly put the U.S. flag back up at the Squamish rink; not to reflect who they are, but to show who we are. We are magnanimous, noble and generous in spirit.

On May 19, Squamish council directed District staff to take the U.S. flag down at the Brennan Park rink ahead of high school graduation ceremonies. A few parents and the grad committee had asked that it come down for the event in June, noting it is strange and uncomfortable to have it displayed prominently at a Canadian graduation ceremony.

Some who want it down noted the tensions with America, thanks to, you know, tariffs and the whole “Become the 51st state,” thing by President Donald Trump. It is weird that the flag of the U.S. figures so prominently in many previous convocation photos, so fair play taking it down or covering it for the event, if that is what parents and graduates want.

But council went a step further, putting no date on it going back up.

Granted, a flag policy is supposed to be coming before elected officials soon so they can formally make more permanent decisions on it. But, as Mayor Armand Hurford said when he objected to not putting a deadline for the flag to go back up—such as before hockey season when U.S. teams may be in the rotation—there can be unintended consequences to such decisions.

While 75% of respondents in our online poll supported never putting the stars and stripes back up, at this Tuesday’s council meeting (which comes after press deadline), there are two letters attached to the agenda that are against the flag removal, citing it as disrespectful.

Agreed.

A flag does not just stand for the individuals presently in power in whatever government. It stands for its people and the land, past, present and future.

More importantly, displaying the U.S. flag represents our attitude toward others.

In Squamish, we ought to stand for civility and as a place of welcome, regardless of the actions of current leaders, who by design, come and go.

Whoever you are, from wherever you come, we welcome you. Don’t we? We don’t hold the actions of your home country’s politicians against you. At least we shouldn’t.

Many people are strongly patriotic about Canada and have lots of feelings about the 47th president of the United States. That is understandable. The American flag we present in Squamish is not about him, or any of the presidents who have stood before him and will come after. It is about us, and wanting to welcome people from what is, like it or not, our closest neighbour.

It is about magnanimity—taking the high road.

KERRY-LYNNE FINDLAY INHERITS A BC CONSERVATIVE PARTY SPLIT IN TWO PROVINCIAL VIEWS ROB SHAW

T

here are moments in B.C. politics that have the potential to upend everything.

Such was the case Saturday, when the results of the BC Conservative leadership race were announced. In a moment, the political playing field was reset. Again.

Either frontrunner, Kerry-Lynne Findlay or Caroline Elliott, was shaping up to be a polarizing choice for members. But the closeness of the results highlighted a deeply divided BC Conservative base.

Findlay won on the fourth and final ballot with just 51% of the vote. The party was split right down the middle on its future direction.

Half wanted the young, untested, academic new-age Conservative in Elliott, even with her history as a BC Liberal. The other half preferred a veteran, hard-right, traditional federal Conservative cabinet minister and lawyer, even with a history of controversial comments by herself and her husband.

The difference between the two was just 182.02 points out of 9,211.

Stitching together that divide will take serious work

by Findlay.

The traditional route in politics is to invite your rival to take a top position on your team, perhaps even as

your second-in-command. That sends a signal to members who didn’t support you that they still have a senior voice at the table to influence the future of the party.

But based on how bitter and personal this race was, a partnership between Findlay and Elliott seems unlikely.

In the absence of magnanimity, humility has been used by political leaders in the past. Instead of publicly declaring ultimate victory, a more conciliatory tone that promises to listen and learn from the strong views of the thousands of party members who didn’t support you can suffice.

That may still be coming. But it wasn’t quite on display the morning after the vote, when most of the caucus gathered behind Findlay in Vancouver on Sunday.

“Well, are you staying?” Findlay asked them, according to a CBC News report.

“Yeah!” shouted the MLAs. The forced performance was hardly reassuring.

Caucus management of any party is a delicate task, especially in opposition when there are no powerful cabinet roles to offer in exchange for loyalty.

It is, however, still possible. Interim leader Trevor Halford is the most recent example. His open-door policy as leader, and attempt to hear all perspectives from MLAs, kept caucus together the last five months.

It will be harder for Findlay. Especially as momentum gathers for a new, centrist party to which ELECTION: Continued on 13

squamishchief.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 4 2026 | 13

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

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(We have good feelings that we live, we work and we play on the lands of the Squamish Nation) ELECTION: Continued from 12 MLAs uncomfortable with her leadership could defect.

Already, independent Surrey South MLA Elenore Sturko (who was fired from the Conservatives last September) is publicly musing about the “void” left on the political spectrum by the hard-right turn towards Findlay.

Could that void be filled by MLAs like Sturko willing to jumpstart the nascent CentreBC party from departing leader Karin Kirkpatrick? Could someone even convince Kevin Falcon to let up his control

of the defunct BC United party, and with it the old BC Liberal brand?

The mere possibility puts pressure on Findlay to tread carefully.

She may bring back exiled MLAs from the far right, such as Peace River’s Jordan Kealy and Kelowna’s Tara Armstrong. But she could also lose MLAs from the centre, such as Kamloops’ Peter Milobar (whom Findlay has declared in a conflict of interest for having an Indigenous wife) and Chilliwack’s Á’a:líya Warbus (a leader in the Indigenous community).

That’s assuming, of course, that Findlay cares about holding together the current

version of the BC Conservative coalition.

She may prefer, instead, to lean into her long-held vision for the party as a populist far-right freedom movement.

So many choices for the new leader. And many of them critical. Whether Findlay courts or ostracizes the 49% of the party that didn’t support her will reshape the rest of the province’s political dynamic.

Rob Shaw has spent more than 18 years covering B.C. politics, now reporting for CHEK News and writing for BIV. He hosts the weekly show Political Capital and has a NEW daily podcast, Political Capital Daily.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SQUAMISH, BE WARNED ABOUT AI

A

I assisted web searches should come with massive warnings.

Not just the small print at the end of an answer that “AI can be wrong,” but that due to the nature of how it is programmed and how it searches, it is prone to bias, significant error—and get this—even hallucination (by its own admission). When trying to cobble together a story about something rather than admitting—as any honest human would—not to know the answer for lack of verifiable data, it is programmed to always have an answer, even if it is based on nothing more than a digital guess.

Furthermore, its first answer is always predictably mainstream. How else could it be since it gathers its information firstly from the most popular and therefore readily available sources?

I put in the name Terrill Patterson, of local Squamish fame, and it said: “primarily refers to Terrill Patterson, a beloved local politician, community watchdog, and eccentric icon of Squamish, British Columbia.”

Depending on the context, the name can also refer to a few other notable individuals.

Challenge AI and keep doing so, and soon enough it pretty much agrees with your thoughts on a subject other than maybe throwing in a caveat or two. Why? Because as you go in a certain direction, its algorithms now search for the “unconventional.”

Moreover, AI’s patronizing is downright cloying: You are praised for every question,

should this imitate the human touch perhaps? Are AI searches useful? Yes, of course, but use them with caution and apply human fact-checking.

Wolfgang Wittenburg, Squamish

DUAL APPROACH REQUIRED

R

egarding recent Squamish and global issues, it is within our societal balance and contradictory economic jurisdictional diversifications etc. When infrastructure planning is weak, it creates a void that aggressively pushes market forces onto its eager gears to exploit resourceful measures. For instance, when a city fails to build public, non-market housing, the private market takes total control of supply and demand by technicalities. Because private sector developers naturally prioritize high-end, luxury developments to maximize profit margins, affordable housing vanishes entirely.

The bottom line is the hiking margins.

Is it failed planning or capitalism’s worst nightmare? It is both.

It is a crisis where failed infrastructure planning stripped cities of their resilience, and unfettered economic pressures pushed vulnerable populations over the edge. Addressing it requires a dual approach against political price tag influences of undue grievances: aggressively modernizing structural planning (zoning, transit, public wellness infrastructure) while simultaneously implementing gouging policy guardrails to semi-protect essential human needs from pure market speculation in order to circulate

proper economic diversification standards etc.

