IS THAT WATER OK? Resident worriedabout treatedeffluent spillinginto swimmingarea
Land sale proceeds will help fund the District’s 2025–29 Financial Planand major facility upgrades, including the new Public Works yard, while options for the remaining 8.5 acres remain on the table
PROPERTY: Continued from1
Chief that the funds will go directly to fund land reserves for the following projects: public works facility, which is under construction; Squamish Search and Rescue building contribution; Brennan Park Recreation Centre upgrade, to support the District’s contribution to the existing grant-awarded projects); strategic land acquisitions to support various future projects; and real estate and facilities masterplan predevelopment work including Brennan Park Recreation Centre future needs.
When asked why the District was only sellinga portion of the land,a spokesperson said in an email that it “was open to offers on a portion of the lands or the possibility of a buyer for the entire site.”
Whether the District sells the remaining half is based on “market feedback.”
As required by legislation, public notice of the land disposition will be published for two weeks in The Squamish Chief newspaper.
“We are pleased to work with Solterra on this purchase as they have a strong familiarity with Squamish and bringa thoughtful and creative approach to their projects,” said District of Squamish Mayor, Armand Hurford in a release. “Upon completion, this sale will meet our immediate Financial Plan needs and allow us to explore otheroptions for the remaining 8.5 acres to maximize community benefit.”
The property has been broadly marketed by Colliers International and RE/MAX Sea to Sky over the past year, during which the District engaged with numerous interested parties. Solterra’s proposal ultimately emerged as the best fit to meet the District’s financial and strategicobjectives while preserving flexibility to explore future opportunities for the remaining 8.5 acres. The site is currently zoned I-11, allowing fora range of industrial uses within the Business Park.
“This sale will generate increased employment space resulting in jobs for Squamish residents,” Hurford said. “We look forward to the future development of these lands
complementing the entrepreneurial and innovative businesses that already call the Business Park home.”
The transaction aligns with a key direction in the District’s Real Estate and Facilities Strategy, whichidentifies strategic land sales as an important tool to help fund the replacement of critical, end-of-life municipal facilities. To date, the District has built two new fire halls and is well underway on thenew Public Works facility. Combined investment in these three essential-services facilities totals
$71.1 million, funded througha mix of reserves, long-term borrowing and land sale proceeds.
Thenext phase of facility planning will shift focus toward recreation-based community amenities. Anewly formed Recreation Centre Task Force will present to Council at its Nov. 25 meeting to review capital budgets andnext steps.
More information about the District’s Real Estate and Facilities Strategy is available at squamish.ca/facilities.
This sale will generate increased employment space resultinginjobs for Squamish residents. ARMANDHURFORD
PHOTO BY LIZ MCDONALD/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF A graffitied for sale sign beside Highway 99 advertising Lot 38/39 located at 1221 and 1311 Pioneer Way Nov. 19, 2025.
GOT NEWS?
Email your news tip or story idea to: jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca emcdonald@lodestarmedia.ca ipace@lodestarmedia.ca l your news
RESIDENT WORRIED ABOUT TREATED EFFLUENT NEAR POPULAR SWIMMING AREA
The District says testing meets provincial standards, but low-flow conditions and sediment buildup have left treated effluent pooling in the Squamish River
LIZ MCDONALD emcdonald@lodestarmedia.ca
When Peter Wright walks his dog, Heli, along the Squamish River, he takes care to keep her away from a pipe releasing treated wastewater into the river.
Wright says he frequently sees soapy bubbles and grease collecting at the outflow during walks through the estuary. Whilehe avoids the water himself, he worries others may not realize what they’re stepping into.
“WhatI am concerned about is other people withtheir kids, especially in the summer, when water’s low, that thisis a major swimming hole for everybody, and they don’t realize what this stuff is until they get home with the kids and there’s oil on them and detergent and whatever else is in this [treated] sewage, right?”
The outfall is located along the rivernear Government Road, accessible from a dike running parallel between the road and the river, with Spit Road to the south.
DISTRICT SAYS GRAVEL BAR IS CAUSING POOR DILUTION
A District spokesperson said the treated wastewater enters the Squamish River from a pipe that extends 5.8 metres into the water and sits “1.2 metres below the average low water level,” as required by the Environmental Management Act. However, a gravel bar forming mid-river appears to be affecting flow.
“Due to the formation of a gravel bar within the Squamish River, the WWTP [wastewater
treatment plant] outfall has become isolated during low river flow conditions from the main channel … resulting in poor dilutionof treated effluent at the outfall,” municipal spokesperson Rachel Boguski said in an email.
The District has been working on a longterm fix since 2022 The proposed relocation would move the outfall 300 metres downstream and 30 metres into faster-moving water.
“The District continues to await permits and authorizations necessary to complete the outfall extension. In the meantime, the District recommends the public stay out of the water and keeping pets out of the water.”
MONITORING, SAMPLING AND COMPLIANCE
As part of wastewater plant upgrades, the District completed an environmental impact study, conducts monthly site monitoring, and hiresa consultant every five years as required under its provincial permit.
“The District collects WWTP effluent samples for biochemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids (TSS), total nitrogen, ammonia and pH on a weekly and/or monthly basis as prescribed by our permit,” Boguski said.
A sign at the outfall warns the public, but Wright questions whether harm is occurring in the meantime.
“The birds spend all winter here Like, there’s 30 of the most beautiful little river birds circling around, diving and eating whatever’s coming out or whatever’s in the treated sewage,” he said. He also worries about children swimming in the area.
The District says on-site testing “consistently meets all federal and provincial requirements
… Shoulda non-compliance event occur, a report must be submitted to the Province and federal agencies.”
WHAT’S IN TREATED WASTEWATER?
Dr Peter Ross, an ocean pollution expert uninvolved in Squamish’s testing program, said treated effluent is designed to protect humanhealth but can still carry chemicals that affect aquatic ecosystems.
“What comes out of the end of pipe is going to be liquid with very little particles… It’s what we call treated wastewater or effluent,” he said.
“That said, we have 30,000 chemicals in Canada that are registered for use… It’s really, really hard for us to expect that wastewater treatment plant authorities or municipalities have to have a system that destroys or manages all of those different contaminants.”
REDUCED FLOW AND SANDBAR BUILDUP CAN WORSEN IMPACTS
Ross said the reduced flow caused by the gravel bar is a factor worth examining.
“It sounds as though the receiving environment is either perceived to be vulnerable or increasingly vulnerable because of the altered flow of water and sediment [buildup],”he said. He pointed to mass fish die-offs in the Cowichan River as an example of the overlapping effects of climate change, industrial activity and wastewater stressors.
While the District advises people and pets to avoid the waternear the outfall, Ross says Wright’s concerns area useful reminder of the bigger picture.
“I’d say this is a reminder to us all… that anything that you flush down the drain or buy or use or pee out or poop out or simply dispose of, it doesn’t necessarily disappear,”he said.
PHOTO BY LIZ MCDONALD/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF
A sign notified the public about the wastewater
bank of the Squamish River.
CARE ABOUT THE TREES WITHIN THE DISTRICT OF SQUAMISH?
Bylaw amendments could affect how trees are managed on properties within the municipality
JENNIFER THUNCHER jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca
Trees surround us in Squamish. The lucky among us have several in our yards or on our street.
Plenty of Sea to Sky professionals and businesses also have a stake in the municipality’s rules regarding trees.
The District of Squamish is working on amendments to the Tree Management Bylaw that could impact what folks can do with local trees.
According to a report to council released for the Nov. 18 council meeting, the changes aim to “strengthen the regulations, align with best management practices, and improve efficiency of permit application review.”
The review of the bylaw also “directly relates to ensuring that trees as natural assets are managed appropriately for the long-term benefit of the community,” the report reads.
FOCUS OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS
The proposed amendments are focused on:
1 Current permit exemptions for small residential properties.
2. Defined size and characteristics included in the term “significant tree.” Currently, in the
bylaw,a significant tree has a diameter of 80 centimetres—equal to the size of a large holiday door wreath—when measured from a height of 1.4 metres above the natural grade of the land.
3. Tree density targets as a continued method for determining the number of required replacement trees on a property. Currently, the tree density target is defined as 50 trees per developable hectare.
4. Fees in lieu of tree replacement against current and realistic costs to replace/replant trees and fees charged by other similar municipalities. Currently, withthe approval of the municipality’s environment manager, the District charges $250 in lieu of a replacement tree.
5. Physical protection requirements during construction in the form of a tree barrier guidelines schedule.
6. Adjusting tree replacement and bonding fees for affordable housing as it is currently defined.
7. Feasibility of integrating wildfire hazard resilience and FireSmart principles into the bylaw.
8. Definitions that may require clarification for the bylaw to function more effectively.
At the Nov. 18 meeting, Coun Eric Andersen said the issue is complex, and when the tree management bylaw was last a focus, in 2018, it didn’t catch the public’s attention as it perhaps should have.
“There are so many interfaces involved, not only with FireSmart, which is becoming more andmore of a topic for us, but also we hear from, for example, the real estate community and people considering investments in homes and whatnot This issue of solar exposure and solar
power comes up quite often, according to people in the community, with respect to shade,”he said
“Now, there area number of neighbourhood contexts and complexities with the tree management bylaw. In the past, when it came forward, I believe in 2017-2018, it wasa bit of a sleeper and it didn’t receive the public engagement and exposure that it might have because at the very same time, the Jumar building proposal was having meetings rightnext door and that’s where everybody turned up. I remember this very clearly. Nobody turned up to the public information meeting about thenew tree management bylaw. Everybody wasnext door.” He called on fellowelected officials to encourage the public to get involved in the amendment process while their voices can be heard.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED
Residents will be able to weigh in through an online public survey, which will soon be available on Let’s Talk Squamish.
The municipality is in contact with Sḵwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) about the project.
Professionals who would be directly impacted by the bylaw—such as arborists, qualified environmental professionals, landscape professionals, builders, and land developers–have already been consulted.
Analysis of the findings will be done in December and January, after the survey closes. District staff will bring proposed final amendments to the bylaw to council in the early months of the new year.
PHOTO BY EDB3_16/ ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS Homeowners, developers, and environmental professionals in Squamish may soon face new rules as the municipality reviews its existing Tree Management Bylaw.
WHY YOU MAY SEE HALVED SALMON ALONG LOCAL STREAMS THIS MONTH
Annual salmon enumeration is underway, offering a snapshot of fish survival as low river levels challenge spawning habitat and ripple through the region’s wildlife
LIZ MCDONALD emcdonald@lodestarmedia.ca
Seeing salmon swim upstream is a fall favourite. But what some residents might not know is that salmon enumeration also takes place at this time of year.
To track salmon returns, enumerators with theSḵwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) cut decaying salmon in half and leave them on site, where they add nutrients to the soil and provide food for wildlife.
“If you’re seeing fish that are pretty cleanly cut in half near their tails, it’s salmon enumerators coming along and counting how many dead spawners we’re seeing—and that’s a really good way to geta count in your area,” said Becca Gray,a field technician withthe Squamish River Watershed Society.
The Squamish Chief has reached out to the Nation—which leads local salmon counts—for details on this year’s enumeration and the cultural significance of salmon to the Nation. We’ll update this story as that information becomes available.
