Squamish Chief April 18, 2024

DOS TO CREATE NEW ZONE FOR RESIDENTIAL

The zone would usurp many current residential zones and allow multiple dwelling residences in addition to singleand two-unit residences

ANDREW HUGHES ahughes@squamishchief.com

Due to a recent provincial bill, the District of Squamish is seeking to create a new residential zone that would usurp many current residential zones.

An assortment of further changes to the zoning bylaw were discussed extensively by Squamish council on Tuesday, April 9, at a committee of the whole meeting. These particular changes are related to the province’s Bill 44 about small-scale, multiunit housing.

Importantly, the public will have an opportunity to evaluate and provide comments about the changes on April 30 from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Howe Sound Inn and Brewing, according to a District spokesperson There will also be a virtual event on May 2 with details coming soon

Three readings plus adoption will still be needed for

DISTRICTOFSQUAMISH

LET’S TALK ABOUT...

NorthYards Park

TheDistrictofSquamish is developinga neighbourhood parkatthe endofNoName Road in Squamish.

We want to know howyou currently usethe space and whatyou want to see in anew park.This neighbourhood input will support us to develop concept ideas,which will then informthe park’s design.

Residential Recycling

TheDistrictofSquamish is working hardtoreduce recycling contamination.

Contamination occurs when material that is not accepted forrecycling is put in recycling bins. Help us understand the challenges youfacewhen recycling and howwecan work together to create a stronger cultureofrecycling in Squamish

LetsTalkSquamish.ca

WHAT’SHAPPENING IN RECREATION AND CULTURE

INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS

Underway:

•UniversityReservoirs 2and 3

•WastewaterTreatmentPlan Expansion and Improvements

Starting soon:

Work to upgrade and repair select watermains throughout Squamish will beginMay 2024.

•May:Mamquam Road -East industrial area

•June:Tantalus Road near Starview Place

•July:Government Road /AxenRoad

•August:ThunderbirdRidge near GlacierView Drive

squamish.ca/building-our-future

DEVELOPMENT REVIEW

•2027 Finch Drive/Solar Way -DevelopmentPermit squamish.ca/review

Summer Program Guide

Is it tooearly to startplanning forsummer? Not forus! Check out our new Summer Program Guide foradventurecamps, aquatics,bike camps and more. Registration is open now.

Joinadance class! (19+)

Time to move those hips. Beginner or experienced,we have aclass foreveryone. No partneris required. These classes take place at The55 ActivityCentre.

Check your pool schedule forMay!

Thereare some special weekend events taking placethatwill affect public access.Tocompensate for the changes, we’veaddeda couple of parentand child swimsessions where possible

SensoryFriendly Swim forall ages!

April27, 5:15 –6:45 p.m.

Last Youth Pool Takeover until Fall!

April27, 7-9p.m.

View the pool schedule

for detailsand registration visit: squamish.ca/rec

2024/2025 ICE ALLOCATION

IceUser Requests forapproximately August 18, 2024 to May31, 2025 arenow being accepted.

Requests Deadline: April26, 2024

IceAllocation Meeting

Wednesday, May8,2024, 6:30 p.m.

This meeting will be held in person in the Tantalus Room at Brennan Park Recreation Centre.

Application details and the application form are available at squamish.ca/IceAllocation,orcall Brennan Park Recreation Centre at 604.898.3604 to request apaper copy

BUSINESSOPPORTUNITIES

•Landfill GasSystemExpansion Phase 2-Supply & Installation -Request forQuotations

•Mashiter Creek HazardAssessment -Request for Quotations

•Corridor Trail Lighting -Request forProposals squamish.ca/doing-business-with-the-district

BRENNAN PARK UPGRADES UPDATE

The first phase of the Green and AccessibilityRetrofit Projectisunderway, starting with upgrades to the ice arena changerooms.The changeroomswill be closed to the public from April until end of August and will requireice users to arrive at the centre pre-dressed beforeusing the arena until end of May.

Upcoming impacts:

•Arena changerooms closed through approximately mid-August

•Arena closed May31through approximately midAugust.

•Arena washrooms will remain open.

•Minor parking impacts due to construction.

•Sitepreparation and foundational work forstaff administration area relocation to begin in the summer.

squamish.ca/futureBPRC

WOOFIBRE LNG FLOATEL TUP HEARING TO BE HELD AT BRENNAN PARK

On Tuesday, April 23, at 6 p.m., residents submit feedback to council about the temporary worker accommodation from WLNG

ANDREW HUGHES ahughes@squamishchief.com

The District of Squamish is hosting a public hearing about the Woodfibre LNG (WLNG) floatel temporary use permit.