Hendrix Daniel Madyara, Squamish

PUBLIC SPACES BELONG TO EVERYONE

T

he recent gridlock over the Brennan Park flag reveals that our local government is completely paralyzed by political ideology. When municipal staff are too intimidated to move a foreign flag for a high school graduation without navigating a bureaucratic labyrinth, common-sense governance is officially absent.

This paralysis is the Direct result of the 2023 Wa Iy̓ ím ta Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Protocol Agreement. Council blindly signed this deal, cementing guiding principles that are heavily slanted toward one specific group. In doing so, they have effectively handed veto power over our civic spaces to the Squamish Nation leadership, completely bypassing the democratic rights and interests of the broader tax-paying public.

Municipal councils are elected to serve the entire community. Instead, our current leadership is forcing a parallel, non-transparent tier of decision-making down our throats. This isn’t about reconciliation—council is playing a dangerous game that erodes the core of local democracy.

Our public spaces belong to everyone.

Council needs to stop charging ahead with radical policy shifts, drop the ideological blinders, and return to practical, accountable governance.

Jason Mokita, Garibaldi Highlands

LETTERS POLICY The Squamish Chief welcomes letters to the editor of up to 400 words. Letters should be exclusive to this publication and are meant to respond to a local story in The Squamish Chief or raise an issue happening in town. Please include your name, neighbourhood and daytime phone number. The deadline is 5 p.m. Monday to be considered for Thursday’s edition. Full names and neighbourhood will be published with the letter.

The publisher reserves the right to refuse and edit letters for length and clarity or to address legal concerns. Email letters to: editor@squamishchief.com.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK Do you think the Mark Carney Liberal government has been good for the Sea to Sky so far?

Have your say at squamishchief.com

LAST WEEK’S QUESTION

Do you think the U.S. flag should go back up in the Squamish rink sometime after graduation? (Top 3 answers) NO YES, RIGHT AWAY YES, BEFORE HOCKEY SEASON

75% 12% 8%

MOST READ STORY

RCMP respond to multiple Sea to Sky water emergencies in a single week, including two missing paddleboarders

PHOTO BY KEN PERRY

UNINVITED GUEST: Ken Perry had an unvited guest appear on his deck when he reutrned from a recent vacation. No sign of Goldilocks though.

14 | THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2026

Attention Squamish non-profits!

Last call for applications: the deadline for Woodfibre LNG’s Community Partnership Program is tomorrow!

Our Community Partnership Program supports local non-profits, community groups, and organizations making a difference in Squamish and the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District. We’re offering up to $5,000 in funding to help bring impactful ideas to life.

Whether you’re focused on recreation, wellbeing, local services, or stengthening community connections, this funding is here to support projects that meet real local needs. We’re excited to see what we can accomplish together this year!

Visit woodfibrelng.ca/CPP to apply.

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THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2026 | 15

16 | THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2026

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Temporary Use Permit

Temporary Use Permit

No. TU000083

No. TU000084

NOTICE is hereby given in accordance with Section 494 of the Local Government Act that the District of Squamish has received application and will be considering issuance of a Temporary Use Permit that would allow the short-term rental use in a secondary suite for a period of 3 years. The District of Squamish will receive representations from persons who believe that their interest in property is affected by the proposed temporary use.

NOTICE is hereby given in accordance with Section 494 of the Local Government Act that the District of Squamish has received application and will be considering issuance of a Temporary Use Permit that would allow the short-term rental use in a secondary suite for a period of 3 years. The District of Squamish will receive representations from persons who believe that their interest in property is affected by the proposed temporary use.

Affected Lands

Affected Lands

Legal Description

Legal Description

40179 Garibaldi Way, Squamish, B.C., as shown on the location map.

LOT 1 OF LOT E SOUTH 1/2 OF SOUTH EAST 1/4 OF SECTION 11 TOWNSHIP 50 PLAN 22450

LOCATION MAP

Existing Zoning R-1 (Residential 1)

Proposed Temporary Use

Under the District’s Zoning Bylaw No. 2200, 2011, short-term rental use is not permitted in a dwelling unit that is not a principal residence; short-term rental use is also not permitted in a secondary suite or accessory dwelling unit (coach house).

If approved, the Temporary Use Permit would allow the short-term rental use in the secondary suite for a period of 3 years. The applicant can apply to renew the permit for an additional period of up to 3 years following the expiry of the original permit.

A copy of the proposed Temporary Use Permit No. TU000083 and related information that has been or may be considered by the Council may be inspected online or at Municipal Hall.

• Online at: squamish.ca/showcase • Municipal Hall at 37955 Second Avenue, Squamish, British Columbia, from May 28, 2026 to June 11, 2026 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding statutory holidays.

Public input will be considered by the District in review of the application.

Persons who believe that their interest in property is affected by the proposed Temporary Use Permit may submit written submissions to planning@squamish.ca or, in person to the Director of Community Development. Written submissions can be addressed to the Director of Community Development and will be received up until 4 p.m. June 11, 2026.

All submissions will form part of the public record.

Dated this 4 day of June, 2026, at Squamish, British Columbia.

41205 Rockridge Place, Squamish, B.C., as shown on the location map.

STRATA LOT 1 SECTION 14 TOWNSHIP 50 NEW WESTMINSTER DISTRICT STRATA PLAN BCS3472 TOGETHER WITH AN INTEREST IN THE COMMON PROPERTY IN PROPORTION TO THE UNIT LOCATION MAP ENTITLEMENT OF THE STRATA LOT AS SHOWN ON FORM V

Existing Zoning R-1 (Residential 1)

Proposed Temporary Use

Under the District’s Zoning Bylaw No. 2200, 2011, short-term rental use is not permitted in a dwelling unit that is not a principal residence; short-term rental use is also not permitted in a secondary suite or accessory dwelling unit (coach house). If approved, the Temporary Use Permit would allow the short-term rental use in the secondary suite for a period of 3 years. The applicant can apply to renew the permit for an additional period of up to 3 years following the expiry of the original permit.

A copy of the proposed Temporary Use Permit No. TU000084 and related information that has been or may be considered by the Council may be inspected online or at Municipal Hall.

• Online at: squamish.ca/showcase • Municipal Hall at 37955 Second Avenue, Squamish, British Columbia, from May 28, 2026 to June 11, 2026 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding statutory holidays.

Public input will be considered by the District in review of the application.

Persons who believe that their interest in property is affected by the proposed Temporary Use Permit may submit written submissions to planning@squamish.ca or, in person to the Director of Community Development. Written submissions can be addressed to the Director of Community Development and will be received up until 4 p.m. June 11, 2026.

All submissions will form part of the public record.

Dated this 4 day of June, 2026, at Squamish, British Columbia.

squamishchief.com

CLIMATE: Continued from 9 “And looking ahead, we have one more final layer of horizontals that will go into this to the next lift and then to the ultimate closure of this phase of the landfill,” he said.

WOOD REUSE PILOT PROGRAM Since the Wood Reuse Pilot Program launched, the program has already seen approximately 1,000 kilos of wood recovered or diverted, according to Fallaise.

The initiative uses the existing wood bay at the landfill and then crews have created a new cedar only bay.

“Because cedar typically goes into our landfill, … every kilogram of cedar that we recover or residents reuse, it directly extends the lifespan of our landfill, which is great,” Fallaise said.

He added the program also reduces the District’s costs because any wood salvaged reduces the materials the District has to chip.

While it is a pilot project, its success so far means it will likely transition this into a year-round program.

COMMUNITY RENEWABLE ENERGY STRATEGY Picketts also noted that the District is working on the creation of a community renewable energy strategy.