Edith Tobe, executive director of the Squamish River Watershed Society, says returns continue to be challenged by drought.
climate change altering the flows in those mainstem rivers in all of our systems,” Tobe said “With that, we also see the lowering of channels in these off-channel habitats and the lowering of groundwater. We’re getting more intense summer droughts that start earlier— May and June rather than later in June or July and last longer into August, September and even October.”
Healthy salmon aren’t just vital for rivers— they’re critical for wildlife. Bears rely heavily on salmon as they fatten up for hibernation, meaning the number of fish returning each year has a direct impact on bear health.
Hamper Delivery DayTuesday,December16th.
BATTLE OF THEBUSINESSES:Squamish businesses challenging themselvestoraise fundsfor theircommunity! Organize afundraiser, getyourstaffand clientsinvolved, and have fun! Whowill yourbusinesschallenge this year! Businesspick-up will be Tuesday, December11th.
If yourbusinesswould liketocollectdonationsplease register at squamishchristmas@gmail.com
•Mail: Community Christmas Care, PO Box 516, Squamish BCV8B0A4
We will be acceptingnew toys, gift cardsand cash donations.
Formoreinformation: go to communitychristmascare.com or facebook at Squamish Community Christmas Care www.communitychristmascare.com
PHOTO BY LIZ MCDONALD/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF
Dead salmon feed wildlife and the ecosystem.
MP PATRICK WEILER BREAKS DOWN WHAT THE 2025 FEDERAL BUDGET MEANS FOR SEA TO SKY
In a razor-thin vote that could have triggereda national election,Canada’s Liberal government passed its 2025 federal budget with just two votes to spare
JENNIFER THUNCHER
jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca
It is sometimes hard to make sense of federal politics and policies, which can seem very far removed from our Squamish day-to-day lives.
Themorning after the nailbiter of a vote in the House of Commons chamber on Nov. 17, where members of Parliament voted 170-168 to approve the Liberal government’s budget, The Squamish Chief reached MP for West Vancouver— Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country Patrick Weiler by phone fora wide-ranging interview to get his perspective on the 2025 federal budget. With a minority government in power, each major vote, such as on the budget, is a confidence vote that, if it fails, could throw the country into another federal election.
Luckily for those not keen to go back to the polls, which is likely most of us, that didn’t happen this time.
The budget vote passed thanks to two NDP MPs and two Conservative MPs abstaining from voting, and Green Party Leader Elizabeth May voting yes. Weiler talked about what is in the almost 500-page document for Sea to Sky locals. What follows is a version of that conversation edited for length and clarity.
The Squamish Chief: We were watching in thenewsroom yesterday. The confidence vote seemed very tense from afar. How did it feel on the floor?
MP Weiler: Yeah, it felt a little bit tense. I mean, I didn’t think the budget was not going to pass I just didn’t know how it was going to pass And so there wasa lot of drama, a lot of last-minute speculation, and then really grateful to see that Elizabeth May supported it, and then there were a couple of NDP MPs anda couple of Conservative MPs that abstained from it too.
Q: I don’t think anyone wants another election rightnow, or soon.
A: No, no, exactly. And I think it would have been pretty silly to somehow find ourselves there. I don’t think any party would have wanted that.
Q: Reading the budget,I was thinking,“Is this even a type of budget—given what we’re going through with the U.S.—where people should be looking for what their region gets out of it, which is typicallyhow we approach a budget, or is this morea protection—a bigger-picture budget?
A: Thisis a very different budget The overall frame of thisis to protect, build, and empower. Such a big part of it is just responding to the impact of the U.S. tariffs. That shaves off $50 billion from our Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which is about $1,300 per Canadian So that’s a massive impact. And so in this budget, we’re protecting the industries that
are most affected, boththe businesses and the workers, and really trying to ensure that we create the conditions to drive investment in Canada right now, because it is not only the impact of the tariffs, but it’s the uncertainty of what their long-term access to the U.S. market is going to look like, and that’s really had a chilling effect on business investment in Canada, which is having a massive impact on revenues and our ability to be able to provide the services that people expect. So, this is a very different budget, and it’s geared towards addressing that The goal of it is to drive about $1 trillion ininvestment in Canada, and that’s something that’s going to have an impact across the board, but absolutely in the Sea to Sky as well.
Q: When you were walking out of Parliament last night after the vote, you made a video where you were saying that it is going to be good for Sea to Sky business. Can you dive into that a little bit? How so?
A: The biggest part of this budget that will be beneficial for businesses across the board is the accelerated investment incentive, where you can get immediate expensing of capital investments.
So that’s huge. It really makes it a lot easier for businesses to invest, and it takes our marginal effective tax rate to be actually much lower than any other G7 country, which is huge. And I think of businesses that are in the forestry sector, which we have a number of in Squamish and the Sea to Skymore generally. We’ve got $1.2 billion in support for that, including througha program called the Investing in Forestry Industry Transformation, which has supported businesses in the Sea to Sky to scale up their mass timber manufacturing. It’s hugely
helpful for the forestry sector, which is really struggling right now, but also to create those types of manufacturing jobs and also allow us to deal with the housing crisis at the same time. So I’d say across the board, those are impacts or those are programs that are going to make a big difference in Squamish.
Q: Would you say that (indirectly) supports higher wage jobs? As you know, according to the Living Wage report, Squamish now requires the second-highest living wage in the province, behind only Whistler.
A: We’re talking about the investment side, but those are high-paying jobs that we want to see in our community. I’d say on the cost of living side of it, there were a bunch of measures that were announced in the budget, such as the middle class tax cut that will save couples about $800, and also making the National School Food Program permanent, which again will save parents about the same amount in food costs every year. So those things collectively will help move the needle a little bit. ButI mean, the key thing here is we needed to drive private sector investment and job creation because— although it’s actually been fairly positive in the last couple of months with the jobs numbers— it is something that is a concern right now.
Q: As you know, the Sea to Sky is very environmentally minded. So, there is concern that I’m sure you’ve heard about the fasttracking, the so-called“nation-building” projects. And then we heard from the Howe Sound Biosphere that they’re worried about their federal funding. Do you feel it is balanced and that the environment is getting enough of the attention it needs?
A: Withthe major projects that have been announced so far, I think it’s important to note that eight of the 10 are projects going to be key for the energy transition, whether that’s renewable energy development or mining projects that are going to be key to provide the materials for that.I think that’s really important to know There are a couple of LNG projects that were already permitted. They’ve already been through the environmental assessment process. To give an example of this, recently there was the North Coast Transmission Line, which will take power from Prince George to Terrace, and then in time all the way up to the Yukon. And that’s paired with a large conservation area, which is going to be the size of Greece, which is done in partnership with First Nations, and will lead to a lot of infrastructure investments, more telecommunications, and help us meet our conservation targets. So,I think that is really the nation-building projects at their best But these projects will create a huge amount of jobs for Canadians. We’ll source Canadian materials, and we’ll have a huge
benefit that way and allow us to diversify our markets when we’re really missing that with the U.S. right now.
Separately to your point about the biosphere initiative, the Prime Minister mentioned this yesterday in Question Period—our nature strategy is going to be updated in thenext month or so It wasn’t ready for this budget So, I would say for folks who are concerned about the lack of nature discussion and investments in this budget, that is coming, it just wasn’t quite ready for this budget, along with a number of other really key things in the housing space as well.
Q: You mentioned already thehousing crisis, and the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) has said 290,000homes per year areneeded to close the gap. So, can you speak to what’s in the budget that’s going to help with getting more homes built? I guess the Build Canada Homes policy?
A: That’s a key part of it. It was announced about a month before the budget, but the funding comes from the budget, which is about $13 billion to support the rollout of that program, which is both meant to build more affordable housing by partnering with nonprofits, municipalities, and Indigenous governments, as well as building differently by trying to make it more productive, by using more prefabricated and modular, and to be able to do that at scale, and to look at the financing for that. So that’s a really key piece, and it’s in the process of being rolled out right now. That’ll be a key partner for organizations like the Squamish Community Housing Society. On top of that, earlier this year, we announced that we’re cutting the Goods and Services Tax (GST) for first-time homebuyers of new homes for houses up to $1.5 million. That will also have an impact The thing that was not ready for the budget that I was hoping to see in there was the multi-unit residential building incentive, but that’s not quite ready to be rolled out. I think things like that are very important, because we don’t just need to build affordable housing. We need to, as you mentioned before, scale up the amount of houses that are built overall, where we are seeing some slowdown in the industry right now—particularly in the condo space in some of the major cities.
Q: We had our teenage intern here yesterday, and she was watching the budget vote and went over the questions with me for this interview. She asked, “WillI have to leave Squamish when I finish school, or canI live here with affordable housing?” So, it’s one of those things that goes across generations rightnow, right?
A: It’s key to generational fairness And, you
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PHOTO VIA COMMONS PHOTO SERVICES
MP Patrick Weiler
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know,there have been alot of investments in affordable unitsinthe riding,suchasovera thousand in thelastsix yearsthathavebeen built.But we need alot more,and we just need to be able to buildfasteraswell. The good thingabout theSea to Skyiswehavea lot of companiesthatare doingthatwork already that aregoing to be well-positioned for it.But there’sstill alot of work to do there.
Q: And, as youknow, afterthingsget approved,ittakes awhile untilthey’re move-in-ready. So there’sa lotinthe pipeline,but it takestime, doesn’tit?
A: Yeah,it’sthe permitting.It’salsothe impact of theDevelopment Cost Charges(DCCs). In this budget as well,wedohavesomenew infrastructure fundingtoenablehousing-enablinginfrastructure, like $17.2billionfor roads,water,wastewaterprojects. That is contingent on theprovincematchingthat andmunicipalitieshavingDCCsata level thatwon’t preclude that housingdevelopment,which Ithink is areallyimportant part of it.Aswellasnew fundingfor health-care infrastructure andfor regionally significant community infrastructure projects.
Q: Anotherthing in thebudgetisittalks about “rightsizing”“cuttingred tape”and “wasteful spending.” Thebudgetnotes eliminating10% of thefederal public service. Butthose arealsopeoplewith good-payingjobsthatfolks arelosing. Can
youspeak to that?
A: Absolutely.First,I’d just saythatthe federal public servicehad been growingata rate that wasfar beyond sustainable. Imean, it is growing8%per year-over-year.And so we’re looking to cutthatdownto 1%.
And thereare goingtobeabout 40,000 people,orabout 10%ofthe federalpublic service,where thosejobsare goingtobe reducedovertime. Butthe waythatwe’re lookingat that is through naturalattrition andthrough providingsomesupport forearly retirement. So thereare ways that thefederal public servicecan be alot more efficient. Alot of thedatabases aremanydecades old. Alot of things arepaper-based. Ifirmly believethatthose typesofreductionscan be doneina waythatisnot goingtobereally evidenttoalot of people.
ButIdefinitelyfeelfor thefolks that aregoing throughthat, although thisis goingtobe folksthatare generallyatthe endoftheir workingages.
Q: Thebudgettalks aboutConfederation Bridge andthe interprovincialferry fares in Atlantic Canada.But as youknow, PremierDavid Ebyhas criticized the federalgovernmentbecause B.C. Ferry usersget $1 federalsubsidy whilethe easternferries get$3infederal subsidies. Sohe’supset that there’snot more attention paid to building ferries in B.C.,ortowards theferry serviceinB.C.Whatdoyou sayto that?