According to a notice listed in The Squamish Chief on April 11, the District will host the public hearing at Brennan Park Recreation Centre on Tuesday, April 23, at 6 p.m.

The hearing is for residents’ input about the temporary worker accommodation from WLNG, also called the floatel, which would be moored at the WLNG site in Howe Sound. Council members may deliberate about the permit and decide on issuance shortly after the hearing.

At the March 26 committee of the whole meeting, council unanimously moved the permit application to a public hearing but did not list where it would take place.

At the time, council mostly did not hint at which way they were leaning, though Mayor Armand Hurford asked if they had the option to approve a shorter TUP with the possibility of renewal. The senior director of community development, Jonas Velaniskis, confirmed that could be a possibility. Kate Mulligan, the director of major projects—industrial, added that TUPs could only be renewed once for a maximum duration of three years.

According to the District notice, a speakers list for the Brennan Park public hearing can be established ahead of time by emailing phspeakerslist@squamish.ca or by calling 604-892-5217. On April 23, interested speakers can register in person at Brennan Park between 5:15 p.m. and 6 p.m.

“Everyone will be provided an opportunity to speak. Those not on the speakers list who wish to provide comments at the hearing will be provided an opportunity to speak after everyone on the speakers list has addressed council,” reads the notice.

Electronic or phone-in participation will not be available for this particular public hearing, but people can provide comments in writing by dropping them off at Municipal Hall before 4:30 p.m. on April 23 or emailing them to hearing@squamish.ca.

“Comments via email will be accepted up to and during the hearing,” states the notice. The meeting will be able to be viewed live online via squamish.ca/live-meetings. View the TUP in question on the District’s website.

PHOTO BY PAUL MCGRATH/NORTH SHORE NEWS

The WLNG floatel slated to house 650 construction workers at the LNG site in Squamish

ZONES: Continued from 1

the changes to become certain, but the province has given local governments until the end of June to align their zoning with the bill

According to the District report from the meeting, the municipality seeks to replace a raft of residential zonings with a new zone called residential 1, or R-1. Notably, areas subject to high flood hazards or debris flow are not subjected to the amendment, but details on exact locations still need to be determined.

The R-1 zone would allow what the District is calling a multiple dwelling residential (MDR), which means three or more attached dwelling units, as well as single-and two-unit residences. The maximum height for single- and two-unit housing remains unchanged at nine metres, and an MDR can be either three storeys or 11 metres, whichever is smaller.

Accessory dwelling units (ADUs), or coach houses, will have reduced setbacks and an increased height from 6.7 metres to eight metres There is other clarifying language proposed about permitting secondary suites and multi-unit flex units, which is a suite inside a townhouse or duplex

Outside of the new zone, two-unit residences would be allowed on any comprehensive development (CD) or rural residential (RL) zone that already permits a single unit, not located on agricultural land reserve and is serviced by municipal water and sanitary services.

Finally, staff are proposing to eliminate off-street parking requirements for secondary suites, ADUs and multi-unit flex units, meaning street parking could be the only option for these types of dwellings. On the flip side, staff are proposing a parking minimum requirement of one space per unit in an MDR, so a four-unit MDR would require at least four parking spots. The MDR parking proposal goes against provincial guidance, which

suggests a maximum of one space per dwelling unit

Among the many changes, which can be viewed in full on the District’s website, council members believed there may be a lot of public opinion on the changes, with setbacks for ADUs and parking listed as examples

Coun. Jenna Stoner asked staff to provide as many real-time examples or schematics as possible for the public to peruse Most council members echoed that comment.

NO CONSENSUS AMONG COUNCIL ON PARKING CHANGES

Once again, parking was much debated, and council members’ responses varied on the best course of action.

Mayor Armand Hurford said the parking changes had a “good balance,” but provincial funds for transit would be necessary to make them work completely

“To live up to the aspirations of the province, it does take a commitment from the province to fund things like transit expansion—that we’ve been fighting tooth and nail for—to be able to justify even actions such as this,” he said

Several other members also thought the parking changes were a decent compromise

However, Councillors Andrew Hamilton and Lauren Greenlaw sat on opposing ends of the seesaw

“In my mind, it is extremely important that we start to decouple parking from living,” said Hamilton. “It is extremely important that we allow people the opportunity to purchase property without parking, should they want it. By requiring a parking minimum in our bylaw, we are limiting that choice.”

