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TRADE WAR IMPACT? Britannia Beach bucking the trend
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RIDE FOR DAD ROLLS THROUGH TOWN Motorcycle ride raises funds for prostate cancer research
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2026
S Q U A M I S H C H I E F. C O M
RUNNERS MOURN ELITE ATHLETE KALIE MCCRYSTAL
TA C K E D ’ O R ‘ I C O N ’ LO G O C O R 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
The skyrunner disappeared Sept. 1 during a reconnaissance mission on the Matterhorn. Her family has released a statement thanking everyone involved in search LIZ MCDONALD
emcdonald@lodestarmedia.ca
K
alie McCrystal was a powerful person and an empowering friend, according to members of Squamish’s running community. The elite skyrunner went missing Sept. 1 during a reconnaissance mission on the Matterhorn, an alpine peak straddling Switzerland and Italy. She had been preparing an attempt for the women’s fastest known time (FKT) on the mountain. Search efforts, which included helicopters and drones covering both the Italian and Swiss sides of the mountain, were paused after no new leads emerged. Her family released a statement through Athletics Canada Sept. 15, detailing the efforts and thanking those involved in the search. “It has been two weeks since our dearest Kalie went
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MOURNING: Continued on 2
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MOURNING: Continued from 1 missing during a reconnaissance on the Matterhorn. “Since then, the Guardia di Finanza mountain rescue team has worked tirelessly to explore every possible avenue at their disposal. They have been unwavering in their professionalism, kindness, and commitment to finding Kalie. As a family, it has meant a great deal to us throughout the search to know that everything that could be done was being done.” The family believes she fell while descending the mountain.
A TRAILBLAZER FOR WOMEN IN THE SPORT McCrystal was an elite skyrunner, competing on steep, technical, high-altitude terrain. In 2026, she placed first in the 40-kilometre 4 Refugios Non-Stop race, which has 3,350 metres of elevation gain. She was a member of Athletics Canada’s national team and, closer to home, held fastest known times for women on the Stawamus Chief, the Tantalus Traverse and the Armchair Traverse, according to her friend Coral Buitenhuis. “Kalie had this incredibly unique skillset where she could move super fast on really technical terrain. She was so fit, she was so skilled. It was beautiful to watch her move in the mountains, and she knew that she was sort of uniquely positioned to do these big fastest known times on big routes,” said Buitenhuis. Buitenhuis first met McCrystal in 2023 at a local running and orienteering race in Squamish. “We ran together for a few minutes, but she was really fast, so she totally dropped me, and then we met at the finish line. She was waiting to give me a high-five, and we started chatting and just became friends pretty quickly after that,” she said. That encouragement wasn’t reserved for Buitenhuis alone. Empowering other women had been central to McCrystal’s mark on the sport. She sought to
PHOTO COURTESY OF CORAL BUITENHUIS
Kalie McCrystal after completing the Tantalus Traverse. McCrystal has the fastest known time for women, completing the objective in 9 hours, 40 minutes and 32 second, according to Fastest Known Time Record.
close the gap between women’s and men’s FKTs and encourage more women to participate. “She was an incredible cheerleader for women in the sport,” Buitenhuis said, recalling how McCrystal had recently met a friend of Buitenhuis’s, and despite not knowing each other, sent her a long, encouraging message ahead of a race. “I think everyone is just really feeling the loss and also the uncertainty around when someone disappears in the mountains,” Buitenhuis said.
CALCULATED RISK, UNWAVERING LOYALTY Scott Maguire, like countless others, met McCrystal while out for a run. In addition to being an elite athlete, she was also a lawyer.
Woodfibre LNG Interconnection Project Stage 2 Community Meeting
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“To be able to work in law professionally and pursue professional mountain at that level is a very rare and difficult combination that she was able to manage … If Kalie says she’s going to do something, you know, without even secondguessing, that she’s going to do it, and she was that way with her friends and her family. She’s the most loyal friend that you can kind of think of.” He said the running community is trying to wrap its head around what’s happened to a woman who was “quite likely the strongest mountain running athlete in Canada.”
SEARCHING IN ‘UNSTABLE AND INHOSPITABLE’ TERRAIN Riley Webb met McCrystal about five years ago on a social run. He said search efforts
began Thursday, Sept. 3, after no one had heard from McCrystal for 48 hours. Teams searched extensively by helicopter and drone on both the Italian and Swiss sides of the Matterhorn. “In terms of actual foot searches or ground searches, with the exception of looking directly on the route or routes, there’s not a whole lot that can be done. The terrain is quite unstable and inhospitable, and so it would be dangerous for teams to try to search the mountain extensively on foot,” he said. Anyone who recreates or competes in mountain terrain recognizes the inherent risk, but her friends say that doesn’t make the outcome any easier. “There are certain unmitigable, objective risks with going into the mountains, and even if you take the best preparations, of the sort that Kalie was taking with all her research and reconnaissance and training, small mistakes or simply bad luck can happen, and the consequences can be absolute, even as we don’t fully understand what happened,” Webb said. For McCrystal’s family, the outcome is hard to accept. “The Matterhorn is as majestic as it is unforgiving... Despite the efforts of so many over the past weeks, the search has not led us to Kalie. This is not the outcome any of us had hoped for, and it is very difficult to accept,” they wrote. “Kalie was an incredibly special person. She moved through life with equal parts determination and fun. Her absence will undoubtedly leave a huge hole in the communities she was so invested in, across Skyrunning, Squamish and beyond.” She’s remembered as a daughter, sister and someone who passed while pursuing a sport she loved. “While we desperately wish we could have found her, we find peace in knowing that she was doing what made her feel most alive until her very last moments, and that she remains among the mountains where she felt most at home,” they wrote.
Invite Connection. Inspire Curiosity. www.squamishlibrary.ca Vision Board Workshop
Thursday / September 24 / 6:00-8:30pm Use your ideas, thoughts, dreams, and wishes to create a vision board. Embrace possibility with a personal, visual reminder of your goals.
Storytelling by Squamish Elders
Friday / September 25 / 1:30-3:00pm Indigenous Storytelling by Ta Síiy̓uxwa tl’a Sḵwx̱wú7meshulh (The Elders of the Squamish People). 37909 Second Ave
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PLANNED UPGRADES AIM TO KEEP POOL OPERATIONAL
Squamish council has approved a multimillion-dollar funding request to the regional district to ensure the aging aquatic centre remains functional recruitment campaigns to reach out to young workers and professional career lifeguards. Staff is also looking at current vacancies for opportunities to reorganize existing positions “to make them more attractive for recruitment,” Deo said. They are also analyzing scheduling practices, among other things. “The intent is to dedicate our capacity … to resolve the situation and have sustainable operations moving forward,” he said.
JENNIFER THUNCHER
jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca
T
he aging Squamish pool needs all hands on deck to keep it functional. This is one of the key takeaways from a council discussion of the Aquatic Centre at a special business meeting held Sept. 8. This meeting marked the start of the yearly budget planning for the District as well, unique because it overlaps with the election cycle. The goal is for the budget to be adopted in December. In terms of the pool, the task before elected officials was to review and provide input to the 2027-2031 financial plan to be submitted to the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District for the pool. Coun. Andrew Hamilton recused himself because his child had just been hired to work at Brennan Park; thus, to avoid a perceived conflict of interest, he left the chamber during the discussion and vote. As Laura Turner, District director of financial planning and reporting, explained, the Aquatic Centre at Brennan Park is owned by SquamishLillooet Regional District (SLRD), but operated by the District of Squamish. Annually, the SLRD asks the District to submit a funding requisition for operating and capital projects included in the financial plan for the pool. This is to be approved by council and submitted to the SLRD by Oct. 31. Ultimately, council voted 5-1 in support of the 2027-2031 Local Service Area Budget Request— Squamish Aquatics Centre for submission to the SLRD as presented by staff.
BY THE NUMBERS For 2027, the total District funding request to cover operating expenses for the pool is approximately $1.8 million. Turner noted this is shown as $2.5 million in the 2027-2031 financial plan, but less revenues from other sources of $709,000, which includes user fees and program revenues. “The financial plan includes operating costs such as staffing, utilities, insurance, and advertising as well as preventative maintenance to prolong the life of the facility and its equipment,” Turner said. The District’s capital expenses funding request for 2027 is $3 million. This covers multiple projects including pool equipment replacement, such as air handling unit replacement and associated work, change room upgrades including new lockers, mechanical and piping replacements, deck upgrades for the main pool
LOCKER REPLACEMENT PHOTO BY JENNIFER THUNCHER/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF POOL
Inside the lobby of the newly rennovated Brennan Park Recreation Centre.
deck and change room, tile upgrades for pool and hot tub surfaces, and electrical upgrades for underground services to the Aquatic Centre, Turner said. The District staff report to council outlines the operational plans for 2027, noting that the pool operates at capacity and that staffing has been an issue since the 2025 months-long closure of the pool and steam room by Vancouver Coastal Health. “Staff are prioritizing rebuilding staffing capacity with an objective of improving aquatic service delivery, including focus on (swimming lesson) delivery,” the report reads, noting staff are reviewing full-time, optimal staffing structures, position types, and recruitment/ retention opportunities to improve staffing capacity. “The Facilities Maintenance Department will continue to focus on preventative maintenance to prolong the life and maximize the efficiency of equipment. 2027 work will include installing new lockers in the change rooms, updating and/ or replacing the air handling unit, and upgrades to the pool deck.”
CAPITAL PLAN The pool’s air handling unit (AHU) was installed in 2013 and supplies fresh air, heating, cooling, and dehumidification to the pool deck space, the staff report notes. Replacing it will include associated ductwork, controls or mechanical equipment. The current metal lockers in the change rooms are at the end of their lifecycle, and staff suggested installing plastic lockers. The report notes that the piping and mechanical equipment at the Aquatic Centre is in various states of service life, with some showing visible signs of corrosion and wear and tear. As part of replacing it, the plan is for staff to review all of the piping and mechanical
equipment serving the pool, provide a conditions assessment and implement replacement as required, the report reads. The pool deck also needs upgrades that are part of the plan. This project will replace and or upgrade the pool deck and change rooms tiled floor surface, “to align with modern standards,” the staff report reads. “The existing tiles are original to the site from 1992 and have reached end of recommended service life.” There is also a plan to upgrade the underground electrical services for the Aquatic Centre.
LIFEGUARD STAFFING SHORTAGE Recently, the District of Squamish announced that due to a shortage of supervisory lifeguards and swimming instructors, pool hours would be reduced and swimming lessons cut for fall. Jay Deo, director of rec and culture noted that 2025 was a difficult year at the pool. “Last year was very difficult with multiple closures that impacted our staffing operations and our general recreation operations in our pool and ice rink,” he said. “We had the lengthy pool deck closure for multiple months, which led to a lot of staffing challenges. And then we also had the labour dispute in fall, which led to a lot of staffing challenges,” he added. “We’ve been operating as best as possible since those while trying to … systemically sustain our operations and what changes we need to make to do that so we have more stability.” Some of the changes the District staff are looking at to improve staffing include increasing training frequency by offering more lifeguard courses, and reviewing strategies and opportunities to reduce barriers for folks to take those courses. They are also looking at marketing and
Coun. Jenna Stoner noted the increased cost of the new lockers over what was projected last year. “We taxed for that last year at $96,000, and so was that project just not completed and we’re adding $200,000 to it?” Warren Jaggers, District manager of facilities operations and maintenance said that last year, during this requisition process, the idea was the lockers would be replaced with new metal ones. “Since then, we’ve reviewed and are now recommending moving to a plastic style locker, which resists rusting and has a longer lifespan. That’s the reason for the increase there,” he said. Thus, plastic lockers are budgeted for close to $300,000. Stoner and Coun. Chris Pettingill asked what the thinking is more broadly in terms of the money the District puts into the centre, versus how long the building itself is going to last. Jaggers said staff are waiting on the outcome of the Recreation Centre Task Force, but that these upgrades are needed to keep things running in the interim. “Most of the capital things we have in the current budget are to retain our Aquatic Centre operational for the next few years. So we do believe it’s very important to ensure that we deliver some of these capital projects,” he said. The physical, or capital, work is budgeted for 2027 and 2028, with the cost front loaded with the $3 million for 2027, and $1.2 million in 2028. Deo added that the District has learned keeping things up ensures the centre can serve the public. “As we’ve seen last year with the pool deck challenges, … this is our only pool in our community and we need to maintain this asset for as long as we can, especially as we determine the updated building condition assessments that were mentioned, but also as we determine what the long-term costs are for expansion or renewal of a facility.” The metal lockers were installed in 2017 and POOL: Continued on 9
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‘I’M GOING TO DO THE WORK’: JOHN FRENCH RUNS FOR THIRD TERM ON COUNCIL Citing experience over empty promises, John French has officially entered the race for a third term on the District of Squamish council RELATIONSHIP WITH SQUAMISH NATION
JENNIFER THUNCHER
jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca
J
ohn French is taking a down-to-earth approach to his campaign as he seeks a third term on council. Having served in the role, he says he knows promising the sky is disingenuous. “It takes four people to get anything done,” he said. “The only thing that I’m promising in this campaign … are the things that I control. I’m going to show up and I’m going to do the work. Over my previous eight years, I have proven that I will.”