A: Yeah,no, Isawthatcriticism,but we’re
dealingwithtwo differentthings. Theferry system in Atlantic Canada is an interprovincial system,and that’s whereitbecomesa federaljurisdictiontodothat. It wasalsobuilt into theconfederation agreementwithNewfoundlandthatthe federalgovernment, in perpetuity,would supportthe connection to themainlandfor that.Sothose aredifferent things.But I’dalso justmention that last year,the Infrastructure Bank provided about$75 milliontoB.C. Ferries to procurenew Island Classferries. This year,the Infrastructure Bank provided aboutabilliondollars to acquiremoreferries. Thebillion dollars, throughthe Infrastructure Bank,amounts to abouta $650-million subsidytoB.C.ferries.
So,you know,whenhetalks aboutthe operationalfunding,the federalgovernment does providethattothe extentthatit’spartof thenationalhighway system.
Andwhenyou look at thecapital expenditure supportthatthe federalgovernmentis providing, it’s very,verysignificant, andthat’s notaccountedfor by that selective accounting that thepremier used.Yeah, butit is avery, very significantone andwillleadto some much-neededferry replacements, whichI know areso, so needed.
Q:Isaw theConferenceBoard of Canada had good things to sayabout thebudget, but also criticized that theCanadaHealth Transferswereunchanged.Can youspeak to that?
A: Ididn’tsee that criticism, butone of thekey
things that we committedtointhisbudgetis that we weren’tgoing to reduce anytransfers to individuals.
Andactually, programs like theCanada ChildBenefit,theygoupwithinflation over time.
So that’s really important. Likewise,wedidn’t want to reduce thedirecttransfers to provincestodeliver things like health care. AndsoI’m notsurewhatthe criticismwas from theConferenceBoard of Canada,but thosethingsare so critical forpeople, as many folksarereally struggling through some affordabilitychallenges.
Q: TheCanadianUnion of Public Employees (CUPE) notes that thegovernment maintained thechild care fundingto previously announcedlevels, whichisstill maintained,you couldargue.But it falls shortofwhat’sneededtomeetthe target of 65%ofkidsunder sixbeing able to access licensedfundedchild care.Can you respondtothat?
A: Forthe firsttimeinthe historyofour country, thefederal government gotinvolvedin supporting childcarein2021. Andthat’sto getto$10 aday andtobuild up thosespaces. Andfor awhile,we’re actually providing more moneyfor childcareinB.C.thanthe provincial government was. So,it’savery significantcommitment. We do need to see provincesstepupthatsupport rather than just pull it back in as aresultofit.
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Neighbourhood CommercialNodes OpenHouse
December 3, 5–7 pm
St. Joseph’s Church
Joinus foranOpenHouse to explore NeighbourhoodNodesinSquamish.
TheDistrictofSquamishis exploring waysto makeour neighbourhoods morewalkableand connectedbycreatingsmall-scale neighbourhood nodes.Theseareplaceswhereresidentscanmeetdailyneeds close to home. Localhubscan containsmallshops,cafés,childcarecentres,or servicesthatmakeeveryday life moreconvenientwhile supportingour community’sclimate andlivability goals.
Thetour costof$14only includes returnbus transport. It doesnot includeanyextras, suchaslunch,drinks orcinematickets.
RESIDENTS RALLY TO HELP INJURED BIRD OF PREY
When a small sharp-shinned hawk crash-landed into a Squamish backyard, it sparked a heartwarming community effort that led to the bird’s full recovery and release
JENNIFER THUNCHER
jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca
If you ever doubt Squamish residents’ ability to come together for a common cause, look toward ananimal in need—nothing brings local folks together faster.
Take, for example, a recent rescue—and release—of an injured female sharp-shinned hawk in Garibaldi Estates.
On Sept 3, a small hawk ran into difficulty and was discovered in the backyard of the Ackerley family home.
Melanie Ackerley told The Squamish Chief she had been sitting at her kitchen table, looking out the window, when she spotted the bird.
“There is this larger-than-normal bird on our grass. It looked like a bird of prey, and it wasn’t moving much—it was just sort of standing there. AndI just called my husband over and my little five-year-old, and we looked at it, and we all thought something wasobviously not right with this bird,” she recalled.
“It was sort of hiding under my son’s trampoline. And my husband was thinking, ‘Well, that’s an odd place to be, because if ananimal were to chase it, it would kind of be cornered.’”
They called for thehelp of their “bird expert” neighbour, Delle Booth, who called another friend.
“Witha few false starts, the raptor was caught
BUDGET: Continued from7
But I know how important those investments are in the Sea to Sky, where we have a major need for child care spaces. So I’ma big supporter of seeing where we can do even more on that and findinga way for the provincial-delivered system to actually work for the Sea to Sky because some of the conditions that they’ve set just don’t make it viable fora lot of operators. And that’s a big problem that needs to be addressed.
Q: My last specific question is about the Youth Corps funding, which is something our teen intern is interested in. Can you speak to youth employment funding?
A: People often look at the sectors that are most deeply impacted by tariffs, but the group that has been most effective has been young people Youth unemployment is at a decadehigh level right now.
This budget really focuses on where we can support young people so they can get meaningful employment. So, programs in the budget, there are about 175,000 jobs that will be created by it. One of the big ones is the Canada Summer Jobs program, which supports about 70,000 people per year to get jobs in the summer.
We’re increasing that to 100,000, rolling out or increasing the size of the Youth Employment
gently and transferred to a cat carrier,” Booth recalled.
Ackerley’s husband, Alex, was the one who caught the bird in the towel.
Son Jonah was “thrilled.”
“He thought it was the coolest thing,” Ackerley said.
OWL Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society in Delta was called, and a local volunteer transported the hawk to Vancouver to meet the
and Skills program. And then the third, what you mentioned there is the launch of the Youth Climate Corps, which is actually a program I’ve been advocating for since before the first budget that I was involved in.
So I’m very happy to see it in this budget. And actually, it builds on something that we’re already seeing locally. There’s a separate but analogous organization, Youth Climate Corps BC, which has a chapter in the Sea to Sky. I hada chance to meet some of the great people working in that last year.I think it’s a great program.
Q: Finally, what else would you want to highlight out of this 2025 budget?
A: The other one that I think is important as well is just the investment in arts and culture funding. There’s almost $770 million in new funding for the arts and culture space. And that’s always a concern when we encounter some major economic difficulties
And when we’re looking to reduce spending, arts and culture end up on the short end of that. Which is actually when we need the arts and culture sector the most. So I’m very glad to see that there’s that funding in this budget, because it’s really important for the Sea to Sky, the type of festivals that we have, and for the artists and creators. So I’m happy to see that the federal government is going to be a key partner in that work.
volunteer from OWL, who took the bird to the non-profit bird rehabilitation centre in Delta.
Once there, the bird was diagnosed with a concussion, likely from hitting a window, according to Booth.
After two months of rehabilitation, the raptor was ready to leave Delta and head home to
Squamish to be released.
On Nov. 15, the recovered raptor was set free in the same general area it was found.
“She flew easily into thenearby tree canopy, ready to embrace the life of a sharp-shinned hawk once again,” Booth said.
Ackerley, who witnessed the release with her son, said it was more emotional than she had expected.
“It was actually really quite magical and heartwarming, more than I would have ever imagined. You know, it was so cool,” she said.
“When we were releasing it, I just thought the effort that these two women went through, and then the people at this conservation place for two months, where they worked withthis bird was pretty remarkable. And you just wonder what the bird was thinking.”
Ackerley credits Booth and her friend with turning the discovery of the injured bird into a happy ending.
“If it hadn’t been for them,I don’t really know what the destiny of this hawk would have been, becauseI think we would have felt very helpless Very helpless So, I’m very grateful that our neighbour was who she was and that her friend was who she was.”
If you find an injured ororphaned rapture, call OWL at 604-946-3171.
PHOTOS
Left: When the bird was first captured; Right: The hawk returning home.
10-Year Financial Plan Viewable Online
Browsewhat’sincludedinthis long-termplanthatconveys how theDistrict willmanagefuturegrowth,continue to upgrade facilitiesandinfrastructure, andcreatecomplete neighbourhoods to meet communityneeds,all whileensuringthattaxincreases to residents and businessesaremanageable.
•GovernmentRoad Active TransportationUpgrades Design
•Human ResourcesInformation System(HRIS) Solution
squamish.ca/doing-business-with-the-district
Winter Parking Restrictions
Starting December1,parkingonselectstreets around Squamish willberestricted to onesideof the streetonly through March1,2026, to ensurethat snowplows and emergency vehicleshave access during winter conditions.
VehiclesparkingontheNo Parkingsideofthestreet may beticketedand towedatany time to ensure community safety.
•Sanitaryliftstation rehabilitation on PiaRoad continues.
•Constructionof anewchlorine injectionchamber near PowerhouseSpringsisunderway.
• Victoria Street ActiveTransportationupgradesare ongoing.Roadclosuresandtrafficimpactsare expectedduring work.Temporarycrosswalkline paintingwilltakeplaceatCleveland Avenue.
•Xwu’nekwParkSeaDikeupgrades continue.
•The Garibaldi Cemeteryexpansion continues.
• EV Charging Stationsinstallation work at Junction Park continues.
Accessibleparkingisvital forpeople,includingthosewithinvisible orhiddendisabilities.Theimpactsofparking forfive minutesin an accessibleparkingstall couldresultin apersonnot beingable to access avenue,amenityorfacility. Pleasethinktwice,andleave room forsomeonewhoneedsit.
SQUAMISH LILOOET-REGIONAL DISTRICT PASSES MODERNIZED MOBILE HOME PARK BYLAW
Original mobile home park bylaw written in 1979
JENNIFER THUNCHER jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca
When the original regional district bylaw was first written, Vancouver’s Granville Island Public Market had just opened, fashionable boys were wearing plaid and striped pants with matching vests, and Anne Murray’s “I Just Fall in Love Again” wasa top song by a Canadianartist.
At its Nov. 19 meeting, the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District board unanimously passed three readings and adoptionof anew bylaw for mobile home parks within its jurisdiction, which replaces the outdated bylaw.
The original bylaw was adopted in 1979, and an amendment was last made in 1985.
“We may start to see more opportunity for mobile home parks as a housing strategy, and we need an updated bylaw to reflect that,” Claire Dewar, SLRD senior planner, explained to the board. She added that there have been public requests to add to the supply of existing mobile homes, so that’s addressed under this new bylaw.
The revised bylaw allows residents to add habitable/conditioned space to mobile homes so long as the provisions of the BC Building Code are met.
Currently, the only zoning bylaw that has a mobile home park zone is the electoral Area C—Pemberton Valley/Mount Currie-D’Arcy. So right now, this mobile home park bylaw would only apply in Area C.
“But as we could see additional mobile home parks being built, it would apply throughout the regional district,” Dewar said.
Some of the updates are simply adding requirements that didn’t exist before.
For example, previously, there was no requirement that mobile home park applicants had a Fire Protection, Safety Plan, and Emergency Management Plan.