On the contrary, Greenlaw maintained that there should be at least one parking spot per dwelling unit, including for ADUs and the like, and that transit options should become more robust

“We have so many houses that have like six professionals living in it, sharing these rental units and that generally comes with six cars

John Beith

“Forthe last 12 years John has been grateful to live and work in the sea to sky corridor Originallyfrom Scotland, and nowa dual CanadianCitizen, John calls Squamish home! With abackground in municipallaw andlocalgovernment, he has always been passionate in helping people understandcomplex matters. Heprides himself in his negotiation skills.Whennot doingReal Estate, Johnisa keen soccerplayer andplaysfor alocalSquamish team. He also recently achieved theBCSoccer‘C’ Licence and mayexplore coaching opportunities in thefuture.Ifyou are seeking straightforward, reliableand friendly assistanceinyour Real Estate journey,John is here for you and can be reached at 604.368.9752.”

So, I appreciate that we’re trying to cut back on cars, and cut back on housing costs by cutting back on parking areas. But the reality is, I think it’s going to introduce a lot of problems for our neighbourhoods,” she said.

Coun Eric Andersen thought it best to listen to what residents had to say and remain flexible.

“We all need to be sensitive to the insights that our neighbourhoods and citizens can

Ryan Kinghorn

provide. I believe we need to preserve the ability to be neighbourhood and site specific and adaptive in our parking regulations,” he said.

Council unanimously opted for the proposed zoning bylaw changes to be brought forward at a later council meeting for consideration of three readings after the comments View the discussion on the District’s YouTube channel.

301-37989

604.892.5254 r.kinghorn@raceandco.com

A GLIMPSE INSIDE SQUAMISH’S LATEST AFFORDABLE

HOUSING RESIDENCE

Female-led Indigenous construction firm partners with Squamish Nation for innovative (mostly) modular project

JENNIFER THUNCHER jthuncher@squamishchief.com

Soon the brand new affordable homes will be filled with children sitting around a kitchen table, parents cooking dinner, and new locals relaxing in their bright living rooms while looking out at the Squamish River through their windows.

The Squamish Chief took a tour April 8, of the Esḵéḵxwi7ch tl’a Sp’áḵw’us Place social housing complex at 1139 Government Rd on the Siyich’em Sḵwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) reserve.

Residents will soon begin to move into the 27 self-contained units in the Nation’s Hiyám Housing Society development.

The housing is for Nation members, with priority given to vulnerable women and children experiencing or at risk of homelessness, in addition to Elders, people with disabilities, and vulnerable LGBTQ2SIA+ members.

The apartment building is over 50% modular. The Indigenous, female-led modular company NUQO Elevated Modular, which is based in West Vancouver, supplied the modular pieces.

The company also built the Estítkw Place (a safe place) housing development on Nation land

HOMES: Continued on 7

PHOTO BY JENNIFER THUNCHER/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF

The living room of a unit at the new building

HOMES: Continued from 6

on Capilano Road on the North Shore.

Modular means the units come with almost everything pre-constructed; even the shelving, windows and appliances are in when the units arrive

Kindred Construction completed the Squamish build—the main floor—after the modular units arrived.

Module housing in Canada came out of the oil and gas sector, where it was originally used for workforce housing, said Rory Richards, CEO of NUQO Modular.

This gave some people a bad impression of it, Richards said, of the early iterations of worker accommodations.

But modular building is and can be done in “spectacular ways,” she said

“Like in this way; you’d never know that this wasn’t a traditionally built building.”

NUQO is also partnering on a project in Fernie for a new modular building that will contain up to 100 child-care spaces and affordable housing.

Given the combined child care and housing crises in many communities, such as Squamish, a modular building of child care can be paired with housing for the child-care staff above, Richards said Richards says modular housing creates significantly less waste and allows buildings to go up faster than traditional builds, which can take up to years.

“It took us 12 weeks to build in the factory. Five days to crane,” Richards said,

explaining how long it took to get the Squamish housing units onto the site.

Richards credits the Nation with supporting the company, which started in 2020, when others weren’t so sure about the new start-up run by Aboriginal women. She said there can still be stereotypes in the minds of some in the construction world.

“It [was] really hard for us to get hired to get our first few jobs,” she said “And now because we have a portfolio—now that we’ve

done it—now it’s like ‘OK, gentlemen. We proved ourselves.’”