RECREATION CENTRE & TAXES On the issue of Brennan Park Recreation Centre being insufficient for the population, the lifelong local called the issue “a beast.” “Improvements at Brennan Park are super expensive and only getting more expensive,” he said, noting inflation and labour scarcity have contributed to the increases. At the same time, he thinks property tax increases projected for the next five years are too high.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
John French.
“Zero-based budgeting is something that I want this next council to have a conversation on,” he said. This is something mayoral candidate Jenna Stoner is also proposing. “We have to look at grants, we have to look at reserves, and we have to look at community fundraising. Another possibility is private sector partnerships.”
French said one of the things he is most proud of this current term is the uniquely strong relationship between the District and Squamish Nation. “That’s a product of many years of concerted effort at building the relationship between the two organizations. I’m really proud of how this council has carried on that excellent work, and converted it into some really productive agreements.” Asked about the perceived lack of transparency on the agreements, French said much of that is due to provincial legislation that does not allow agreements to be worked out in public. “I believe that the District of Squamish and Squamish council … has been as transparent as legislation allows and as transparent as ethics also might dictate,” he said.
HOUSING French said he’s comfortable with the direction the District is headed, in terms of being a community where other forms of housing beyond the single-family home are
dominant. “Single-family dwellings were the dominant housing form for decades and it’s a housing form that has become the housing form of the elite in Squamish. Who can afford a singlefamily home in the Garibaldi Highlands or Crumpit Woods? I don’t know very many people who can. And the very few who can, part of their financing plan for those properties is a secondary suite of some kind,” he said. “It’s a finance scarcity situation that has us in this greater density model, along with a land scarcity situation,” he added, acknowledging there are opportunities to expand outside the growth management boundary, but said that would be very costly for the municipality. The biggest challenge of the next four years, according to French, is helping those in the downtown who are unhoused and struggling with their mental health. “The help they need is a roof over their head and health care,” he said. “Once those two things get taken care of for people who need help … the rest takes care of itself.” Find out more about his campaign at www. johnfrench.ca.
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ANDREW HAMILTON EMPHASIZES PROJECT PLANNING IN COUNCIL RE-ELECTION BID Hamilton is seeking a second term as District councillor, aiming to apply his first-term experience to improve municipal infrastructure planning and service delivery RECREATION CENTRE AND PROPERTY TAXES
JENNIFER THUNCHER
jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca
A
ndrew Hamilton says he’s seeking a second term as a District councillor to enable him to apply all the lessons he learned during his first term. “The biggest thing is understanding what the municipal council’s jurisdictional role and limitations are,” he said, noting advocacy is a necessary role, but should not be the focus. “We shouldn’t spend … all of our time doing that without focusing on really doing the things that are within our jurisdiction and understanding them clearly.”
PARKING On parking, which locals have complained about for decades, his perspective was informed, in part, by the book “The High Cost of Free Parking.” “We have all put in place this system where we come to expect that there’s a place for us to put our vehicle wherever we go. We don’t have that expectation in many other aspects of our
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Andrew Hamilton.
lives, but for some reason we have it with vehicles,” he said, using Cleveland Avenue as an example of where the District could apply pay parking to manage the parking shortage. “It’s not a revenue thing. It’s a management of the system,” he said. The revenue generated could go not to boost District coffers, but to impacted organizations, such as the Downtown BIA, he said.
Hamilton acknowledged the municipality hasn’t provided reliable service at Brennan Park in recent years. “We do have a ways to go in managing the facilities we have, to service our community more reliably. We’re working on it,” he said. “It’s absolutely difficult, certainly in the face of the renovation, in the face of the labour disputes, in the face of slippery tiles. It’s difficult, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be working harder to provide more reliable service.” On the conundrum of residents wanting additional facilities, while rejecting increasing property taxes, Hamilton said it comes down to how much we are willing to pay. “It’s very easy to say somebody else should pay, but if somebody else is paying, they’re part of our community, and we are paying.” He recognized the potential funds from Woodfibre LNG, but said the town has other capital needs. “The question is how much money do we need to do the things we want to do, and what
should the priority order of those things be and how much money are we willing to spend to get those things done.”
FOCUS GOING FORWARD Granted another term, Hamilton would push for a clearer understanding of capital project lifecycle budgeting and delivery. Hamilton, a computing and data science instructor at CapU, draws insight from the book “How Big Things Get Done.” “It examines the lifecycle of large capital projects and how sometimes the problem isn’t that the project went over budget. It’s that it was underplanned,” he said, adding it is important the community get a realistic look at the potential costs of projects such as the Pemberton-Laurelwood Bridge. “I don’t see bridges being delivered for $24 million of that size. I see things more on the scale of $40 to $60 million,” he said. “We need to be clear about where these overrides might happen and how we’re going to cover that.” Read more of Hamilton’s perspectives on his website, www.andrewforsquamish.ca.
HIKE ANY DAY
September 14 - October 17
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LEGAL BACKGROUND AND COMMUNITY SERVICE ANCHOR ANDERS OUROM’S COUNCIL BID
Longtime outdoor advocate and legal professional Anders Ourom says his practical approach to problem-solving will be an asset if elected to councillor seat JENNIFER THUNCHER
jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca
A
nders Ourom is hoping voters value his experience, ideas, diligence and practicality as assets worthy of putting him in a councillor chair this election. His 30-year legal career focused on advising and representing societies, charities and other non-profits. “Any reasonably good lawyer, if nothing else, they tend to do the homework, read stuff, pay attention,” he said, on the practical way his legal experience would impact a role on council. In 2023, Ourom was appointed a King’s Counsel in recognition of his service to the public. He received the BC Achievement Community Award in 2022. Ourom has served in various volunteer capacities. Most recently, in 2025, he instigated the creation of Baldwin & Cooper Park in the Skyridge area, to recognize Jim Baldwin and Ed Cooper, pioneers of climbing in Squamish in 1961.
PHOTO BY TIM CYR
Anders Ourom.
His leadership positions include serving as president of Mountain Equipment Co- operative, president of the BC Mountaineering Club, and as founder and president of the Climbers’ Access
Society of BC for over a decade, among other roles. In terms of what he would stand for on council, he referenced the tough financial situation the District is in and said he would want to steer the council towards “balance.” “It may take a little while to restore a bit of balance to the finances to give some flexibility in other things,” he said. “Obviously, if I was elected, I’m one (vote) out of seven on council. So, I have no magic wand. … I certainly would do my best to represent the interests of the town and the citizens to the very best of my ability, honestly and faithfully.” He would like to play a role in a solid plan for “the renewal of the civic centre—and renewal might mean replacing the whole thing—arts and culture facilities, (and) a new town hall.” Long an outdoor recreationalist, he also turns his eyes to Squamish’s sculpted landscape. “A single thing that more than anything else that I’d like to see accomplished, it would be interesting to see if we could have a comprehensive plan for outdoor recreation in this area,” he said. “That is, working with BC Parks and the regional district and private owners.”
He suggested more signage on trails would be a simple thing that could help orient people better, given that trail names can vary by app. He also noted that parking is an issue to address not just downtown, but in other areas, including parks. He would take a former lawyer’s eye to parking variances, he said. “(Not) conceding on those things from whatever general rules you’ve set, unless you have tangible benefits that more than balance out what you’re losing. And preferably different benefits delivered up front,” he said. He also spoke of advocating to higher orders of government for more capacity at the hospital and in local long-term care. “I’m practical in terms of approaching problems, very rooted in the actual situation and the actual possibilities,” he said. “I have a record of actually accomplishing things and I think there’s things that could be accomplished.” Find out more about his campaign on Facebook at www.facebook.com/anders. ourom.
SLRD AREA D CANDIDATE CAMERON BELL TALKS PRIORITIES With election season pending, the geologist and corporate board leader explains what he can bring to the table INA PACE
ipace@lodestarmedia.ca
W
ith Electoral Area D director Tony Rainbow retiring, new potential directors are stepping forward to fill
the seat. Cameron Bell—a geologist, sports enthusiast, and Furry Creek resident of two years—has put his name forward to become Area D director on the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) board this fall.
SPEAKING OF SPECIFICS Bell’s focus for Area D residents, he said, is preserving their quality of life. “I have a platform with five key components: responsible development, value for taxes, emergency preparedness, transit, and recreational opportunities,” he said. “Those are the things I would immediately focus on, and of course, be willing to listen to other issues that the voters may have.” For Bell, having appropriate infrastructure, as well as conserving it, is key. This means looking to maintain things like water and public beach access, which he is concerned about at Furry
WHY NOW?
Creek in particular. “It’s inevitable we are going to have new developments, but I want to make sure our infrastructure is appropriately in place; access to our trails, parking where we are used to, or a reasonable alternative,” he said. Bell is an active member of the Furry Creek Community Association (FCCA), and said he is skeptical about Furry Creek’s expansion and development, though he is willing to listen to the proponent.
TRANSFERRING EXPERIENCE Bell has over 40 years of experience in mining exploration; his work has involved leading permitting projects with multiple corporate entities, local government, and communities, including Indigenous groups, across Labrador, the Yukon, and B.C., as well as Southeast Asia, Australia, and Europe. Though he has only served on corporate boards before rather than those for local government, Bell emphasizes the transferability of his experience. He posted in a supportive Facebook group that through experience of living and working overseas, he “truly appreciates” the Sea to Sky’s unique environment.
PHOTO BY MACKENZIE BELL
Cameron Bell.
“I fully realize there’s a big learning curve,” Bell said, acknowledging how he intends to follow Rainbow’s advice about participating in all training sessions for new candidates, should he get elected.
Bell said that, besides the fact that Rainbow is retiring, he wanted to be a part of the SLRD’s development process, to ensure things are done in ways which benefit Area D residents over the next four years. Asked about his list of assets on his nomination paper, and any potential conflict of interest, Bell said he is prepared for personal compromise, if necessary. “If I had to, I could recuse myself from discussions,” he said, speaking specifically about Fortis. “I’d rather sell my shares than take an abstention on a vote.” According to his Facebook post, Bell’s hobbies include skiing, squash, fishing, biking, and kayaking, and he was a youth sports coach for several years. Residents can view the full list of current nominees and their respective papers on the SLRD website at slrd.bc.ca. 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.
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Stage 1 Outdoor Water Use Restrictions remain in effect.
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The future of driving.
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The District’s next 10-year Financial Plan review process began on September 8 and continues through to December.
2026
Saturday, September 19 10 am–1 pm at Junction Park
Follow along at LetsTalkSquamish.ca/budget-2027
Strength, Mobility & Longevity Seminar Tuesdays, 9:30–10:30 am
MOVE, GROOVE, CONNECT!
Belly Dance
at The 55 Activity Centre
at Brennan Park Recreation Centre
Join instructor David Hill for 45 minutes of bodyweight mobility and strength drills followed by 15 minutes of open discussion on health.
Family Yoga with Hannah Wednesdays, 5:45–6:45 pm
Move, groove, and connect in this class designed for joy, expression, and community. Learn fun isolations and simple combos to vibrant music in a safe, inclusive, body-positive space. All levels, all bodies welcome - no experience needed! Drop-ins welcome subject to space available.
