Issuu

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MARINE CRASH REPORT

Transportation Safety Board of Canada makes determination on incident at WLNG

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MIND THE IMPACT Bailey Goldstone on recovery from head injuries

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026

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

‘WE ARE SORRY’: TA C K E D ’ O R ‘ I C O N ’ LO G O C O RDISTRICT P O R AT E / N O N - M A S T H E A D / S O C I A L M E D I A APOLOGIZES FOR SYSTEMIC RACISM AND LAND-USE IMPACTS

During a ceremony for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Mayor Armand Hurford apologized for District actions that impacted the well-being and rights of the E V E RSquamish S E D + CNation O L O U R PA L E T T E JENNIFER THUNCHER

jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca

ollowing a private apology on Sept. 19, the District of Squamish has publicly apologized to Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) for harmful colonial systems and policies. PHOTO BY INA PACE/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF

Mayor Armand Hurford, flanked by council members, gives the public apology to Squamish Nation people.

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2 | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026

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GAPS IN SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AND COMMUNICATION LED TO 2024 MARINE CRASH NEAR WOODFIBRE LNG: TSB Following a 2024 marine accident near Woodfibre LNG, companies have implemented new safety protocols, including restricting barge movements to daylight hours The absence of flotation increased the effects of coldwater shock and cold incapacitation, reducing his ability to stay afloat in the minutes following immersion.

JENNIFER THUNCHER

jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca

2024 crash between a tug, barge and workboat near a Woodfibre LNG floatel was the result of a lack of situational awareness and faulty communication, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has determined. In its release on Sept. 29, the TSB states that the Dec. 18, 2024 collision between tug Haisla Northwind, the barge BSG Lubricator, and the workboat Triton 1 happened as the tug was pushing the barge on a scheduled run carrying provisions to the floatel Isabelle X when the barge hit the workboat, which was idling on standby nearby. “The workboat capsized and sank, and its operator, who was the only person on board, entered the water before being rescued by a nearby vessel,” reads the TSB release. The workboat’s operator was treated for hypothermia. The TSB report states that the operator had removed his personal flotation device (PFD) before falling into the water to avoid becoming trapped in the wheelhouse. “The absence of flotation increased the effects of cold-water shock and cold incapacitation, reducing his ability to stay afloat in the minutes following immersion,” the TSB report states. The operator was given blankets and warm clothes on board the workboat Roe 5. He was later taken to the floatel—a vessel that houses workers of the Woodfibre LNG site and includes a medical centre—where a nurse treated him before he was transferred to a local hospital.

TSB REPORT PHOTO VIA TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD OF CANADA

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada says obstructed visibility and faulty radio communication were key factors in a December marine crash near the Woodfibre LNG site.

The TSB report also states that the prompt mayday call, the presence of nearby support vessels, and their immediate response directly contributed to the survival of the operator. Following the crash, there was minor pollution seen in the water, and spill containment booms were deployed as a precaution. No damage to Bridgemans’ tug, which contains a crane, or barge, which is equipped with large containers that have been modified to carry wastewater, was reported. The Triton Environmental Consultants Triton 1 boat was not salvaged. It sank to a depth of approximately 200 metres. The TSB is an independent agency created by the federal government in 1990 that investigates air, marine, pipeline and rail incidents. The

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board does not assign fault or determine civil or criminal liability.

CAUSES OF THE CRASH The TSB report states that at the time of the crash, the Haisla Northwind was pushing the BSG Lubricator, loaded with five containers. The tug and barge were approaching the floatel to moor at its ramp. The barge’s wastewater containers were empty, while the refrigerated container was full of supplies for the floatel. The TSB investigation found that neither the tug master nor the Triton 1 operator was aware of the risk of an imminant crash. The tug master’s forward visibility was blocked by structures on the tug and barge. The crash happened at 7:47 p.m.

The TSB report states that the sea was calm and the skies and visibility were clear. The moon had an illumination of 87 per cent. Bright lights from the construction site and nearby boats also reflected off the water, creating glare that made the Triton 1’s navigation light difficult to distinguish from other lights in the area, the investigation found. “The master did not expect another vessel to be in their path, and a visual lookout had not yet been established on the forward deck of the barge,” the release states. For his part, the Triton 1 operator hadn’t heard an arrival message on the marine radio and therefore did not expect a vessel to be approaching, the investigation revealed. “His attention was directed toward the floatel, away from the approaching tug and barge, and he expected the workboat’s navigation lights to WLNG: Continued on 3

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026 | 3

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APOLOGY: Continued from 1 The District, through Mayor Armand Hurford, also apologized for District actions that denied the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh residents their well-being, culture, economy, governance and full enjoyment of their rights and title. The acknowledgement and apology came during today’s ceremony at O’Siyam Pavilion to mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Members of council, wearing orange shirts, took to the stage for the apology. “The District of Squamish recognizes the racism and discrimination experienced by generations of Sḵwx̱wú7mesh people, the loss of Sḵwx̱wú7mesh language and culture, and the lack of respect shown for the sacredness of the lands and waters,” reads the apology. “We know that colonization negatively impacted the economic development of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh people. We are here to show respect, build trust and support the well-being of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh people. To all Sḵwx̱wú7mesh people: we are sorry. We are sorry for the harms that you, your families, your communities and WLNG: Continued from 2 make it visible to other vessels. A cellphone call shortly before the collision likely also diverted his attention from maintaining a lookout,” the TSB release states. The TSB report elaborates that the investigation could not determine if the master broadcast an arrival message to the floatel bridge. The investigation determined that neither the floatel bridge team nor other Roe Environmental Inc (Roe) subcontractor crews working on the water the night of the crash received any such messages from the Haisla Northwind over marine radio. The investigation found “gaps” in communication and management of safety information among the contractors and subcontractors involved in marine operations at the project site.

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your ancestors have experienced, and you continue to experience.” According to a District news release, the acknowledgement and apology were informed by the ongoing ta wanáxw sníchim (True Words) Project, which involves the District’s examination of municipal archival records, and oral history interviews led by the Nation to understand the past and ongoing harms that the District may have caused for Sḵwx̱wú7mesh locals. The research process and the outcomes are featured in the ta wanáxw sníchim report. An example of harms learned through research that are highlighted in the report include land use. “The interviews describe how access to their territory has been compromised over time due to formal and informal barriers such as policychanges to accessing certain areas or overcrowding in areas that were once sacred and private,” the report reads. “District records and oral history interviews show reserve-related land use issues. The interviews state that development next to reserves, including some with incompatible uses, compromised reserve safety “Hazards such as obstructed visibility and glare from shoreline lighting were known at the operational level but had not been formally assessed and mitigated,” the release states. “Localized work practices had also developed within individual operations without a shared understanding of how they could affect one another.” The TSB notes that following this incident, the organizations involved improved their related safety protocols. “These included strengthening lookout and communication procedures, installing additional vessel-tracking and visibility equipment, introducing new marine safety plans, restricting all barge movements to daylight hours, and improving coordination among vessels operating within the marine safety zone.”

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and access. Moreover, the records show that the District acquired land that was originally part of reserve, including sites that are culturally significant. And there was also evidence of barriers to Squamish Nation seeking additions to reserve.” Hurford thanked Nation members for sharing their experiences. “Reconciliation is grounded in truth and the formal apology is a significant step forward in our continued path with the Squamish Nation. We express deep gratitude to the Squamish Nation Elders and knowledge keepers who shared their stories, teachings and truth as part of this important work.” The formal acknowledgment and apology by the District of Squamish is one of the six “priority activities” of the District and Nation memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed on July 22, 2025. Sxwíxwtn Wilson Williams, chairperson for the Nation said the apology represents a significant step in the work the two governments have taken since the MOU. “Throughout this process, the District of Squamish has opened its heart and mind to our

Reconciliation is grounded in truth and the formal apology is a significant step forward in our continued path with the Squamish Nation. MAYOR ARMAND HURFORD people, and that openness has grounded this work in genuine respect and understanding,” Willson said in the release. The report states that the District plans to continue to review archival information, facilitate opportunities for oral history interviews with Sḵwx̱wú7mesh people, and to share what it learns with the wider community.

CORRECTION

lease note that the article ‘Squamish Library helps kids back to school, whilst continuing Indigenous programming,’ first published online Sept. 5 and printed Sept. 10, has been updated with corrections. The following quotes have been reattributed: • “They can help direct individuals and families with what they need, and what you know about where they’re at,” said library director Hilary Bloom. • This summer saw the library’s most successful summer reading club ever, according to community engagement

librarian Frankie Thomas (originally attributed to Bloom), with around 550 participants, and a total of 16 programs. • “We’ve got school visits coming up. We’ve got a display in the kids’ area. Some Kindergarten readiness, and emotional learning materials,” said Frankie Thomas. “Exhausted” has also been corrected to “exhaustive” to correct a transcription error regarding diversity of the library’s resources. The Squamish Chief apologizes for these errors.

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PROVINCIAL ELECTION: CENTREBC’S DAN WOOD PITCHES HIMSELF AS THE MIDDLE GROUND IN WEST VANCOUVER-SEA TO SKY Wood wants deadlines on regional transit, a staged opening for Squamish’s long-term care home, and DRIPA tweaked rather than repealed I have spent a decade working in housing and real estate, getting homes built for people, and you know this is an issue that is near and dear to my heart.

LIZ MCDONALD

emcdonald@lodestarmedia.ca

est Vancouver-Sea to Sky’s CentreBC candidate, Dan Wood, spoke with The Squamish Chief about where he stands on provincial issues facing the riding. He’s announced his candidacy for a representative in the legislature, with voters going to the polls Oct. 24. Wood has lived in West Vancouver since 2023 and has worked with BC Housing as a property agent. He’s pitched the party as a centrist alternative to the riding’s right-and-left options. “I don’t think we split the vote on the right or on the left … we are the vote, and the other parties are the ones that are actually splitting the vote,” he said. Here’s where he stands on housing, transportation, health care and Indigenous issues.

DAN WOOD

TRANSPORTATION

HEALTH CARE

Wood’s platform calls Highway 99 “a single point of failure” because when the road closes, everyone in the region can be affected.

lands a new job. Some of his platform ideas include workforce housing, publishing data on available public land and pushing for more prefabricated buildings.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CENTREBC

Dan Wood is running for CentreBC in the West Vancouver-Sea to Sky riding.

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He wants to see transit, highway safety and climate disasters all within the Ministry of Transportation’s capital plan, with deliverable dates attached. And he expects to deliver on a regional transit promise within a four-year term. Regional transit has been a focus for successive MLAs and regional and local governments. The furthest any of them have come is a recent memorandum of understanding, announced the same day the province called a snap election. “(The province announced it) as an election goodie or promise again, right? But it had no dollars, no operator and no date.” He sees effective regional transit as a way to drive livability and the economic engine of tourism within the Sea to Sky.