Each unit has a cedar wall as an homage to the Nation for their support.

“We gifted these to our Squamish cousins, just out of gratitude for giving us the privilege to make their homes and for believing in us.”

Richards said having women at the helm of a construction project like the Squamish one does make a difference in the outcome.

“We’re constantly thinking about, who’s going to live here—the moms who are going to live here, and the kids who are going to live here, and what’s the best layout for them. And where are they going to eat dinner, where are they going to do homework, where are you going to put their jackets. So, we work very, very closely with the architect [DIALOG],” she said

“We are excited for the moms and families to come in and enjoy the space.”

WORKER’SMEMORIAL DAYOFMOURNING

In memory of those who have lost their lives as aresult of aworkplace accident or occupational disease

DAYOFMOURNING FOR WORKERS

INJURED 0R KILLED ON THE JOB

Please join the Squamish& District Labour Committee

Sunday,April 28th at 11:00am Worker’s Memorial Monument, O’Siem Park, Downtown Squamish

Together we willrememberworkers whohavelosttheirlives andcommit tofightfor safe workplaces forall.

Everyone WelcomeFor Info:604-898-1559

PHOTOS BY JENNIFER THUNCHER/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF

The units were built with families in mind as there is priority given to single mothers at risk of homelessness

DISTRICTOFSQUAMISH

NoticeofPublicInput Opportunity (public hearing)

Tuesday, April 23 at 6p.m.atBrennan Park Recreation Centre

WHAT’SPROPOSED: WoodfibreLNG temporaryfloatel. TemporaryUse Permit No.76

PROPOSED TEMPORARYUSES: To allowfor atemporary floating worker accommodation(floatel) use on the propertyoutlined in black on the Location Mapbelow,for aperiod ofthree years.The floatelwill consist of 652 privaterooms with ensuitewashrooms,central cooking,dining and recreation facilities

AFFECTED PORTION OF LANDS: DISTRICTLOT 8296, GROUP 1locatedat Woodfibre, Squamish BC

LOCATION MAP:

HOWTOVIEWTHE PROPOSED TEMPORARY USEPERMIT

Acopyofthe proposed TemporaryUse Permit and related information thathas been or maybeconsidered by Council maybe inspectedonline or at Municipal Hall.

•squamish.ca (Listed under“UpcomingMeetings”onthe home page.)

•37955 Second Avenue,Squamish,British Columbia, from April 11 to 23, 2024 between 8:30 a.m. and4:30 p.m.,Mondaythrough Friday, excluding statutoryholidays.

Questions? Contactthe PlanningDepartment: 604 815.5002

WAYS TO PARTICIPATE

Persons who believethattheir interest in property is affectedbythe proposed TemporaryUse Permit willhaveanopportunitytobeheardinperson and to provide written submissions.

In Person

In Writing

Youmay participate in person during this public input opportunity at Brennan Park Recreation Centre (gymnasium), 1009 Centennial Way, Squamish, B.C.Comments must be relevanttothe Temporary UsePermit under consideration.

ASpeakers List will be established Youmay register to speak in advanceofthe public hearing by emailing

phspeakerslist@squamish.ca or by calling 604.892.5217. Youcan also register in person on the dayofthe hearing,between 5:15 p.m. and 6p.m. at the Brennan Park Recreation Centre (gymnasium entrance).

Everyone will be provided an opportunitytospeak. Those not on the Speakers List who wish to provide commentsatthe hearing will be provided an opportunitytospeak aftereveryone on the Speakers List has addressed Council

*Please notethatdue to technical capacityconsiderations and in order to ensurea fair and undisrupted hearing,electronic and phone-in participation will not be available.

If youare unable to attend the public hearing,ordonot wish to speak at the hearing,you can still participate in this public input opportunitybysubmitting your written commentstohearing@ squamish.ca.

Youmay also deliver written commentstoMunicipal Hall before 4:30 p.m. on April23, 2024 to the attention of the CorporateOfficer.

Written submissions will be accepted up to and during the hearing and will form partofthe public record. Anysubmissions received afterthe close of the hearing cannot be considered by Council.

Watchthe meeting

Ifyou would like to watchthe meeting and hear the submissions,you can do so by watching the meeting at squamish.ca/live-meetings.