Fridays, 4–5 pm
at Brennan Park Recreation Centre
Yoga and breathwork are intertwined with stories, games and songs to engage families together! Coming soon: Kids Yoga with Hannah every Sunday from 9:15–10:15 a.m.
squamish.ca/rec
Walk-n-Roll
September 19, 11 am–3 pm at Stan Clarke Park The Walk-n-Roll is a celebration of people with disabilities. Everyone is welcome. Come tour around Downtown Squamish and learn about accessibility! Accessible drop-off areas will be available on both sides of Stan Clarke Park for the duration of the event.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2026 | 9
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DALIA SHEHATA JOINS RACE FOR SEA TO SKY SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD Focusing on accessibility and better communication, Squamish parent and education advocate Dalia Shehata has officially entered the race for the Sea to Sky School District board JENNIFER THUNCHER
jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca
M
any in Squamish likely know Dalia Shehata as an owner of Happimess Art Studio, but she is hoping to add Sea to Sky School District board trustee to her roles. She says her decade of experience being a parent of two children in the Squamish school system, plus volunteering on parent advisory councils, the District Parent Advisory Council’s inclusion committee, and school district and municipal accessibility committee, has taught her much that would be useful as a trustee. “You learn so much about how to conduct yourself in a meeting, how to present information, how to follow Robert’s (Rules of Order) and all of the little nuances that come with governance,” she said, adding she realized through the process she is a policy wonk. “I hear a lot of stories about the gaps in the system, and it’s not that the trustees that are on the board right now don’t know these gaps and ... they are bringing it forward. I just feel like I can add a little more with my nerdy, geeky love of policy,” she said. “A trustee’s role is literally to bring community concerns to the board and advocate for
POOL: Continued from 3 rust was seen after the first year, meaning a higher maintenance cost, according to Jaggers. The plastic lockers last about 20 years, while metal lockers last about five to 10 years.
POOL TILES Staff noted replacement of the pool deck tiles was prioritized following a closure last year. So that work will be done in the fall of 2027. The tiles within the pools are also past useful life, but slated for 2028, depending on the cost. The idea would be that the work would be done during the annual pool shutdown for maintenance in September of each year.
COUNCIL COMMENTS In voicing his support for the requisition, Coun. John French said that water safety instruction to young people is key to what happens at the pool. “I support the funding requests in the submission proposed by staff, and I look forward to getting the Aquatic Centre staffed up and restored to the operating hours service that we had previously so that we can maximize those important swim lessons for kids,” he said. Stoner noted how vital staff the requests were. “The objective here is to keep the pool open at regular service for our community. I think that’s everybody’s objective. And I’ve heard from staff that that is what we’re intending to do here,” she said.
PHOTO BY JENNIFER THUNCHER
Dalia Shehata.
changing policy where needed.” For Shehata, most important to her are ensuring inclusion and collaboration. “The closest thing to my heart is accessibility. There’s a lot of work that needs to be done on accessibility. After the accessibility act came around and the district was provincially and
Pettingill was the one opposing vote. He said he couldn’t support the requisition given that staff said that the pool deck air handling unit to be replaced uses a gas connection to heat the air and that Brennan Park electrical capacity is “maxed out” and will need to be updated in order to get off natural gas. “(The concern is with) building dependence on long-term gas-fired infrastructure, partly because of our Climate Action Plan, but also where I see energy prices going, especially as B.C. goes heavy into LNG and what other jurisdictions have seen happen to their gas prices as a result,” he said. “I think when I see that the necessary electrical upgrades are only one year out, I’d feel much more comfortable understanding this in a context of a plan of dealing with a possible stopgap to that.” In voicing his support, Mayor Armand Hurford drew attention to the gap between what user fees bring in and what they cover. “It was clear to me the whole time but particularly during the closures of how important this facility is to the community. And I think these investments are entirely reasonable. These facilities are big, complicated and expensive, as are these projects,” he said. “I just want to highlight the user fees and the program revenue and really the percentage that makes up of the investments just needed here, whether it’s operationally or capital,” he added. “It’s a community decision that these things are important and the user fees cover a small portion of that. “
federally mandated to have an accessibility committee—it needs more. When you have boxes to check, it’s always better to go beyond those,” she said, adding it is in the nuances and implementation of policy where true accessibility lies. By inclusion she means LGBTQ+ and diversity of all kinds, she stressed. “I come from it from a lens of disability and learning differences, but it includes everyone,” she said. She would also like to see clearer communication with parents across the school district, including crisis communication when things go wrong at schools. As an example of how clear communication works, she said when she announced she was running, she posted to social media that she wants to get to the bottom of gradual kindergarten entry, which many parents love to hate. An educator reached out to her and explained what a big jump it is to go from preschool to kindergarten, in terms of supervision, class sizes and even where the washrooms are. In one message, Shehata said she had the answer to something she and other parents had been wondering—and complaining—about for years. “I’ve been in this system for 10 years and I’ve been complaining about gradual entry
I come from it from a lens of disability and learning differences, but it includes everyone. DALIA SHEHATA
alongside other parents and other moms for 10 years. Not once did I get an explanation this good,” she said. “How did no one communicate this?” In terms of collaboration, she includes administrators, fellow trustees, parents and teachers, she said. “It’s really important to collaborate with (teachers) as a trustee as well because their voices need to be heard… They’re the ones doing the work and if we’re just talking about the gaps without bringing them into the conversation, then that’s useless.” Find out more about Shehata on Facebook at DaliaMWSHEHATA.
Infrastructure Upgrades
• Annual Watermain Upgrades continue in Brackendale. • Wastewater System Upgrades continue in Dentville, on the Madill Forcemain. Construction work is paused.
• Work on the Paradise Valley Bailey Bridge repairs is now underway. Overnight closures expected during the work. • Phased construction work on Squamish River Dike at Harris and Dryden Pump Stations and Central Lift Station continues through November. squamish.ca/building-our-future
Business Opportunities
Requests for Proposals
• Archaeological Consulting Services • Wastewater Treatment Plant Outfall Extension Construction
squamish.ca/doing-business-with-the-district
Development Review
• 40128 Garibaldi Way - Juniper Townhomes Development Permit
squamish.ca/review
10 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 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
HEY CANDIDATES
T
he first instinct of a candidate for local government is likely to appeal to as many folks as possible. This, by necessity, means being bland. Don’t do that. For the love of all that is holy, we need candidates to stand for and against things. We all love Squamish. We all care. Don’t waste your time on platitudes. Voter attention spans are short. For those seeking a seat on council, how will you vote in terms of reducing parking? How will you form a relationship with LNG now that the baby most locals never wanted is about to be born? What is your philosophy when it comes to street disorder, helping the unhoused come indoors, and easing tensions for and with vanlifers? Be honest, what are the chances of a better Brennan Park? How available will you be to the public (and media) after you are elected? Will you advocate for lower property taxes, or do you think they need to stay as planned? If you are a new candidate for council, the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District, or Sea to Sky School Board, what votes, specifically, would you have cast differently if you were elected? Show us how you will work well with others, because frankly, that is essential. Show you have done your research and aren’t promising things outside the role you are applying for. If you were an incumbent, let’s be blunt, what are the issues faced that you couldn’t overcome to get everything done that you wanted? What are you proud of and where did you differ from your colleagues? Some candidates are being forthright; others are hoping dodging hard conversations will not be noticed. Yes, taking a stand means some voters will hear you and strike you off their list, but it also means others will get on board and tell their friends to as well. In other words, you be you, boo! We need the real, unwrapped you that we will get at hour 10 of a meeting, not the fluffy Instagram-filtered you. All this said, thank you to every single person who put their name forward to serve in local government, whether it is for council, SLRD, or SD48. It is a truly courageous and hopeful act. To look out into the world of politics today, with the toxic online discourse, and put up your hand to participate in our democracy in such an active way says a lot about your character before you even open your mouth. Campaigns are difficult and a test of that character. As you stare into the faces of all those asking you questions who didn’t raise their hands to run, remember that. Thank you for being willing to serve. See you on the campaign trail.
NO CHILD LEFT OFFLINE GUEST COLUMN BRADEN DUPUIS
T
here surely comes a time when we all must endure our first “elderly” moment—coming face to face with technology we can suddenly no longer comprehend; a world which now only angers and confuses us. Mine was a few years back, when trying to purchase a ticket for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Being thoroughly perplexed by all the odd symbols next to my movie’s showtime, I opted for the most expensive one, positing this premium moviegoing experience would surely be worth whatever those odd symbols meant. It wasn’t until the movie began and my chair started rocking and shaking with the intensity of a dysfunctional mechanical bull that I realized my grave error. I was sitting in a D-BOX seat, which I did not know was a thing until the exact second it started abusing me. And suddenly there I was, a man in his mid-30s feeling very much a senior citizen as my old, confused bones rocked and rolled in rhythm to the interstellar action on the screen. That may have been my first real glimpse into the depths of the great generational divide, but it surely wasn’t the last—and they seem to get more frequent all the time.
Lately my “old-man-yelling-at-clouds” pet peeve is far from original, being shared by many of us pre-internet babies: those damn kids and their damn screens. I see it in my nieces and nephews, who can transform from happy, functional children into tiny screen-addicted warlords the moment access to a device is threatened or another child has monopolized it too long. But it’s easy, too, to recognize the ancient ritual being performed here. Every generation eventually decides the one behind it has been ruined by some new technology, cultural trend or unfamiliar arrangement of vowels. Rock music did it. Television did it. Video games did it. Social media did it. Now artificial intelligence is here to ruin the kids once and for all. Looking back, all those bad words I listened to on CDs labelled with explicit content warnings, and all the gruesome fatalities I performed in Mortal Kombat did not turn me into an unfeeling monster, as the old folks predicted they would. But that’s not to say the elders are entirely wrong. Just in time for the new school year, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) released the results of the largest-ever edition of its international student assessment on Sept. 8—and they paint a troubling picture. More than 760,000 15-year-olds in 91 countries and economies participated in the 2025 Programme for SCREENS: Continued on 11
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2026 | 11
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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
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(We have good feelings that we live, we work and we play on the lands of the Squamish Nation) SCREENS: Continued from 10 International Student Assessment, or PISA. Across OECD countries, average reading scores have fallen by 28 points since 2015—the equivalent of roughly a year and a half of learning—while math scores dropped by more than a year’s worth. One in five students now ranks as a low performer in science, reading and math, compared with one in six in 2022. The OECD was careful not to pin that entire decline on technology. Performance was already slipping before COVID-19 scrambled education systems around the world, and familiar factors such as family income and access to educational support remain profoundly important. But its findings on screens and artificial intelligence should make parents, teachers—and perhaps especially governments and tech evangelists—pause. More than one in four students across OECD countries reported classmates being distracted by digital devices in most or every science lesson. On average, students reporting that distraction scored 11 points lower in science and also reported lower engagement and a weaker sense of belonging at school—although Canada was among the minority of participating countries where the difference in science performance was not statistically significant. Canadian students reported spending an average of 1.6 hours each school day
using digital devices for learning—and another 1.1 hours using them for leisure. AI has already burrowed its way into the classroom, too. Thirty-eight per cent of Canadian students said they used AI chatbots to help them learn at least once a week. Twenty-three per cent used them to summarize assigned reading, while 18 per cent used them to draft written assignments. Students who did not use AI to draft their writing generally outperformed those who did. But the picture was not entirely straightforward: moderate AI users sometimes performed better than rare or intensive users, while frequent users who had been taught to assess AI-generated information tended to outperform those who received no such guidance. The OECD cautioned that these relationships do not establish cause and effect. The danger is what happens when AI becomes a substitute for attention, effort and understanding—in other words, the entire process school is supposed to foster. B.C. has required school districts to restrict personal digital devices since 2024, with exceptions for instructional, accessibility, medical and equity needs. Locally, Myrtle Philip Community School tells students to keep phones, smart watches, e-readers and wireless earbuds put away unless a teacher permits their use for learning. Whistler Secondary similarly prohibits phones and other electronic devices during class time. Those rules are sensible, but they’re
also a little absurd when viewed against the wider world we adults have built around children. The Sea to Sky School District’s back-to-school package directs families to download its school-news app so they can receive push notifications—another illustration of how thoroughly screens have embedded themselves in modern life. We use them to work, bank, socialize, navigate, learn, relax and communicate with our children’s schools—then become scandalized when children struggle to put them down. School bans may reduce classroom distraction, but research on their broader academic and mental-health benefits remains mixed. A phone locked away for six hours does not undo another six spent staring into it afterward. That makes this a much larger and more uncomfortable conversation than simply blaming the kids. New York City is taking the dramatic step of imposing a one-year moratorium on student-facing generative AI from preschool through Grade 8, while limiting younger students’ screen time and reserving controlled AI use and literacy training for high school. Whether that works remains to be seen. But the underlying principle seems sound: children should learn how to think before we get them hooked on machines willing to do their thinking for them.