Thenew bylaw hasa section requiring such a plan for all properties.
Theold bylaw also had no requirements for the management of wildlife attractants. Thenew bylaw hasa provision that applications must describe how they will address the requirements of the SLRD Wildlife Attractant Bylaw.
“I think thisis a positive move to update and modernize our perceptionof what a home can be. So appreciative of this work,” said board chair Jen Ford.
SLRD BRIEFS:
Director injured
The Squamish LillooetRegional District announced at the Nov. 19 meeting Area D director Tony Rainbow has been injured and will not be able to perform his duties at the board for thenear future Paula De Jong is filling in as Rainbow’s alternate.
She filled in for the October and November meetings.
He likely will not return for December, Ford
said.
The board passed a resolution to support a medical leave of up to six months for Rainbow, and will revisit the decision shouldhe not be able to return in April.
“This is in line withthe Local Government Act because otherwisehe would be disqualified from holding office for the remainder of the term We donot want that.I want Tony to have the time and space to go through his treatments and return when he is ready,” Ford said.
The Squamish Chief reached out to Rainbow for comment and will update this story should he want to say more.
What about the sign?
The SLRD board reviewed a letter from the board of Furry Creek Community Association that called on the regional district to address a “No Trespassing” sign that a resident has put up at the top of Furry Creek Drive leading into the Hydro right of way.
The letter requested thehelp of the SLRD to resolve the issue and have the sign removed.
The association also asked the SLRD to write a letter to the Ministry of Transportation and Transit regarding thisissue “requesting they investigate and put steps in place to remove the signage.”
“This issue has caused some concern in Furry Creek and within our board—which however is clear that the sign must be removed—while we don’t want to create a further conflict with our neighbour who erected the sign, we could see a way to resolution which is to replace the current sign with a no parking sign sawhorse in the same spot, preventing parking which blocks the road,” the letter reads.
SLRD board members voted unanimously to refer the letter to staff to look into, but also noted the issue likely isn’t within their jurisdiction to act on.
I think thisis a positive move to update and modernize our perceptionof what a home can be.
JEN FORD
“I appreciate the work of the strata I think Furry Creek Community Association is incredibly engaged in their area and I think that there’sa lot of really good work that goes on there. So, it’s useful getting these reports and being able to respond if you can,” said Ford.
DispositionNotice
What’s Proposed
Dispositionofapproximately4.47 acres(LotA)and 4.03 acres(LotB)of Districtowned lands, locatedat1221 and1311Pioneer Way, as identified on themap below (the“Lands”).
TheMunicipalCouncil of theDistrict of Squamish givesnotice pursuantto Section26ofthe Community Charter ofthe intentiontodispose of land.
TheLands arelegallydefinedas PID: 031-773-001, Lot1 Section3 Township 50 NewWestminster DistrictPlan EPP117375; andPID:007-249-373, Lot 38 SouthEast 1/4ofSection3 Township 50 Plan 18954.
TheDistrictintends to sell LotA and LotB to Solterra Acquisitions Corp. by wayofits nominees 1194840B.C. Ltd. and 1132567B.C.Ltd.for atotal purchase priceof$13,270,000.
Legal agreements relatedtothis transaction maybeinspectedatthe officesofMunicipal Hall,379552nd Avenue, Squamish,B.C., V8B0A3 during thebusinesshoursof8:30a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from Monday to Friday, daily,exceptholidays.
Formoreinformationconcerning this sale,please contactthe undersigned at (604)892-5217.
Reproduction of anymaterial containedinthispublicationis expresslyforbiddenwithouttheprior writtenconsent of thepublisher.
EDITORIAL
OH,THE HUMANITY!
Our shared humanity seems to be less evident of late,especiallyinglobalpolitics.
But acoupleofrecentlocal examples of humanityondisplayremindusthatwhile the worldmay seemharsher andmoredisconnected, thatisjustthe eagle’s-eyeview.Upclose,weare all justdoing ourbestwhile we arehere: to care for ourselvesand each other.
At theSquamish-Lillooet Regional District boardmeeting last week,chair JenFord announced that Area DdirectorTonyRainbow— who is responsiblefor ourareaofthe regional district—wasinjured badlyenoughthathehas beenawayfor twomonths. Theboard members voted to give himleave untilApril to heal.
Noother informationwas givenabout hisinjury. Whateveryourpersonalpolitics, it is averifiable factthatRainbow—who is servinghis thirdterm on theboard—works very hard forhis constituents.
He caresabout this placeimmensely andthatis alwaysondisplay wheneverheengages on alocal topic.WewishRainbow allthe best foraspeedy recoveryand comfortwhile he recovers.
Humanity wasalsoondisplay on council,not for the firsttime, of course.But in anoteworthyway, locals were reminded that everyperson, councillorsincluded,has astory.
In honour of theraising of thetransgender flag above MunicipalHallonNov 12 to mark TransgenderAwareness Week,Coun. John French spoke of hisdaughter.
He notedthat, as he spokeatcouncil, TransgenderDay of Remembrance, aday to honourthose whohavebeenmurderedasaresult oftransphobia wastwo days away on Nov. 20.
“This week marksanopportunity formeto share that my transdaughteridentifiesasmore than just transgender.She’s asister, aPhD student, andalover of trains.InJanuary,she will add universityinstructorto herresume,”he said.
“And, most importantinmyopinion,she identifiesasahuman being. She’sa humanbeing who deserves happiness, rights,and respect, the basics that everyhuman deserves.”
He thankedhis fellow councillorsfor beingat the flag raisingand for“beingleaders in normalizing andhumanizing” thosewho arepartofthe 2SLGBTQIA+community.
Itistotally OK to vehemently disagree on politics atall levels,but it is worthnotingatthistimein our collective historythathumanityshould,in fact, be retained—not just forpoliticians butfor each other.
We aren’t on this spinning rock forever, we should at leasttry andcarefor each other whilewe are here.
ALEANWHISTLERSKI OPENING
GUESTCOLUMN BRADEN DUPUIS
Readyornot,WhistlerBlackcomb is open for the season as of Nov. 21—evenif it’s justa single runonBlackcomb Mountain to start.
Asfar as lean openings go,thismay well be the leanestinmodernmemory. Snow hasfalleninthe valley on just twodayssofar this fall,onlytobe immediatelywashedawaybythenever-ending rain (seriously—ithasn’tbeenagood fewweeks for theSeasonalAffective Disorder folks).
Openingday maytechnicallysignalthe startof winter in Whistler,but with terrainextremely limited,thisyear’searly-seasonlaunchfeels more symbolic than substantive—areminderthateven skiicons arenot immune to broadereconomicand environmental headwinds.
According to theCanadaWestSki Areas Association’s latest “Data&Metrics forSki Areas” reportpublishedinJuly, the2024-25 skier-visitation totalinWestern Canada reached9.8 million, the second-highestonrecord. Butdespite thestrong demand, theeconomicpicture is more complicated. The2023-24 economicimpactstudy shows thatwhile skiervisitsdippedby15per cent from 2022-23, totaleconomicactivitydeclined by only
twoper cent—landing at $2.67billionacross WesternCanada. Skiareas supportedmorethan 21,600 jobs,thoughemploymentremains down compared to pre-COVIDlevels.
That gap—betweenstrongvisitationand modest economic contraction—signalsresilience. It suggests that whilesnowmay fluctuate, the appetite formountainrecreationremains deeply rooted in localand visitoreconomies. Butitalso underscoresthatthe skiindustry’sfinancial health is notsolelyabout lift-ticketsales;itdepends heavilyonvisitor spending andbroader tourism linkages.
Butskiingmay well be considered essential recreation in BritishColumbia.
From theprovincialperspective,outdoor recreation is nota fringe activity—it’swoven into thesocialand economic fabric of BritishColumbia. TheB.C.government’sown recreation data highlights that outdoorrecreationisa “vital part of theeconomy,”contributingsignificantlyto communitywell-being, health,and employment. Accordingtoarecentreportfromthe provincial government,outdoor andadventure tourism contributed$4.8billiontoB.C.’seconomyin2023. Thedata—whichincludeseverythingfromdirect spending to thecostoftransportation, food and lodging—showsoutdoor andadventure tourism represents1.5 percentofthe province’s gross domesticproduct.
(We have good feelings that we live,wework and we play on the lands of the Squamish Nation)
SKI: Continued from12
participation and economic value,” Tamara Davidson, environment and parks minister, said in a statement to Lodestar Media last week
“Thenew data confirms outdoor recreation is more than just leisure; it’s an opportunity to diversify our economy in a way that is both sustainable and inclusive.”
But in the face of climate change and increasingly wet winters, barriers of course remain, with cost, accessibility, and run infrastructure posing ongoing challenges Even as more British Columbians engage in snow sports, the demographics are shifting: participation is climbing, but the average age is also rising That raises real questions about sustainability—not just of snowpacks, but of the customer base itself.
And so in some ways Whistler’s 2025-26opening day feels more like a symbol than a celebration.
Locals are bracing for what many predict: “just one run” on opening day, perched high above treeline, with lower terrain still brown, wet and snowstarved. It’s nota complaint so much as an acceptance of facts. Thisisn’t the time for long summit-to-base laps, but for alpine patience, and waiting for cold temps to build coverage.
Looking beyond the season at hand, there are both warning signs and reasons for cautious optimism.
As far as climate variability and snow reliability, limited-terrain openings are symptomatic of larger issues: fluctuating precipitation patterns, warming winters, and unreliable natural snow With sluggish snow starts becoming the norm, resorts are facing pressure to invest more in snowmaking—a costly endeavour that raises environmental and economic trade-offs.
The strong visitation numbers are an encouraging sign that demand is still there But to remain competitive and sustainable, ski areas may need to double down on investments: improving lift infrastructure, enhancing guest experience during lean periods, and diversifying into year-roundoperations
And as skiing remainsa luxury for many, affordability and access will become increasingly central. The B.C government’s recreation strategy emphasizes balancing growth with inclusivity. If the cost of skiing and riding either through passes or gear—continues to climb, or terrain access shrinks, the sport risks becoming even more exclusive.
And through it all, environmental stewardship must remain at theheart of it.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
‘IF IWERE ON COUNCIL’
IfI were on council, here are three things I would support:
Patent the name “Squamish.” Do what is necessary to trademark this name Squamish continues to develop a reputation as aneat place to live, work and play.A third world company will make a product—outdoor gear, clothing or coffee cups for instance, and use the name “Squamish” to market their product. We could be seeing some really shoddy products being sold under the Squamish name and we lose the profits of the trademark. Our hard earned reputation will be compromised. Yes, thisis a First Nations word. Everyone will benefit from a respectful use of the
LETTERS POLICY
Squamish name
What do universities, the Armed Forces and mining and forestry operations have in common? They are all in the real estate business in spite of the fact that is not their prime reason to exist. Think student dorms, military barracks and bunkhouses These enterprises all recognize the importance of having their workforce or students very close to their coreoperation At some point, the Sea to Sky Highway is closed. Perhaps a major earthquake or massive landslide prevents transportation for a long period of time Oh, oh—some of our emergency and essential services workers live outside Squamish as it is cheaper to live elsewhere. I would support essential worker housing. Police, fire and rescue
With glaciers receding and alpine landscapes changing, ski areas will likely face increased environmental scrutiny Strategic planning must account for not just the economic, but the ecological legacy of mountain recreation Whistler’s ever-receding glaciers painta stark picture for the future of the sport locally.