Picketts told council the program has gotten $64,000 in funding grants toward the strategy, which will be the first of its kind in British Columbia.

He noted that the work is done by the community energy coordinator, a newer staff position that’s co-funded by BC Hydro and shared with Whistler.

WIND ENERGY? Two wind energy pilot projects are also under consideration.

Picketts noted that BC Hydro is fully funding the feasibility studies for this work.

“We have made it very clear to BC Hydro that we will not move forward with implementation until the results of the … feasibility study are with us and there is broad departmental organizational support for these, but, should we go forward, it will either be 75% or 80% of these generation projects that will be funded,” he said.

“We are hopeful that we can go forward with them and the payback period with that funding should be quite short, because we will get the benefits of the reduced electricity bills.”

Later, pressed for more information about this

by Coun. John French, Picketts said, BC Hydro originally reached out to the District about this opportunity.

“They are quite bullish about it,” he said.

“They’re very excited to try to implement these technologies.”

He said site visits have occurred and a number of potential sites that may work have been identified.

An engineering consultants’ report will be released in about one month, according to Picketts.

“As exciting as this opportunity is, we’re going to have to have a really clear-headed look at this and uh make a decision whether or not it’s viable on a number of fronts— economic, sustainability

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2026 | 17

and given workloads of Public Works and other internal departments facilities as well.”

BENCHMARK TRACKING The District is tracking the energy use intensity of seven municipal buildings on Building Benchmarking BC—Municipal Hall, the library, Fire Hall 1 in Valleycliffe, Fire Hall 2 on Tantalus Road, Squamish Adventure Centre, Brennan Park, and the RCMP building The Adventure Centre, Brennan Park and RCMP building showed higher energy use intensity, while the newer buildings did much better.

“What’s noteworthy is … our two new fire halls are significantly better than the medians throughout our community. So it’s also positive news that our new structures were [built] to a very high standard,” Picketts said.

SAMPLE COUNCIL COMMENTS Commercial charging station?

Coun. Eric Andersen said he has heard that there is a need for a Level 3 direct current fast charging facility designed for industrial use and that this would allow vehicles in commercial fleets to recharge more quickly. He asked if this is something the District could put in place.

He also noted that companies wishing to introduce an electric passenger ferry to Squamish would also like to see a charge barge available for their needs.

Picketts said that the District isn’t the best to spearhead such things.

“We have to be extremely careful and strategic about what we embark [on]. The only reason that we have community charging infrastructure right now is that we got heavily, heavily funded … as 78% of the costs of those chargers were funded in our electric charging plan,” he said.

“We use the analogy that we don’t run gas stations as District of Squamish. So we want to be very careful about what we provide as a District. We’re often not the most efficient purveyor of a service. So we believe that our role with a more commercial charging portal or location is to do our best to help bring people together. “ District biomass energy system?

Andersen also asked about a potential biomass system that could deal with wood waste, such as what is collected for FireSmart activities, and other clearing.

Biomass is organic material that comes from plants and animals.

“Last fall on District property, … wood that was cleared in the Ross Road area went to a landfill on District property. It wasn’t even chipped. So, we really need to kind of make some progress on this,” he said.

Picketts said the issue is challenging.

“Biomass is part of the scope of the renewable energy strategy. So we will be looking at that closely,” he said.

“Unfortunately, … the economics of biomass are tricky in British Columbia. It’s a blessing and a curse that our energy costs are quite low. So for biomass to compete with other forms of energy is difficult, but nonetheless we are actively considering it along with wind and solar,” he added.

“Our climate action plan [has] identified specific opportunities to collaborate with

Squamish Nation. So if Squamish Nation, for example, took on a leadership role of a biomass facility, we would… partner to the extent that we could, and that might be a great opportunity given Squamish Nation’s significant role in forestry in the region.”

Cost savings?

Coun. Andrew Hamilton asked if the District had considered debt servicing costs when listing the savings from initiatives in the CSEMP, which focuses on internal organizational efforts.

“So, when we see some facility having a $2,000 a year savings, is that after considering the debt servicing required to implement the capital changes required to make that savings?”

The CSEMP states its initiatives, once implemented, could save the District up to $582,000 per year.

Picketts said that those costs were not factored in.

“Definitely … something we need to consider with these improvements, those 45 actions in the CSEMP are not free and they’re often not cheap… We have to potentially make some tough decisions and come back to you with.”

Hamilton responded that it is “critically important” that debt servicing on capital costs

be brought into the conversation.

“The reason I’m asking about these real costs is because I want this to happen and I don’t believe it’ll happen unless we take that very realistic and sobering view of the cost of these things,” he said later in the discussion.

Mashiter Creek Hydropower Take 2?

French noted that the Mashiter Creek Hydropower was referenced in the potential District initiatives. He noted that back in 2016, Squamish council took preliminary steps toward creating a run-of-river power project on Mashiter Creek, but later, in 2017, a consultant said it was not a viable option. French asked what had changed.

“As a municipality we have more and more capacity at hand and Public Works has expressed an interest in operating this system,” Picketts said. “The appetite within Public Works to run this—they’re not saying ‘Let’s go,’ but—they’re actively considering it. So, I would say economics and internal capacity are two things that have changed.”

There is also the possibility of a community energy generation grant from BC Hydro, which CLIMATE: Continued on 19

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MidtownSquamish.com PROJECT LOCATION

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SALES INQUIRIES

604.815.1737

MARKETED BY

DEVELOPED BY

JILL CARTER DARREN MCCARTNEY PERSONAL REAL ESTATE CORPORATION

The developer reserves the right to modify or make substitutes to the building design, specifications andfloorplans should they be necessary.

All dimensions and sizes are approximate and are based on architecturalmeasurements. Please refer to disclosure statement for specific offering details. E. & O. E.

18 | THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2026

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View this ad online:

2026 Property Tax and Utilities – Payment Due July 2, 2026 A late penalty of 5% will be applied after July 2, 2026. A second 5% penalty will be applied after July 31, 2026.

Property owners will be sent separate property tax and utility notices.

If you have not received your notices by June 9, please contact Financial Services for assistance.

New owners should ensure taxes and utilities are paid on their property. If there is any doubt, please call Financial Services at 604-815-5035.

Ways To Pay Online Banking

Property Taxes and Utilities are separate payees.

Utilities Please note, property owners are responsible for payment of the 2026 property taxes and utilities regardless of whether or not notices are received.

Municipal Hall, 37955 Second Avenue Monday to Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

squamish.ca/taxes

Squamish Sustainability Corporation Annual General Meeting

Notice is hereby given that the Squamish Sustainability Corporation annual general meeting, for the receipt of the 2025 financial statements and annual report, will be held during the June 16, Special Business Meeting in Council Chambers, Municipal Hall, located at 37955 Second Avenue, Squamish, B.C. Copies of the financial statements are available for inspection on the District’s website squamish.ca/annualreport The meetings can be live streamed at squamish.ca/live-meetings

Development Review

• 40252 Aristotle Drive – Temporary Use Permit • 1940 Centennial Way – Temporary Use Permit squamish.ca/review

Payee: District of Squamish Utilities Account#: 7 digit number

Property Taxes

Payee: District of Squamish Property Tax Account#: 13 digit number/roll number Some financial institutions hold payments before forwarding to us or are in different time zones.

Avoid the risk of a penalty by paying two to three business days before the due date.

2027 Permissive Tax Exemption Applications

Permissive Tax Exemptions are a method that the District of Squamish, supported by Council, may support voluntary non-profit organizations by exempting land or improvements or both, from taxation under Section 224 of the Community Charter.

The District of Squamish is now accepting applications for Permissive Tax Exemptions. Section 224 of the Community Charter and the requirements of the District of Squamish Permissive Tax Exemption policy apply. If your organization can demonstrate eligibility you are welcome to apply for an exemption.