QUESTION OF THE WEEK Have you decided who you are going to vote for in the upcoming local elections? Have your say at squamishchief.com
LAST WEEK’S QUESTION
How comfortable are you with the current growth in Squamish? (Top 3) NOT COMFORTABLE (TOO FAST) DEPENDS STRICTLY ON INFRASTRUCTURE SOMEWHAT COMFORTABLE
72% 13% 5%
MOST READ STORY
Legal background and community service anchor Anders Ourom’s Squamish council bid
Braden Dupuis is a journalist and editor of Whistler’s Pique Newsmagazine.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR LET’S TURN SETBACKS INTO COMEBACKS Editor’s note: This letter was addressed to all candidates for council: As Squamish approaches an important municipal election, we must consider not only the issues facing our community, but also the leadership needed to address them. The next mayor and council will inherit enormous responsibilities, including managing growth, housing, infrastructure, recreation,
transportation, environmental protection and the financial pressures facing a rapidly growing community. The property-tax revenue expected from Woodfibre LNG will give the next council an opportunity—and an obligation—to examine the District’s financial position and how this new revenue should be used. The objective should not simply be to find new ways to spend more money. Council should consider how this revenue could reduce pressure on residential taxpayers, pay down
municipal debt, strengthen reserves and fund essential infrastructure. The central question should be whether today’s decisions will give future councils greater financial flexibility—or leave them with greater financial problems. Woodfibre LNG has been approved and is moving forward. Although many people continue to have concerns about the project, Squamish must now focus on how to manage its impacts and LETTERS: Continued on 12
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.
PHOTO COURTESY OF WOODFIRE LNG
THE GIVING KIND: Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue Station 4 has new equipment and training resources for its volunteer crews, thanks to a $25,000 grant from Woodfibre LNG. With the funds, the volunteers bought a new Raymarine Cyclone radar system, specialized Manta SAR helmets, a vacuum spine board, and a rescue mannequin for realistic training scenarios.
12 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2026
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR LETTERS: Continued from 11 secure lasting benefits for the community. The project will generate construction activity, jobs, business opportunities and property-tax revenue. The District will receive substantial tax revenue while providing comparatively few municipal services to the site. That places Squamish in an unusual and potentially valuable financial position. Instead of beginning with, “What can we spend this money on?” council should ask: • How much can be used to reduce the burden on residential taxpayers? • How much should be directed toward debt and reserves? • Which infrastructure investments will provide the greatest long-term benefit? • How can we avoid creating financial obligations for future councils? That is fiscal responsibility. I had the privilege of serving as a District of Squamish councillor, chair of the SquamishLillooet Regional District and chair of the BC Assessment Review Panel for the Sea to Sky region. Those roles gave me an appreciation for the complexity of local government and the responsibility elected officials carry. Councillors must balance staff advice, competing priorities, community expectations, taxation and the views of their council
colleagues. But they must always remember who they ultimately work for: the public. Elected officials have a duty to listen to residents, including those with whom they disagree. They must remain connected to the people who placed them in office. Squamish faces serious challenges, from housing insecurity and strained infrastructure to transportation, recreation and environmental protection. Addressing them will require cooperation, compromise and thoughtful governance. Our responsibility now is to ensure Squamish does not simply absorb the impacts of Woodfibre LNG, but receives meaningful and lasting benefits from the economic activity associated with it. Rather than continuing to divide ourselves over whether the project should exist, we should ask a more constructive question: How do we make sure Squamish emerges stronger? That will require disciplined spending, long-term planning and the courage to reject expenditures that may be desirable but are not financially responsible. Several potential candidates have contacted me for advice and support. I encourage anyone seeking office to speak with former councillors and others who have served in local government. Being elected is only the beginning. The
real responsibility lies in learning to listen, working with people who hold different views, understanding the role of staff and remaining accountable to the community. This election will shape how Squamish manages growth, housing, infrastructure, the environment, taxation, debt and economic opportunity. We should learn from past disagreements, turn the page and concentrate on building the strongest community possible. That does not mean abandoning our principles. It means recognizing when circumstances have changed and having the courage to move forward. Thank you to everyone putting their name forward to serve our community. Seeking public office requires courage, commitment and a willingness to accept a considerable responsibility. Let’s turn setbacks into comebacks. Paul Lalli, former District of Squamish councillor, former chair of the SquamishLillooet Regional District
GET WHEELS OFF THE SIDEWALKS First let me commend the majority of responsible Squamish cyclists for following the rules of the road—riding in bike lanes, wearing helmets, riding with (not against) traffic and even signalling turns! You are keeping yourself and everyone else
Your story starts here
safe. To the rest, please, for your safety and the safety of babies, elders and anyone out for a stroll, get off the sidewalks! Not only are you breaking the law by riding a bicycle on a sidewalk, you are putting your life, the lives of pedestrians and even your personal financial future at risk. Under the BC Motor Vehicle Act, (183 (1) , cyclists have “the same rights and duties as a driver of a vehicle” and (2)(a) “must not ride on a sidewalk...” among other responsibilities. There are excellent reasons for this. You put yourself at risk because motorists making a turn are not expecting a fast-moving bicycle to dart out of a sidewalk in front of them at an intersection. You put at risk the safety of the parent pushing a baby carriage, or an elder or any other pedestrian at risk because a collision with 90 kilos of fast-moving bicycle will definitely cause a pedestrian significant injuries. Which brings us to the last point. Bicycles are not insured by BCAA. If you cause injury—while breaking the law—you are exposing yourself to a serious and potentially devastating personal injury lawsuit. By the way, this also applies 100 per cent to motorized scooters. So please, smarten-up and use the bike lanes our council has worked so hard to provide. Greg Pillon Squamish
This Sea to Sky area is such a unique, beautiful place in the world. To be able to have this opportunity at Woodfibre where I can combine what I want to do for work with where I want to be is incredibly rare. Kelly Steeves Dog lover | Outdoorswoman | Head of Engineering Support
Find your story at woodfibrelng.ca/careers
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2026 | 13
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2026 General Local and School Elections Notice of Advance Voting Opportunities and Mail Ballot Voting SLRD Electoral Area D and SD48 Trustee Electoral Area 5 Advance voting opportunities for qualified electors of the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (“SLRD”) and Sea to Sky School District No.48 (“SD48”) will be held between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., unless otherwise noted, as follows:
Wednesday October 7, 2026 Britannia Beach Fire Hall 360 Copper Drive, Britannia Beach, BC
Saturday October 10, 2026 Whistler Public Library 4329 Main Street, Whistler, BC
Garibaldi Fire Hall (Black Tusk Village) 192 Retta Lake Road, Whistler, BC
Totem Hall 1380 Stawamus Road, Squamish, BC
A Special Voting Opportunity for eligible patients and staff at the Squamish General Hospital (38140 Behrner Dr., Squamish, BC) will be held Tuesday October 13, 2026 - 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
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 be 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). For SD48 elections, a person must not be a Resident Elector in any trustee electoral area of SD48 and may only register as a Non-Resident Property Elector in relation to one parcel of land within SD48.
Mail Ballot Voting Qualified electors wishing to vote by mail may apply online at SLRD.bc.ca/2026elections/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 will be included with each mail ballot package.
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 photo 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 above-listed identification documents and may also accept other forms of documents that provide evidence satisfactory to them (such as valid current passport).
General Voting Day will be held on Saturday, October 17, 2026. Information regarding voting locations and voting opportunities is available at SLRD.bc.ca/2026elections. For further information, please contact Angela Belsham, Chief Election Officer at (604) 894-6371 or (toll-free) 1-800-298-7753, or by email election@SLRD.bc.ca.
To learn more and to apply online, visit SLRD.bc.ca/2026elections/voterinformation.
SLRD.bc.ca/2026elections
14 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2026
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Notice of Tax Sale Notice is hereby given that pursuant to Sections 645 & 647 of the Local Government act, the properties listed below may be offered for sale on Monday, September 28, 2026 at 10:00 am, in Council Chambers, Municipal Hall, 37955 Second Ave, Squamish, B.C., unless the delinquent taxes plus interest are paid.
PID
Civic Address
Legal Description
007-325-665
42086 BIRKEN RD
LOT 38 SECTION 22 TOWNSHIP 50 NEW WESTMINISTER DISTRICT PLAN VAP13834 PART SE 1/4 BCAGROUP 1 & LOT 1 SECTION 22 TOWNSHIP 50 NEW WESTMINISTER DISTRICT PLAN VAP17019 PART SE 1/4 BCAGROUP 1
012-038-148
41823 HOPE RD
LOT 11 BLOCK 3 SECTION 22 TOWNSHIP 50 NEW WESTMINISTER DISTRICT PLAN VAP3917 PART SE 1/4 BCAGROUP 1
007-666-403
1140 DEPOT RD
LOT 1 BLOCK 31 SECTION 22 TOWNSHIP 50 NEW WESTMINISTER DISTRICT PLAN VAP15323 PART S 1/2 OF SE 1/4 BCAGROUP 1
205-1830 MAMQUAM RD
GROUP 1, NEW WESTMINSTER LAND DISTRICT, MANUFACTURED HOME REG.# 46548, BAY # 205, 08338 TIMBER TOWN MANUFACTURED HOME PARK, MHP ROLL # 08-338-300-0067744.000
244-1830 MAMQUAM RD
GROUP 1, NEW WESTMINSTER LAND DISTRICT, MANUFACTURED HOME REG.# 22466, BAY # 244, 08338 TIMBER TOWN MANUFACTURED HOME PARK, MHP ROLL # 08-338-300-0067744.000
41-40157 GOVERNMENT RD
GROUP 1, NEW WESTMINSTER LAND DISTRICT, MANUFACTURED HOME REG.# 35296, BAY # 41, 08338 SPIRAL MANUFACTURED HOME PARK, MHP ROLL # 08-338-300-0070348.000
76-40157 GOVERNMENT RD
GROUP 1, NEW WESTMINSTER LAND DISTRICT, MANUFACTURED HOME REG.# 17963, BAY # 76, 08338 SPIRAL MANUFACTURED HOME PARK, MHP ROLL # 08-338-300-0070348.000
88-40157 GOVERNMENT RD
GROUP 1, NEW WESTMINSTER LAND DISTRICT, MANUFACTURED HOME REG.# 24344, BAY # 88, 08338 SPIRAL MANUFACTURED HOME PARK, MHP ROLL # 08-338-300-0070348.000
18-40022 GOVERNMENT RD
GROUP 1, NEW WESTMINSTER LAND DISTRICT, MANUFACTURED HOME REG.# 35182, BAY # 18, 08338 WAGON WHEEL AKA ANGELO'S MANUFACTURED HOME PARK, MHP ROLL # 08-338-400-0067701.000
009-452-141
38108 CLEVELAND AVE
LOT 3 BLOCK G DISTRICT LOT 486 NEW WESTMINISTER DISTRICT PLAN VAP9823 & BLK H
007-944-578
38087 THIRD AVE
LOT 21 BLOCK 4 DISTRICT LOT 486 NEW WESTMINISTER DISTRICT PLAN VAP4552 BCAGROUP 1
009-849-114
38890 BOWEN AVE
LOT C BLOCK 20 DISTRICT LOT 759 NEW WESTMINISTER DISTRICT PLAN VAP8986 BCAGROUP 1 OF LOT 1
029-817-374
52-1188 WILSON CRES