COUNCILAPPROVESTANTALUSVILLAGE THIRDREADING

SeveralSquamishcouncil membersdescribethe approximately 300-unit projectashavingfaults, butits benefits outweighits shortcomings

ANDREW HUGHES ahughes@squamishchief.com

After amarathon of apublichearing, councilultimatelyapprovedanew mixed-usedevelopment on 40480

Tantalus Rd

On Tuesday,April 9, councilheldapublic hearingabout theproposedproject dubbed Tantalus Villagefromproponent Target Homes. Afterabout 15 people spoke, council passed thethird readingofthe rezoning applicationfor theproject by a6-1 vote. Coun. LaurenGreenlawwas thesoleopposingvote.

With thepassing of thethird reading, councilwillpresumablyadoptrezoningatthe next regularbusinessmeeting.

Severalcouncil memberswho supported theproject said thedevelopment wasnot withoutfault,yet theoverall benefits outweighed theshortcomings

“Itdoesn’t addressevery concernthat’s been raised,but we have worked really hard to tryand balanceall thecompeting interests

It doesn’taddress everyconcern that’s been raised,but we have worked reallyhardtotry andbalance all the competinginterests here.

here,” said Coun.Chris Pettingill,who also referenced thehousing needsassessment. “Again,it’snot perfect, butIthink it gets to a placewhere it does meet thethresholdswhere some of thetrade-offsare acceptable.”

Learnmoreabout howthe District is proposingtoupdate residential zoning to alignwithprovinciallegislation andthe Squamish HousingActionPlan.

Staff will be availabletoanswer questionsinadvance of Council considerationofthese bylawchanges.

These changes will:

•Increase flexibilitythrough zoning changes.

•Increase thepermitted numberofdwellingunits on alot from threetofour.

•Permita wider arrayofhousing types,increasethe potential rangeofsiting options,and reducerequiredparking

Staff are recommendingchangesthatalignwithprovincialpolicy guidance.

Tuesday,April 30, 5to7:30p.m.

Garibaldi Room at Howe Sound Inn& Brewing

Thursday,May2,11a.m.-1p.m

Online event. Details available on squamish.ca/housing

BritanniaMineMuseum gratefully acknowledges theircommunity sponsors:

NOTICE OF PROPOSED

TEMPORARYUSE PERMIT

FortisBCEnergyInc.– Contractor Offices

Temporary UsePermitNo. 74

PUBLIC NOTICE is herebygiven in accordance with Section 494ofthe LocalGovernmentAct that the RegionalBoard will be considering theissuanceofthe above-mentioned permit at itsregular Boardmeeting on April24, 2024. The purposeofTemporary UsePermitNo. 74istoallow thefollowing temporary use fora duration of three years:



field offices, contractor field offices,personnel lunchrooms,heated washroom facilitiesand wash stations.

The subjectapplicationappliestoa portionofcrown land near Mill Creek:

Acopy of Temporary UsePermitNo. 74 and relevant background documents is availablebyrequest.Please email planning@slrd.bc.ca formoreinformation on this application, as well as forany questionsorconcerns.

Squamish-LillooetRegionalDistrict Box219,1350Aster Street,Pemberton,BC, V0N2L0

P:604-894-6371TF: 1-800-298-7753

TANTALUS: Continuedfrom9

Thedebated projectlies just northofFire Hall No.2onTantalusRoadwithone building on thewestand twoonthe east.There are about300 residentialunits proposed across thethree buildings, each sixstoreys in height ADistrictstaff report from Feb. 20 states about77.5% of theproject is residential, 20%is commercial,and 2.5% is commercial child care

“As Ireflect on wherewe’ve landed,thisis notaperfect development, butitismeeting a lotofthe benchmarks that we know are desperatelyneededinour community,”said Coun. JennaStoner. “And,predominantly, that’s thehousing needsassessmentwhich requires .6,840 newhomes by 2031.”

PUBLIC FEEDBACK

Themajorityofthe public whospoke lived nearthe projectand raised some issues relating to thesix-storeyheight, increased traffic impacts, stormwater andflooding, andimpactonneighbouringproperties. A fewwho spokeweresupportiveofthe increasedhousing forthe community.

Therewerenumerouscommunity amenity contributions securedwithcouncil’s approval,including about$1million cash in lieu anddonatinga portionofthe floorarea to theSquamishCommunity Housing Society. Othercontributions includelandfor a park parallel to Highway99, acorridortrail connection, andaconnectiontoCohoPark.