The application and policy are available online. The deadline to apply is July 31, 2026, for exemptions beginning for the 2027 taxation year.

For more information, please contact us at 604-892-5217. squamish.ca/grants

By Mail

Cheque only. Do not mail cash. Postmarks will not be accepted as date of payment.

After Hours Drop Box

Cheque only. Do not leave cash in the drop box. The yellow after hours drop box is located at Municipal Hall on the wall to the right of the doors. Please deposit cheques only. Do not leave cash in the drop box.

In Person

Cheque, cash or debit. (Payments by credit cards are not accepted).

Please be sure to check your daily spending limit before you arrive. You may need to request a temporary increase from your bank. No post-dated cheques.

Business Opportunities Requests for Proposals

• Environmental Development Review Consultant • Brennan Park Cricket Pitch Construction • Consulting to Advance Social Procurement squamish.ca/doing-business-with-the-district

Infrastructure Upgrades

• Wastewater System Upgrades continue in Dentville.

• Annual Watermain Upgrades continue in Brackendale.

• Construction on Squamish River Dike at Dryden Pump Station (located 160m south of the Watershed Grill) will be taking place June 1–14.

This is the first stage of phased construction that will continue through November. squamish.ca/building-our-future

squamishchief.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2026 | 19

NEW SḴWX̱WÚ7MESH LANGUAGE ‘NEST’ OPENS IN SQUAMISH VALLEY Squamish Nation is taking big steps to revitalize their language on their home territory, paving the way for a ‘new normal’ INA PACE

Local Journalism Initiative reporter

A

new “Language Nest,” a house in which pre-school students are taught a language immersion program, has opened in the Squamish Valley for the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) community.

Sp’áḵw’usullh (which literally translates to “baby bald eagle”) will offer programs for pre-school kids (aged years 0 to 3), or Mén̓men, and their families, to enable further revitalization of the “critically endangered” Squamish language (Sníchim).

The program’s “grand opening” took place on May 21 at 820 Lewis Drive in Cheakamus, which is the house in which the program will take place. The event opened with a singing and drumming ceremony featuring Nation members Is’gh’li-ya Anthony Joseph and Aaron Williams, and was followed by a community lunch.

Ta na wa Ch’áwat ta Sx̱wéx̱wel (Squamish Valley Operations) program director Austin Chandler described the event as a “blessing to honour and welcome the program, starting off the work in a good way.”

“A lot of work has taken place to make this a reality for the Squamish Valley,” Chandler said.

Ta tsíptspi7lhkn (The Language Nest), in North Vancouver, also hosts the langauge immersion program; it was established in 2023 as the first permanent Sníchim space. The program in North Vancouver has been made available for all of Squamish Nation from September to June each year, though like with Sp’áḵw’usullh,

CLIMATE: Continued from 17 might make the move more feasible, staff said.

French said he found that very exciting.

“The thought of that piece of infrastructure that really is just sitting in the background not necessarily serving us in any direct way purely as a backup water system, this is exciting.”

Run-of-river projects generate electricity by channelling stream flows through turbines.

The District currently has a backup water supply intake on Mashiter Creek, north of the Garibaldi Highlands.

Coun. Chris Pettingill spoke to the urgency of climate change impacts versus costs.

We are sort of far exceeding the worst-casescenarios. And so in terms of the things we’re doing, it’s not things we need 20 years from now. It’s stuff we needed 40 years ago and we’re way behind,” he said. “I think we’ve lost some of the urgency in our minds, but it is still there,” he added.

“If we’re thinking about a 30-year time frame, which we really are here, we shouldn’t be focusing too much on present-day energy bills

PHOTO BY INA PACE/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF

L-R: Coun. Is’gh’li-ya Anthony Joseph and language specialist Aaron Williams at the opening ceremony on May 21.

learning is aimed primarily at pre-school kids.

Chandler clarified that Nation members taking certificate, diploma, and master’s programs in Sníchim, will be leading the immersion program at Sp’áḵw’usullh.

“They’ll be doing everyday things, but only speaking Sníchim,” Chandler said, “so they’ll be cooking, cleaning, playing, singing songs, and sharing stories.”

Sp’áḵw’usullh is established as a family home on reserve, which the kids and their families will attend four days a week in morning and afternoon sessions, depending on their baby’s or

because the energy piece is going to go way down.”

Pettingill said that unlike natural gas, electricity costs will go down and having projects in-house gives the District more resilience.

“Unlike gas and some of these other things, we can actually generate this energy ourselves and increasingly more so and store it ourselves.

And so, you know, when we’re thinking about cost, resilience and bringing down costs in the medium and long term, something that is electricity-based makes a whole lot of sense.”

Coun. Lauren Greenlaw said she would like to see some of the renewable energy pieces becoming more centric in conversations with developers.

“For instance, to create not only energy-efficient structures but also to be including some of these renewable energy pieces and bringing that into our asks from developers more consistently and maybe even incorporating this into our [Development Cost Charges] bylaw for the future because this is the infrastructure that we need to make these buildings viable.”

child’s sleep schedule, according to Chandler.

Sp’áḵw’usullh has everyday household utilities, and a number of visual prompts and bi-lingual signs on the walls throughout.

According Squamish Nation’s language team lead Cara Jefferson, Sp’áḵw’usullh has funds secured for the next three years through the First People’s Cultural Council (FPCC).

Chandler explained that the family homeowner has moved away and has approved a three year term; they are also open to the opportunity to lengthen the program’s lease, once those three years are up.

“This has been a successful program on the North Shore for a few years now, so it’s huge in bringing our language back into our communities and being more recognizable,” Chandler said.

“Starting with our little ones, it’s easier for them to retain [language] and build capacity. I hear people in the community now, when we’re at canoe practice or just at a gathering, speaking Sníchim to each other.”

According to head language teacher Kwewawtennat Virgina, who attended a language immersion program herself at Simon Fraser University nine years ago, Sp’áḵw’usullh has three lead teachers, and around seven

families due to attend so far.

She explained that families will be taught basics and “survival” phrases, to guide them gradually into the immersion. The main goal of the program, she said, is to teach kids what they would learn at home, just in only Sníchim. “[It] just warms my heart that they have this opportunity, because I didn’t in my generation, I learned English as a first generation to go to public school. And then my generation before that went to residential school,” she said.

“It’s a breath of fresh air to think that this language is a new normal for these future generations. They’ll be able to speak with the land once again, because that is where the language comes from; spiritually, everything’s connected.”

According to Squamish Valley Operations education manager Charlene Williams, Sp’áḵw’usullh will run the immersion program Monday to Thursday each week. An official start date will be announced this month.

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.

20 | THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2026

squamishchief.com

LOCAL MAN PADDLES 1,100 KM TO ALASKA FOR VETERANS Allan Bercq has never sea kayaked long distances before

LIZ MCDONALD

emcdonald@lodestarmedia.ca

A

llan Bercq is a man who sees an adventure and doesn’t hesitate.

Hailing from France, he joined the army at 21 and, after five years, moved into a special forces unit called the Mountain Commando Group. The army taught him skills that most people don’t have access to in everyday life, while appealing to his interest in pushing beyond the limits of his abilities.

“I really want to experience as much of life as possible,” he said.

When he left the army, he moved to a little place called Squamish, B.C., where he could continue exploring the natural world. He is a paraglide pilot, mountaineer, runner, cyclist, swimmer, and all-around adventurer. But his next adventure is aboard the sea, where he will paddle solo from Squamish to Ketchikan, Alaska, in a sea kayak.

And while most people would likely start a 1,100-kilometre adventure with a wealth of experience in their mode of travel, Bercq decided to take on the journey two days after getting into a sea kayak for the first time.