HOUSING “I have spent a decade working in housing and real estate, getting homes built for people, and you know this is an issue that is near and dear to my heart,” Wood said. His role with BC Housing includes identifying land parcels, running feasibility studies and negotiating leases and agreements. He believes his skills make him well-suited to focusing on housing needs within the Sea to Sky. “The partners that I work with are the non-profit societies and faith groups, the Indigenous communities, housing operators and, of course, other levels of government as well.” He also explained that his work with BC Housing is on pause while he runs his campaign, and that he would step down from his role if he

Wood’s priorities include pressing the province to start up the long-term care home in Squamish, using a modular model that would allow beds to open in stages. He also wants travelling specialists and virtual care to become a priority for the corridor, according to his platform. Wood says evidence-based, data-driven decision-making is at the heart of his party, and given population growth in Squamish and the corridor, he wants to use publicly reported data on population, wait times and family doctor attachment, measured year over year. “(That way we) can see how the improvements are taking place and whether the plans that are being instituted are actually working in practice.”

INDIGENOUS RELATIONS A focus for Wood is finishing the treaty process in the province instead of letting it play out in the courts. Meeting with nations for their input is another piece he stressed in the platform before finishing any policies that involve Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) and Líl̓wat Nations. “The nations are partners in housing, in land use and in transit, and any MLA that comes in has to be able to work with them in good faith. Our party ... does not support repealing the Declaration Act,” he said. He believes the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA) needs tweaking, as does the Interpretation Act, which guides how courts apply laws like DRIPA. He said this would ensure elected governments and nations make land decisions at a negotiation table, rather than through a lengthy, case-by-case court process. “Repealing is not going to resolve the issue by sending it all back to litigation,” he said. To learn more about his priorities, visit his website.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026 | 5

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HOWE SOUND CURLING CLUB SEEKS FRESH FUNDING IDEAS

After draining reserves to pay for new chiller, members worry future equipment failure could be catastrophic to the club golf club, which offered them a mutually beneficial deal. (The overlap of golfers and curlers is high, Green adds.) “The partnership we’ve got with them is the most important one we’ve got,” Green says. “Basically, they oversee operations.” Still, they’re hoping to forge financial partnerships to ensure the success of the club going forward. For now, Sport BC’s BC Amateur Sport Fund has helped them launch a facility repair project, which sets them up as a charitable project, meaning local businesses and residents can get a tax receipt for their support. (Find more information at: sportbc. com/bcamateursportfund. Go to “Donate” then “Find a project.” Then, click the dropdown for “Organization or Sport,” and choose “Howe Sound Curling Club.”) “We’re putting Band-Aids on some things and it would be nice to know we’ve got the PHOTO COURTESY OF HOWE SOUND CURLING CLUB

The Howe Sound Curling Club is turning to the Squamish community for innovative fundraising ideas after a major equipment failure nearly emptied its financial reserves.

ALYSSA NOEL

For The Squamish Chief

he Howe Sound Curling Club (HSCC) sits tucked away down Mamquam Road without even a sign to announce its location inside the Squamish Valley Golf Club. But the scrappy club is one of the town’s longest-running groups, and, in recent years, it’s grown its membership to 500 curlers, ranging in age from eight to 95. It remains the only curling club north of Vancouver to Lillooet. “It’s a unique activity and attractive to a lot of people who just want to get out and do something,” says Dan Green, board president of the not-for-profit. “This town has a ton of people in it now who didn’t come here to go mountain biking or climbing, so there are a lot of people who think this club and this sport is the greatest thing.” The club’s membership might be growing, but its infrastructure is also aging. Its hope: members and the wider community will come up with some outside-the-box ideas to help it thrive for decades to come. Last spring, it became clear that the club’s all-important chiller barrel heat exchanger— which helps to make and maintain ice—was failing beyond repair to the tune of $83,500. “It was a shock to everybody,” Green says, adding the equipment was just eight years old. “The previous one lasted 30 years.” The worry was twofold: with a 20-week lead time for replacement, the club was concerned the equipment wouldn’t be replaced in time for fall opening—and then there was the hefty bill. Luckily, their partner, Fraser Valley Refrigeration, was able to expedite the new

equipment and shave off five weeks, allowing the club to keep its Oct. 18 opening date. As for the money, the club was able to nearly drain its reserves to pay for it. “Now we’re deep in the hole on finances,” Green says. “We’re going to be looking for a totally different type of fundraising campaign—looking to members. We need a different type of partner for the future.” That’s not to say the club hasn’t appreciated and benefited from the business community’s support, but there are other impending expenses that could cause big problems too. The 1985 building needs a new roof and, more pressing, a back-up compressor. “The biggest, existential threat has been that we don’t have a second, back-up compressor,” Green says. “When we’re making ice, and just to keep it cool, we have this compressor going all the time. It’s quite normal for clubs to have two of these things going and they’re sharing the load or, if one goes down, the other one can kick in. We only have one and every year we’re thinking, ‘How do we come up with $140,000?’” The club first started in 1963 when a group of curlers got together and put $10 into a pot in order to register as a society. The District had recently acquired land from the Pacific Great Eastern Railway for recreation facilities use, according to club member and amateur historian, Eric Andersen. The land had been purchased from the Squamish Nation, and had formerly been part of Reserve No. 24. The building was constructed by the Howe Sound Curling Club, exactly where the new Alex Munro Fire Hall No.1 is today. After that facility burned down in 1982, the club moved over to its current location at the

The biggest, existential threat has been that we don’t have a second, backup compressor. DAN GREEN

future secured,” Green says. “I think it’s a matter of making our membership aware, making the community aware of what we are, and what we need for the future. I think there are a lot of really generous, smart people in town with great ideas. It’s a great challenge, but we’re looking forward to it.”

6 | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026

squamishchief.com

COUNCIL PRESSES STAFF ON LIMITED AUTHORITY OVER FORTISBC PIPELINE NOISE

Elected officials express frustration over jurisdictional limits on Finch Drive noise complaints, while voting to retrieve historical metrics on the project’s cumulative community impacts

JENNIFER THUNCHER

jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca

lected officials pressed District staff on their authority regarding noise complaints related to the pipeline associated with the Woodfibre LNG project. The answer is complicated. The topic came up as the council discussed the Q1 & Q2 -Woodfibre Liquefied Natural Gas and FortisBC Eagle Mountain Pipeline Projects Update report at the special business meeting on Sept. 29. This document was brought forward by Coun. Chris Pettingill for further discussion, from a meeting in July. The report, which covers project milestones in the first two quarters of the year, is now outdated. A new update is expected in November. Pettingill said he wanted to know from staff what the District did about noise complaints it received about Eagle Mountain Pipeline work along Finch Drive. Devon Guest, District manager of major projects-industrial, noted that the work along Finch is nearly complete. She said only minor backfilling and other restoration work were needed at the east end of Finch Drive. Previously, when the work was at its height, several nearby residents complained about project noise that would be outside Squamish regulations. Guest said that, contrary to what Pettingill had asserted, the jurisdiction is unclear on how to handle such noise complaints. “Our noise bylaw is not set up to deal with construction noise, especially when the noise … is being generated by a proponent that has received approval from other regulators,” she said. Responding to Pettingill’s questions around what District staff had done regarding the complaints, Guest said staff work in a “progressive enforcement” environment within the limitations of the existing noise bylaw. “It has been staff’s experience working with Fortis(BC) that they have engaged in progressive mitigation measures throughout the most impactful time,” Guest said. Coun. Andrew Hamilton asked about the project activity at 1044 Finch Drive. “It’s zoned as a rural residential,” he said. “The uses currently happening on that property, by Fortis(BC) … I don’t see how they coincide with rural residential use. So ... does the Fortis permitting process through other government agencies overwrite our zoning bylaws?”

Robyn Hay, District manager of current planning, responded that 1044 Finch is within the approved project corridor, so the company has authorization for pipeline activities outside the local bylaw. This contrasts with the laydown area in Valleycliffe, which is not within the approved project corridor and is subject to the District’s temporary use permit noise guidelines. Hamilton asked whether staff knew from the start of the project that they lacked municipal authority. Municipal staff learned the authority and jurisdiction of the approved project corridor when they reviewed FortisBC’s plans to use the 1044 Finch property for pipeline construction-related activities, Guest replied. Coun. Lauren Greenlaw asked whether the District was enforcing noise regulations in Valleycliffe. Guest said that staff receive monthly noise monitoring reports from FortisBC related to noise. “Upon review of those monthly reports by (a qualified environmental professional), the noise is not outside of the permittable volume. So, when there are complaints from residents, that doesn’t trigger any kind of response (from) the District.” Guest said that some of the complaints the District received about noise were from residents misidentifying noise that was actually coming from the protected corridor area near Ravens Plateau as coming from the laydown yard. As a reminder, in September of 2024, the District approved a temporary use permit for a FortisBC construction laydown yard, northeast of Valleycliffe neighbourhood along the Mamquam Forest Service Road. The yard is used for pipeline construction staging activities such as equipment and materials storage, fueling and parking. “Staff have received one noise complaint … directly attributed to the noise to the laydown yard. It has been reported and verified that the remaining noise complaints are attributed to the pipeline work specifically behind Ravens Plateau,” Guest later added. Of the three areas within District boundaries—Finch Drive, Ravens Plateau and the laydown yard, “the majority of noise complaints have resided outside of the laydown yard,” Guest said.

EAO NON-COMPLIANCE Coun. Jenna Stoner asked staff what the District penalties are for noise non-compliance when the Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) has noted it. The BC Compliance and Enforcement Agency issued FortisBC notices of non-compliance on

Sept. 22, for the Eagle Mountain–Woodfibre Gas Pipeline project due to construction noise and lack of notification of potentially affected residents along Ravens Plateau on June 23, 2026. An assessment found construction took place “outside the 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. construction window, within 1.5 kilometres of residences. The inspection also found that potentially affected residents were not notified in advance of the early-morning construction activity, and the project website had not been updated to include the updated construction schedule,” the EAO online publication reads. Guest said staff worked with FortisBC on a variety of escalating mitigation measures. “Which was staff’s best course of action given the lack of clarity and limited authority within our bylaw,” Guest said.

‘CHALLENGED BY OUR PERCEPTION’ As for future work on the pipeline, Guest said anecdotally that she expects some blasting will still be required coming down through Indian Arm. She said the next quarterly update in November will provide further clarity. Pettingill challenged whether staff were doing everything they could to support residents. “I am a bit challenged by my understanding of our noise bylaw was that it actually did have a significant amount of teeth if we received complaints,” he said. “The alternate regulator, the EAO, seemingly explicitly saying that the proponent was out of compliance, and so I am sort of challenged by our perception that … our hands are tied,” he said. “So maybe there’s some review of where we’ve been at for the next council. But, to the degree more work is happening, which could be causing disturbances, I think we should maybe think about being a little more proactive and addressing that…. I’ve seen some of the videos and the experience of the folks along Finch, and it’s pretty significant, and so I want to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to help support these residents.” Coun. John French said he went to check out the noise complaint issues on Finch Drive and found the situation complex. “One house was really impacted to the point of moving out. The house next door, no problem, no big deal,” he said. “So, it just, uh, really emphasizes how complicated noise is, and I don’t envy the work that you’ve had to do around noise because of that.”