“The benefits of this proposal,particularly

in thecontributions to ourperpetually affordable housingsociety,the addition to market rentalsand theadditionofthe park spaces to ourparknetwork …makethe benefits of this projectoutweighthe harms that arecausedtothe immediateneighbours andthe immediateneighbourhood of the community,”saidCoun. Andrew Hamilton Also included is moneyfor public art, a no-gas covenant across theproject,and 20% of unitsneeding to be threebedrooms, amongothers. Atraffic signal to the GaribaldiWay andTantalusRoadintersectionwillalsobeinstalled before occupancy.

REASON FOROPPOSINGVOTE

Greenlaw spokebriefly aboutwhy she votedagainst thethird reading

“Myconcernsstill gravitatetowards my previously voiced concerns around carrying capacity forour region,” shesaid. “And,in addition to that,Idohavealot of concerns aboutthe …traffic around intersections that arecurrently failingorwillfailwiththe volume introduced by this project.”

Greenlaw wasalsothe only opposing vote forthe project’ssecondreading.During that councilmeeting on March19, she made apleatothe province to providemore financialsupport to Squamish forregional transit, retainingeducators anddoctors, childcareand more

“A communityneeds more than just roofs over theirheads to be livable,”she said at thetime.

NEWS BRIEF

HOUSE FIRE ON APRIL 10

Early in the morning on Wednesday, April 10, Squamish Fire Rescue crews were dispatched to a house fire in the 41000 block of Government Road in Brackendale, a District of Squamish spokesperson said

Upon arrival, the only occupant of the home was outside, and BC Ambulance did an assessment and then released the person

Approximately four fire trucks and five support vehicles, 20 firefighters, and two chief officers attended to the fire Traffic to the area was restricted throughout the

morning and shortly into the afternoon until about 1 p.m.

As it stands, the origin and cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Squamish Fire Rescue reminds residents to test their fire alarms monthly and “close before you doze,” meaning to close a bedroom door before you go to sleep for the night.

The spokesperson said doing so may suppress the heat from a fire from about 482 Celsius or 900 Fahrenheit to a survivable bedroom temperature of 38 C or 100 F.

NOTICEOFZONING AMENDMENTS ELECTORAL AREAS A,B,C,D

Pursuant to Section467(1)ofthe Local GovernmentAct noticeofthe intent of theSquamishLillooetRegionalDistrict(SLRD)toconsiderthe subjectbylawsatthe April 24,2024SLRDBoard meetingisprovided:

“The SUBJECTBYLAWS”

-Squamish-LillooetRegional DistrictElectoral Area AZoning BylawNo. 670, 1999, AmendmentBylaw No.1851-2024;

-Squamish-LillooetRegional DistrictElectoral Area BZoning BylawNo. 1300-2013, AmendmentBylaw No.1852-2024;

-Squamish-LillooetRegional DistrictElectoralAreaC Zoning BylawNo. 765, 2002, AmendmentBylawNo. 1853-2024;

-Squamish-LillooetRegional DistrictElectoralAreaD Zoning BylawNo. 1350-2016, AmendmentBylawNo. 1854-2024

PURPOSE OF THESUBJECTBYLAWS:

The LocalGovernmentAct wasamended on December 7, 2023, to requirelocal governments toupdate their zoningbylawstoallow secondarysuites or accessory dwelling units(ADUs) in allsingle-family zones andwhere applicable,permita minimumof3-6 unitsofsmall-scale, multi-unit housing(SSMUH) in zones otherwise restrictedtosingle-family dwellingsorduplexes. Zonesrestrictedtosingle-family dwellingsorduplexesasofDecember7,2023, arereferredto as Restricted Zones in the legislation

Local governments arerequiredtoupdate theirzoningbylawsbeforeJune30, 2024 to comply withSSMUH legislation

Aminimum of onesecondarysuite or one detachedADU must be permittedonlotszoned for single-family use. Local governments maydecidetopermiteithera secondarysuiteorADU,or bothasecondarysuite andanADU on alot

Unless an exemptionapplies, threetosix dwellingunits must be allowed on each parcel of land zoned forsingle-family or duplex use that is:

a) wholly or partlywithinanurban containment boundary established by aregionalgrowth strategy,or

b) if (a)does not apply, wholly or partly within an urban containment boundaryestablished by an officialcommunity plan within amunicipality with apopulationgreater than 5,000 or

c) if neither(a) or (b)apply,inamunicipality with apopulationgreater than 5,000.