What does it all mean for this year? A lean opening, sure, but far from a lost season.
Whistler Blackcomb’s low-terrain Nov. 21 opening is nota guarantee of a full, powder-loaded winter, and far from it But it’s a reminder of the ski industry’s deep roots in B.C.’s economy and culture, and of the precarious balance it muststrike between growth, sustainability, and risk.
The season ahead will require patience from skiers, foresight from operators, and pragmatism from policymakers. But even in a lean opening, there is opportunity: to rethink how we ski, why we ski, and what we invest in—not just for thenext powder day, but for decades of mountain winters to come (wet though they may be).
Braden Dupuis is the editor of Pique Newsmagazine,a sister paper to The Squamish Chief.
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
How important is access to a ski hill in terms of your reasons for staying in Squamish?
Have your say at squamishchief.com
How many weeks of vacationdo you get from work per year? (Top 3 answers)
andhealth care workers will all be needed immediately during a crisis We have special housing for low income, seniors and homeless folks. Emergency workersneed to be housed close to their core operation.
The world is a blur of change How can anyone expect to keep on top of everything? Simply, we can’t. So being able to learn quickly and adjust our focus is becoming more and more apparent Learning then, is the critical factor. I do not mean just school basic skills but a whole community steeped in a culture of deep learning
Being alert and nimble and proactive to the factors that necessitate change ahead is
LETTERS: Continued on 14
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 withthe letter The publisher reserves the right to refuse and edit letters for length and clarity or to address legal concerns Email letters to: editor@squamishchief.com.
MOST READ STORY
Video: Why you may see halved salmon along Squamish streams this month
A downy
jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca
TO THE EDITOR
sits on a shelf somewhere.
important now and will accelerate as new technologies multiply I would have a Department of Community Learning at City Hall It would be like a weather vane to alert and then activate the changes needed. Schools and colleges and universitieshave a key role to play in moving to a model that emphasizes learning ‘How to Learn’ rather than learning ‘What to Learn.’
The years of study, looking backwards, requires an enhanced focus on future knowledge, skill and attitude formation across the community. Predictions of a workless society and domination by AI are alreadyhere. What can a community do for itself? We can wait for the government? We can look at big business trends? We can check TikTok? Or we can be proactivehere and now to face the advancing future My grandmother always said- the best helping hand is at the end of your own arm. Some years back, Capilano College in conjunction withthis Squamish community studied what it would look like if Squamish became a Learning Community. That research
Each of these threeideas has a “Yeah, but” part.I agree. So, the challenge then, is for everyone to bring forth their ideas to make Squamish a Centre of Excellence across all domains
Larry Murray Squamish
TIME FOR RUSTAD TO GO
Thank you Squamish Chief for your article on the call for John Rustad to allowa leadership race. It is time for John Rustad to step aside.[The Canadian Press, article“B.C. Conservative riding executives urge MLAs to show ‘courage’ and oust Rustad,” published online Nov. 10.]
It has been 11 years since the last Conservative provincial leadership race. A growing number of provincial Conservative leaders are daring to ask fora leadership race
The issue is no longer “if” but when will Rustad do the right thing and step down like Kevin Falcon graciously did. This would clear the way fora much-needed leadership race.
Only the NDP wins by letting this
drag on longer. Is David Eby hoping that Rustad hangs on as long as possible?
This could be a win-win if John Rustad does the right thing and steps down like Kevin Falcon did. If he resigns quickly and graciously, the leadership race could allow a renewed engagement as happened withthe federal party leadership race, giving us Pierre Pollievre.
Rev Dr Ed Hird
Surrey
‘POLITICAL THEATRE DOESN’T BUY GROCERIES’
Patrick Weiler’s recent commentary in your paper on the 2025 federal budget [MP Patrick Weiler breaks down what the 2025 federal budget means for Sea to Sky, published online Nov. 20] demonstrates a fundamental disconnect between political messaging and constituentneeds. His analysis lacks the specificity required to evaluate actual impact on our families’ needs today in the Sea-to-Sky region
The core issues: Housing: Weiler’s “funding forthcoming” statements provide no
actionable data. No unit projections. No timelines. No regional allocation formulas. Voodoo Economics.
Cost of Living: We require concrete metrics on relief measures such as GST/HST adjustments, fuel cost mitigation, grocery price controls Instead, we receive abstract policy descriptions with no clear mechanism for local economic impact Smoke and mirrors.
Regional Transit: The budget commentary fails to address route expansion, frequency improvements, or infrastructure investment specific to our geography. Our local MLA is gettinga failing grade on this too from many with whom I have spoken. Unicorn economics.
$10a day daycare: The cheque is in the mail.
Public Service growth:I peed myself a little when I read this —“the federal public service had been growing at a rate that was far beyond sustainable.” Eight per cent year-over-year growth in federal public service without acknowledging that his Liberal comrades have has governed since 2015 and therefore implemented, approved, and sustained every hiring decision that produced this growth Framing
the problem as something discovered rather than self-created is intellectually dishonest. This is like settinga fire and then asking for praise when you finally call 911. Obliviate!
We need results today. If I want fluff, I will tear open my pillow How many housing units will be constructed in this riding, with what funding mechanism and delivery schedule? What specific transit improvements will occur, when, and at what capacity? What measurable cost-of-living relief will residents experience within thenext month? Winter is coming.
Patrick positions himself as solving a crisis his own party created while accepting no accountability for creating it …a pattern that mirrors his approach to housing and other regional issues where problems are identified but governing responsibility is conveniently omitted. Effective representation requires translating policy into demonstrable outcomes Mr Weiler should provide that translation or acknowledge its failure. Political theatre doesn’t buy groceries.
Patrick Smyth Whistler
SORRY, NOT SORRY: MEET SQUAMISH WOMAN BEHIND CANADIAN RESISTANCE
In the heart of Squamish, graphic designer Antonia Allan is making waves with her bold new clothing line,Canadian Resistance—a cheeky yet patriotic response to recent political tensions
ABOUTA LOCAL JENNIFER THUNCHER
Squamish’s Antonia Allan is not sorry. Allan is a graphic designer who worked in film and tech and then decided to start a clothing company, Canadian Resistance. She created T-shirts that speak to the moment our country is in politically.
They were inspired by President Donald Trump talking about making Canada a 51st state.
They have sayings like,“Not Sorry,” or “Nasty Canadian,” or more overtly patriotic ones that list Canadian symbols like “Poutine, Maple Syrup, Nanaimo Bars, Ketchup Chips and a Caesar.”
“This company kind of started out of the horror of what the American administration was saying about Canada, and a little bit of the fighting back spirit that Canadians came together with, which was so amazing and probably the most patriotic thing I’ve ever seen Canada do in my whole entire life. And it was so inspiring that I thoughtI would love to make shirts that helped that cause in some way,” she said The name, Canadian Resistance, is a little tongue in cheek.
“Obviously, you’re not like a covert resistance, but it is about being proudly Canadian, in a way that Canadians are, which is a very different kind of patriotism than, say, our friends south of the border It’s a little more quiet, it’s a little more subtle, and it’s a little more cheeky,I think. And that’s what I think those shirts give people is a little way to be cheekily Canadian.”
Allan said she has always been political, but the moment we are in ledher to useher graphic
design skills to launch the T-shirts
“Politics have always, I mean, for me, they’ve always been an important part Butobviously,
the situation worldwide right now is a lot, and it’s hard I think the thing about it, fora lot of people, is it’s hard to even know what to react to And it’s such a barrage of bad news And so, if you can concentrate on one thing, and that being maybe that you’re happy that you’re Canadian and that you’re lucky that you’re Canadian, then that’s a pretty awesome thing—a little light at the end of the very dark tunnel of constant bad news.”
The“Not sorry” shirts also speak to peri-menopausal women, she said.
“I think also women are over it,” she said, with a laugh.
While she hasa retailer in Victoria, she is still working on trying to find a retail partner in Squamish, so her shirts are available online for locals (you can messageher about local drop off).
Go to the Canadian Resistance website to find out more.
Abouta local is a semi-regular column about interesting Squamish residents. To be considered for this column, email jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca.
THANKYOU
Thank youtoall thecommunity members whopresented theircareersandcareer pathstoour students.
We hadoverfifty presenters from avarietyofprofessions whovolunteered theirtimeand expertise
KristenTrotter SquamishCounsellingClinic
IanMackay Registered Nurse
Dr.James Cranston Squamish General Hospital
MaggieScarlett-Phillips SeatoSky Sports Physio
Josh Watts Artist
Jane Abbott Squamish Barbell
AmberCowie Author
JacobEllis Quantum Technology
Martha McLellan RennieRealEstate
DarcyWittenberg Anthill films
Seth Tidsbury SquamishFireRescue
Kyle Derksen SquamishFireRescue
JamesAkey SquamishFireRescue
Brody Sykes SquamishFireRescue
KirstenLee DFO
Curtis Finlay DFO
JesseBifano SquamishBarbell
Mandy Pentland Squamish360 Events
Dr.Julie Mountifield EagleviewVeterinaryHospital
Holly Schulte EagleviewVeterinaryHospital
Jordan Elenko Race &CompanyLLP.
Graham Laschuk Race &CompanyLLP.
BrandonFrail WestJet
Erin Schott Cascade Environmental
Paul McBride STARKArchitectureLtd
LizHodge STARKArchitectureLtd.
Dave Pearson Reel WaterProductions
Rory Baldwin BC WildfireTechnician
CarolinePope Vancouver CoastalHealth
Dane Perras Blue WaterConceptsLTD.
Paul Rak Blue WaterConceptsLTD.
Adam Coulter Seabridge Gold Inc.
Katti McLaren NewEra Plumbing
Rick Coleman NewEra Plumbing
ChuckBolger NewEra Plumbing
VinnieHall SeatoSky Gondola
CamRattray Renegade Diesel Service
RobAskew CorporateElectric
Dave Gaudin CorporateElectric
Nino Celella Sound &Soul Studios
Deanna Starr LezaraLaserand Vein Clinic
Kaila Jarvis Global Trust& Safety Advisor
Matthew Smith BCEmergencyServices
James Dahmer BCEmergencyServices
ChristopherIregui BCEmergencyServices
Ryan Trottier Optomeyes
Cpl. Virginia Bessette RCMP Squamish
Sgt. DallasLangley RCMP Squamish
Cst. Kelly Dean RCMP Integrated FirstNationUnit
Cst. Shannon Mortimer RCMP BC Highway Patrol
Cst. DavidBachtel RCMP BC Highway Patrol
Mandy Deo Vancouver CoastalHealth
JessicaAtwall Vancouver CoastalHealth
Emma Davy Carbon EngineeringULC
ShaunVeltkamp TheHiveMediaworks
SUBMITTED PHOTO Some of the items in Antonia Allan’s collection
PHOTO BY BRIAN AIKENS
‘I’M LIKE A BIRD’: A cormorant. According to the Animal Alliance of Canada, cormorants’ short wings make them very agile swimmers. They use less energy swimming than when flying.