APOLOGY Hamilton apologized to residents impacted by the noise. “I’d like to take this moment to apologize to

the community in Ravens Plateau and Finch Drive, I did not understand the power the regulator would have, or the proponent would have, over our zoning bylaws when operating within our urban boundary. … Had I understood that, I would certainly have worked much harder to reinforce our noise bylaws so that we had some other mechanism. I think the 11th hour of the budget discussion is not the moment to put forward a motion to update the noise bylaw, but that would certainly be high on my list of things for the next strategic plan.” Asked by Mayor Armand Hurford about lessons learned related to noise, Guest pointed to what other communities could do to prepare for major projects like Woodfibre LNG and the associated pipeline. “I’d also like to point towards a council’s direction and advocacy at UBCM on creating a funding stream for future municipalities to do a full environment landscape scan. This would certainly be an opportunity for other local governments to prepare themselves and paper their policies and procedures to strengthen their teeth,” she said.

MORE DATA REQUESTED Greenlaw also asked about any metadata around the project’s overall cumulative impact housing assessments. So she was looking for the number of workers from the project living or straying within the District. Guest said the council has seen all metrics from the Cumulative Impacts Committee, which the District observes, since the council passed a motion in March to review them. Previous reports do exist, she said, staff had sent the most recent report, assuming that is what the council wanted. Greenlaw said she would like more data. “I would appreciate the data going back as far as we have it. My main concern is that … there is a direct correlation between this industry and gender violence. And we have seen a 46.1 per cent increase in sexual assaults in the District … in 2025 over the previous four years,” she said. “Correlation is not causation, but my concern is that if we don’t collect the data of how many people are coming into the community, and if we aren’t keeping track of that, then we can’t show causation. So, not to say that it exists, but in order to show it, we would have to have that data.” Guest reiterated that the District is an observer at the committee and that the committee’s information is not public-facing. Greenlaw moved to have staff provide Council with any metrics from the Cumulative Housing Impact Assessment Committee, dating back as far as possible, to 2024. Stoner seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026 | 7

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WOODFIBRE LNG ADDRESSES FLARING AT OPEN HOUSE Sea to Sky community members gathered at the Executive Suites on Oct. 1 to learn about the facility’s potential air emissions and operations

PHOTO BY INA PACE/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF

There was a healthy turnout to the Woodfibre LNG open house on flaring on Oct. 1 at Executive Suites.

INA PACE/JENNIFER THUNCHER ipace@lodestarmedia.ca

ir emissions, flaring specifically, from the Woodfibre LNG (WLNG) facility is a literal hot topic. Woodfibre LNG is applying to the BC Energy Regulator (BCER) for a Waste Discharge Authorization (WDA) permit for air emissions from its export facility, including from flaring. The application process includes a public comment period that will open once the application is submitted. The plan is for the application to be submitted by the fourth quarter of this year. As an environmental regulator on the project, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) is involved during the permit development and will continue to be a regulator as it moves forward. Flaring was discussed at the WLNG open house on Oct. 1, held at the Executive Suites Hotel and Resort. Discussion points included why WLNG deems flaring necessary, how flaring supports the facility’s operation, and the pending commissioning process. At the time The Squamish Chief visited the open house, about 60 to 70 people were rotating along a circle of information boards. Woodfibre LNG representatives and data experts were stationed alongside the boards to address individual concerns and queries.

WHERE AND WHAT? At the facility, air emissions will be produced from flaring, the thermal oxidizer (which uses high heat to incinerate acid gas and other waste components), the heat medium furnace (which heats liquid distributed throughout the facility), the electric compressors, and LNG carriers and tugboats. Flaring, set to begin during WLNG’s commissioning (facility start up and testing phase) in

2027, is the controlled burning of a facility’s excess natural gas to maintain operational system pressure and safety conditions. When natural gas is flared, it burns with oxygen to produce mostly carbon dioxide and water; everything else is a “trace byproduct” of the combustion process, reads one of the boards at the open house. Flaring also releases less greenhouse emissions than would otherwise be released with venting, the company states.

For example, the high-pressure flare has a multi-nozzle flare tip that helps maintain strong gas-air mixing across different flow rates. This is designed to encourage more complete burning of gas, reducing the likelihood of black smoke, according to the company. Communities will be notified in advance when it is going to occur. From its modelling for the WDA application, Woodfibre LNG says it found that air pollution levels in nearby communities are expected to remain below B.C.’s Air Quality Objectives. Under the permit, Woodfibre LNG must continue monitoring air quality both at the facility and in the surrounding area. Data will be made available via the BC Ministry of Environment and Parks website. WLNG staff repeatedly said at the open house that WLNG’s goal was to minimize flaring, and gas would be recycled as much as possible.

HOW WILL THE FLARING LOOK, SOUND, AND SMELL FOR RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES? The company said that nearby residents are already exposed to more emissions from everyday local sources, like vehicles and home heating, than they would be from the flaring at the WLNG facility.

As for noise during flaring, the largest increase would be at Britannia Beach by six decibels, the equivalent to “the low hum of a fridge compressor.” Flaring will cause a 2.5 dB increase in noise in Squamish and Stá7mes. The flare stack will have a small—likely not noticeable from a distance—constant pilot flame. Flames during flaring events are expected to be up to 60 metres (200 feet), or up to 90 metres (300 feet) in the rare event of an emergency. For light, the flame would be most visible from Britannia Beach at 5.4 lux (a typical street light is 10-15 lux). In Squamish, the flame during flaring could be visible at 3.4 lux and 1.3 lux in Furry Creek. There is permanent aviation lighting for the 134-metre flare stack, as required by Transport Canada. Odours from flaring (similar to those of a car exhaust) are not anticipated in residential communities, only closer to the facility.

WHAT ABOUT WILDLIFE? WLNG acknowledges flaring involves periods of visible flame, light, noise and heat “which FLARING: Continued on 9

WHEN WILL THERE BE FLARING? Flaring will be most prevalent during the six to eight months of commissioning, occurring several days a week during that period. After the first cargo, during the stabilizing of operations, lasting about two years, flaring will decrease. By three years after commissioning, flaring will become much less frequent—less than once a month. According to the company, pollution from flaring will involve the release of small amounts of combustion byproducts like nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, and soot. There will also be a slight increase in light and noise. Affected areas will be Darrell Bay, Stá7mes, Squamish, Furry Creek, and Britannia Beach. Flaring is one of the more controversial aspects of the LNG project, with many locals concerned about its impact. One concern is black smoke. This happens when there is a higher amount of particulate matter released, and is a result of incomplete combustion. During unplanned flaring, black smoke is regulated to only be allowed for 15 minutes within a two-hour period. Beyond that it is considered non-compliance. The company says while black smoke can’t be avoided completely, the frequency is being reduced as much as possible by the flare’s design.

Re-Elect John French for Squamish Council Experience - Integrity - Commitment

JohnFrench.ca

Authorized by Maria Mader, Financial Agent, 604-892-4144

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View online:

Voting Opportunities General Voting Day

General Voting Day for the General Local Election will be open to qualified electors of the District of Squamish on:

Saturday October 17, 2026, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. BRENNAN PARK RECREATION CENTRE, 1009 CENTENNIAL WAY, SQUAMISH, BRITISH COLUMBIA

Candidates

Elector Registration

An election by voting is to be held to elect one Mayor, six Councillors, and two School Trustees, and the following persons are candidates for each office. The names are listed in the same order as they will appear on the ballot:

If you are not on the list of electors, you may register at the time of voting by producing two separate pieces of identification (one must have a signature) to prove both identity and residency, and by making a solemn declaration that you:

Office of Mayor One (1) to be elected

Juristiction

Jenna Stoner

Squamish

Daniel Deal

Squamish

Sean Easton

Squamish

• Are a Canadian citizen (no landed immigrants, permanent residents or corporations); and • Are age 18 or older at the time of voting; and • Not otherwise disqualified by law from voting in an election; and • Have lived in BC for at least 6 months immediately preceeding registering to vote; and

Office of Councillor Six (6) to be elected

• Are a resident of the District of Squamish at the time of registration; OR

A. John Lowe

Squamish

John French

Squamish

Laura Prosko

Squamish

• Have been the registered owner of real property (Non-Resident Property Elector) in the District of Squamish for at least 30 days immediately preceding registering to vote.

Thursday, October 8, 2026 12–8 p.m.

Luc Perreault

Squamish

Chris Ryan

Squamish

TOTEM HALL, 1380 STAWAMUS ROAD Saturday, October 10, 2026 8 a.m.–8 p.m.

Shaun Veltkamp

Squamish

Chris Pettingill

Squamish

Ian Brown

Squamish

BRENNAN PARK RECREATION CENTRE, 1009 CENTENNIAL WAY Thursday, October 15, 2026 12–8 p.m.

Sean Goodwin

Squamish

Eric Andersen

Squamish

Kieran Brownie

Squamish

Andrew Hamilton

Squamish

Anders Ourom

Squamish

Sarah Ellis

Squamish

Janice DesJardins

Squamish

Notice of Advance Voting Opportunities THE 55 ACTIVITY CENTRE, 1201 VILLAGE GREEN WAY Wednesday, October 7, 2026 8 a.m.–8 p.m.

Special Voting Opportunities

Three Special Voting opportunities will be conducted on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, for qualified electors who are patients or staff at the following locations at the time of voting: 1. Squamish General Hospital, 38140 Behrner Drive 9:30–11 a.m.

Office of School Trustee Two (2) to be elected

2. Hilltop House, 38146 Behrner Drive 11:15 a.m.–12:45 p.m.

Leanne Roderick

Squamish

Robyn Walters

Squamish

April Lowe

Squamish

Lisa Turpin

Squamish

Dalia Shehata

Squamish

3. Shannons Falls Retirement Residence, 38225 Third Avenue 2:30–4 p.m.

Non-Resident Property Electors wishing to register on Voting Day are required to provide: • Two pieces of identification (one must have your signature); and • Proof of ownership of the property (ie. Recent copy of the Land Title Search Certificate available from the Government Agent or agencies with BC Online or the Certificate of indefeasible Title); and • Written consent from the majority of all of the owners, if there are multiple owners of the property, stating that you are the owner who is designated as the Non-Resident Property Elector for that property. * To register as a non-resident property elector phone the Election Office for further information about documents required. Note: 1. The owner and multiple owners must not be holding the property in trust for a corporation or another trust. There is no corporate vote. 2. Non-Resident Property Electors may only vote once in Squamish regardless of the number of properties they own. 3. District of Squamish Tax notices may not show all owners of property. Documentation from the Land Titles Office is required.