STRATA LOT 29, PLAN EPS3019, DISTRICT LOT 4261, GROUP 1, NEW WESTMINSTER LAND DISTRICT, TOGETHER WITH AN INTEREST IN THE COMMON PROPERTY IN PROPORTION TO THE UNIT ENTITLEMENT OF THE STRATA LOT AS SHOWN ON FORM V
031-074-421
1372 MARINASIDE PL
STRATA LOT 25 PLAN EPS4831 DISTRICT LOT 486 GROUP 1 NEW WESTMINISTER DISTRICT TOGETHER WITH AN INTEREST IN THE COMMON PROPERTY IN PROPORTION TO THE UNIT ENTITLEMENT OF THE STRATA LOT AS SHOWN ON FORM V
030-906-130
509-38013 THIRD AVE
LOT 37 DISTRICT LOT 486 NEW WESTMINISTER DISTRICT PLAN EPS5708 TOGETHER WITH AN INTEREST IN THE COMMON PROPERTY IN PROPORTION TO THE UNIT ENTITLEMENT OF THE STRATA LOT AS SHOWN ON FORM 1 OR V, AS APPROPRIATE
031-828-647
38025 KEEL WAY
STRATA LOT 94 PLAN EPS5833 DISTRICT LOT 486 GROUP 1 NEW WESTMINISTER DISTRICT PHASE 6, TOGETHER WITH AN INTEREST IN THE COMMON PROPERTY IN PROPORTION TO THE UNIT ENTITLEMENT OF THE STRATA LOT AS SHOWN ON FORM V
031-929-559
38039 HELM WAY
STRATA LOT 125 BLOCK 486 PLAN EPS5833 GROUP 1 NEW WESTMINISTER DISTRICT TOGETHER WITH AN INTEREST IN THE COMMON PROPERTY IN PROPORTION TO THE UNIT ENTITLEMENT OF THE STRATA LOT AS SHOWN ON FORM V
026-746-930
40889 THE CRESCENT
LOT 6 DISTRICT LOT 512 NEW WESTMINISTER DISTRICT PLAN BCP25033 BCAGROUP 1
009-231-595
40101 SKYLINE DR
LOT 62 BLOCK I SECTION 12 TOWNSHIP 50 DISTRICT LOT 511 NEW WESTMINISTER DISTRICT PLAN VAP10931 BCAGROUP 1
Continued
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2026 | 15
squamishchief.com
BRITANNIA VILLAGE HAS ‘TERRIFIC SUMMER’ DESPITE TRADE WAR Some Britannia businesses are regarding the trade war as opportune, in light of their ‘loyal’ customers INA PACE
ipace@lodestarmedia.ca
I
s this the best time to shop locally? Some Sea to Sky locals seem to think so, specifically those in Britannia Village. President Donald Trump’s U.S./ Canada trade war has been turning heads and ruffling feathers for over a year now. Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a speech on Aug. 22 that “Canada has worked intensively and in good faith with the United States to negotiate a fair trade deal” in this time. Only this summer the pot was significantly stirred when negotiations fell through and Trump enforced tariffs up to 50% on Canadian goods. Everyday items like dairy, alcohol, clothing and jewelry, furniture and appliances—all products you might find in Britannia Village—are targeted. Canada didn’t take this lying down. Prime Minister Mark Carney’s “dollar-fordollar” retaliation tariffs of up to 50% on U.S. products (also announced in August.) kicked in on Sept. 8, targeting similar U.S. sectors, such as dairy, appliances, and agricultural
equipment. Furthermore, Carney also announced support for affected businesses, reducing tax rates for example on new business investment to 13%. The more grass-roots silver lining, it seems, is that Canadians have been, and are continuing, to shop locally, especially with federal encouragement. “We are making it easier for Canadians to buy Canadian, hire Canadian, and build Canadian,” Carney said in the August speech. The Squamish Chief asked several B.C. orientated businesses in Britannia Village how Trump’s trade war has affected them thus far, if at all. “Hopefully it’ll make us a little more independent and stronger,” said The Britannia General Store manager Elliot Boose. “The longer (the trade war) goes on, the more we’ll start to see companies stepping up. (The store has seen) some vodka companies start from Kelowna, and a couple of whiskey companies from Surrey. They’re getting a chance they never would have had prior to this.” The Britannia General Store, according to Boose, does not export to the U.S., but Americans do come to shop alongside Canadian locals, and there has been no
decline in foot traffic. “We’ve had a terrific summer and we’re still going strong,” Boose said. The only products he noted that the store couldn’t supply at first included Bick’s Pickles, owned by The (American) J.M. Smucker Company, and currently American bourbon. Autostrada co-owner Dustin Dockendorf said in an emailed statement that the trade war is only one factor of many business variables the restaurant needs to navigate, yet the restaurant’s suppliers are primarily Canadian, with a few European. “I do appreciate that many American tourists continue to support our economy,” Dockendorf’s statement reads. “I feel for Canadian companies whose primary customers are American. As a brand, one of (Autostrada’s) core values is to work with like-minded suppliers; farmers, ranchers, fishermen, breweries, wineries.” Britannia retail and giftware store Copper & Fern Boutique remains unaffected at this time. “We feel lucky we aren’t going to be subjected to U.S. tariffs as we only source from Canadian brands and businesses. No better time to shop local,” said Copper & Fern owner Kassia Mahec, also in an emailed statement. Damage from the trade war in Britannia
might be minimal, but that doesn’t mean industries across B.C. nor elsewhere in the Sea to Sky aren’t under pressure. The Squamish Chief also met with BC Minister of Agriculture and Food Lana Popham in Britannia Village, whose grandparents, she said, operated the mining museum’s Chatterbox Cafe in the 1950s. Popham said that she sees stress coming through in a lot of meetings she’s having, particularly with those in the dairy industry, and the greenhouse sector. “Everyone is very worried. It’s a lot on top of the forest fires and drought this summer,” she said. “The one great piece of news is that consumers are extremely loyal to B.C. products, and to Canadian products. We established the Buy BC program in 2017, and it is picking up speed like we’ve never seen before. “I want to thank people for having loyalty to our farmers and producers, it makes a big difference.” 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.
View online:
Notice of Tax Sale PID
Civic Address
Legal Description
027-398-960
2990 STRANGWAY PL
LOT 1 DISTRICT LOT 512 NEW WESTMINISTER DISTRICT PLAN BCS2774 BCAGROUP 1 TOGETHER WITH AN INTEREST IN THE COMMON PROPERTY IN PROPORTION TO THE UNIT ENTITLEMENT OF THE STRATA LOT AS SHOWN ON FORM 1 OR V, AS APPROPRIATE
028-179-269
2982 STRANGWAY PL
LOT 1 DISTRICT LOT 512 NEW WESTMINISTER DISTRICT PLAN BCS3767 BCAGROUP 1 TOGETHER WITH AN INTEREST IN THE COMMON PROPERTY IN PROPORTION TO THE UNIT ENTITLEMENT OF THE STRATA LOT AS SHOWN ON FORM 1 OR V, AS APPROPRIATE
007-739-320
38279 CHESTNUT AVE
LOT 10 BLOCK 13 DISTRICT LOT 833 NEW WESTMINISTER DISTRICT PLAN VAP14892 BCAGROUP 1
007-199-619
40021 PLATEAU DR
LOT 70 BLOCK 22 DISTRICT LOT 515 NEW WESTMINISTER DISTRICT PLAN VAP18201 BCAGROUP 1
Please note that under Section 648 of the Local Government Act a person authorized by council may bid for the municipality up to a maximum amount set by council. Any person upon being declared the tax sale purchaser must pay the full amount of the purchase price by cash or certified cheque by 3 pm the same day. Failure to pay will result in property being offered for sale again at 10 am on the following day.
Property purchased at the tax sale is subject to redemption by the registered property owner within one year from the date of the annual tax sale. The District of Squamish makes no representation express or implied as to the condition or quality of the properties being offered for sale. The purchase of a tax sale property is subject to tax under the Property Transfer Tax Act on the fair market value of the property.
This is the second of three notices. Publish date: September 17, 2026 The District of Squamish acknowledges that payments for delinquent taxes may have been received during the period which the listings are prepared and their subsequent publication in the newspaper.
16 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2026
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Curbside Collection: What goes where?
ORGANICS
RECYCLING
GARBAGE
Do not use “compostable” or “biodegradable” plastic bags.
Rinse and dry all containers. No glass or flexible plastic packaging!
When in doubt, throw it out! It is better to put things in the garbage than contaminate our local recycling efforts!
Paper and Cardboard
Food Scraps
Flattened cardboard, newspapers, flyers, magazines, catalogues, toilet and paper towel rolls, paper bags, paper-based coffee cups and lids, paper straws, envelopes (windows allowed), and wrapping paper (no glitter, shiny wrapping paper or tape allowed).
Any kind of food scraps: Fruit, seaffood, meat, bones, breaads, vegetables, nuts aand shells, jack o’lante erns, pizza, dairy, eggs, candy, popcorn, pasta.
Broken Goods
Broken plastic toys without batteries, broken dishware and ceramics, broken holiday decorations, ripped ribbons, bows, and foil wrapping, torn and ripped books.
Smokes
Cigarettes (tobacco or cannabis), cigars, butts and ashes.
Mixed Plastic Containers
Mixed plastic containers, plastic jugs and tetrapakss, ice-cream containers, plastic, and metal capped d cardboard containers.
Woo od Products
Food soiled tissues, napkins & paper towels, teabags, wooden utensils, popsicle sticks, toothpicks, coffee filters and grounds, wood ngs, sawdust, and shavin d pizza boxes. soiled
Garden Goods
Plastic plant and flower tags/markers, garden hoses, invasive species (bagged).
Metal
Health and Hygiene
Metal cans, Aluminum foil, single use baking trays, and empty aerosol cans (depressurized).
Liquids
Condiments, sauces, syrups, cooking oils (no containers).
Plant Materials Small branches, plants, and grass clippings.
Home healthcare waste, cleaning and sanitary wipes, diapers and sanitary products, personal hygiene products, cotton balls, swabs and pads, blister packaging, gloves and masks.
Single Use
Single-use cups and plastic to go containers, and rinsed single-use coffee pods.
Cleaning Goods Garden Pots
Plastic garden pots, pails and trays.
Dryer lint and dryer sheets, vacuum bags and dust.
Pet Waste
NOT FOR CURBSIDE RECYCLING NOT FOR ORGANICS • Ashes • Invasive species • Pet waste or litter box material • Plastic bags (even labeled “compostable” or “biodegradable”)
• Books (Donate) • Clothing and fabric (Donate) • Compostable and biodegradable plastic (Garbage) • Glass (Drop off) • Hygiene products (Garbage)
• Paper padded envelopes (Garbage) • Plastic bags (Drop off) • PVC & plastic products (Garbage) • Scrap metal (Drop off) • Soiled paper and cardboard (Organics)
Dog poop, cat litter and old bedding.
Plastics
PVC and vinyl, twine, plastic lined paper, plastic squeeze tubes.
squamishchief.com
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2026 | 17
Drop off: What goes where?
BULKY
OTHER
HAZARDOUS
Please note, not all drop-off locations are listed. A full list can be found on the Waste Wizard: squamish.ca/waste-wizard Take to GFL Queens Way location or to the Squamish Landfill.
Cardboard (Large Quantities)
Squamish DOX Depot or Squamish Landfill.
Glass
Squamish DOX Depot or Squamish Landfill.
Automotive Batteries Used Building Supplies
Squamish DOX Depot or Squamish Landfill.
Light Fixtures, Christmas Lights, & Lamps
Solvents, Gasoline, Pesticides, & Flammable Liquids
GFL Queens Way and Squamish Landfill.
Styrofoam
Squamish DOX, London Drugs, or Squamish Landfill.
Tires
Any shop that sells tires.
Paint and Paint Cans
Beverage Containers
Mattresses
Squamish Landfill.
Large Appliances ASM Metals or Squamish Landfill.
Bottle Depot, some liquor stores, or Save On Foods to receive the container refund.
Small Appliances, Electronics, & Power Tools
Flexible Plastics
Squamish DOX Depot or London Drugs.
Motor Oil & Filters (Not accepted at Squamish Landfill.)
Books & Clothing
Donate at Brennan Park, or Squamish Landfill.
Item not listed?
Search for an item using the Waste Wizard look up tool available through the Squamish Curbside Collection app or online: squamish.ca/waste-wizard
Scrap Metal
BROKEN TOTE?
DROP-OFF LOCATIONS
NEED TO RE-SIZE YOUR TOTE?
SQUAMISH LANDFILL & RECYCLING DEPOT
If your lid or lock has been damaged by wildlife, please contact GFL at: squamishtotes@gflenv.com or 604-892-5604 for a repair or replacement. Garbage tote exchanges happen once a year. The deadline to request a change to your curbside garbage tote size is September 30 each year. Learn more at: squamish.ca/garbage-tote-size-selection-form
NEED HELP SORTING?
Sign up for collection reminders by phone, email or app notification at: squamish.ca/collection-schedule or download the Squamish Curbside Collection app.