Exemptions from thethree-tosix-unitminimum requirements on lots zonedfor single-family andduplexuse include:

•lands thatare not connected to awater or sewer system providedasa servicebya municipalityorregionaldistrict(must be connected to both);

•parcels of land thatare larger than 4,050m2orlands in azonefor whichthe minimumlot sizethatmay be created by subdivision is 4,050m2;

•landthatwas protected, as of December 7, 2023,under theHeritage ConservationAct, or by bylaw unders.611 of theLocalGovernment Act; and

•landwithina designated Transit-Oriented Area

The subject bylaws propose to provide for thechanges required bythe Province.Revisions includeallowingsecondarysuitesinall residential zonesand an additionalaccessorydwelling unit in someresidential zones (dependent on location,sizeand servicing),changes to setbacks in residential zones,heightincreases for single familydwellingsand accessory dwelling units, new parkingrequirementsfor secondary suites,and residential density increasesinSLRD-serviced areas andareas within the urbancontainmentboundariesofthe Regional Growth Strategy. No densityincreases areproposed for land within theAgriculturalLandReserve except for increases to the sizeofsecondarysuites

AllSLRDZoning bylawsare beingamended to address therequiredchanges. The subject bylaws applytolands located in Electoral AreasA,B,C andDwhere theSSMUH requirements areapplicable.

INPUT:

Acopy of the subjectbylawsmay be inspectedatthe Regional Districtoffice,1350Aster Street, Pemberton, BC, duringoffice hours 8:00 am to 4:00 pm from April 14 to April 24,2024not includingweekendsand statutoryholidays. Youcan also learnmoreabout thesubject bylaws when the April 24,2024Board agendaispostedonthe SLRD website (https://www.slrd.bc.ca/ inside-slrd/meetings-agendas) on Friday, April 19th.Additionalinformation maybefound on the SLRD website here:https://www.slrd.bc.ca/inside-slrd/current-projects-initiatives/small-scalemulti-unit-housing-legislation-bill-44-housing-statutes

The SLRD Boardwill be considering first reading of thesubject bylaws at theApril 24,2024SLRD Boardmeeting.All personsmay provide writtensubmissionsrespectingmatters contained in the bylaws. Writtensubmissionsmustbeaddressed to “SLRD BoardofDirectors,” andinclude your name andcommunity of residence.

Until4:00pmonMarch23, 2024, writtensubmissions will be received at the following:

Email: planning@slrd.bc.ca

Hard Copy: Squamish-LillooetRegional District Planning Department PO Box219,Pemberton,BC V0N2L0

PHOTO BY AAFREEN ARORA SPRING SPRUNG: Have a spring photo to share? Send it to news@squamishchief.com.

CONTACTUS

PRINTEDEVERY

THURSDAY BY GLACIERMEDIA INC.

T: 604-892-9161

news@squamishchief.com ads@squamishchief.com classifieds@squamishchief.com subs@squamishchief.com production@squamishchief.com

EDITOR JENNIFERTHUNCHER jthuncher@ squamishchief.com follow @thuncher

REPORTER ANDREW HUGHES ahughes@ squamishchief.com

SALESMANAGER CATHIE GREENLEES cgreenlees@ squamishchief.com

EDITORIAL

‘WHATTHEN?’

Publicengagementwithcouncil over the Woodfibre LNG floatelisa positive thing.

TheDistrictofSquamish is hostingapublic hearing at BrennanParkRecreationCentreon Tuesday,April 23,at6p.m.about therequested WLNGtemporary usepermit(TUP) forits construction-workeraccommodation.

Notsureyou understand what it is andwhatis happening?Comeand find out.

My SeatoSky,the group that hasopposed the project foralmostadecade, is encouraginglocalsto voicetheir opposition

Publicly expressing your disagreement is a fundamentalright.The freedomofpeaceful assembly is bakedintoour Canadian Charterof Rightsand Freedoms, afterall

However,oppositionto thefloatel must be paired with aclear understanding of whereweare at.

An importantquestion to askis, ‘Thenwhat?’

Ifcouncil were to vote no to theTUP,whatwould happenthen?

MULTI- MEDIASALES REPRESENTATIVE KIMBOATMAN kboatman@ squamishchief.com

CIRCULATION MANAGER DENISE CONWAY dconway@ squamishchief.com

PUBLISHER SARAHSTROTHER sstrother@wplpmedia.com

obituaries: ads@squamishchief.com TheSquamishChief

WoodfibreLNG spokesperson Sean Beardowsays that constructionofthe LNGfacilityisunderway “and will continueregardlessofthe temporaryuse permitoutcome.”