“I still [have] never [distance] sea kayaked in my life. That’s what I like to feel. It’s like I’m scared about it, I don’t know about it. I need to learn. I need to learn fast and to understand everything, and it’s like a new environment. I’m outside of my comfort zone,” he said.

FOR VETERANS’ MENTAL HEALTH And while he’s going on the expedition, it isn’t just a sense of adventure he’s seeking. The Frenchman is raising money for mental health challenges faced by veterans and donating it to Soutien Commando.

Soutien Commando is a French organization that supports French service members and their families. Bercq said sometimes the organization gives aid by flying in care packages to remote locations, but much of the work they do focuses on assisting service members when injured or when facing hardship.

“Even at this time, [there’s] a war somewhere.

But we don’t really know what’s happened, and we don’t really know what the people see and live. When they come back, how do people live with this kind of trauma?” he said.

He describes those who serve as strong, smart, often proud people, who may not want to ask for help with the scars from war.

“I really want to show that these kinds of people, they are heroes.”

A WELL-PREPARED ADVENTURER Aside from being a highly specialized former soldier, Bercq’s list of accomplishments in the outdoors is remarkable.

He’s says dashed through the trails of the Tour du Mont Blanc alone, a 170 km distance that covers 10,000 meters of cumulative elevation.

The journey took him through France, Italy and Switzerland. Usually, the trip takes between six to 10 days. He says he did it in two. The athlete told The Squamish Chief he solo ascended Mont Blanc in just under 18 hours. Bercq swam across Lake Annecy in the French alps, a 14 km marathon of strokes in 14 C water over seven hours.

Then comes his cycling feats. He explained he cycled across Spain in six days by himself, going 1,265 km from north to south. The Transcontinental Race in Europe? He says he’s done that one, too. The journey spanned 4,400 km and went on for almost two weeks.

Last summer, he sailed from Canada to Mexico in two months.

But while his deeds may seem out of reach, his ethos is that the outdoors and surmounting challenges are for everyone.

“When you believe in your dreams and commit to them, anything is possible,” he said.

“You don’t need to go to Alaska with kayaking,

you don’t need to do extreme things. Hiking a summit, or… camping and coming back, the feeling when you are in the summit and you completed something … it’s amazing.”

And after these trips is where the mundanity of everyday life can be appreciated. A warm home, a roof over your head, and a hot shower fills him with gratitude after the experience.

TRIP TIMELINE Over July and August, he’s taking time away from his job in Whistler for the journey. He expects it will take anywhere between one and two months, depending on weather conditions, ocean currents and the physical demands of travelling alone.

He will depart from Squamish and paddle to Port Hardy on North Vancouver Island, which he expects to take two weeks. He’s bringing dehydrated meals and snacks for three weeks.

From there, he’s paddling to Bella Bella, an estimated timeline of one week. On this leg, two friends will join him and bring food. By the time he reaches Bella Bella, he will gather a package of sustenance from the local post office. He will then paddle alone to Prince Rupert, where he will again pick up a survival package he’s mailed.

ALASKA: Continued on 21

Thank you, Dr. Clayton, for your incredible mentorship and generosity.

Working alongside Dr. Nancy Clayton at Atwell Dental has been an absolute privilege for the three of us—Stacey, Erica, and Jani. Together, we’ve spent years cultivating smiles and serving our wonderful community, and it has been an incredible journey.

To celebrate our 10 years of dedication and collaboration, Dr. Clayton generously gifted us and our partners a beautiful trip to the Sunshine Coast. This time together wasn’t just about relaxation and bonding; it was a true reflection of the warmth, generosity, and family-first culture that Dr. Clayton brings to our practice every single day.

Working with a clinician of her caliber has been an honour. Her unwavering commitment to excellence, compassionate patient care, and genuine dedication to her team are what make Atwell Dental such a special place to be. In an industry where consistency matters, building a cohesive team that has stayed together for so long is a testament to Dr. Clayton’s stellar leadership, clinical excellence, and thoughtful approach.

We look forward to many more years of creating healthy, beautiful smiles together. atwelldental.com • (604) 567-1155

squamishchief.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2026 | 21

YO U R TOW N , YO U R N E WS :

COMMUNITY SUBMISSIONS Ritual and Religion in Death, Dying, Burial and Grief.

At the end of our lives, many of us look for the “big connections”, asking ourselves what matters the most, and how we want to leave things when we die. Spiritual care can become very important for people of all faiths. How does one draw on the knowledge and practices of faith and culture groups to guide us through death, dying, and grief?

Come and hear from leaders and representatives from an array of faith and culture groups making their home here in the traditional lands of the Squamish Nation.

Bring your curiosity and your appetite for moderated inter-cultural discussion, and snacks.

‘Take a New 5’: Between Shifts Theatre production takes the stage Between Shifts Theatre’s production of Take a New 5 is on June 25 to 28 at the Eagle Eye Theatre. It features one classic and four locally written short plays: Zoo Story by Edward Albee, Agnes, by Stephen Vogler, Alex Martin and On Piste by Katherine Fawcett and Pinky Swear by John Mcgie Tickets at betweenshiftstheatre.com Use your ipad or computer to purchase or buy at the door.

Sea to Sky Hospice Society forum

Please join the Sea to Sky Hospice Society and the Squamish Multifaith Association for From the End of the Tunnel: an afternoon forum on

Sunday, June 7, 2026 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Multipurpose Room Westwinds Senior Living 38275 Third Ave. Drop-ins Welcome, Registration Encouraged at eventbrite.ca. Search for the event title.

Join the Sea to Sky New Horizons Band

Are you looking for a fun and rewarding way to make music, meet new people and become part of your community? The Sea to Sky New Horizons Band may be just for you.

We are a new concert band right here in

Squamish. Our first rehearsal was in September, 2025 with 15 adult musicians and we’ve grown to 27 musicians!

Whether you’ve played an instrument years ago, are returning after a break or are currently performing, you are welcome to join. No auditions are required. We believe that music brings people together and our band is built on friendship, learning and a shared love of making music together. Brass, woodwind and percussion instruments make up the band.

We’ve had three performances so far at the local senior residences where we enjoyed sharing our love of music with the community.

If you enjoy music and would love to connect with fellow musicians please check us out.

Email: Debrabreuer28@gmail.com

This marks our first Community Submission page. The Squamish Chief welcomes community submissions for local sports achievements and arts events.

Submissions must be 300 words or less. Please note that all submissions are final and will be published on a first-come, first-served basis, as space allows.

Submit at squamishchief.com by going to the “Connect” tab and clicking Community Submissions. because of B.C.’s dry conditions that lead to fire bans. Using a Jetboil, he will rehydrate dinner, make coffee and snack on nuts over lunch.

Once he reaches Ketchikan, he will take a week to recover in a hotel before taking a ferry back to Bellingham, Washington. Bercq will travel back to Squamish by water once again,

ALASKA: Continued from 20 Then comes Alaska.

On remote coastlines, when he camps, he needs to find access to freshwater from rivers and streams and use water purifying tablets. He’s unsure if he will be able to cook meals over a fire

Public Comments Camping and Motorized Use Restriction Recreation Sites and Trails BC is seeking public comments on the prohibition of camping and motorized use in the Brandywine Meadows area from June 1st to November 1st annually.

.

Brandywine Meadows Section 58 Recreation Closure Forest and Range Practices Act No Camping and Motorized Closure Dates June 1 to November 1 Annually PDF Avenza Compatable

Legal Order Effective Date 01 May 2026

Camping and motorized use disturb these bears, threaten cub survival and create a significant risk for human-bear conflicts.

CALLAGHAN CONSERVANCY

B R A N D YW IN E M TN

The development of recreational infrastructure (food caches, toilets, campsites ) which would be required for bear safe camping is prohibited within WHA 2-281

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For more information or to provide comments, email the Ministry of Environment and Parks, Recreation Sites and Trails Branch at: RecInfo@gov.bc.ca by June 21st, 2026

getting in the kayak and paddling for two days.