Landfill Road, Squamish • 604-898-5635
HOURS OF OPERATION
DAILY (March–November) DAILY (December–February) December 24 and 31 December 25 and January 1
9 AM–5:45 PM 9 AM–4:45 PM 9 AM–2:45 PM Closed
LONDON DRUGS
40282 Glenalder Place, Squamish • 604-898-8270
Your tote must be at the curb by 7:15 AM on collection day.
HOURS OF OPERATION MONDAY–SATURDAY SUNDAY
9 AM–9 PM 10 AM–8 PM
ASM Metal or Squamish Landfill.
SQUAMISH DOX RECYCLING DEPOT
40446 Government Road, Squamish 604-567-5551
HOURS OF OPERATION TUESDAY–SUNDAY MONDAY
9 AM–4:30 PM Closed
GFL SQUAMISH
38950 Queens Way, Squamish • 604-892-5604
HOURS OF OPERATION MONDAY–FRIDAY SATURDAY & SUNDAY
8:30 AM–4:30 PM Closed
18 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2026
squamishchief.com
View online:
Voting Opportunities
Elector Registration
Mail Ballot Voting
General Voting Day
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 identity and residency, and by making a solemn declaration that you:
Mail ballot voting will be available to all voters who meet the required elector qualifications as listed under Elector Registration.
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. at
BRENNAN PARK RECREATION CENTRE, 1009 CENTENNIAL WAY, SQUAMISH, BRITISH COLUMBIA Notice of Advance Voting Opportunities THE 55 ACTIVITY CENTRE, 1201 VILLAGE GREEN WAY Wednesday, October 7, 2026 8 a.m.–8 p.m. Thursday, October 8, 2026 12–8 p.m. TOTEM HALL, 1380 STAWAMUS ROAD Saturday, October 10, 2026 8 a.m.–8 p.m. BRENNAN PARK RECREATION CENTRE, 1009 CENTENNIAL WAY Thursday, October 15, 2026 12–8 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 Hilltop House, 38146 Behrner Drive 9:30–11 a.m. 2. Hilltop House, 38146 Behrner Drive 11:15 a.m.–12:45 p.m. 3. Shannons Falls Retirement Residence, 38225 Third Avenue 2:30–4 p.m.
• 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 • Are a resident of the District of Squamish at the time of registration; OR • 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. • 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.
In order to receive a mail ballot package, please complete the Mail Ballot Application available online at squamish.ca/votebymail, or you may submit the following information to the District office in person (37955 Second Avenue), by calling 604-892-5217 or emailing election@squamish.ca: 1. Full name 2. Residential address 3. Address of the property in relation to which you are voting (for non-resident property electors) 4. Method of delivery of your mail ballot package: • Pick up at Municipal office, OR • Regular letter mail through Canada Post to a residential address, OR • Regular letter mail through Canada Post to an alternate address that you provide when requesting the ballot package, and 5. If you are not on the list of electors, to ensure you receive the correct registration application form in your package, you must indicate whether you are going to be registering as a resident or non-resident property elector. The District will send out mail ballot packages and will have them available for pickup at Municipal Hall, as soon as the ballots are available. To be counted, your mail ballot must be received by the Chief Election Officer before 8 p.m. on Saturday October 17, 2026. For more information on mail ballot voting, please visit the District website or call 604-892-5217.
Voters List
Until the close of general voting on October 17, 2026, a copy of the Voters List will, upon signature, be available for public inspection in the Squamish Election Office, Municipal Hall, 37955 Second Avenue, Squamish from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except statutory holidays, and at the voting locations during Advance Voting and General Voting.
For More Information
Visit squamish.ca, write election@squamish.ca, or contact the Squamish Election Office, Municipal Hall, at 604-892-5217.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2026 | 19
squamishchief.com
RIDE FOR DAD RAISES $134K TO FIGHT PROSTATE CANCER Second annual event sees triple the number of bikers
Most recently, I lost a friend, a dear volunteer who helped me out for the last nine years in his fight and he said in his last words to me, ‘Get ‘er done.’
JENNIFER THUNCHER
jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca
M
otorcycle riders turned out in force for the Squamish Ride for Dad on Sunday. The ride, organized by employees of Surerus Murphy Joint Venture (SMJV) on the Eagle Mountain - Woodfibre Gas Pipeline project, raises money to fight prostate cancer. This second year of the ride, more than 60 motorcycles rolled up, far exceeding the 20 riders of the first year. The ride starts at the BC Rail Yards and then snakes its way through Squamish, up the Sea to Sky Highway to Pemberton, where there is a ceremony. This year, the ride raised $134,200 for the Okanagan Ride for Dad chapter, according to ride organizer Derek Pickford. This includes funds from participants, suppliers, contractors and vendors. Ride for Dad funds go toward prostate cancer research, diagnosis and treatment. Last year, the ride raised about $106,000. For rider Kelly Young and her dad Robert, prostate cancer isn’t a concept. Robert has it, and the cancer has spread to his bones. Kelly was riding on Sept. 13 in his honour. She was born and raised in Squamish and
BOB CHARRON PHOTO BY JENNIFER THUNCHER/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF
More than 60 riders headed out from the BC Rail Yards on Sunday with Ride for Dad.
calls her dad her best friend, noting they bond over motorcycle riding. He wasn’t riding Sunday due to his current health, however. “A lot of pain, all the time,” said Robert, who nonetheless stood for hours at the event to support the riders heading out. “I’m not alone, there’s so many,” he said, of all those battling prostate cancer. Before the ride headed out, Robert gave his daughter a gremlin guardian bell, a tradition to protect bikers on their travels. His message to help protect younger men was clear.
“Get checked.” Bob Charron, of the Okanagan Ride for Dad chapter, is a cancer survivor of over 10 years who came down from Kelowna to help at the Squamish event. “I’ve lost family members, I’ve lost friends,” he told the crowd before the ride. “Most recently, I lost a friend, a dear volunteer who helped me out for the last nine years in his fight and he said in his last words to me, ‘Get ‘er done.’ He never gave up and my message to everyone here is if you’re not fighting the battle, you may one day and the only way to win is to get checked early. I’m living
proof of that.” Charron added both the testing and the treatment for prostate cancer have come a long way in recent years. “My father and brother didn’t believe in getting checked and they checked out early,” he said. “We’ve come a long way in the 16, 17 years that we’ve been doing this here in B.C., and I hope with everyone here we continue that fight until one day we can say cancer is no longer a problem.” Find out more about Ride for Dad on the organization’s website, ridefordad.ca/ ride-for-dad.
Woodfibre LNG invites you to attend our Open House Waste Discharge Authorization (Air) and Flaring Update Date: October 1, 2026 This event was originally scheduled for September 17, 2026.
Time: 4:30pm-7:30pm Location: Executive Suites and Resort, 40900 Tantalus Road, Squamish, BC
woodfibrelng.ca
20 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2026
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View online:
Notice of Proposed Revitalization Tax Exemption District of Squamish Revitalization Tax Exemption (Woodfibre LNG) Bylaw No. 3273, 2026 The District of Squamish gives notice, under sections 94, 226 and 227 of the Community Charter, that Council will consider first three readings of “District of Squamish Revitalization Tax Exemption (Woodfibre LNG) Bylaw No. 3273, 2026” (“Bylaw 3273”) at a Special Business Meeting commencing at 6 p.m. on September 22, 2026 in the Council Chambers at Municipal Hall at 37955 Second Avenue, Squamish, B.C. The properties eligible for an exemption under Bylaw 3273 (the “Lands”) are identified by the area demarcated on the following map by the line labelled “RTE”: The amount of the tax exemption proposed under Bylaw 3273 will be determined by the following formula: Tax Exemption = Municipal Property Tax – Tax Payable. Where Municipal Property Tax is such portion of property value taxes that are imposed and levied, pursuant to section 197(1)(a) of the Community Charter, on all taxable land and improvements on the Lands but does not include taxes levied for other local governments or public bodies pursuant to section 197(1)(b) of the Community Charter or taxes collected for other authorities including hospital, school, Municipal Finance Authority, Regional District, and BC Assessment Authority; and Tax Payable in 2027 is $2,500,000, and in each subsequent year, is the amount equal to the sum of the Tax Payable in the previous year plus the product of the Tax Payable in the previous year multiplied by the inflation rate for the previous year as determined by the Consumer Price Index for the previous year. The term of the Tax Exemption under Bylaw 3273 is 10 years commencing in 2027. The reasons for establishing the revitalization tax exemption program (the “Program”) and its objectives are as follows: • Encourage redevelopment and revitalization of environmentally contaminated industrial lands formerly occupied by the Woodfibre Pulp Mill; • Increase economic opportunities, capacity building, and prosperity of the community to create an economically diverse and stable community; • Maximize the financial contribution to the District from the LNG Plant; • Encourage investment in the community by Woodfibre LNG, including through Community Enhancement Payments made under the CEP Agreement; • Increase local employment opportunities, including through opportunities that are currently available or are expected to become available in the future at the LNG Plant that is being constructed on the lands; • Further support the redevelopment of the Lands, which are located on a brownfield site.
The Program is proposed to accomplish its objectives by creating predictability and certainty in relation to Municipal Property Tax to allow Woodfibre LNG to continue to invest in the LNG Plant. To view Bylaw 3273, and for more information or to submit a comment or question, please go to: squamish.ca/WLNG-agreement. If you need assistance, please contact the District’s Corporate Officer at corporateofficer@squamish.ca or visit Municipal Hall at 37955 Second Avenue, Squamish, B.C. between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on non-statutory holiday weekdays. Phone: 604-892-5217
LOCATION MAP
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2026 | 21
squamishchief.com
COUNCIL OKS TAX EXEMPTIONS FOR LOCAL NON-PROFITS
A special business meeting on Sept. 8 saw council advance tax exemptions for local societies and the golf club JENNIFER THUNCHER
jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca
C
ouncil voted unanimously at its Sept. 8 special business meeting to support moving forward permissive tax exemption bylaws for the Squamish Sikh Society, Squamish Helping Hands Society, Squamish Search and Rescue Society and Squamish Valley Golf Club for 2027. In B.C., a council may, by bylaw, exempt land or improvements or both from property taxes. This is what permissive tax exemptions (PTEs) are. These are standard requests councils consider annually. PTEs may be granted for up to a 10-year period and expire at different times. PTEs exempt the approved organization from all agency property taxes—school, hospital, Squamish-Lillooet Regional District, Municipal Finance Authority, and BC Assessment property taxes. By law, PTEs must be adopted by elected officials on or before Oct. 31 in the year before the exemptions will be applied. In other words, this has to be dealt with sooner rather than later for the exemptions to apply next year. The District staff report notes that all such exemptions result in a redistribution of property taxes to other taxpayers. “Consequently, council should apply discretion when granting PTE’s and carefully evaluate the significance and breadth of community-wide benefit the organization provides from the exempted location.” The period to apply for the current District intake of PTEs closed on July 31. The total amount to be transferred to taxpayers due to these specific exemptions is roughly $98,000. The total for 2027, including those PTEs already granted, is roughly $750,000.
SQUAMISH VALLEY GOLF CLUB The highest requested exemption is for the Squamish Valley Golf Club. The history of this is a bit complicated. The club leases the land on Mamquam Road from the District. The provincial government transferred the land to the District under the condition that the municipality use it “for public golf course and other recreational purposes only,” according to the staff report to council. The land was transferred to the District for a nominal amount on condition that it would not be used by the municipality for lease or other revenue purposes. In lieu of lease payments, the District and golf club have contractually agreed, through the lease agreement—subject to council’s approval of the annual PTE—that the club will pay approximately $45,000 in property taxes each year. The exemption it seeks reduces the club’s property taxes to $45,000. Without the PTE, the 2027 property taxes are estimated to be $104,500. The estimated exemption for 2027 is thus a little over $59,500.
SQUAMISH HELPING HANDS SOCIETY Squamish Helping Hands Society operates two locations on Third Avenue both of which are leased from the District. The application being considered is for 37870 Third Ave., which is the Overdose Prevention Site. The other location has already been granted a PTE for 2027. This exemption will “enable a review of the PTE eligibility next year as the lease agreement is month-to-month,” the report to council reads. The estimated exemption for 2027 is close to $24,000.
SAR The volunteer Squamish Search and Rescue leases land near the airport from the District and has built its new base on the property. A one-year exemption for 2027 is estimated at $9,500.