For More Information: Visit Squamish.ca, email election@squamish.ca, or contact the Squamish Election Office, Municipal Hall

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026 | 9

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THE SQUAMISH PUBLIC LIBRARY WANTS TO ‘BOOK IT’ WITH AN E-CARGO VAN Request for van for outreach part of budget request presented to council JENNIFER THUNCHER

jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca

urrently, Squamish Public Library staff use their personal vehicles to service library needs outside of the main downtown Squamish branch. They would like the library to have its own e-cargo van to take on those increasing tasks. The library’s Hilary Bloom, director of library services, presented to council during its special business meeting on Sept. 29, making a $100,000 capital request for the van to be added to the upcoming District budget. The library has no vehicles of its own. The funding would include the vehicle, retrofitting of the interior, a wrap on exterior, and EV charging infrastructure. An example of trips that the vehicle would make is to the new holds pick-up locker at Brennan Park Recreation Centre. Library staff currently service the locker three times a week. “In addition to servicing the Brennan Park … holds locker and return bin, this vehicle would be instrumental in expanding our abilities to do

FLARING: Continued from 7 could be noticeable to wildlife in the surrounding area.” Birds, bats, fish, bears, deer and other terrestrial mammals and marine mammals will be subject to these impacts. Woodfibre LNG says its goal is to schedule flaring where possible for the times expected to have the least impact on wildlife. It will also make regular site inspections for injured or deceased animals, evaluate marine mammal observations and noise effects and record bat and bird interactions with the flare stack. The monitoring results will be used to adapt plans.

‘VERY LITTLE TRUST’ My Sea to Sky executive director Tracey Saxby, who was at the open house, shared her sentiments regarding the extension of the facility’s commissioning period. “Woodfibre has not been truthful or forthcoming with how much the facility will be flaring,” she said. “This project was approved on a false premise, misinformation, and gross underestimations of how much the facility would be polluting nearby communities.” WLNG had proposed in 2015 that the start up and commissioning period would last three to four weeks, and last up to three or four days at any one time during that month, according to the Planned and Emergency Flaring supplemental report. The 2015 report also said flaring would occur at the plant during emergency shutdowns as well as during “operational controlled situations.” WLNG’s director of communications, Sean

FILE PHOTO BY BHAGYASHREE CHATTERJEE/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF

Squamish Public Library is seeking $100,000 from the District budget to purchase an e-cargo van for community outreach and mobile services.

outreach programs and pop-up library services to our vast service area,” Bloom said. “This vehicle is a key component of our priority to increase services to underserved populations.” In June, Bloom was before council presenting a report and plan for the library’s future that includes a phased model of expanding the library’s services through additional locations, as well as mobile outreach.

Beardow, said the company was being forthright. “We’re being very forthright about the fact that during the commissioning phase there’s going to be more flaring. It’s going to happen for longer. It’s going to happen more frequently,” said Beardow. Saxby also said that she has “very little trust” that the BC Energy Regulator (BCER) will protect public health, citing the impact of the LNG Canada facility in Kitimat, and the granting of the amended waste discharge permit to FortisBC for the Eagle Mountain-Woodfibre Gas Pipeline Project at Átl’ḵa7tsem (Howe Sound), allowing the company to release more effluent into the water. Saxby’s concerns related to emissions potentially surpassing a compliance threshold, and that BCER will take steps to mitigate the situation rather than shut down the facility entirely. If, for example, the emission of black smoke exceeds 15 minutes within two hours. “There is no example of them forcing the industry to shut down when they exceed their permits, even if they are causing harm to nearby communities,” Saxby said of BCER. Beardow said the company expected concerned questions from attendees at the open house. “I find it really encouraging, the number of people who have come out tonight. Some people have some strong feelings, and that’s fine. We’re here to answer those questions and be transparent with folks,” he said. 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.

“The Brennan Park service and the e-cargo van are the first steps in moving this 25-year plan forward, and we are keen to continue to work with the municipality to identify future opportunities for establishing a library presence in multiple areas throughout our spread-out community,” Bloom said. She later referenced plans for Britannia Beach as an example of future library services. “We are glad that our current facility is well used and well loved, but it is essential that we offset some of the pressure on our single downtown building.” The size of the vehicle was requested to give the library flexibility in its uses. “The idea of the cargo van is that it can be outfitted to potentially serve as a bit of a bookmobile at some point,” Bloom added. “We would likely put an awning on the side, so we could have it as a bit of a pop-up library.” In terms of charging the requested electric vehicle, Bloom noted there is charging infrastructure, already in place that feeds into the library building, that serves the District vehicles in the municipal hall parking lot that would be adapted. “And there’s space there for us to be able to charge the vehicle,” Bloom said. A second capital request was $20,000 for

laptops for library board members “to ensure compliance with District records management and IT security requirements.” “In collaboration with the District’s director of information technology, we’ve determined that continued reliance on personal devices, external email accounts, and third-party solutions present a significant enough risk to require this change,” Bloom said. There are nine library board members who meet frequently, she added. The third request was for a $4,500 increase to the library’s software budget. The current budget for this is $15,500. The request was to increase to $20,000. “This budget funds various essential software services, including our digital history collection, our public printing, photocopying and scanning solution, our website maintenance, our public PCs, laptops and tablets,” Bloom said. “This increases to keep pace with increasing software costs.” Ultimately, the presentation was part of council’s early budget workshopping and so the only task before elected officials was to receive the report, which they unanimously did. The requests were set to be back before council on Tuesday, after press deadline.

10 | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026

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SQUAMISH SAR USES A DRONE MEGAPHONE TO CHECK ON A CLIMBER AFTER A SNAGGED ROPE EMERGENCY Squamish SAR uses a drone megaphone to check on a climber after a snagged rope emergency JENNIFER THUNCHER

jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca

t was a high-tech Squamish Search and Rescue mission. It started on the night of Sept. 27 when an experienced rock climber, who was prepared to spend the night on the rockface of the Stawamus Chief, got his rope snagged. Early Monday, Sept. 28, two of the man’s well-equipped and experienced friends were in touch with SAR, but said they wanted to attempt to go retrieve their friend, according to SAR’s Forrest Rynearson. “But in the early hours of (Sept. 28) morning, they called and said that it wasn’t safe for them to continue, so we were really happy with that decision-making,” Rynearson said. Members of the SAR drone team set out from St’a7mes School and quickly made visual contact with the climber. Rather than sending volunteers up the Stawamus Chief, they used the drone’s megaphone loudspeaker feature to communicate with him. “We got the drone close to him, and then we

PHOTOS BY PAT BELL

SAR used its relatively new drone technology to help a stuck climber on Sept. 28.

started communicating messages. Things like, ‘Give us a thumbs-up if you’re uninjured,’ and ‘Raise both arms if you are in distress and require a rescue.’ And so basically, we were speaking to him, and he was using hand signals to communicate,” Rynearson said.

The fellow said he was OK and attempting to self-rescue, but wasn’t sure he could be successful so the SAR team offered to do an hourly check-in on the climber. “We could, if needed, deploy a team right away,” Rynearson said.

“But what fortunately happened was he got his rope unstuck, and two of his friends simultaneously were climbing up,” he said. “And then we were able to confirm that he was, SAR: Continued on 11

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026 | 11

squamishchief.com

SAR: Continued from 10 in fact, OK, and they were confident that they could make it to the ground, which was when our team landed the drone and stood down.” This climber rescue was successful in good part because of the actions of the subjects, he noted. “I would say that both our subject and the friends did absolutely everything right,” he said. “They communicated early. They kept us informed with their plans. They tried to conduct a self-rescue, and when they determined that it wasn’t going to work, they backed out last night and then made another attempt at it in a different way this morning. So really, like, we couldn’t have asked for more prepared and just really good decision-making from the group.” Rynearson said this was a good use case for SAR “because it’s great for information gathering.” “It’s just another tool in the toolbox. We’re definitely not expecting to be going full-time drone rescue anytime soon,” he said. SAR’s drone program has been operating for about 18 months. “We’ve really had a lot of success building it out, and we have great members on our drone team,” he said. As one of the busiest SAR teams, the drone can help manage volunteers effectively. “It can help reduce the risk of our operations if we’re able to get eyes on and actually communicate with people remotely rather than putting people into potentially hazardous terrain. And then another benefit is that it’s been a very busy

season for us, and it’s a way that we can just have a couple of people monitor and in this case actually be able to help resolve a SAR call without having to deploy the rest of our team. We’re always conscious of how much workload we’re putting on our volunteers,” he said. This task involved two drone members and Rynearson as the SAR manager. Without the drone, the task would have likely involved at least eight to 10 rescuers, he said. “A drone is not going to be the tool for every call,” Rynearson stressed. “It’s really hypothetical here, but let’s say there were three different calls, and maybe one or two of them were pretty close by to where we were operating. Potentially, we could get the drone out, and even we could start triaging which call we would go to first, let’s say by gathering imagery or video or being able to communicate with people. That could be a useful case if we have limited people and multiple simultaneous calls,” he said. It is important for locals and visitors to Squamish to be aware of the drone work of SAR and to be mindful of it. In other words, be aware there could be SAR drones working and not interfere with that, but also understand that they are trained professionals. “We have Transport Canada and provincial approvals to do this. It’s very organized, and it’s not just simply taking off a little drone and getting some footage,” he said. “People being aware that rescue drone activity could be occurring. So just keeping an eye out for that.”

Jeremy Valeriote

West Vancouver - Sea to Sky Jeremy’s Priorities: A Life You Can Afford

We’ll pass rent control between tenancies and fund affordable workforce housing so the people who keep our communities running can thrive.

Care You Can Count On

We’ll open more Community Health Centres, build the new Squamish Hospital, expand long term care, invest in mental health, restart $10/day childcare, and provide supports to age in place in Whistler and Pemberton.

A Corridor That Works For You

We will secure public transit along Highway 99 corridor. I’ll continue to speak loudly for road safety, more enforcement for reckless driving, better communication for highway closures and end fuel price gouging.

Our Home, Not Their Pipeline

This is our home, not a shortcut for pipelines. We will stand up against Woodfibre LNG expansion, the proposed crude oil pipeline route through the corridor, and protect jobs that depend on a healthy environment.

/jervaleriote @jervaleriote @jervaler.bsky.social info@bcgreens.ca (1-888-473-3686)

bcgreens.ca Learn more!

PHOTO BRIAN AIKENS

COLOURFUL FALL: Amanita muscaria (red toadstool) in all its orange fall glory.

Authorized by Farrukh Chishtie, financial agent, 1-888-473-3686

12 | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026

squamishchief.com THE SQUAMISH CHIEF NEWSPAPER, PRINTED EVERY THURSDAY BY LODESTAR MEDIA 38113 Second Avenue Box 3500, Squamish BC, V8B 0B6

CONTACT US PRINTED EVERY THURSDAY BY LODESTAR MEDIA T: 604-892-9161 news@squamishchief.com ads@ squamishchief.com classifieds@squamishchief.com subs@squamishchief.com production@squamishchief.com obituaries: ads@squamishchief.com EDITOR JENNIFER THUNCHER jthuncher@ lodestarmedia.ca follow @thuncher REPORTER LIZ MCDONALD emcdonald@ lodestarmedia.ca REPORTER INA PACE ipace@ lodestarmedia.ca SALES MANAGER CATHIE GREENLEES cgreenlees@ squamishchief.com MULTI- MEDIA SALES REPRESENTATIVE KIM BOATMAN kboatman@ squamishchief.com CIRCULATION MANAGER DENISE CONWAY dconway@ squamishchief.com PUBLISHER SARAH STROTHER sstrother@lodestarmedia.ca The Squamish Chief is a member of the National Newsmedia Council, which is an independent organization established to deal with acceptable journalistic practices and ethical behaviour. If you have concerns about editorial content, please contact Editor Jennifer Thuncher at jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca. If you are not satisfied with the response and wish to file a formal complaint, visit the web site at mediacouncil.ca or call toll-free 1-844-877-1163 for additional information. Reproduction of any material contained in this publication is expressly forbidden without the prior written consent of the publisher.