A HUMAN-POWERED TOUR THROUGHHOWE SOUND
Connor McCracken’s spontaneous idea became a multi-sport adventure—and later a book—with proceeds going to groups protecting the Sea to Sky
LIZ MCDONALD emcdonald@lodestarmedia.ca
Sometimes, the best ideas come from boredom.
At least that’s true for Connor McCracken, whose wandering mind launched a tri-sport odyssey of paddling, hiking and biking some of the Sea to Sky’s most iconic and harrowing routes.
Driving home from skiing in Whistler one day, he caught himself wondering what lay behind the islands scattered across Howe Sound. Instead of taking a conventional ferry route, he decided to find out using only human power. What followed wasa journey that combined paddling the Sound, hiking the Howe Sound Crest Trail and cycling the narrow bike lane along the Sea to Sky Highway. Then he turned
the experience into a book, A Visual Journey Through a Living Biosphere, with proceeds supporting groups that work to protect the region and its people.
“I’ve done lots of hiking and outdoor things growing up in Vancouver, butI realized I had never done that much within Howe Sound, particularly on the other side,” he said, referencing the Sunshine Coast. “So I got home, andI wondered howI could get over there. I found out there were marine-accessible campsites, and everything unfolded from there.”
BC Marine Trails outlines camping routes across the region, including the Sea to Sky Marine Trail, which features 11 campsites spanning marine trails, provincial parks and recreation sites.
Over five days and four nights, McCracken anda friend kayaked, camped and hiked throughout Howe Sound. Starting at Porteau Cove, they travelled to a marine trail site on the Sunshine Coast, then hiked Anvil Island’s Leading Peak on Day 2 before camping on shore. On Day 3, they paddled to Keats Island and climbed to the Twaikwit lookout. Day 4 brought them to Bowen Island, where they hiked Mount Gardner and later camped on Gambier Island The final day included a hike up Mount Artaban before paddling back to Porteau Cove.
While McCracken is an experienced hiker who has completed multi-day trips around the world, the journey marked his longest paddling expedition.
“I’venever strung together a trip like this before, andI know Howe Sound can be a dangerous place when summer heat or winter cold brings strong winds, so I struck it very lucky,”he said.
He was also well prepared and travelled with an experienced kayaker.
“I don’t know if I would be comfortable doing it without their guidance and input, but doing
that trip has made me want to do a lot more marine adventures.”
MANIFESTING A BOOK
A photographer by trade, McCracken found himself imagininga book during the journey.
“I had this idea mulling in the back of my mind.I was taking photos on the kayak trip that were already complementing theidea, and the further adventures were definitely more honed in to photograph for this project.”
To round out the concept, he added two more human-powered legs: hiking the Howe Sound Crest Trail and cycling Highway 99’s designated bike lane. For each,he brought alonga more experienced partner.
“It was about not pretending to be the expert and relying on people who were much more experienced,”he said.“But the cycling in particular took some convincing, because it’s not pleasant to bike the Sea to Sky Highway when it’s open.”
The project didn’t come without setbacks McCracken sprained his back during the paddling portion and faced a long recovery.
“I had planned to do the Crest Trail and kayaking all that summer, and theidea was to get the book together for that fall ButI was very stationary for the rest of the summer withthe back sprain,” he said. “So it took until the next year, but I’m glad I spent the time putting everything together.”
Fifteen per cent of each book sale goes to Sea to Sky organizations, including the Howe Sound Biosphere Region Initiative Society, BC Marine Trails and Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue (RCMSAR).
He chose to support RCMSAR after learning about the volunteer-run service while preparing for the trip.
“Their annual budget is tiny, so I knew I could make a larger impact on them,” he said.
McCracken’s book is available at the Squamish Adventure Centre oron his website.
PHOTOS BY CONNOR MCCRACKEN
Left: Connor McCracken, Zoe Anderson, and Nyree Opre at Brunswick Lake, part of the Howe Sound Crest; Right: Nyree Opre prepping great at Islet View campsite looking South towards Anvil Island.
EAGLERESCUED BY FIREFIGHTERS FACES MONTHS OF REHAB
‘His tendons were exposed, and we had to suture him back together’ says raptor rehabilitator
JENNIFER THUNCHER jthuncher@squamishchief.com
You’ve likely heard theold trope of firefighters rescuing cats from trees—but that’s not Squamish’s style.
On Sunday, Nov. 23, Squamish Fire Rescue came to the aid of an eagle that was caught on a branch about 21 metres (70 feet) up a tree in Brackendale.
A concerned citizen had flagged down the on-call deputy fire chief, who proceeded to locate the raptor and then call in the fire department.
“Thanks to their skill, teamwork, and quick response, the eagle was safely rescued and is now on its way to the [OWL Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society] for the care it needs,” reads a Squamish Fire Rescue social media post about the incident.
“A huge thank you to our community for looking out for the eagles that migrate to Squamish in the winter and to our firefighters for always stepping up when it matters most.”
For its part,a spokesperson for OWL told The Squamish Chief that its staff are “so grateful” for the local firefighters who accomplished this rescue.
“We were just on the phone with local
Sunday, Nov. 23,
arborists when we heard the [firefighters] were already onsite,” said OWL’s Martina Versteeg, raptor care supervisor.
The bird arrived in OWL’s care yesterday with a large tear in his patagium—wing webbing, she added.
“His tendons were exposed, and we had to suture him back together The bird is receiving
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pain and swelling relief as well as antibiotics. Luckily, the bird did not suffer any broken bones, but the trauma is quitea lot,” she said “He will need a few months of our care before we can assess fora potential release. If and when he is better, we would love to involve the finder as well as the [firefighters] to be at the release.”
Brackendale is famous for its concentration of
“Theruleshave changedandsoshouldthestrategiesthatprotectandgrow businesses,”says Tyler Fichtner,CPA,CA,aninvestmentadvisor from Blueshore Financial—adivisionofBeemCreditUnion.“Formanyentrepreneurs,theirbusiness isboththeirlife’sworkandtheirlargestasset.If retirementorabusinesssaleis approaching,it’stimetostartthinkingabouthow to unlockthevalue they have builtin themosttax-efficientway.”
Falling ratesreducebusiness returns
According to findingsfromtheBankofCanada, overthepastfiveyears,Canadianinterest rates haveswungdramatically,frompandemic-eralowsof0.25%in2020 to apeakof5.0%in2023, beforeeasingback to 2.25% by late2025.Duringthe rate hikecycle,manybusinessowners parked excess corporatecashinGICsandhigh-interestsavingsaccounts,enjoying returnsof 4–5%insomecases.Butas ratesdeclineagain,those returnsareshrinking,oftenfallingbelow inflationanderodingpurchasingpower. Forabusinesswith$1millionincash, adropfrom5% to2.5%inGIC ratescouldmean alossof$25,000inannualinterestincome, asignificanthit to passiveearnings. Thisshiftis prompting arethinkofcashmanagementstrategiesandnew conversationsaboutdiversifyinginvestmentsources. Fichtnersays stockscan be agoodoption formanybutit comesdown to risk tolerance, goalsandtimelines.
As the province notes on its website, “Brackendale Eagles Park preserves critical habitat for wintering bald eagles During the winter months, large numbers of eagles congregate along the Squamish and Cheakamus Rivers to feed on salmon carcasses.
Forthoselooking to sell,talking to aninvestmentadvisorabouthowbest to structuresale proceedsandotherassetsis recommended, Fichtnersays.“Whenitcomes to gettingthe moneyoutof abusiness, we need to dothatinatax-efficientmanner.How best to dothat reallydependsonthe individualbusinessandthe owner’sgoals.”
And to be ready forthoseopportunities, forthosejuststartingtheir careersordreamingof owning abusinessoneday, itisnevertooearly to starteducating yourselfabout corporate finance,taxationandinvestmentoptions, Fichtnersays.Whathas workedhistorically still applies—investearlyandoftenover the long term to createopportunitieslater.
“A smallbusinesscanstartwithjust asmallamountand keep investingonanongoingbasis to getexperienceandbenefitfrom compound returns,”Fichtnersays.“Agoodstrategyand utilizinglong-termgrowth reallycanmakeahugedifference.It’sokay not to have allthe answers.That’swhat we areherefor.”
Forbusinessownerslooking to exitandnewentrepreneurslooking to enter,therightadvice canmakeaworldof difference.
To learnmoreaboutsmallbusinessinvestingstrategies,nomatterwhatstageof businessyouarein,visit beemcreditunion.ca/wealth/advisors
PHOTOS BY JAMES ILECIC
On
Squamish Fire Rescue came to the aid of an eagle that was caught on a
Brackendale.
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PHOTOS BY BRIAN AIKENS
EAGLE SEASON RETURNS: Our resident raptors are back for their winter season, feasting on local salmon, which sometimes leads to dramatic scraps between them
NEONNOSTALGIA: CHIEFTAIN HOTEL’S SIGN RECALLS B.C.’S BRIGHT PAST
As the Chieftain and Crash Hotel go up for sale, renewed attention is being paid to its vintage neon sign—a glowing relic that has lit up Cleveland Avenue since the late ‘50s
JENNIFER THUNCHER jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca
With the Chieftain and Crash Hotel up for sale, its iconic neon sign becomes more of interest.
The sign, as the real estate listing notes, has served as a landmark on Cleveland Avenue since 1958, when the hotel replaced the Newport Hotel, which burned down in 1956.
The sign came down in May of 2019 when the new owners restored it and added their name “Crash Hotel” to it.
The sign hada role of its own in the 2006 to 2008 ABC-TV series Men In Trees, seen in most episodes, which were set in the show’s fictional town of Elmo.
Whileneon signs are rarer now, they used to be all the rage.
The Squamish Chief caught up with John Atkin, a civic historian, author, andheritage consultant, to find out more not just about this local sign, but the story of the glowy neon signs in B.C.
What follows is an edited version of that conversation.
Q: Can you speak to what neon was at that time, say in the late 50s for our whole region, in terms of signs?
A: By the mid-1950s, it was the sign technology of the day, but it was also just embraced. Everybody loved it. And when you look at, well, even Squamish, you look at some of those historic photographs, you look down those street views, everybody’s got a big or smallneon sign It was the quality of light, because, if you think of streetlights back then, they were incandescent lights They don’t throwa humongous amount of light out on the street Neon, on the other hand, has that quite brilliant glow that is very specific to the tube So you geta very sharp definition, but then at the same time, you get the wash on the wall or on the sidewalk. It is one of the friendliest lights,I think. It really adds to the sense of the street.
By 1953 or 54, there was one sign for every 18 residents in Vancouver. So, you know, on a per capita basis, I think outside of Shanghai in China, Vancouver had more neon signs than anywhere else at one point.
Q: Most of us love the look of neon now, but it isn’t as popular. So, what turned it so that it wasn’t the thing?
A: Thisis the fun part of the American influence on urban planning One of the interesting things about, certainly the West Coast is that we never really developed those inner city core areas that werereally, really dilapidated, decrepit.
Because of many different factors, but one of the key things is we never builta freeway system here. So one of the key things was our neighbourhoods remained reasonably
vibrant. We were expanding out to build suburbs, but there wasn’t a huge flight away from the centre of cities Our downtowns actually remained very vibrant. In the states, on the other hand, they were intentionally building suburbs away from city centres and separating the uses You lived over here, you shopped over there, you worked over there. What that did to the downtowns in the states was hollowed them out. Anda big difference here in British Columbia, you rented your sign from theneon sign company.