SIKH SOCIETY The Sikh Society has two properties, the application under consideration is for 37957 Fifth Ave. The other location has already been granted a PTE for 2027. This property is vacant land owned by the society for future expansion, according to the District report to council. Currently, this lot to the north of the temple, which is relatively new to the society, is utilized as additional parking on busy days. A one-year PTE ( for 2027) will allow for monitoring of the use of the vacant land. The estimated exemption for this application for 2027 is $5,500. Reann Sousa, District director of financial operations noted to council that “religious organizations receive a statutory exemption. The exemption is for the religious building and the footprint of the building. The property surrounding the religious building is eligible for a PTE.”
SAMPLE COUNCIL COMMENTS Council dealt with the Squamish Valley Golf Club separately, due to the conflict of interest declared by Coun. Eric Andersen, who is a member of the Howe Sound Curling Club, which operates in a facility attached to the golf club. He left the chamber during the discussion and vote regarding the PTE for the club. Regarding the Sikh Society, Squamish Search and Rescue Society, and the Squamish Helping Hands Society, council members were supportive of the staff recommendation, with some musings on the future of PTEs. “These all make good sense and are aligned in my mind with policy and past practice here. So, quite excited about particularly the new search and rescue facility as this is new for the community, and the others are very aligned and very supportable,” said Mayor Armand Hurford. “I do think that broadly (for) future councils considering PTEs, this will get exponentially
harder as time goes on, particularly with pressure from the provincial government to provide PTEs on housing and so on but in the context we’re sitting here today these are very supportable.” Couns. Chris Pettingill and John French noted that perhaps those who get a break on their taxes, like religious organizations, could be asked to pony up some space in the future for van life residents. “Our faith-based organizations across the community are reinforcing the fact that there is no free parking. And I think that there is an excellent opportunity in the future for, at minimum, a conversation—potentially with any faith-based organization that might be interested in using that parking that they’re getting a price break on, courtesy of the entire community—to potentially use that parking for a use that might connect to our van life community,” said French. Coun. Andrew Hamilton also said in the future there perhaps ought to be a consideration of PTEs for parking. “My comments about parking are certainly to highlight that for many of these … locations there’s quite a bit of parking that’s vacant for six days a week,” he said. “There’s a lot (we hear) about people’s need for parking and those parking lots are closed for the
exclusive use of those facilities for six days a week and we total, I think, permissive tax exemptions … on the order of $25,000 a year. I do not want to pick one organization to start changing but I think there’s perhaps a broader policy conversation that we should have on PTEs for parking in the future.” On the Squamish Valley Golf Club exemption most on council noted that it was a contractual obligation they felt compelled to support, though didn’t necessarily understand. Hamilton, for example, said he doesn’t agree with how the deal is set up with the club. “I’m moving the staff recommendation because we have a lease agreement that does not expire until 2029. Having said that, I am not in agreement with the logic of providing a PTE in lieu of lease payments,” he said. “PTE is to the advantage of the business running on the property. And so the two things seem counter to each other in this context. So that’ll be a discussion for 2029.” Pettingill, Hurford and Jenna Stoner all noted that when the lease is up, a fulsome discussion on the issue should be had.
NEXT The bylaws are slated to be brought forward for readings at the Sept. 22 special business meeting.
Britannia Mine Museum gratefully acknowledges their community sponsors:
y r r e b w a r St MojiLteomonade
ed L imi t n! Ed i t i o
22 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2026
squamishchief.com
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS LEVELS RATED MODEST IN NEW ACADEMIC STUDY Residents living in Squamish’s downtown and Dentville areas are significantly less prepared for emergencies than those in other parts of the community, according to new research characteristics, hazard experience, risk perception, residence status, neighbourhood, and institutional trust related to preparedness in Squamish. It found preparedness levels were modest, with respondents completing a mean of 4.21 out of 10 preparedness actions. (A mean describes the average of a sample.)
JENNIFER THUNCHER
jthuncher@lodestarmedia.ca
Y
ou know we live in a community with the potential for many disasters involving natural hazards. You also know you should be prepared in case one of those hazards comes to fruition. But you don’t pack the emergency kit, or practice an evacuation drill. Squamish residents who are like this likely can’t explain exactly why they fail to fully prepare. It is a question disaster managers and researchers would like to understand as well. A new study from Cambridge University, “Who Prepares and Why? Drivers of Disaster Preparedness in Squamish, Canada,” looks at this issue. The paper was published Aug. 31, in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Science, and is based on survey data from 159 local adults and 27 qualitative interviews. Data was collected between March and April 2023. The hazards considered in the data analysis were debris flow/debris flood, earthquake, extreme heat, coastal flooding, river flooding,
WHO IS NOT PREPARED? Lower formal education was the A recent study reveals that residents complete an average of only four out of strongest predictor of 10 recommended preparedness actions. not being prepared, while hazard landslide/rockfall, volcanic activity and wildfire. experience and hazard concern were consistent Researchers analyzed how socio-demographic positive predictors of locals taking action. The likelihood of a perceived hazard did not predict preparedness and, in some cases, with residents, was negatively associated with participation in drills and training. “We conclude that in Squamish, preparedness is shaped by an individual’s hazard concern, what they are materially able to do, and whether they believe institutions will uphold their side of the social contract,” reads the study. This research followed the authors’ early work in the Sea to Sky that found only limited differences between experts and non-experts in terms of how prepared they were for disaster. As for why the study’s lead author Joshua P. Nicholas and fellow authors Amy Donovan and Clive Oppenheimer focused on Squamish from England, Nicholas told The Squamish Chief he partially grew up in the Lower Mainland. He studied geological engineering at UBC for his undergrad degree, then worked in Vancouver as a geological engineer. He is currently a PhD candidate in geography at Cambridge. PHOTO BY FCAFOTODIGITAL/E+/GETTY IMAGES PLUS
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The study showed the likelihood of a hazard and concern were strongly correlated, meaning the more likely something bad was to happen, the more concern there was. Volcanic activity was rated lowest—so not likely and of little concern, and associated with the longest return-period estimates, while flooding, landslide/rockfall, wildfire, and debris flow clustered at high concern, high likelihood, and short return periods. Trust was highest for emergency responders and scientists, and lowest for the federal government and the media. Nicholas noted though that there was an
interesting twist to the correlation between trust and preparedness. “In the interview data, (we) find that the people who distrust the government the most are the ones who are saying, ‘You know what, I don’t trust the government at all. I need to be super, super, super prepared’,” he said. As noted, the total number of preparedness actions completed by participants ranged from 0 to 10, with a mean of 4.21. About 23 per cent of respondents reported two or fewer preparedness actions, while at the other extreme, eight per cent had taken eight or more actions, the study notes. “The most common action was learning about natural hazards (88 per cent), followed by considering hazards when choosing a residence (67 per cent), and purchasing hazard insurance (58 per cent),” the study reads. “Approximately half of the participants reported having a household (49 per cent) or a car emergency kit (47 per cent ). Less commonly undertaken actions included signing up for the local emergency alert system—Squamish Alert—(36 per cent), creating a household evacuation plan (26 per cent), attending a formal disaster drill (25 per cent), attending formal disaster training (19 per cent), or practicing an evacuation (seven per cent). Thus, more people took simple precautions and very few people took intensive preparatory steps.
WHAT PART OF SQUAMISH DO YOU LIVE IN? One of the study’s most interesting findings was that what part of Squamish participants lived in significantly shaped whether or not respondents were prepared. Residents living in either the downtown or Dentville neighbourhoods scored approximately 1.5–1.9 points lower on preparedness than those elsewhere in Squamish. “It’s an area that I think further research is needed. But it’d be great if the municipality sort of took these findings and went into that in a little bit more detail,” Nicholas said. Non-residents had 98 per cent lower odds of having enrolled in Squamish Alert. Also worth noting is that perceiving hazards as more likely did not predict preparedness and for some residents it meant they were less likely to participate in drills and training. “This is consistent with the idea that a sense of inevitability can produce fatalism rather than action,” the study reads. Ultimately, feeling concern, as opposed to perceiving likelihood, was more of a motivation to prepare for a hazard. Nicholas acknowledged that the study’s sample size is small and like all studies, the scope is limited. His hope is that it sparks further research and conversation. “I think what’s important to me is for people to STUDY: Continued on 23
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COMMUNITY SUBMISSIONS Taoist Tai Chi Open House Residents of Squamish are invited to discover the benefits of Taoist Tai Chi practice. Join us for an Open House on Sept. 17 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at St. John the Divine Anglican Church, 1930 Diamond Road. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about Taoist Tai Chi arts, try some of the 108 movements in our unique set, and experience how regular tai chi practice has a positive impact on body, mind, and spirit. Whether you are looking to reduce stress, maintain health, or find deeper meaning, Taoist Tai Chi arts can help at every stage of life. Taoist Tai Chi arts are deeply rooted in a spiritual tradition of self-cultivation and compassion. For more than 50 years, our volunteer instructors have been helping people around the world regain and maintain their health, improve balance, build strength, and experience a deep sense of inner calm. Through mindful practice, we learn that true strength lies in softness, patience, humility, and the ability to truly listen-both to ourselves and to others. Letting go, rather than holding on, becomes the foundation for transformation, as we shift from grasping to giving, and from performance to deep internal change. Everyone is welcome. No experience is necessary. Begin now-your journey to better health and well-being starts with a single step in the right direction. Visit our website and YouTube channel to hear personal stories of transformation, a result of the regular practice of these ancient internal arts. Open House Details: Date: Thursday Sept.17. Time: 5 - 7 p.m. Location: St. John the Divine Anglican Church, 1930 Diamond Road
Women’s Squash Week: Free intro sessions What woman doesn’t want to smash a ball against a wall and meet fun, like-minded people? Women’s Squash Week is back at the Squamish Squash Club on Sept. 22, 24 and 27. Each year the club hosts free intro sessions for women, with multiple time slots each night. The sessions are aimed at women totally
new to the sport or who haven’t played in years. Each session is 90 minutes long and includes coaching followed by play time. Rackets and goggles are provided. There is a maximum of eight women per session. “Squamish is full of people who are already very good at something physical, and that can be intimidating if you’re not one of them,” said the club’s Dara Sklar. “Squash is a skill game rather than a fitness game—racket prowess wins, not speed or endurance. You don’t have to be the fittest person in Squamish to be good at this, which really lowers the bar for picking up a new sport in a town like ours.” Sklar said that the women who have come through past intro sessions range in age from their 20s through their 60s and beyond and have various backgrounds. “Most have never touched a squash racket before. They learn together and bond over the victories and the fumbles—the first time you hear a proper clean hit, the first rally that goes more than three shots,” she said. Sklar said the club finished last season at 44 per cent women members, against a national average of about 23 per cent female squash players. “That incredible number comes directly from our annual Women’s Squash Week events—and the women stay because they grow to love the sport and the community.” Participants are asked to bring clean indoor shoes and a water bottle. “You don’t need a partner, you don’t need to be fit, and you don’t need to have played a racket sport in your life,” stressed Sklar. Go to squamishsquash.ca/intro for the full list of session times. To sign up, create a free pay-as-you-go account, then RSVP to whichever one suits your schedule. If it’s full, add yourself to the waitlist.
Got Space? Between Shifts Theatre has started rehearsals for our Christmas panto-”OINK!” Written by local Katherine Fawcett, and based on The Three Little Pigs, the show features some song and dance and cheerful digs at local Squamish issues. We are looking for space to build sets and any help with costumes (email: help@betweenshiftstheatre.com). Tickets go on sale soon—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.
have a conversation about what preparedness looks like for them in a really manageable way,” he said.
DISTRICT Nicholas stressed that the District of Squamish already does “a fantastic job in terms of communicating risk on their website and communicating how to prepare.” He points locals to their site, but he said the study suggests more research could always be done by the municipality to bridge those gaps in preparedness. “These issues are always going to be changing. They’re not temporally fixed, they are dynamic, which makes it awkward to understand. They require a very in-depth look, and they need things like this paper to provide a starting point to say, ‘OK, these are the areas that we now need to dive into in a little bit greater depth, so that we can address some of these gaps, so that we can adjust our policies, or we can adjust how we go about communicating hazard risks or preparedness, so that we can get more people on board.” Asked about the study’s findings, spokesperson for the District, Steven Hill, said that District emergency program staff look forward to reviewing the study in detail. “As the study Abstract highlights, preparedness of residents is a critical component of a resilient community. Squamish faces a variety of hazards that can impact any neighbourhood in different ways,” he said.