EDITORIAL

CANDIDATE ‘SEXTING’

any candidate assertions during election campaigns are sexy and big picture, which, like sexting, can sound exciting. But the actual job on council is decidedly unsexy and detailed, more like a text saying to pick up the dog from the vet and an itch prescription from Shoppers. A perfect example of the actual pants-on work of council is the ongoing budget workshopping at the special business meeting on Sept. 29. That entailed council sitting in the windowless chamber for hours on end, going line-by-line over 51 pages of the general fund operating and special operating projects budget, with numbers spinning above the room like helicopter blades. Council considered what to approve, remove or adjust from the draft. This workshop was just one task on the meeting’s agenda. When candidates—incumbent and new—discuss reducing property taxes, what specific items on that budget are they referring to? Watching budget deliberations, it is clear many items are critical or already committed to. Others would be painful to cut. One of the biggest ticket items is protective services—so police, fire and emergency services— set to cost $21 million for 2027. Any candidates raising their hands to cut there? At the same meeting, the Squamish Public Library asked council to add $100,000 to its (capital) budget for an e-cargo van so it can expand its vital service throughout Squamish. Any candidate willing to say no to increasing literacy? Or will candidates forgo future funding for fuel management work—like at Merrill Park—to prevent wildfires, which seemingly must still be added to Squamish’s budget because provincial grant funding has been cut? This is not to say there aren’t budget items that raise eyebrows at the District. Do we need two more bylaw officers, or more custodian hours at the now-larger public works yard? Or beaver management for $44,000 (this is real, not sexting). Maybe, maybe not, but cutting those items wouldn’t be enough to move the dial much on property taxes anyway. Most residents likely feel District wages are too high. OK, but those are from union agreements that can’t be broken. For 2027, recent contract negotiations added about $1.2 million to the budget. Council made some tough choices on Sept. 29, such as not replacing funding for work currently paid for by a decreasing federal grant and by SEXTING: Continued on 13

HIGH FIVE A REPORTER TODAY EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK

JENNIFER THUNCHER

here haven’t been any newsroom tears yet this election cycle, surprisingly. With duelling local and provincial elections, things are stressful right now not just for candidates, but also for journalists. As I write this, it is Saturday morning and I am at Sp’akw’us Feather Park. Writing here is my break from writing about this week’s council meeting from home. Both of my fellow reporters have already logged on and messaged me about their assignments. They are such dedicated journalists. Squamish is a busy place to be a reporter at any time of the year. Compared with other places I’ve worked, Squamish folks are quite intense about their news. This is mostly because we have huge issues to deal with. Since 2014, I’ve been covering the LNG project. There are strong—to say the least—feelings. This leads to angry feedback any time we write anything about it. We expect it now. Election campaigns add another layer of intensity. These stories matter to democracy. This means we dedicate considerable coverage to each election. We did an election reader survey this year (shout out to reporter Liz McDonald, who spearheaded that). We always write profiles, create candidate videos and questionnaires, and cover the all-candidates debates. We stress over every story because we know they

matter. The candidates are clearly stressed and we feel that too when they want an extension on their deadlines (that’s always a no), or to change a meeting time, or they just want more information about our coverage. This is all part of the role we play. What I have learned from past elections is that where mistakes happen is when we take on far more than we can handle. This election cycle, to prevent the tears, I have tried to be more deliberate in what stories we cover. I apologize to those folks who wanted a non-election story and didn’t get it. I hear you, I see you, and my whole body feels you. I feel guilty about it but a far worse feeling is getting a call that a story wasn’t good enough or had errors. Oct. 4 to 10 is National Newspaper Week. There are so many towns in this province right now that don’t have a newspaper online or in print. Local businesses did not support them to the point they could continue, so they are gone. That is not impossible to imagine in Squamish— we’ve been close over the years. We may not be perfect, and trust me that I know this, but I say it with my full chest that it matters that Squamish has our small, but mighty team with no agenda other than to tell your stories. You have journalists who produce carefully crafted stories by the dozen every single week, election or not. You have journalists who stand on their ethics, say things that get them angry feedback, but who are willing to say it nonetheless. You have journalists who sit through hours and hours of meetings so that you don’t have to. NOTEBOOK: Continued on 13

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026 | 13

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Ha7lh skwálwen cht kwis emút cht iy sts’its’áp’ cht iy kw’shétsut cht na7 tkwa temíxw tl’a Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw

JOIN US ONLINE

(We have good feelings that we live, we work and we play on the lands of the Squamish Nation) NOTEBOOK: Continued from 12 And the secret of it all is that none of us at The Squamish Chief would want to do anything else.

Reporting in this town is truly the best job there is, the vast majority of the time. What I’ve said here could be echoed by any editor of any newspaper that remains in B.C.

As you read the news for free this next week, perhaps give a second thought to the work, care and thought, and maybe tears, that went into it. Happy newspaper week.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK Will you vote at the local government election advance polls? Have your say at squamishchief.com

SEXTING: Continued from 12 Woodfibre LNG and FortisBC funding agreements. That funding is set to end in 2027. This likely saves a few hundred thousand dollars on the budget. Staff noted that the funding for capacity has helped the District’s engineering,

environmental services, and building departments manage development. Should this extra capacity ultimately be cut as the budget process continues, it sounds like that will lead to less efficiency at muni hall. Oh, goody. These aren’t easy decisions to make, and every one may directly impact

residents. Does this mean council should throw hard-earned tax dollars at every problem? No. But let’s be clear: big statements by candidates aren’t always easy for fully clothed elected officials to translate into action in a windowless room on a Tuesday afternoon.

Editor’s note: This letter was sent to council and copied to The Squamish Chief, the premier, Sea to Sky MLA and MP. There are a number of issues caused by imposed housing growth that I feel are important for the general public to be openly informed about and openly discussed. Certainly a concern of Squamish residents and taxpayers is how the mayor, council and planning have dealt with parking variances over their last 10-plus years. Please give us a detailed and public report of parking variance transactions over the last 10 years, including: date, developer, project name, planner, total parking spaces assigned, total cost ($35,000 to $50,000 per space, according to a Google search), parking space variance granted, the reason for variance given, the amount of the shortfall, what is the benefit given to the community by the developer for this variance both in dollar value and otherwise, what is the 10 year total value of parking variance given, Further, with the mayor, council and staff’s accumulated actions over the past years that we—community citizens—are victimized by a shortage of parking spaces. Development construction workers are taking over parking in and around their project sites. Given this, there should be an immediate prohibition of any development workers parking on any public streets. The developers/contractors can arrange a suitable shuttle for their workers. As parking variance affects all of

us—the community—I would like to see decisions on parking variances involve a citizen advisory committee that has meaningful input into every parking variance decision. And that if parking variances are given, that the developer is required to give back to the community. Squamish is a very active community. Therefore, funding for civic infrastructure like roads, water, parks, and libraries are important, especially when all of these are facing ever increasing pressure from the imposed housing increase. Even before this imposed housing increase, we were faced with a shortfall of vital recreation amenities. Roads throughout our community are in need of repair. I think there needs to be an open and frank community discussion about the current amenity cost charges (ACCs). It’s important that community user groups are actively included and that the provincial government be at the table with more funding, since their imposed housing is a factor in the increased need. On another note, I understand the provincial government has imposed that 1,400 housing units be completed in Squamish over four years. This growth will further add to the “bedroom community” aspect, meaning more people commuting to Whistler, to Vancouver and to the Lower Mainland. As this is a provincial government edict, the provincial government should immediately undertake a detailed and all inclusive audit of those who commute from and to Squamish: • Where they live in Squamish

What aspects of a person’s personal life do you care about? (Top 3) NOTHING ALL OF IT (WORK, LEGAL, RELATIONSHIPS STATUS, ETC) WORK HISTORY

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR DISCUSSION NEEDED

LAST WEEK’S QUESTION

• What specific areas they commute to (Whistler, the North Shore, Vancouver, Richmond, Surrey, New Westminster, Lower Mainland) • The hour range they commute to work • And the hour range they return from work • From this ask them what transit needs they require to be both functional and appealing—what hinders them currently from using transit • Then the provincial government commit to build the transit network to accomplish this within four years • The provincial government dictate to TransLink that they provide the transit infrastructure to the North Shore to make the above work, including timely local transit to adequate connections to Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton • It should be acknowledged that Squamish has been victimized for two-plus decades of higher gas prices (often at higher prices than the Lower Mainland) and that raising gas prices should not be a factor in improving suitable transit increases Since getting cars off the roads, means establishing a significant number of permanent, full-time career paying jobs, the provincial government deem Squamish as a targeted economic development area, canvassing our community to determine the scope of the skilled talent base living in Squamish and basing economic development on this scope of talent. Bob Brant Squamish

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

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SPONSORED CONTENT

Re-Elect Chris Pettingill

Elect Laura Prosko

RUNNING FOR COUNCILLOR IN THE DISTRICT OF SQUAMISH

RUNNING FOR COUNCIL IN THE DISTRICT OF SQUAMISH

Facts about me I’m running for reelection. I have served 2 terms (8 years) on Council. My partner and I live in the Garibaldi Highlands. We have lived in the Highlands for a total of 17 years. I am still in awe of where we live, and I can't help but try to give back something to this place that I love so much.

reach me at

phone 905-746-4133 email chris@chrisforsquamish.ca website chrisforsquamish.ca

AUTHORIZED BY CHRIS PETTINGILL, FINANCIAL AGENT, CHRIS@CHRISFORSQUAMISH.CA

Q What made you decide to stand in this election? It wasn’t an easy decision to run for re-election. A Although I value what we’ve accomplished over

the last two terms, the decisions haven’t always been easy, and this job requires a lot of personal sacrifice. However, it is also an incredible privilege to serve on Council, and my first two terms have provided me with experience and understanding that make another Council term an important way for me to keep contributing to Squamish. Leading up to the nomination period, I was encouraged to run again by a number of people whom I respect a lot, and I believe it’s important to stand up to help when asked. I’m running again to keep doing the hard work that still needs to be done.

What areas of specific expertise will you bring to Q this council? Many of the challenges we face in Squamish are A shared by most BC communities. In this context,

I’m fortunate to have been elected by my peers across the Lower Mainland as the First Vice President of the Lower Mainland Local Government Association (LM LGA). This role provides a unique opportunity to speak directly to the Province about our shared issues, on behalf of the whole Lower Mainland. In addition to my current LM LGA and Council roles, I’m a Director on the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District Board. I also bring years of governance experience to my work including past service on multiple community boards such as the Chamber of Commerce, Squamish Arts, and Tourism Squamish.

Facts about me I’ve called downtown Squamish home for seven years. I serve on the Westwinds Seniors Board and the International Heritage Cultural Centre Society, and have served on the Squamish Chamber Board and been involved with Squamish Rotary. Contributing to the community I call home is incredibly important to me.