The trip so far is entirely self-funded, but he welcomes any company that wants to sponsor his journey. Anyone looking to contact him about his upcoming trip can send him an email allan.bercq@gmail.com.

“This world is a train, right? It goes really fast,

and sometimes you cannot get off the train. But you know the train needs to stop, and if you don’t stop for life, sometimes just a little bit, you never go off [the tracks]. You don’t see what’s happening outside. So, I really want to inspire people to sometimes just take a break, go outside, and enjoy.”

SQUAMISH BAHÁ’Í COMMUNITY

Baha’i Faith Reconciliation is = Justice Food Security Human Security

No matter where humans have determined to live, the need to feed themselves is priority number one. The question over time is how to continue to sustain adequate food production as populations grow.

The essential factor in ensuring food security globally is as ’Abdu’l-Bahá wrote: “The supreme need of humanity is cooperation and reciprocity. The stronger the ties of fellowship and solidarity amongst men, the greater will be the power of constructiveness and accomplishment in all the planes of human activity.”

What are the ingredients of food security? Water, biodiversity, environmental health, justice and climate. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá wrote: “For every part of the universe is connected with every other part by ties that are very powerful and admit of no imbalance, nor any slackening whatever.”

To acknowledge this connection of balance between ingredients requires humanity to recognize the truth of its own oneness and connection. This demands responsibility towards one to another, in other words, justice. The correct balance in all aspects of humanity’s connectedness to water, biodiversity, environmental health, justice and climate is the only thing that can ensure food security for all.

Locally this means supporting local food production and environmentally sustainable practices, reconnecting people with their food and community. Agricultural focused neighborhoods (agri-hoods) save water, protect biodiversity and allow people to eat locally produced food. Got extra? – Share the bounty - Support your local food bank.

www.squamishbahais.com

22 | THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2026

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PRETTY IMPORTANT STUFF’: HERE’S WHAT SQUAMISH ARTS CONTRIBUTED TO TOWN IN 2025

In a presentation to council this week, Squamish Arts outlined attendance figures, fundraising totals and how those dollars were used across events and projects JENNIFER THUNCHER

jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca

T

he agreements the District has with Squamish Arts offer a good return on investment.

That was the message of Clea Young, executive director of the organization, when she presented to council at its committee of the whole on May 26.

All told, Squamish Arts received $167,000 from the municipality in 2025.

Squamish Arts has three agreements with the District: a partnership agreement, for which it received $63,000; a public art agreement, for which it receives $40,000; and a community enhancement grant agreement, for which it receives—and then distributes—$64,000.

PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT The partnership agreement encompasses the majority of the organization’s annual programming “as deliverables, our role acting as a resource and sounding board for the arts community and our role assisting with the

PHOTO BY BRIAN AIKENS

A previous Amped in the Park performance.

implementation of District of Squamish policies regarding arts and cultural services, such as the public art policy,” Young said.

As part of the agreement, Squamish Arts continued to provide its sound equipment and event equipment, such as tents and tables, to community groups in 2025, for free or at low cost. Groups and events that benefited from this included the Brackendale Art Gallery, Pride

Squamish, the Coldest Night of the Year event, and the Downtown Squamish Business Improvement (BIA) Association’s Holiday Parade, among several others.

Squamish Arts’ youth programming, which is contained in the agreement, included Amped in the Park, which was in its eighth year in 2025.

It presented 40 youth performers over its eight-week run on Thursdays throughout the

summer in 2025, seeing an average of about 200 people in the audience each night.

Squamish Arts also runs a scholarship program for youth graduating from Howe Sound Secondary who are pursuing a post-secondary arts education.

The summer Squamish Arts Festival is another event the organization puts on that fulfills part of its agreement with the municipality.

In 2025, Squamish Arts Festival and the BIA, or Downtown Squamish, joined forces and produced events over the same weekend, calling it The Big Weekend.

The event that will happen again this year, July 24-26, according to Young.

“Not only does partnering this way enable us to amplify each other’s events through shared marketing and enliven downtown with the arts over three days, but it also has the added benefit of reducing costs associated with road closures,” she said.

The Squamish Arts festival team raised $268,000 to produce the festival, a combination of grant funding, sponsorship, and event ARTS: Continued on 23

SHARE YOUR VIEWS ON: BC’S NO-FAULT AUTO INSURANCE (ENHANCED CARE COVERAGE)

Provide input by June 25 on Parts 10 and 11 of the Insurance (Vehicle) Act and Bill M 237, Insurance (Vehicle) Amendment Act, 2026 Visit la-bc.ca/consultations, scan the QR code, or call 250-356-2933 Toll-free 1-877-428-8337 Special Committee to Review Provisions of the Insurance (Vehicle) Act

Re-Use-It Fair June 6, 9 am–3 pm Brennan Park Recreation Centre

squamishchief.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2026 | 23

SIKH SOCIETY BRINGS BACK PARADE AND LANGAR WITH A MESSAGE OF EQUALITY

After a year off due to the Dryden Creek Wildfire, Squamish’s annual Sikh Parade and festival will return on June 20, with organizers inviting residents from across town to join a day centred on community, equality and remembrance entered the river never to be seen again.”

He is revered for his endurance, sacrifice and holiness.

“That was basically the teaching for us, how he did that and how he stood against discrimination,” Sidhu said.

After the parade, there are speakers and langar—free food for all—prepared, like the whole event, by volunteers.

“Food is not just only for food. This is about connecting to the community,” Sidhu said.

JENNIFER THUNCHER

jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca

A

fter a year off due to the Dryden Creek wildfire, the beloved community event, the annual Sikh Parade and festival, returns June 20.

The Squamish Sikh Society event kicks off with the 19th staging of the parade at 10 a.m., travelling from the Gurdwara (Sikh Temple) at 37947 Fifth Ave., and moves through town to Junction Park and O’Siyam Pavilion, where festivities will continue until about 2 p.m.

“We would like to invite every single person from Squamish to please join us here in our Sikh parade. And we will welcome everyone,” said Parmjit S. Sidhu, vice-president of the Squamish Sikh Society.

The festivities honour the martyrdom of the fifth Guru, Guru Arjan Dev Ji, the first Sikh Guru to be martyred.

He lived from 1563 to 1606, and is known for his unyielding belief in equality.

He compiled all of the past Gurus’ writings into one book, the first edition of the Guru Granth Sahib.

This is what made him a martyr.

ARTS: Continued from 22 revenue, and received another $15,000 of in-kind contributions from the community, Young shared.

The festival showcased 147 artists, or performers, enjoyed by about 8,000 attendees.

The ArtWalk is another annual program that fits within the partnership agreement.

In 2025, ArtWalk shifted from July to October.

“In 2025, ArtWalk comprised four elements: a weekend of open artist studios around Squamish with a central art hub at the Squamish Adventure Centre where artists who don’t have their own studios could set up and share their work with the public,” Young said. There were 12 free arts workshops, two free artist talks, and an anonymous art show.

Young noted that, although it is not directly part of the agreement, Squamish Arts also runs an Art School.

“A program that increases access to local arts and culture experiences and helps the organization achieve the resources needed to carry out the deliverables of our partnership agreement,” Young said.

The school saw 280 participants attend 37 classes in 2025.

Squamish Arts, through the work of two volunteers, also operates two community galleries—the Artisan Gallery and the Squamish Medical Clinic gallery.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

PHOTO BY JENNIFER THUNCHER/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF

L-R: Parmjit S. Sidhu, Nimerjeet Singh Thandi, Gurdeep Singh (granthi/head priest), and Malhi Malkeet (Tony).

He included the writings of both Hindu and Muslim saints.

“In 1606, the Muslim Emperor Jahangir ordered that he be tortured and sentenced to death after he refused to remove all Islamic and Hindu references from the Holy book,” reads a

BBC description.