“The District works, generally, to reinforce the Prepared BC guidance to ‘Know your hazards, make a plan, gather your supplies,’ and recommends all residents to have at least 72 hours’ worth of emergency supplies,” he added. “The District has also invested heavily into being prepared through being FireSmart, by holding Chipper Days to educate on cleaning up fire fuel around homes and offering free wildfire resiliency home assessments. Emergency preparedness messaging is shared frequently throughout the year in relation to seasonal hazards to highlight the importance to residents. Currently neighbourhood-specific emergency campaigns aren’t being contemplated.” Asked about visitors not signing up for Squamish Alert, the emergency notification system, Hill said it is a “critical tool” for the District to reach people directly and quickly. “Emergency preparedness materials are available at the Squamish Adventure Centre for visitors, and signs for Squamish Alert are also located there, as well as at Brennan Park, the Squamish Library, The 55 Activity Centre and Municipal Hall,” he said. “Other provincial tools also support in reaching visitors and commuters. DriveBC is a trusted resource for highway alerts. The District can also work with the province to broadcast an intrusive alert, should a major emergency occur in Squamish. This would notify everyone in the geographic area on their phones across all service providers, regardless of having signed up to receive emergency alerts.”
Meet Ruby! Ruby is a gentle white and brown tabby with a soft, sweet presence. Though she’s a bit shy at first, she warms up revealing a loving and affectionate side. Ruby enjoys quiet company, lots of petting, and cozy spots where she can relax near her favorite people. Her calm nature makes her a wonderful companion for someone who appreciates a softer, more sensitive personality. Ruby would thrive in an indoor home with peaceful vibes.
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Linda Genio 1948 - 2026
Linda Genio passed away peacefully in Medicine Hat, Alberta, on Sunday, September 6, 2026, at the age of 78 years. Born on January 7, 1948, Linda was raised in the beautiful community of Squamish, British Columbia, where she built a life centered on family, friendship, and service to others. In recent years, Linda and her beloved husband, Carlos Genio, moved to Medicine Hat, Alberta, to be closer to family and enjoy their retirement. Linda dedicated much of her working life to the retail industry. She genuinely enjoyed working with people and was known for her warm smile, friendly personality, and her ability to make meaningful connections with people. Whether serving lifelong friends or first-time visitors, Linda always enjoyed catching up with acquaintances and hearing about the lives of those who came through her till.
Above all else, Linda was devoted to her family. She was a loving wife, a proud mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend. She found great joy in supporting her family in all their activities and life experiences. Linda also had a passion for gardening and took pride in creating beautiful outdoor spaces filled with flowers and life.
Linda will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by her husband, Carlos; her sons, George (Lorielei), and David; her granddaughters, Raylene (Brendan) and Morgan-Lee (Chris); her grandson, Knox and her great-granddaughter, Maisie. She is also survived by her brother, Richard Hunter (Elaine), and by numerous extended family members, nieces, nephews, and friends whose lives she touched throughout the years. Linda's kindness, generosity, sense of humour, and unwavering love for her family will remain in the hearts of all who knew her. "Those we love don't go away; they walk beside us every day. Unseen, unheard, but always near, still loved, still missed, and forever dear."
To leave a message of condolence you may visit www.pattisonfuneralhome.com.
Arrangements are by the PATTISON FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATORIUM 540 South Railway St. SE, Medicine Hat T1A 2V6. Please call 1-866-526-2214 for further information.
Sunset August 7, 2026
It is with great sadness that we advise Garry Paul Moody past away on August 7, 2026, in Lions Gate Hospital. He lived most of his life in Wawintee (Paradise Valley) he latter moved to Capilano in North Vancouver. Garry was predeceased by his Grandparents Cyprien (Napoleon) Moody & Nora Agnes (Nee: Baker) Moody and William & Agatha (Nee Williams) Newman. As eldest son of his parents George Moody & Geraldine Newman. Siblings; Kenneth Moody, Marie Eileen Thomas, Suzanne Jean Winterstein, Joyce Bernadette Thomas, Anita Arlene Paull, George Joseph Newman, Gerald Newman, Loretta Helen Newman, Irene Elizabeth Moody , Myra Lorrie Alicia Newman, Richard Charles Newman. He will be sadly missed by his siblings; Georgina Roretz, Elaine Doris Moody, Stella Ogilvie and Lorraine Moody and many nieces and nephews. As well as many loving relatives and dear friends. As a strong Tradition Squamish Nation member Garry love to carry on traditional way of life through hunting, net fishing, and smoke house. The Order of Service for “Grizzly” was conducted at Christ the Redeemer, Roman Catholic Church, West Vancouver on August 19th, 2026. Garry was interned August 20, 2026 at the Wawanti Cemetery, Cheakamus Indian Reserve Cemetery No. 11, Squamish BC
Footprints
One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the Lord. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed two set of footprints in the sand: one belonging to him, and the other to the Lord. When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life. This really bothered him and he questioned the Lord about it. “Lord, you said that once I decided to followed you, you’d walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times of life, there is only one set of footprints. I don’t understand why, when I needed you most, you would leave me.” The Lord replied, “My precious, precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you saw only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.” Margaret Fishback Powers
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SNOW SERVICES SUPERVISOR: Whistler, 5+ yrs heavy equipment/civil or winter maintenance experience, supervisory experience preferred, Class 5 BC licence. Lead winter operations, coordinate crews and equipment, and oversee safe, efficient service delivery. Opportunity to take ownership of winter operations, lead a team and contribute directly to operational performance. $44.00-$50.00 per hour. SITE SUPERINTENDENT: Squamish, 5–10 yrs civil/excavation experience, 2–5 yrs project management experience, Class 5 BC licence. Lead site operations, coordinate crews and equipment, and oversee safe, efficient project delivery. Opportunity to take ownership of project execution, lead a team and contribute directly to schedule, quality and project performance. $40.49-$47.17 per hour.
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HOROSCOPE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 17, 2026 - SEPTEMBER 23, 2026
CROSSWORD
ACROSS 1. ____ a living! 4. Strike suddenly 7. Coral structures 12. Faucet 13. Liquid for frying 14. National symbol 15. Incident 17. Debate 18. Food list 19. Thrown missile 21. Punches 24. Polynesian dance 28. Vending devices 31. Frying ____ 32. Outfits 33. Try 36. Possessive pronoun 37. Dazzles 39. Partition 41. Melded
42. Baker 44.Certain cheese 48. Kin of oolong 51. Absolutely 54. Come about 55. Jack Horner’s fare 56. High peak 57. Spud 58. Bering, e.g. 59. Caustic material
10. Common ailment 11. Have in view 16. Fish delicacy 20. Resources 22. Face feature 23. Dangerous 25. “____ the Roof”: 2 wds. 26. Rendered fat 27. Army insects 28. Cat’s call 29. Bluish green 30. Lock 34. Enemy 35. Chocolate candy 38. Mornings 40.Baggy 43. Turn aside 45. Word-of-mouth 46. Buddy 47. Do data entry 48. Dab 49. Age of note 50. Do-it-yourself set 52. Draw 53. Londoner’s beverage Crossword puzzle answers use American spelling
ARIES March 21-April 19
LEO July 23-Aug. 22
SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22-Dec. 21
It’s time to deeply replenish your energy. Adopt a lifestyle that better aligns with who you are. Choose meditation, a lighter routine or an introspective getaway to return stronger.
An important decision will highlight your sense of duty and reason. Before deciding, take the time to analyze everything. Your natural leadership will win over those who matter. Patience and insight will be your closest allies.
Your good mood will brighten even the darkest corners this week. You’ll transform tensions and misunderstandings into contagious laughter. Your words will soothe, and your ideas will inspire. You’ll bring people together organically and leave a lasting impression.
TAURUS April 20-May 20
VIRGO Aug. 23-Sept. 22
A remarkable career advancement, recognition or promotion is on the horizon. Thanks to your careful strategies, your finances are becoming more stable. The time has come to consolidate your achievements and pursue bold, lasting expansion.
Your legendary efficiency is reaching its limits: too much stress is finally starting to affect your balance. Your health requires you to refocus. After a period of intense achievement, give yourself permission to take a breather.
GEMINI May 21-June 20
You’re finally reaping the rewards of a quiet but steady effort. Public success, praise or awards will highlight your talents. Enjoy this moment. The accolades will strengthen your confidence without dimming your humility.
The demand for change is growing urgent. A trip or major project serves as a catalyst. You’ll seek to balance freedom and inner harmony. Every change reflects your personal evolution.
CANCER June 21-July 22 New monetary prospects restore your confidence and relieve your worries. You free yourself from doubts and finally dare to invest in your dreams. Every stride toward success increases your serenity and strengthens your faith in the future.
LIBRA Sept. 23-Oct. 22
SCORPIO Oct. 23-Nov. 21 Your home becomes your sanctuary this week. By reorganizing your space, you’ll lighten your thoughts. A major inner cleansing will lead to a need for simplicity. Domestic peace will drive your emerging clarity.
CAPRICORN Dec. 22-Jan. 19 An unexpected expense or investment will reveal the importance of being practical with your ambitions. A new property acquisition, journey or project will require preparation, and the money you spend will become a building block for the future.
AQUARIUS Jan. 20-Feb. 18 The return of social activities will rekindle your team spirit. Your energy flows freely when you’re with others. Time spent in good company will nourish your overall balance. New inspirations will emerge organically.
PISCES Feb. 19-March 20 The turmoil at work is pushing you to disconnect. Listen to your inner voice: a restorative getaway will wash away the accumulated stress. A moment of sincere inner reflection will calm you and help you refocus, giving you a clearer sense of your priorities.
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. Bit of news 2. Record on cassette 3. Go round and round 4. Animal-exhibit park 5. Lend support to 6. Swear 7. Parent 8. Mars’s neighbor 9. Breakfast favorite
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• Furnaces • Heat Pumps • Fireplaces i • Outdoor Living i i • Hot Water Tanks • Air i Conditioning i i i • HVAC • Gas fitting i • Servicing i i
Gutter Guards
SQUAMISH BUSINESS BOARD
Advertise your business/service for only $30/week • 604.892.9161 • ads@squamishchief.com
100%
Gutter Installation
778-996-5383 www.TheGutterMan.ca w ww ww.TheGutterMan.ca ww
Call Now to Reserve Your Fall & Winter Maintenance Service!
HOME HEALTHCARE
Home Healthcare
■ Bracing ■ Wheelchairs ■ Grab Bars
Moss Removal Gutter Cleaning
HOME RENOVATION & CONSTRUCTION
Lawyers
604-886-0004 info@suncoastlaw.ca Serving Squamish and Gibsons
Mon-Fri: 9am - 5pm
construction
604-567-6604 | www.davieshh.com
CONTACT US TODAY TO BOOK! WWW.WOODRIDGE.BUILD | INFO@WOODRIDGE.BUILD
REAL ESTATE
RESTAURANT
WEEKEND CHINESE STYLE Mountain Burger House BUFFET
MANAGERS THAT CARE • PROPERTY MANAGEMENT • LONG TERM RENTALS • BOUTIQUE STYLE STRATA MANAGEMENT
MIKE JONES
Personal Real Estate Corporation
Call for a free consultation Info@avesta1.com
604-815-4545 • www.avesta1.com
LEGAL
Conner Wear Holly Stewart
■ Hospital Beds ■ Rental Equipment ■ Mobility Scooters
PROPERTY AND STRATA MANAGERS
Your local heating, hea ing ventilation ven ila ion and air conditioning condi ioning experts. exper s.
Wills & Estate Planning • Corporate & Commercial • Contract Review Land Development • Probate
Your Trusted Healthcare Partners for over 50 years
119 - 1201 Commercial Way, Squamish
www.newellheating.com Contact us for a free estimate: info@newellheating.com 604-567-8539
Sea to Sky Real Estate Professional • Connected • Prepared • Hardworking
604-815-2143
www.mikejonesrealty.com
Since 1990
Open 7 days a week 7am-3pm All day Breakfast & Daily Lunch
Friday 5pm – 7-pm 604-892-5544 38198 Cleveland Ave., Squamish BC • V8B 0B4
Advertise here! $
only
30 per week
604.892.9161 ads@squamishchief.com
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