Q What made you decide to stand in this election? believe Squamish is facing significant challenges. A II bring more than 15 years of senior leadership

experience in government, major infrastructure, Indigenous relations and community engagement, with experience on three major projects representing $27 billion in investment in BC. My career has been focused on delivering lasting benefits for communities. I’m ready to put that experience to work for Squamish.

What major issues do you think have to be Q addressed in the next four years? developed a Five Point Plan at lauraprosko.com A Ithat sets out real solutions for the issues facing Squamish. Housing, parking, amenities, tourism and recreation, and a strong local economy are key priorities. Growth must be matched by the infrastructure and amenities our community needs.

What areas of specific expertise will you bring to Q this council? I bring experience in major projects, economic A development, public-private partnerships, fiscal

reach me at email lauraproskoforcouncil @gmail.com website lauraprosko.com

AUTHORIZED BY LAURA PROSKO CAMPAIGN 2026, FINANCIAL AGENT, LAURAPROSKOFORCOUNCIL@GMAIL.COM

responsibility, good governance and Official Community Plans. I know how to work across municipal, provincial and federal governments, negotiate, build partnerships and move complex initiatives forward. I bring an extensive network across BC that can help build partnerships and opportunities for Squamish.

What would you like your legacy as an elected Q official to be? A first-class recreation facility and the Brennan A Park expansion, with shovels in the ground in

2027. I also want my legacy to include respect for the tax dollar with a focus on delivering ambitious results for Squamish.

20 | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026

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Your story starts here

My personal values are very heavy towards nature, being outdoors. Working for a company that shares my values around sustainability, around respecting the environment, this has really been a perfect ﬁt for me.

Find your story at woodﬁbrelng.ca/careers

Kelly Steeves Dog lover | Outdoorswoman | Head of Engineering Support

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026 | 21

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

COMMUNITY SUBMISSIONS Squamish Rotary Celebrates 60 Years of Service The Rotary Club of Squamish recently celebrated 60 years of community and international service. Present and former members and guests gathered at the Adventure Centre on Sept.19 to reminisce over the many friendships and contributions the club has provided since it was chartered by Rotary International in September 1966. Attendees included Don Patrick and Owen Carney who between them have over 113 years of service with the club. Our special guest Norma Kindree (photo), honorary Rotarian and wife of charter member Dr. Laverne Kindree, was recognized for her support to the club. The evening was highlighted with a video featuring past presidents, followed by MC Lino Vanzella recalling many events and

stories of the club during its history. Over the years, the club has contributed to many community amenities including the accessible pool at Brennan Park, the town clock at Cleveland and Winnipeg, the Loggers Creek trails, the chemotherapy pharmacy at Squamish Hospital, the Rotary

Pavilion at the Legacy Park, and the playground at Sp’akw’us Feather Park. The four Sea to Sky Rotary clubs donated $100,000 for equipment at the new Hospice facility. Several signature events have continued since the early days including the Bike Safety Rodeos at the elementary schools, the Rotary Beef BBQ at the Loggers Sports Festival, and the Youth Exchange Program. More recent events feature the Recycle Bicycle program which provides refurbished bikes to local kids, and support for Squamish Helping Hands through participation and fundraising on the ‘Coldest Night of the Year.’ Internationally, Squamish Rotary has provided humanitarian support for a maternity clinic in Kenya, a medical centre in Guatemala, a refuge centre in the Philippines for girls rescued from the sex

trade, a children’s home in Mexico, and Rotary’s ongoing campaign to eliminate polio from the world. Rotarians can also be seen around town doing community cleanups and delivering Food Bank hampers. To learn more visit www.squamishrotary. com. We look forward to serving our communities for many years to come!

Christmas is coming Between Shifts Theatre is into their fourth week of rehearsal for their Christmas panto, “OINK!” The script, music and lyrics all written by local Katherine Fawcett. A new delightful addition to our crew is Catherine McInnis, local performer, teacher and artist who will provide live piano accompaniment for the performances Get your tickets now at www. betweenshiftstheatre.com.

The Squamish Chief welcomes community submissions for local sports achievements and arts events. Submissions must be 300 words or less. Please note that all submissions are final and will be published on a first-come, first-served basis, as space allows. Submit at squamishchief.com by going to the “Connect” tab and clicking Community Submissions.

Notice of Intention to Provide Assistance under Partnering Agreement Pursuant to section 272 of the Local Government Act, the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (“SLRD”) gives notice of its intention to provide assistance under a partnering agreement between Fine Peace Furry Creek Upland Limited, Fine Peace Furry Creek Resort Limited, Fine Peace Furry Creek Waterfront Land Limited (collectively “Company”), Furry Creek Community Association (“Association”), and the SLRD, with a term ending on March 31, 2027 (the “Term”).

PHOTO BY BRIAN AIKE NS

SPECTACULAR SQUAMISH: Have a photo to share? Send it to news@squamishchief.com.

The Association will undertake trail maintenance from approximately May 2026 to October 2026 on portions of land owned or managed by the Company generally known as Loop Trail and Oliver’s Landing North Trail located in Electoral Area D of the SLRD. The SLRD will provide Electoral Area D amenity funding of up to $13,000 to the Association for undertaking such trail maintenance. The Company will not unduly interfere with the existing use and access by the public of the Loop Trail and Oliver’s Landing North Trail during the Term.

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2026 General Local Elections

Notice of Election by Voting for SLRD Electoral Area D An election by voting will be held to elect one Director of the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (“SLRD”). The candidates for office are:

SLRD Electoral Area D - One (1) to be Elected BELL

Cameron

Furry Creek, BC

DE JONG

Paula

Upper Squamish, BC

Voting Dates and Places Advance and General Voting Opportunities: Qualified electors of the SLRD may vote at the following locations between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., unless otherwise noted:

SLRD Electoral Area D Saturday, October 10 (Advance Voting) Tuesday, October 13 (Special Voting) 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Saturday, October 17 (General Voting)

Garibaldi Fire Hall 192 Retta Lake Rd., Whistler, BC Totem Hall 1380 Stawamus Rd., Squamish, BC Squamish General Hospital 38140 Behrner Dr., Squamish, BC (for eligible patients & staff) Britannia Beach Fire Hall 360 Copper Dr., Britannia Beach, BC Myrtle Philip Community School 6195 Lorimer Rd., Whistler, BC Brennan Park 1009 Centennial Way, Squamish, BC

Mail Ballot Voting: Qualified electors wishing to vote by mail may apply online at SLRD.bc.ca/voter-information or, contact the SLRD Election Office at election@SLRD.bc.ca or 604-894-6371. Applications must be received by 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 15, 2026. Completed mail ballot packages must be received by the Chief Election Officer by the applicable deadline in order to be counted. Return instructions and deadlines are included with each mail ballot package. Learn more and apply online, visit SLRD.bc.ca/voter-information.

For more information Angela Belsham, Chief Election Officer Phone: 604-894-6371 | Toll-free: 1-800-298-7753 Email: election@SLRD.bc.ca

Elector Registration There is no pre-registration process. Qualified electors must register at the time of voting by completing an application form available at the voting place and making a declaration that you meet the following requirements: All Electors Must: be 18 years of age or older on general voting day, October 17, 2026; and be a Canadian citizen; and a resident of BC for at least 6 months immediately before the day of registration; and not be disqualified under the Local Government Act or any other enactment from voting in an election and not otherwise disqualified by law. Resident Electors Must Also: be a resident of the electoral area on the day of registration. Non-Resident Property Electors Must Also: be a registered owner of real property in the electoral area for at least 30 days immediately before the day of registration. Additional Rules for Non-Resident Property Electors: Property owners must be individuals and not hold the property on behalf of a corporation or trust. Where property has more than one owner, only one owner may register as the Non-Resident Property Elector, with written consent of the majority of owners. (Please contact the SLRD in advance to obtain the required consent form. The form must be signed by a majority of the property owners. Unsigned or incomplete consent forms cannot be accepted). In addition, in order to register at time of voting: Resident Electors must produce two (2) pieces of identification (at least one with a signature). The identification must prove both residency and identity. Non-Resident Property Electors must produce two (2) pieces of identification (at least one with a signature) to prove identity, proof that they are entitled to register in relation to the property, and, if there is more than one owner of the property, written consent from the majority of the property owners.

Types of Documents that will be accepted as identification: For identification, the following classes of documents will be accepted: Driver’s Licence or BC identification card; BC Services card (with or without photo); a document, issued by the government of Canada, that certifies that the applicant is registered as an Indian under the Indian Act (Canada); Citizenship or membership card issued by a first nation; Citizenship card issued by Métis Nation British Columbia; Owner’s Certificate of Insurance and Vehicle Licence issued by ICBC; BC CareCard or BC Gold CareCard; Ministry of Social Development and Economic Security Request for Continued Assistance Form SDES8; Social Insurance Number card; Citizenship Card issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada; property tax notice; credit card or debit card; or utility bill (electricity, natural gas, water, telephone, cable). Election officials must accept the listed identification documents and may also accept other forms of documents that provide evidence satisfactory to them (such as valid current passport).

SLRD.bc.ca/2026elections

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026 | 23

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BRITANNIA MINE MUSEUM AWARDED FOR SHOWCASING DIVERSITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

The museum’s annual drag show in the Mill No.3 building has turned the heads of larger heritage corporations extended Sea to Sky region. For many, the event was their first-ever drag show. “By bringing diverse voices and perspectives into conversations about Britannia’s history, ‘Old Town, New Queens’ demonstrates how heritage can create connections across communities and transform a historic place into a dynamic space for inclusion, conversation, and celebration,” the museum’s executive director Cheryl Hendrickson said in the press release. 2027’s “Old Town, New Queens” will take place in June. Folks can keep an eye on the Britannia Mine Museum website for upcoming show details, prices for which, Jang confirmed, are typically lower than general admission. “We’re a mine museum. We love blowing things up. So let’s just blow open that closet door,” he said.

INA PACE

ipace@lodestarmedia.ca

he Britannia Mine Museum is celebrating official recognition as an organization that supports diversity and social justice. The museum’s annual drag show “Old Town, New Queens” has earned the 2026 Arthur H Wolf Impact Award from the Western Museums Association. The award recognizes “an individual or group whose work on a specific project or program brought about organizational change; supported diversity, social justice, and/or leadership; or had a significant, positive effect on their museum, their surrounding communities, and/or the museum field,” the association’s website reads. Since 2022, “Old Town, New Queens” has brought hundreds together each summer (typically during Pride month) in the Mill No. 3 building to celebrate 2SLGBTQIA+ voices with a live stage performance—including a runway—the regular museum exhibits, community partner pop-ups, and food stands. Performers over the years, several of whom are associated with Sleepy Queers Productions, include Squamish’s MacGayver and Sativa the Diva, as well as Vancouver’s Acacia, Dust Cwaine, Homo Hardware and Rose Butch. “Old Town, New Queens” is spearheaded by the museum’s programs and guest experience director Derek Allan Jang, in partnership with community organizations including Pride Squamish and Sea 2 Sky Allies, as well as the Vancouver-based not-for-profit Queer People in Mining. Jang explained that the museum’s team works closely with the drag performers to integrate not only local pop culture, but Britannia’s history and architecture, thematically and artistically. This year’s show focused on the revitalization of Britannia Beach’s aquatic life, which was unable to thrive when the mine was operating. The aquatic comeback, Jang recalled, was partly reflected in an artist having a comeback, and involved a fun lip sync number to Hilary Duff’s “Come Clean.” “As a gay man, I felt self-conscious (when I joined the museum team) about not seeing myself reflected and represented in the museum’s exhibits,” Jang said. “Mining towns sometimes have been a place where gay men have flocked to escape their upbringings. In a time when there could be severe consequences for living your life openly, stories became lost to time … That fragility is not just a feature of the past, but something to think about in the future.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF BRITANNIA MINE MUSEUMEXPAND

Derek Allan Jang receives the 2026 Arthur H Wolf Impact Award from the Western Museums Association.