In the states, you bought your sign. So, when a business left, they would leave the sign on the building because they didn’t need it. Thus, very quickly, neon in the states became equated with urban decay.
In Vancouver, we hada councillor who actually stood up in council and said, “We need to banneon because it causes prostitution and the litter problem.” So, by the 1970s, in Vancouver in particular, the 1974 Sign Bylaw was draconian. It was essentially eliminating signs that projected over the roof of buildings, signs that moved, and signs that blinked. And neon was restricted to incredibly small bits on the sign. So, wewent througha period of “Neon isevil.”
Sign companies, knowing where the profit is, neon then falls out of fashion.
So, for instance, the Chieftain, if that sign was in Vancouver, and let’s say it burned out, for instance, and then they wanted to repair it, they could repair it as it was. But if they made any changes to it, the city could probably have told them to take it down.
Q: How much care does aneon sign need?
A: Neon is actually one of the most energy-efficient light sources. A properly made neon sign, painted regularly and maintained, it’s good forever pretty much
If the Chieftain sign can stay and be maintained, it will be there forever.
Q: And signs were made right in Vancouver?
A: At one point, there were almost 12 neon sign companies in the region. Neon Products— which was bought by Jimmy Pattison in 1967—was the largest. They had their factory assembly near Pacific Central train station. The companies all had metal shops, glass shops, and everything else They would assemble the signs—many of them were in pieces The signs were quite modular. So they would assemble all that in the shop, take it apart, send it up on a truck, and then assemble it on the framework. Because you leased your sign, you also hada maintenance contract I’ve meta whole bunch of old guys whose summer jobs was being part of just three guys in a truck anda sign route. “OK, we’re going”—for the sake of argument—“to North Vancouver, then we’re drivinghere, then we’re going up to Squamish.” They were there to paint the sign, check any
of the tubes, that type of stuff. So the signs were always in good repair too.
Q: Then they almost all went away Are we seeing any resurgence of neon signs?
A: Chinatown in Vancouver, their sign
guidelines actually encourageneon There’s a well-known restaurant in Chinatown, the Ho-Ho Restaurant, which had an incredibly amazing sign of a rice bowl with a steam plume and chopsticks and everything.
As part of theheritage revitalizationof the building, the city has given permission for that sign to go back up So the sign becomes part of theheritage of the building
The City of Burnaby is doing some really cool stuff because up in the Heights neighbourhood on Hastings Street, we have the iconic girl on the swing sign. That was Helen’s Children’s Wear, and the sign had been up, I think, since 1948 or 1949. And when Helen closed the business, the business association up there said to the City of Burnaby, “We don’t want to lose that sign.” And so the city bought the sign, and they made a very small addition to it.
They changed Helen’s to Heights, and so it advertises the neighbourhood. Also, across the street, just last year—I was part of the team on the conservationof it—we put the Eagle Ford sign back up, this huge eagle that was on the street there from the 1940s onwards.
And so that then becomesa piece of public art as well.
PHOTO BY BRIAN AIKENS
The Chieftain sign in downtown Squamish
POET’S ‘REBELLION’ PENNED IN NEW BOOK
Laura Sharp’s ramblings emerge as poetry, not only rebelling againststructured norms, but in reclaiming feminine wisdom
INA PACE ipace@lodestarmedia.ca
“When it comes to poetry, no one else can say something the way I can.”
Laura Sharp said this to The Squamish Chief in an interview on Nov. 14, following the release of hernew book Steady As She Knows, which was launched in Squamish at Book Mountain the previous night.
Sharp did not say this to sound pompous, she is in fact far from it.
Rather, it seems, she has discovered her own way to expressherself and channelher creativity, in order to make such a positive and encouraging assertion. Her studious background is in psychology, andher life experience includes worldly travel, with a lot of self-realizations.
AN UNCONVENTIONAL JOURNEY
Sharp’s journey (and her writing) is unconventional; quite the middle finger to society’s imposed timelines and unofficial expectations, which can pressurize young people, especially women.
Originally from Scotland in the U.K., Sharp came to Canada around a decade ago, then again in 2021 as an expat, and worked in various customer service professions in the Sea to Sky. The pandemic piqued her creativity, and as with most things unprecedented at that time, she
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became an acclaimed poet.
Steady As She Knows is her second publication. It’s a personalized, inconsistent anthology of short verse and prose, one-liners, and seldom blank pages.
The Squamish Chief sat with Sharp for coffee downtown to find out more abouther journey, and the inspiration behind her work.
LESSONS IN MULTIPLE DIRECTIONS
Sharp may not be one to follow a streamlined narrative, but that doesn’t mean thematics aren’t relevant to her.
Her debut book Places You Catch Yourself–published last summer– revolves around the concept of looking for a place to call home in various locations and stages of life.
Steady As She Knows may just be her debut’s conclusion, or at least it’s a very aware narrative about significance in acceptingidentity, and settling in a place that “makes sense,” both as an expat turned permanent resident, and as a woman.
“We’re so conditioned to just constantly be pointing and pushing forward [but] the reality is lessons are everywhere,” Sharp said, reflecting on her life and travels in Canada, and back home.
“There were lessonsIneeded to learn in other places that I could not have learned here, and now I’m collecting the ones here too. Life’s on my side [in the Sea to Sky].”
LIVING FOR YOUR OWN HAPPINESS
Sharp discussed how she used to compare herself with others when she was younger; in terms of her career and finances, and how she lived according to society’s expectations (think– the pressure many women feel to speedily navigate linear journeys of marriage, babies and getting onto the property ladder with a partner).
“I was going on other people’s timelines for a
long time, andI knew it didn’t make me happy. I know it becauseI felt it andI wrote it
“There’s so much structure in life—those pages are my rebellion against it,” she said, referring to the book’s inconsistent, yet “inter-woven” subject and format, whilst assertingher uniqueness in how she livesher life; expressing herself as an individual with unique life experience, how quite literally– no one else can.
INSPIRATION AND EMPOWERMENT
Sharp’s fondness for like-mindedness and inspiration is evident. She refers to Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic (author of Eat, Pray, Love) in envisaging the capture of creative seeds– which may otherwise land on someone else– and consequently her hurry to put pen to paper or create a voice note at any given time, be that at 3 a.m. or whilst driving home, before that idea is forgotten.
Steady As She Knows, as the name suggests, reveals themes of female knowledge and empowerment.
“One big theme is the reclamation of feminine wisdom [and] intuition magic within ourselves,” Sharp said, citing Sinead O’Connor among women who inspireher; women like her who she said “held their backbone through the crux of madness.”
Some of Sharp’s verses, for example, describe self sufficiency and independence in “following men into dark forests,” and the impossibility of being alone “even when there’s no one around.” Sharp read aloud a poem to The Squamish Chief about the significance of living life in spite of potential setbacks and personal insecurities; to act in the present rather than treating life as a “waiting room” for everything to be perfect, or circumstances to be right.
WRITING AS THERAPY
Sharp described writing as a form of therapy, with poems emerging from it. Her “sacred” mornings being theoptimum time forher to journal, or offload “residue.”
“I’m often so surprised at what comes out,” she said.
“I used to get overwhelmed with all the things I was ‘meant’ to be doing. There’s so many self- care practices. [Writing] is the one that I’m excited to do first-thing.”
Besides writing poetry and performing recitals, Sharp currently facilitates breathwork therapy with Breathworks Studios. She is also a Journal Yin instructor (yoga combined with reflective journaling) and a massage therapist; practices which, she said, are all very complementary.
Steady As She Knows and Places You Catch Yourself are available to buy on Amazon.
Ina Pace is The Squamish Chief’s Local Journalism Initiative (LJI) reporter. This reporting was produced through the LJI, which supports original civic journalism across Canada.
PHOTO BY INA PACE/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF
Laura Sharp, with her new book“Steady As She Knows.”
SLRD UNVEILS NEW AGRICULTURAL EMERGENCY PLAN
A new suite of farm-focused checklists, relocation tools and emergencysteps will help producers prepare long before evacuation alerts arrive
region The AEP is an important piece of our emergency management framework.”
LUKE FAULKS Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) has adopteda region-wide Agriculture Emergency Plan (AEP), offering a coordinated framework for farmers and ranchers to prepare for and respond to wildfires, floods, landslides and other disasters.
Thenew plan includes dozens of resources designed for immediate use by producers, from a before/during/after emergency checklist, to a livestock relocation guide, to printable contact lists and “buddy farm” templates.
SLRD board chair Jen Ford said thenew plan arrives at a critical time as climate-driven disasters become more frequent and severe.
“As climate change continues to intensify the frequency and severity of natural disasters, it’s critical that our agricultural communities are equipped withthe tools and support they need to planand respond effectively,” Ford said in a release. “The Agriculture Emergency Plan is a vital step toward building resilience and ensuring the safety of both people and livestock, while protecting food security in the
The plan strengthens readiness in several core areas:
•A regional framework aligned with provincial emergency systems.
• A toolkit for the SLRD EOC, includinga task list for an Agriculture Emergency Coordinator.
•A set of public-facing materials for farmlevel preparedness.
During a recent board meeting, Area B director Vivian Birch-Jones asked staff about reaching the full breadth of operators in the region, including those who have not yet opted into the SLRD’s database or into the provincial Premises ID program.
“Now I’m looking at the 65 farms who volunteered information added to our contact list so far, [but] we have 117 farmingoperations,” Birch-Jones said.“Is that where we’re at? Is that where we’re just going to sit? Are we doing any more for outreach?”
Emergency program manager Mike Fusca said staffidentified 95 farms through public records andobtained voluntary information from 65 of them. Greater awareness of the new tools, he said, shouldhelp increase participation.
“Our hope is that as those public education materials become, you know,more widely known throughout the SLRD, [that] will help both us and the province identify more of these 117 that were identified by Stats Canada in 2021. The AEP was funded largely through a $214,000 grant from the Investment Agriculture Foundationof BC (IAF). The district spent just over $207,000 of the IAF grant to complete the project.
Broughttoyouby
SQUAMISH NATION DESIGNER AWARDEDBUSINESS OF THE YEAR
A Squamish Nation designer haswon a business of the year category at the Indigenous Business Awards
INA PACE
ipace@lodestarmedia.ca
Ajourney of learning and teachings, and taking matters into her own hands, brought designer Himikalas Pam Baker to where she is now.
Baker is now an acclaimed entrepreneur, bridging Indigenous culture and non-Indigenous economy.
The annual Indigenous Business Award program (IBA), created by the BC Achievement Foundation, and led by Indigenous worldviews, has supportedher in doing just that– in crowning her this year as a categorical winner.
The IBA itself, as the BC Achievement Foundation’s website suggests, is not only a recognition and voice of B.C.’s Indigenous entrepreneurship and innovation, it also creates opportunities for cultural learning, and aspirational story-telling.
The Squamish Chief spoke with Baker to learn abouther story and inspiration behind her nomination, as well as her ultimate victory of her haute couture, mixed with ready-to-wear, fashion line of over three decades.