“He was made to sit on a burning hot sheet while boiling hot sand was poured over his (burned) body. After enduring five days of unrelenting torture Guru Arjan Dev was taken for a bath in the river. As thousands watched he

“Exhibitions rotate quarterly, and we have recently been holding small receptions for the artists to celebrate their work with friends and the community,” Young said.

Further, Young said Squamish Arts leveraged the District’s contribution of $63,000 to raise an additional $388,000 through grants, sponsorships, and revenue money that then went back into the local economy by way of arts-related programming and events.

“A return on investment of 515%,” she said.

She said Squamish Arts also leveraged funding and received a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts to commission two works of pop-up public art that debuted at Squamish Arts Festival. One, Fowkes’ The Art Archway, will be used yearly at the Squamish Arts Festival. The other was Melanie Lazelle’s inflatable art installation, Sunshine.

“With our mission in mind and the goal of supporting local artists, these two artists now have works they can rent out to groups interested in displaying them at events,” Young said.

PUBLIC ART AGREEMENT In terms of the public art agreement, last year saw the installation of metal artist Joe Sauvé’s Scavenger Bear on the Brennan Park grounds.

“This project began as part of the public art grants program in 2022 and finally found its home last year,” Young said.

Public art funding also helped pay for two youth mural camps in 2025.

“One led by professional artist Jessica Gilbert that focused on teaching youth spray art skills and resulted in the mural on Buckley Avenue … as you come off the Discovery Trail there that the kids named Hands of Nature and the other a floor mural led by Alex J Fowkes on the accessible walkway to the downtown skate park.”

This summer, Squamish Arts will again be offering a spray art skills camp and another to create a mural for Brennan Park, according to Young.

COMMUNITY ENHANCEMENT GRANT AGREEMENT In terms of the enhancement grants agreement, which Young called arts and culture grants, in 2025, over $55,500 was distributed in 15 grants to groups and some individual artists for community projects and events.

“Funding supported everything from the inaugural Squamish Pride Parade to an Indigenous ribbon skirt and shirt making project aimed at a smaller section of the community,” Young said.

Those who received funding in 2025 raised an additional $92,000 in cash and $53,000 of in-kind support.

“The return on the District’s investment in the arts and culture grants program is calculated at 260%, with just over 16,500

Malhi Malkeet, who goes by Tony, takes care of logistics for the event. He notes that in 2024, there were thousands of people from far and wide who came to Squamish for the parade.

“People coming from out of town, if they have kids or if they have elders, it’s going to be a lot of people here, we are expecting,” he said, advising that kids have their parents’ phone numbers tucked in their pockets, just in case they get separated in the crowds.

“So we can find their parents and then get them safely (reunited).”

He also reminds attendees to recycle and dispose of their trash so as not to pollute.

“The human race is one and we are all together and that is it,” Sidhu said. audience members taking in these experiences and over 1,000 participating in the production of them,” Young told council.

SAMPLE COUNCIL COMMENTS In response to a question from Coun. Jenna Stoner on challenges faced, Young said finding more sponsors for the Sp’akw’us Feather Shakedown concert given the current economy is a challenge.

“So, it’s seeking out new opportunities for funding and trying to make connections with new sponsors, that sort of thing. That’s just ongoing work that we need to do,” Young said.

And then there are challenges around arts facilities, she said.

Mayor Armand Hurford spoke to the high rates of return Squamish Arts sees.

“By working together we can see massive benefits for the community,” he said.

Coun. Lauren Greenlaw added to the praise piled on by members of council.

“I reflect a lot on the importance of art in a healthy society and it’s just such an important aspect of mental health and expression and, of course, also building and cultivating connection right in our community,” she said.

“Art is a really important place to offer social commentary as well. It just brings vitality, beauty and connection to our community and that’s pretty much what makes life worth living. So, pretty important stuff.”

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Todd Pope unexpectedly passed away on May 15, 2026, at the age of 56.

Known for his humour, kindness, and love of life, Todd brought laughter and warmth wherever he went. His friendships meant the world to him and he was fortunate to have formed countless meaningful and lasting connections throughout his life. Todd had a gift for making people feel welcome, valued and appreciated, and his loyal circle of friends is a true reflection of the person he was.

REAL ESTATE FOR RENT APARTMENTS/CONDOS

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Todd will be deeply missed by his loving wife Caroline; daughter Hannah; son Jeremy (Anna); mother-in-law Berenice Speed; brother-in-law Chris (Rachel); parents Al and Dorothy Pope; sister Shannon Confortin (Mark); nephew and niece Jack (Alisha) and Ella; and his younger brother Jason Pope.

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Todd moved to Squamish in 1993 and quickly became an integral part of the community.

He volunteered his time with Test of Metal, Squamish Trail Society, Tourism Squamish, local triathlons, Sea to Sky Nordics, RCMP COPS and Auxiliary, Squamish BMX and BMX Canada, just to name a few.

Previously Century 21, our office has been providing exceptional real estate sales and rental accommodation services in the Sea to Sky Corridor & throughout BC.

CLICK OR CALL TO VIEW... www.prmbc.ca 604.892.5954 Unit 101-38142 Cleveland Ave, Squamish

A Community Celebration of Life will be held on Friday June 5, 2026 from 3-4 PM in the Main Library Building of the Capilano University Squamish Campus.

Todd’s laughter, light, and generous spirit will never be forgotten.

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CELEBRATIONS | SERVICES | COMMUNITY AND MORE...

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2026 | 25

EMPLOYMENT CLASSIFIEDS.SQUAMISHCHIEF.COM

Look at our weekLy caLendar!

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

BUILDING OUR COMMUNITY

We are currently recruiting professionally minded people to join our team.

Required: Commercial Transport or Heavy-Duty Technician. *Competitive wages, extended health benefits & tool allowance (after 3 months) Please send resume to: Email: info@whistlerexcavations.com

PROFESSIONALISM

SAFETY

STRONG WORK ETHIC

Employee Health & Wellness Plan available HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATOR – Minimum 5 years or 5,000 hours operating experience on excavator. Crushing Experience preferred.

Full-time, Monday – Friday. $33-$46 per hour.

CONSTRUCTION LABOURER – Great opportunity to learn on-the-job. Stamina for physically demanding work and perseverance to brave inclement weather required.

Previous experience preferred but not required. Training provided. $28-$33 per hour.

PIPE LAYER – Minimum 5 years experience in civil construction.

Full-time, Monday – Friday. $33-$43 per hour.

TRUCK DRIVER – BCDL Class 1 or Class 3 with air brakes required.

Manual transmission. 2 years experience preferred. $35-$41.50 per hour.

Meet Chevy!

Chevy couldn’t wait to meet everyone when he arrived at the Sea to Sky center. He is super sweet and has the best chirps and purrs. Chevy is happiest when hanging out with people and getting some good quality time preferably playing and hanging out with his bestie humans. We don’t know how he will be with children, but he is comfortable around adults for sure. Come and meet Chevy and see just how wonderful he really is.

Check us out online: squamishchief.com

PROJECT MANAGER – 10+ years civil construction PM experience, Class 5 licence, strong leadership, scheduling, budgeting & safety management skills. Annual salary $105k-$125k.

SITE SUPERINTENDENT – 5–10 yrs civil/excavation exp, 2–5 yrs PM exp, Class 5 licence. Lead site ops, safety, scheduling & quality control. $40.49-$47.17 per hour.

Y APPL

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TAKE A BREAK

26 | THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2026

HOROSCOPE WEEK OF JUNE 4, 2026 - JUNE 10, 2026

CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1. Energy source 5. Aerosol spray 9. Shed tears noisily 12. Earring’s location 13. Cave sound 14. Color shade 15. Negative profit 16. Athletic event 17. Expert person 18. Mexican sandwich 20. Twice four 22. Luxury hotel 24. Painter or sculptor, e.g.