Receiving the 2026 Arthur H Wolf Impact Award, he said, was “a real spotlight” in a time when 2SLGBTQIA+ visibility is becoming more challenging in many organizations outside big cities. “I hope it will [encourage] more museum leaders to get creative and think outside the box about what representation looks like,” he said. “While I think the museum and local pride collective might not seem like the first and most natural partnership, I really have tremendous gratitude for their openness and collaborative spirit … Any organization that has access to historic buildings and heritage spaces has, in some ways, a responsibility to democratize those spaces … (to welcome) folks and say, ‘Hey, you are included. You are a part of this story.’” Jang cites Janet Jackson’s and Madonna’s music videos as inspiration for the unconventional juxtaposition of visuals and themes against the building’s vast architecture; in this case, the historically patriarchal mining industry and its monochrome palette against a foreground of colour and glitter, so to speak. He said that although sometimes it can be hard to pin down exactly where inspiration comes from, you feel it when you see it. A press release states that according to the museum’s audience surveys, 75 per cent of the show’s attendees last year self-identified as being part of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, and more than half of those participants came from Britannia Beach, Squamish, or the

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.

Britannia Mine Museum gratefully acknowledges their community sponsors:

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026 | 25

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CONCUSSIONS ARE INVISIBLE INJURIES—BAILEY GOLDSTONE IS MAKING THEM SEEN

The Squamish athlete is shedding light on the invisible nature of brain injuries, sharing how a series of concussions has impacted everything from her memory to her mental health JENNIFER THUNCHER

jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca

f you didn’t know better, you could mistake Bailey Goldstone for an uber fit Squamish local, sporting too-cool-for-school red-tinged sunglasses, navigating her day without a care in the world. However, the glasses are to help her brain heal and her to function in the bright lights and stimulation of the world around her. Goldstone’s balance is off and this typical day may completely exhaust her. Goldstone, 24, is sharing her experience with head injuries to help educate others. Sister to phenom Jackson Goldstone (who, among many other accomplishments, has won back-to-back UCI Downhill World Championships), made a name for herself in downhill mountain biking, winning two national championships, among other accolades. But multiple head injuries over her biking career have taken a toll, forcing her to slow down—at least a version of slow for her. The open and affable Squamish resident is healing and learning who she is away from mountain biking competition. These days, Goldstone is in her second year of a bachelor’s of business administration at CapU-Squamish, while working two jobs. While things have come a long way from what they were decades ago in terms of concussion awareness, Goldstone wants people to take brain injuries more seriously. “It affects everything about yourself,” she said.

HOW IT STARTED There was hardly a time when biking wasn’t part of Goldstone’s life. She can’t remember when she started to ride, but there are photos of her on a bike when she could hardly walk. “I’ve been riding forever. We did everything— rock climbing, skiing, everything. My parents moved here for the outdoors, which is really awesome, so that we were brought up being super outdoorsy,” she recalls. She started BMX racing at about six years old. At 12 or 13, she followed her brother into mountain biking. It was a perfect fit. “I just really fell in love with it, and fell in love with the community, and got really into it,” she recalled. “We would go down to the States for races, down to California. … It was just such a fun experience and I really loved the people and being able to do it as a sport and travel,” she said. In 2018 and 2019, she became even more competitive. “(I) decided that I wanted to try to go to World Cups in Europe and stuff. And I was doing really well,” she recalled.

PHOTO BY CLINT TRAHAN

Bailey Goldstone prepares herself for the 2024 Whistler Air DH.

Then she took a bad hit to her head. “My first race in Europe, I crashed really hard, and that was my first head injury in the last couple years,” she said. “I got up and I finished the race … then I got to the bottom, and we went to the medics, and … my fingers were getting a little tingly, and I was kind of dazed. The doctor was like, ‘Oh, let’s get you to the hospital, you’re not doing too well,” she recalled. She was helicoptered out for treatment. She was able to rally after that hit, but soon sustained another concussion while racing. “Then I went to the World Championships that year in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada, and I crashed again,” she said. All told, she has had about 10 to 15 solid hits to her head, with about five she refers to as traumatic brain injuries. And though she only realized it recently, it is likely an early hit at age seven was more impactful than she or anyone at the time realized. She was racing in BMX and got hit in a corner. She doesn’t remember much about that incident. “Since my last (head injury), and seeing a doctor, they suspect that a lot of my symptoms I’ve lived with since I was seven, since I hit my head the first time. So it’s kind of interesting to think that I’ve gone my whole life not realizing how impacted I’ve been since the start.” The impacts were slow to show up in ways she or others noticed, until the symptoms couldn’t be ignored. “Over the concussions, I started to develop memory issues with recalling my childhood, or short-term things, along with developing a bit of a speech impediment, where sometimes I jumble my words. I know what way I should say them, but they come out differently,” she said.

Since a fall in Whistler in 2025, she has been struggling with her recovery, and decided to hang up her racing jersey to give her brain the

opportunity to heal. “It’s been a year and a bit—I’m feeling a lot better, it’s definitely still something I deal with every day, but I’ve graduated from having to have naps throughout the day, and really just limiting a lot of things I can do. But it definitely still extremely impacts my fatigue. I just can’t do a lot of things anymore. Even just being in public, or having conversations, or going to school, or being in a grocery store, or a loud restaurant takes quite a toll.” The symptoms she endures run the gamut. “My body doesn’t know where I am in space,” she explained. “I can’t tell when I’m standing perfectly flat. My balance is completely off … My body thinks that I’m standing on a hill, leaning downward.” For her treatment, Goldstone has been working with neuro-optometrist, Dr. Kevin Loopeker, in Vancouver who works specifically with athletes for treatment of visual dysfunctions associated with traumatic brain injuries. Part of her treatment is wearing the prism prescription glasses. “They’ve been a tremendous help,” she said, HEALING: Continued on 26

Mountain Psychology and Neurofeedback Centre

Stephen L. Milstein, Ph.D., R. Psych. BC #765 - 604.938.3511 Dawna Dixx Milstein, OT. COTBC # AA0201 - 604.938.3523 Squamish: 604.848.9273 Whistler: #107 - 4368 Main St, Whistler, B.C. V0N 1B4

Serving sea to sky for 18 years

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THE GIVING KIND

PHOTOS COURTES OF THE SQUAMISH MULTIFAITH SOCIETY

The annual Thanksgiving Food Drive took place on Sept. 19. This year, 7,163 lbs of food, and $4,105 in cash were collected for the Squamish Food Bank. The event is coordinated by the Squamish Multifaith Society, with the help and support of many in the community. The Sikh Temple, for example, contributed 843 lbs. Well done, all.

HEALING: Continued from 25

Al Gorithm covers everything. Except your community. Al Gorithm decides what you see online based on your clicks, likes and shares. His job is to keep you scrolling. But would you trust him to tell you what’s happening in your community? Local journalists ask tough questions, investigate issues, attend council meetings and hold decision-makers accountable. They give you veriﬁed facts you can rely on. Trust the people who report on your community. Celebrate local journalism. nationalnewspaperweek.ca

noting they help with her light sensitivity and other vision symptoms.

SHARING EXPERIENCE IS HELPFUL Goldstone has been openly chronicling her journey of recovery on her Instagram account. Squamish’s Molly Cairncross, assistant professor at Simon Fraser University and licensed clinical neuropsychologist praised Goldstone for sharing her experience. “I think having athletes who are willing to share their experience and share their story on concussion and concussion recovery and what that can look like is really helpful for other athletes who might be going through the same thing,” Cairncross said. “It brings awareness to the risk. It brings some awareness to how to identify it. And I think just opening up these conversations within your family too about what to expect if you’ve had an injury, normalizing these sort of very variable symptoms and what to expect.” Cairncross, who is not involved in Goldstone’s care, said the symptoms the athlete noted are quite common for those with head injuries. “You can have cognitive symptoms, you can have sleep symptoms, you can have emotional symptoms, and you can have physical symptoms,” she said. “Most of the time, they will resolve naturally as your concussion heals. But in some cases, … it might require some speciality care and interdisciplinary care.” Cairncross said that in team contact sports,

there has been a lot more awareness about head injuries, such as football and hockey, but individual sports are trickier. “When you’re not working on a team, you might not have coaches available. Your training might be in your backyard. So if you fall and hit your head, there might be less attention and less care that’s immediately available to you,” she noted. As for when it is time to leave a sport due to head injuries, a question she faces often from families, Cairncross said there is no magic number of concussions to help reach that decision. Some factors can be a guide, however. “The first is how long is it taking you to recover from your concussions? And is each successive concussion taking longer and longer to recover from? That can be a warning sign for families. Is it easier for you to get a concussion now? So, the force of the hit to the head, does it seem like it’s getting easier and easier to trigger symptoms for you over time?... The third thing that people can look out for is if you’re having lingering symptoms that don’t seem to go away after enough time has passed and you’ve gotten adequate treatment for your concussion,” she said. “Then the fourth is just how much is it impacting the child’s ability to function, go to school, spend time with their friends, all of that, or go to work.” Cairncross noted it is a challenging conversation for families, given the value of sports to the HEALING: Continued on 27

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HEALING: Continued from 26 child. “A lot of good comes from sport. It gives kids and families a sense of community. It gives them socialisation. Kids develop self-esteem, self-efficacy when they’re playing sports. It’s this really great opportunity as well. So, you do have to weigh the benefits and the risks—and it’s a very personal decision.” She added that leaving a sport can be a tough decision for an adult as well, as much of their identities—and joy—can come from their sports. Asked what common misconception she sees most around head injuries, Cairncross pointed to outdated ideas about how to treat them. “The biggest and most important one that I still encounter talking to adolescents, talking to families, is that they should do nothing—have strict rest after their injury, go in a dark room, and do nothing until their symptoms are better,” she said. “That used to be the old advice. People would recommend going into a dark room and doing nothing until symptoms resolve—it was sometimes called cocooning therapy. But we now know that that makes people worse.” Best practice guidelines now after a concussion are 24 to 48 hours of relative rest. “What relative rest really means is that it’s OK to do some activities of daily living; it’s OK to walk and do some things around the house. You should be (getting) some relative rest compared to what’s typical for you. And then after that, gradually returning to your activities in a way that’s safe.” Light aerobic exercise, such as walking, can be really helpful for recovery, she added. Another misconception is that a person needs to be knocked out to get a concussion. “The vast majority of people who have concussions don’t actually experience a loss of consciousness. It’s only about 10 per cent who do, and the 10 per cent who do is really short, usually a minute long,” she said.