A Touch of Culture was awarded Business of
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the Year one to two person enterprise on Nov. 5 in a ceremony and gala dinner at the Fairmont Hotel in Vancouver.
To be eligible for a Business of the Year award, the nominee must be “at least 51% Indigenousowned and operated,” the BC Achievement
Foundation’s website reads.
Baker is a member ofSḵwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation), and besides producing fashion shows, and designing their featured clothing, she also specializes in jewelry, and installation art. The BC Achievement Foundation’s website notes that she is inspired byher Coast Salish, Kwakiutl, and Tlingit heritage.
This year’s Vancouver’s Indigenous Fashion Week (VIFW), ran from Nov. 19 to Nov. 22, featured Baker’s designs. She showed two collections at this year’s show, including one that, she said, has a theme of “undersea kingdom.”
Baker is in fact a long-term featured designer at VIFW, and a part of its wisdom circle—a council of 12 Indigenous Elders who co-produce the show, and who, she said, also nominated her for her IBA this year.
“Of course, you’re happy to win an award [but] you’re not expecting awards, because you’re doing what you like,” Baker said, noting that she showed up to the IBA night wearingher own design.
Baker grew up on Capilano reserve in a family of renowned carvers and artists—on her mother’s side—and cites them as part of her inspiration.
“I was quite proud to see their work come out, andI just absolutely loved it When I went to my traditional potlatches on my mum’s side, I loved seeing the sequins, aprons, button blankets it’s always [been] very, very interesting to me,” she said.
Regardingherjourney into designing, she lived for some time in Indianapolis, Indiana with her husband where she started co-ordinating fashion shows and photo shoots, before returning to the Nation’s territories around 1986 She then became the youth drug and alcohol counsellor for Squamish Nation, as well as a basketball coach for young boys.
“My ultimate goal is to uplift and build self esteem and confidence in our young women, so I
decided to start co-ordinating and training them, [through] modeling and fashion shows. I could attempt to build strength and structure within individuals,” she said.
As Baker started to builda name in the industry by hiring designers, she was hired to work elsewhere in North America, namely Seattle and Colorado, as well as in B.C., though she found several designers would drop out of her shows at the last minute, leaving her without a showcase
“Ona whim, driving back from Chicago with my sister, we stopped at a Denny’s, and I said ‘Jeez, maybeI should start designing.’ And she goes, ‘Yeah, you like clothes’ and saidI [had] good ideas.
“I knew nothing about fashion design I couldn’t share the technicalities of what I was looking for, so I ended up going to Capilano University to get two years of textile arts. [I had] the vision, but not the means at the time to implement it.”
Baker then studied fashion as part of a condensed degree—four years into three—and opened a shop selling mostly sportswear, before moving into what she “really loved doing” high-end evening wear.
At the time of interview, Baker saidher IBA hasn’t yet changed much aboutA Touch of Culture, though she is currently working with a company in Seattle, waiting for the project to be finalized before she can reveal details.
As forher “words of wisdom” when coaching, Baker said to eliminate five words from your vocabulary to “set you up for success.”
These words are “try,” “can’t,” “but,” “hate,” “should,” and “like.”
“So many kids say ‘like’ 100 times a day,” she said airily.
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.
SUBMITTED PHOTO Himikalas Pam Baker.
PHOTO BY LIZ MCDONALD/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF
TOGETHER IS BETTER: Members of Squamish Men’s Shed gathered on Nov. 22 to display their work and highlight the impact community-building can have on older men Held at Westwinds Senior Living, to honour International Men’s Day (Nov 19), theevent offered a chance to share food, exchange knowledge, and show the broader community why the model works.
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ANNOUNCEMENT
OBITUARIES OBITUARIESOBITUARIES
OneFinal Gift
Scattermenot to restless winds, Nor toss my ashes to thesea. Remembernow thoseyears goneby Whenloving gifts Igave to thee.
Remembernow the happytimes The familyties we shared. Don’tleave my resting place unmarked As thoughyou never cared.
Deny menot one final gift
Forallwho come to see Asingle lasting proof that says Iloved...&you lovedme.
by DJ Kramer
by DJ Kramer
Vittoria Merlo (neeGuerra), age90, passedonNovember15,2025attheSeatoSky CommunityHospice,peacefullysurroundedby allherfamily.
Vittoria wasborninBavaria, NervesaDella Battaglia,Treviso,Italy on May29th,1935. Sheispredeceased by herfather, Umberto Guerra,andmotherAmelia(Pavan),andbrother, MarcoGuerra.
Afuneralservice was held on November22nd,2025, at 11 AM at Squamish Funeral Chapel. To write acondolencetothe family, pleasevisitwww.squamishfuneralchapel.com
ANNOUNCEMENT
OBITUARIES OBITUARIESOBITUARIES
NORMAN ROSS ROWNTREEBARR
February13,1932–October21,2025
With appreciationfor alife welllived,we announcethe peaceful passingofNorman Ross Rowntree Barr on October21,2025, at the ageof93.
Norm wasborn at Parkhurst, asmall sawmillontheshores of GreenLakeinWhistler, B.C.,wherehespent his earlychildhood at themill ownedand operated by hisfather anduncles.HeattendedGrade 1atMyrtle Philip’s one-roomschoolhouse onAltaLake.
In 1938,the Barr familymoved to Squamish,whereNormwould livethe rest ofhislife andleaveanenduringlegacythat helped shapeboththecommunityand theforest industryacrossBritish Columbia.
Norm waspredeceased byhis belovedwife of59years,DoreenBarr, and by his parents, RossandAlison Barr.Heissurvived by his sons John (Kathy)ofLund, B.C.,Allan (Teri) ofFurry Creek, B.C.,and ScottofSquamish,B.C.; hisgrandchildrenAmanda, Tricia, Kory,Christine,and Tyler;andhis nine great-grandchildren. He willalso be deeply missedbyhiscousin Glenn,who waslikeabrothertohim.
Norm wasapillaroftrust, fairness, andintegrity —aman whoseword washis bond andwhosereputationforhonesty extendedup and down the B.C. coast. As afounding partnerofCRB LoggingLtd ,he helped shapetheprovince’s forestindustryand was known as arespected leaderandemployerwho valuedhisemployees andtheirfamilies inboth good timesand bad. Hissuccess, generosity,and steadycharacter earneddeep loyaltyand respectthroughouttheindustry. This generosity andcharacter carried on after sellingCRBinto his retirement.
Beyond business,Norm gave freelyofhis time,talents,and equipmenttocountless communityprojects.Normwas alifelongcommunitybuilder.AsaSquamishalderman duringaperiodofmajor growth in the1960sand’70s, Norm,withhisfollowcouncillors, whereinstrumentalindevelopingmuchofthe town’s essentialinfrastructure—from waterand sewersystems to seniors’ housing, Centennial Fields, andtheBrennan Park LeisureCentreandmore.Histime,talent, and generosity were cornerstonesofthat era ofcivicprogress.
During retirement, Norm and Doreen cherishedtheir wintersinMaui, wherethey built asecondcircleoflifelong friends —manyofwhom overlapped withthosefrom Squamish.Whetherin Hawaiior at home, Norm’s generosity,humor,and genuine interest in people madehimunforgettable.Hehad agiftfor turningacquaintances into friendsand laughterintolastingmemories.Quick-witted and mischievous,he had awarmsense of humorandan easy wayofconnecting with others.Known for his playful spiritandlove of agood practical joke —atraithe came by honestly —Normleft behindcountlesssmilesand stories.
ACelebrationof Life will be held at 11:00am, Dec13,2025
At the Squamish Funeral Chapel,40440 Tantalus Road,Squamish,B.C.
Inlieuofflowers,donations maybemadetothe Squamish Hospital Foundation, a causeclose to Norm’s heart. To sign the bookofcondolences,pleasegoto squamishfuneralchapel.com
PROJECTMANAGER –Minimum10yearsexperiencepreferred.Civil Engineeringdegree or Civil Technologydiplomapreferred.Full Time,$90,000to$125,000peryeardepending on experienceandqualification.
Embrace yournatural spontaneitytobring your ideas to life.This week,you’ll feel astrongurgetogoout andconnect withfriends or volunteerfor charitable organizationsthatmake areal differenceinthe world.
TAURUS April20-May20
Your busy work schedule may leaveyou feelingdissatisfied withlife.However,ifyou stay patientand work hard,you canimpress yourbossby showing that you aretruly interested andexcited about yourwork.
GEMINI May21-June20
If you’reexperiencingburnout at work,it’scrucial to take time to rest and reflect on your future. By embracingamore spiritual approach,you may be able to regain balanceand fullyrechargeyourbatteries.
CANCER June21-July22
Balancingworkandfamily life canbeachallenge, but you knowhow to optimize yourtime.Bepreparedforthe unexpectedand be readyto adapttochangingsituationsas theyarise.
SUDOKU
SORRY!
Avidcrosswordfanslikely noticedthatour puzzlelast week wasalittle wonky. Ourapologies. Thanks to the folkswhowrote andcalledinaboutthis. It wassimplehumanerror. At least youknowwe aren’tAI! We hope you enjoythepuzzlethis week!
Nowisthe perfecttime to go on atripwithafew closefriends orfamilymembers.Start planningnow for aunique Christmascelebrationthat offerssomethingdifferent and excitingthatwilldelightthe wholefamilyandleavealasting impression.
VIRGO Aug.23-Sept.22
Don’tshyawayfromshowing yourvulnerabilities.Your friendsandfamilyare there to supportyou duringtough times.Don’t be afraid to expressyouremotions. Embracingchangecan bringgoodenergy andnew opportunitiesinto yourlife.
LIBRA Sept.23-Oct. 22
You’llcomeup withambitious projectideas.Thisinspiration willlead tosignificant changes at work.Yourpartner will be tenderly romanticthis week, whichwillstrengthen your relationship.
SCORPIO Oct. 23-Nov. 21
You’ll receivegoodnews aboutyourhealthorthatof a lovedone.Additionally, you’ll receiveanunexpected financial windfallthat will help boostyourfinances.
You’ll manage to strike the rightbalance betweenyour work andfamilylife.
SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22-Dec. 21
You’ll attract attentionthis weekandmightevenreceive an awardfor yourimpressive achievements.This recognition will fillyou withprideand boostyourself-esteem.
CAPRICORN Dec. 22-Jan.19
Astheholidaysapproach, paycloseattention to your dietandlimit youralcohol consumption. Additionally, be mindfulof potentialstomach issuesthat couldarisethis week.
AQUARIUS Jan.20-Feb.18
You’ll spend alotoftime drivingthis week,and your phone will be ringingnon-stop. This will make you feellike you’replayingtaxi. Yourfriends andfamilyare eagerfor you to attendupcomingparties.
PISCES Feb. 19-March20
You’llcomeup withfantastic ideasforholidaygifts.Still, it’s importanttoset abudgetto determinewhat you canafford. This strategy willhelp you avoid financial strainwhileallowing yourgenerositytoshine.
HOWTOPLAY: Fillinthegridsothat every row, every columnand every 3x3box contains thenumbers1through 9onlyonce. Each 3x3box isoutlinedwith adarker line. Youalreadyhave afew numbers to getyou started. Remember: youmust not repeatthenumbers1through 9in thesameline, columnor 3x3box.
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