27. Muscle twitch 28. Cow’s house 29. Fiddler ____ 33. Annexes 35. Except 36. Will beneficiary 37. Court response

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38. Evil look 40.Lemon refresher 41. Sundae topping 43. Do needlework 44.Sir Francis ____ 47. Slippery swimmers 49. Chafe 50. Race units 53. Six per inning 56. Beer’s cousin 57. Withdraw 58. The Stooges, e.g.

59. Unite in matrimony 60. Tennis-court dividers 61. “You ____ Me”

5. Hard to forget 6. Glacier material 7. This lady 8. Hauls 9. Thick carpet 10. That hurts!

11. Red root 19. City transportation 21. Longing 22. Stoop part 23. Tablet of medicine 25. More authentic 26. Attracts 30. Encourage 31. General’s assistant 32. Steep, as tea 34. Bag 39. Bread for pastrami 42. Singer Reddy 44.Use a sketch pad 45. Reign 46. Not up yet 48. Many 51. Woodsman’s implement 52. Fruit stone 54. Metal 55. Turf piece Crossword puzzle answers use American spelling

ARIES March 21-April 19

Your health needs a little more attention. The right professional support or treatment will quickly restore your energy. Steady improvement will follow, helping you move forward with greater ease and confidence on your personal and professional path.

TAURUS April 20-May 20

LEO July 23-Aug. 22

Your romantic relationship needs attention and emotional presence. Prioritize quality time with your partner, setting aside distractions and stressors. For now, avoid sensitive topics so you can restore balance and harmony in your relationship.

VIRGO Aug. 23-Sept. 22

SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22-Dec. 21

Your children will need you around. You may also discover a financing opportunity that allows you to purchase a new home or make major renovations. This will improve your family life and personal well-being.

CAPRICORN Dec. 22-Jan. 19

Your professional relationships will grow into genuine friendships and enrich your social life. By balancing work, family and leisure, you’ll benefit from greater harmony, stability and satisfaction in every aspect of your life.

If you’re single, a bold proposal could come from an intriguing stranger. A business trip will benefit your career. Before making any decisions, carefully weigh the pros and cons to protect both your emotions and professional gains.

Take the time to clarify financial matters to prevent misunderstandings. In romance, focus on the future and openly share your dreams. Listening to each other will strengthen your emotional foundation.

GEMINI May 21-June 20

LIBRA Sept. 23-Oct. 22

You’re in a good position to stabilize your finances. Consider applying for a loan to minimize your debt. Ask for a raise; your boss will be supportive, helping you move toward financial security.

A demanding project will require all your patience and dedication. Even if you aren’t financially compensated right away, results will soon follow.

This commitment could mark a major turning point in both your career and personal life.

CANCER June 21-July 22

A training course may lead to certification in the coming months. This achievement will open new opportunities in your field while strengthening your confidence, skills and ability to push yourself.

A heavy workload will demand discipline and stamina, but your efforts will soon be rewarded.

A promotion is on the horizon, thanks to your dedication. It will bring you great pride and professional recognition.

SCORPIO Oct. 23-Nov. 21

AQUARIUS Jan. 20-Feb. 18

PISCES Feb. 19-March 20

You’ll face a new challenge, awakening a sense of renewal.

Your natural charisma and This exciting opportunity will persuasive power will earn the motivate you to grow and evolve. loyalty and support of those A training course or spiritual around you. At work or in your love life, your ideas will stand out exploration will enrich your path, and take the lead. Those around bringing deep transformation and fresh energy to your daily you will recognize and value life. your leadership skills.

SUDOKU HOW TO PLAY: Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3 x 3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 only once.

Each 3 x 3 box is outlined with a darker line. You already have a few numbers to get you started. Remember: you must not repeat the numbers 1 through 9 in the same line, column or 3 x 3 box.

LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS:

DOWN 1. Full amount 2. Besides 3. Boot-camp course item 4. Flat hill The Parish of

YOUR PLACE 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 www.squamishanglicanchurch.ca info@squamishanglicanchurch.ca

Exalting Jesus, Equipping His Followers, Engaging the World

Worship Service Sundays 10am on our website and Facebook Live

See Website for Service times and location

2262ReadCres.

604-898-3737 www.squamishbaptistchurch.org

coastalchurch.org/squamish

Share your PLACE OF WORSHIP with Squamish for $10.25/week - Call today to book your spot 604.892.9161

squamishchief.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2026 | 27

ABATEMENT SERVICES

COMMERCIAL/RESIDENTIAL SERVICES

ASBESTOS BC Abatement Services

SQUAMISH BUSINESS BOARD

Advertise your business/service for only $30/week • 604.892.9161 • ads@squamishchief.com

Asbestos Testing & Abatement Sea to Sky - 604-849-0860 info@bcabatementservices.com For all of your Asbestos Needs

GUTTER SERVICES

HEATING & SHEET METAL 1005A Industrial Way, Squamish, BC

Repairs & Service Plans

• Furnaces • Heat Pumps • Fireplaces i • Outdoor Living i i • Hot Water Tanks • Air i Conditioning i i i • HVAC • Gas fitting i • Servicing i i

Gutter Guards Gutter Installation

778-996-5383 www.TheGutterMan.ca www ww ww.TheGutterMan.ca

Moss Removal Gutter Cleaning

HOME HEALTHCARE

www.newellheating.com Contact us for a free estimate: info@newellheating.com  604-567-8539 Your local heating, hea ing ventilation ven ila ion and air conditioning condi ioning experts. exper s.

HOME RENOVATION & CONSTRUCTION

Home Healthcare

Your Trusted Healthcare Partners for over 50 years

■ Bracing ■ Wheelchairs ■ Grab Bars

■ Hospital Beds ■ Rental Equipment ■ Mobility Scooters

construction

Mon-Fri: 9am - 5pm

119 - 1201 Commercial Way, Squamish

604-567-6604 | www.davieshh.com PROPERTY AND STRATA MANAGERS

CONTACT US TODAY TO BOOK! WWW.WOODRIDGE.BUILD | INFO@WOODRIDGE.BUILD

REAL ESTATE

Advertise here!

$

only

30 per week

MANAGERS THAT CARE • PROPERTY MANAGEMENT • LONG TERM RENTALS • BOUTIQUE STYLE STRATA MANAGEMENT

MIKE JONES

Personal Real Estate Corporation

Call for a free consultation Info@avesta1.com

604-815-4545 • www.avesta1.com RESTAURANT

Mountain Burger House

Since 1990 Open 7 days a week 7am-3pm All day Breakfast & Daily Lunch

Sea to Sky Real Estate Professional • Connected • Prepared • Hardworking

604-815-2143

www.mikejonesrealty.com

STORAGE

WEEKEND CHINESE STYLE BUFFET

SKY PILOT PROJECTS INC.

TRUSTED STORAGE

Friday 5pm – 7-pm 604-892-5544

For RV’s, Boats, Trailers, Containers + Onsite Container Storage Available

38198 Cleveland Ave., Squamish BC • V8B 0B4

Storage@SkyPilotProjects.com

604-848-6010

S E C U R E YA R D W I T H 2 4 - H O U R A C C E S S

604.892.9161 ads@squamishchief.com

28 | THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2026

squamishchief.com

HEY SQUAMISH! join uS on

SUNDAY, JUNE 7 Noon-4pm for a

TaSTE of LoCaL Discover great deals on delicious local products and enjoy some fun activities during our Taste of Local event: • Product sampling from local vendors • Spin the wheel and win • Squamish Pirates - Hot dog fundraiser • Local gift basket give-aways • Live music by the “The Overcomers”

Squamish 1200 Hunter Place

™

Loo for this Look sign in store.