MENTAL HEALTH IMPACTS The impact of brain injuries on mental health is something Goldstone emphasizes. “By hitting my head and dealing with everything and feeling isolated and being unable to go hang out with friends or have a longer conversation with people, it really, really affected my mental health,” she acknowledged. “I’m very fortunate to be able to have access to support that’s really helped me, but it’s definitely something that people don’t realize is a side effect of a concussion. … You don’t feel like yourself and it’s hard … this isolating injury and just not really knowing what’s going on.” Cairncross said she is especially interested in the intersection of mental health and concussion recovery, a side effect of head injuries often neglected in the public discourse. “We’re focused on are they physically ready to return to sport, but less so the emotional piece,” she said. Mental health decline can be from physical and non-physical aspects of the injury. “There certainly are physiological changes that happen to the brain when you have an injury. And mood symptoms can be a result of concussion,” Cairncross said.

“You can get low mood, decreased distress tolerance, irritability. … Normally we see those mood symptoms recover sort of spontaneously,” she said. Then there is what Goldstone was referring to, where mental health suffers as a result of the non-physical aspects of getting a head injury. “The injury itself can be very stressful. It can be isolating. They might be removed from sport or things that bring them joy,” Cairncross noted. “And so that can be tricky for people to navigate.” Unlike physical injuries, head injuries are invisible, which also complicates things, Goldstone said. “When you break your arm, you get a cast on it and it’s visual, but (with brain injury) there’s nothing visual to see your progress or to know how bad it is or anything and other people don’t see it. So, it’s really a really weird place to be in when you’re dealing with this,” Goldstone said. “You look the same and people forget and they don’t realize and you’re, like, ‘Oh no, I’m still not OK.’”

ADVICE AND HOPE Cairncross said that having or creating a well-rounded self-identity is important to moving on from an injury that takes a person out of their favourite sport. “So … that you have other things in your life that can bring you joy as well,” she said. Another piece of advice is finding balance reengaging in activities that make people feel good and happy, without overdoing it. “I kind of say sometimes it’s like Goldilocks, not too much, not too little.” Experiencing mild symptoms while doing what you enjoy is OK, as long as you can recover relatively quickly, but having to recover for days from an activity is perhaps too much re-engaging, she said. Everyone’s balance in life is going to be a little bit different, Cairncross said, just like every concussion experience is unique to that individual. Goldstone said she wants people to know that there is hope following brain injury. “You’re not alone. Talk to your doctor, talk to your friends, talk to your family. There are people out there who are going through the same thing as you, and there’s support out there,” she said. There are preventative measures and various researched treatments that professionals can help you with. “It takes a while and it’s hard work, but it does get better and you can get back to doing the things you love, just maybe in a different way, but you’re not alone. It gets better.” As for the future, while mountain bikes are still a huge and positive part of her life—she rode to the interview with The Squamish Chief—the downhill racing chapter is closed. Finishing her business degree is her focus, along with continuing to educate others on head injuries. “I’m not sure where I want to take this, but definitely I want to continue to talk about how this is affecting me and continue to spread the word about it.” To help with scientific research into brain injury, Goldstone has pledged her brain to Concussion Legacy Foundation Canada to be studied.

Meet Muffin The full-figured girl who is looking for a home that will help to continue her weight loss program. Muffin’s tail has a personality of its own and when she is excited, it quivers upright like a rattle snake tail and when she is wanting to be left alone, it sways back and forth low to her body and slowly. She is a character who loves to rub up against your legs and sit in a window watching the world go by. Muffin is not opposed to a good chat now and then when she feels she has something important to say. Muffin has requested a quiet household with no other pets.

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Denis began his 28-year career with Whistler Mountain in its inaugural season, starting as a T- bar operator and eventually becoming manager of the Electrical Department where he was widely known as “General Electric.” Pat was immensely proud of him, often telling people, “My husband formed the electrical department at Whistler Mountain.” Pat focused on raising their sons, Steve and Greg, before joining Whistler Mountain selling tickets. She became a Ticket Office Supervisor and, in 1988, organized the opening of the new Village ticket office with the arrival of the Whistler Express Gondola. Denis and Pat were deeply involved in the Alta Lake community. They were known for organizing community movie nights throughout the 1960s and 1970s, often hosting a second showing in their home for those unable to attend. Denis was a volunteer firefighter, and Pat served as Treasurer of the Alta Lake Community Club. Pat was also proud of her place in Canadian field hockey history. A member of the first Canadian women’s field hockey team to compete internationally, she travelled to Australia in 1956 and Holland in 1959. In 2022, the team was inducted into the Canadian Field Hockey Hall of Fame, with Pat among the three surviving members able to attend. Following Denis’ retirement in 1994, they moved to Squamish, where family and community remained central to their lives. They were long-standing members of the Squamish Golf and Country Club, golfing well into their 90s, and sang with the Sea to Sky Singers, continuing a lifelong love of music rooted in the ‘parlour music’ evenings of their early Alta Lake days Above all, they loved their family. Devoted parents and proud grandparents, they treasured holidays and special occasions spent together. They are survived by their sons Steve (Sandy) and Greg (Nicole), grandsons Mason, Oliver and Elliot. While predeceased by most of their siblings, they leave behind Denis’ brother Bob (Maureen) and sister Lou (Wayne), and their extended family, nieces, nephews and many friends whose lives they touched.

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GENERAL MANAGER / EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MAMQUAM RIVER ACCESS SOCIETY Permanent half-time position starting January 2027 Salary: $45,000 plus gas card (flexible hours) The Mamquam River Access Society (MRAS) in Squamish is a small non-profit registered charity which operates the Mamquam River Campground and maintains kayak access on the river. Reporting to the Board of Directors and working from a home-based office, the General Manager / Executive Director (ED) is the heart of MRAS, overseeing all operations including fiscal management, transparent administration of all programs and implementing future plans with the Board. While ensuring dayto-day campground operations are upholding the standards and policies of the organization, the ED is also the public voice for whitewater access throughout the Mamquam River watershed and beyond. A diverse set of skills are required including: ◆ Management, business & administrative experience ◆ Non-profit experience and vision ◆ Maintenance, with physical hands-on experience ◆ Mentoring Canada Summer Job students ◆ Hosting young international travelers (Workaway.info) ◆ Trustworthy, with integrity ◆ Committed, with passion ◆ Engaged in Whitewater recreation an asset ◆ Must be legally entitled to work in Canada Apply with resume and cover letter c/o dawn@longshawconsulting.ca We thank all interested applicants but only those selected for interview will be contacted.

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HOROSCOPE WEEK OF OCTOBER 8, 2026 - OCTOBER 14, 2026

CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1. Attired 5. Ill-behaved child 9. Black or Caspian 12. Find pleasing 13. Hurry 14. Tariff 15. Fail to mention 16. Poker term 17. Hire 18. Heredity units 20. Did a laundry job 22. Army officer 25. Mail carrier 28. Week elements 32. Have bills 33. Gives off 36. Casual top 37. Not guilty, e.g. 39. Greasiest 41. Smiled broadly

44.Movie-house feature 47. Slender traces 51. Seek to persuade 52. Word of regret 55. October birthstone 56. Every part 57. Decorator’s advice 58. Caesar’s garb 59. “____ Joey” 60. Process part 61. Goblet feature

9. Shock 10. Relieve 11. Chopped 19. Undetermined number 21. “____ Folks at Home” 23. Baddie’s escape 24. French ____ soup 25. Cap-gun sound 26. Night bird 27. Date frequently 29. Took food 30. You betcha! 31. Place 34. Soft metal 35. Large amount 38. Vital statistic 40.“____ Delight” (Clark Gable film) 42. Raises 43. Bay 44.Trade 45. Popular soda 46. Bagel, e.g. 48. X marks the ____ 49. Summon by loudspeaker 50. Hit hard 53. Orange cooler 54. Soak up

ARIES March 21-April 19

LEO July 23-Aug. 22

SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22-Dec. 21

Overtime boosts your income, but you’ll quickly realize something is missing in your emotional life. This awareness will prompt you to restore balance between your professional and personal spheres.

Major expenses, such as buying a vehicle or a major piece of equipment, may be necessary to maintain your professional image and mobility. A precise, wellplanned budget will help you avoid unpleasant surprises.

As you approach a career shift or retirement, organize your thoughts. By setting a plan, milestones and priorities, you’ll have the clarity you need to design a future aligned with your real desires.

TAURUS April 20-May 20

VIRGO Aug. 23-Sept. 22 Your desire to prove yourself is paying off. At work, your results will attract new clients and bring you closer to your ambitious goals. By applying an effective method, you’ll see significant improvement.

A new course of study or area of expertise will accelerate your professional progress. When you encounter challenges, your strongest allies will be patience and curiosity. You’ll turn every learning opportunity into a career springboard.

LIBRA Sept. 23-Oct. 22

AQUARIUS Jan. 20-Feb. 18

If you’re searching for the ideal job or a personal path, start by clarifying what really inspires you. Your fertile imagination may lead you to craft a promising project or piece of work in your field of interest.

Deep reflection will lead you to modify your living environment. You’ll be better able to meet the needs of you and your family by making a change, such as reorganizing your space or possibly relocating. New surroundings will better support your projects.

You’ll be in exactly the right place at the right time to shine. At work, praise and recognition highlight your efficiency. This strengthens your credibility and confirms that your endeavors haven’t been in vain.

GEMINI May 21-June 20 Your personal world can feel comforting, but it can also weigh you down. This is the ideal moment to declutter, give away or discard the things that no longer serve you. By lightening your environment, you’ll also clear your mind.

CAPRICORN Dec. 22-Jan. 19

SCORPIO Oct. 23-Nov. 21

A sedentary lifestyle is beginCANCER June 21-July 22 ning to affect both your mood To resolve a delicate situation, and your body. Suggest active dare to say out loud what you’ve outings with your friends— such as walks, sports or other been thinking. By asserting dynamic activities. When you’re your authority, you unlock dead ends and restore harmony with others, motivation returns and your overall health imaround you, both at work and at home. proves significantly.

Crossword puzzle answers use American spelling

PISCES Feb. 19-March 20 Your agreeability is causing the pressure to mount. Before making a new commitment, take time to consider the details, constraints and your own limits. Good decisions will spare you from overwhelm and regret.

SUDOKU HOW TO PLAY: Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3 x 3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 only once. Each 3 x 3 box is outlined with a darker line. You already have a few numbers to get you started. Remember: you must not repeat the numbers 1 through 9 in the same line, column or 3 x 3 box.

LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS:

DOWN 1. Heavy shoe 2. Green fruit 3. Related 4. Discover the presence of 5. Bathing-suit part 6. Trot 7. “The Addams Family” actor 8. Not here

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