“Council’sdecisionis asimplezoningmatterto authorizeusing [the] industrial-zoned area to accommodate650 workersaboardthe floatel, rather thanhavingthese workerscompoundpre-existing rentalhousing,trafficand infrastructure pressures in thecommunity,” he told TheSquamishChief.

Thevocal opposition to thefloatel,devisedas a solution aftermanyin thecommunity loudly opposed alandcampbackin2019, is somewhat reminiscentofthe folkswho opposedthe original oil and lube retailer plan forthe teardrop pieceofland in frontofSquamishElementary.

The council listened back then,and we endedup withthe Jumar101-unitdevelopment,which many ofthe same people were shockedbyonceitwas built.

Opposition with only onesolution—cancellingthe project—is arisky game if that is notrealistic

“The floatelhas alreadybeenapprovedbythe provincial government,Squamish Nation and TransportCanada. As WoodfibreLNG’s decision to procure andutilize afloatel wasbased on extensive engagement with theDistrictofSquamish, SquamishNationand localresidents,wetrust that councilwillpassthe zoning decision andensureour workers arehoused withoutcommunity impacts,” Beardowsaid.

That is importantinformation that should be as loud as theopposition.

Look, isthisaproject that Squamish wants?

For some,yes.For many others,no.

So, come with your voice, butalsocomewithan understandingofwhatisachievablenow that this project is happening. Or risk beingshocked if there areunintendedconsequencesinresponseto demands.

AREELECTRICCARSREALLYTHE FUTURE?

WhenI wasmuchyounger,Iremembermy parents’ concernwhenthe priceofgas rose ever closer to oneAustraliandollar per litre. My parentsevenswapped cars in thelate 90s, with my dadtakingthe large family SUVand my momoptingfor thesmaller sedanbecause on average, shedrove furtherina daythanhedid,soit madesense to swap vehiclesand save some money.

Then it wasthe early2000sand it seemed like the priceofgas wasjustgoing to keep goingupuntil nobodycould afford to drivea personal vehicle, yet, everybodydid

Driveless, ride abikeinstead,acceptthat vehicles were just goingtocostmore—it seemed like alternatives to fillingupapersonalvehicle twice aweekwereinevitable.But everybodystill did.

It wasaroundthattimethathybrids startedto really hitthe market in arealway,but they weren’t superpopular.

Forawhile in Australia, smallcompact sedans wereall therage—thepreviouslypopular Australian-madefull-size family cars were going theway of thedodo, to be replaced by compactand efficientJapanesethingsthatcostlesstobuy,less to ownand less to refuel.But,everybody still

boughtvehiclesand droveeverywhere, dutifully toppingupatevery gasstation.

Like hybrids, electric vehicles existed, butthey were atoy forthe rich to play with;you neverreally saw oneunlessitwas an auto show anditwas just a display.

Twenty-fouryears laterand electric cars are presentedtousasiftheyare around thecornerof full-scale adoption—eerilysimilar to theway they were presented in 2000

My pointhereisthatI no longer believethe hype around electric vehicles beingaroundthe corner andgas-powered cars disappearing completely,not becauseofany culturewarsoverclimate change, butsimplepersonalfinancesofliterally everybody whohas somewheretobe.

Discussionsaroundclimate change andthe role electric vehicles play in somehowstoppingitaside, thefactisthatnot everyone canaffordtobuy an electric vehicleand,asitturns out, notevery car makercan afford to make them—certainly notat theratethatsomegovernments appear to want them to.

Electric vehicles aremuchmoreexpensive than theirgas-powered counterparts up front, the infrastructure needed to powerthemisan additional investment noteveryonecan afford or even have accessto, thecostofmaintaining them runs theriskofbeing significantlyhigherdue to thefactthatyou can’tjustpop thehoodand pour in abottleofengineoil in your driveway,the

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

(We have good feelings that we live, we work and we play on the lands of the Squamish Nation)

OUTSIDER: Continued from 12

resale value is poor and longevity of batteries is a giant question mark

Yet, consumers are being shepherded into buying them anyway, despite the higher costs.

JOIN US ONLINE

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

In a perfect world: Every Canadian has an extra few grand lying around for a new electric vehicle; an off-street driveway with a power hookup; doesn’t need to save money by servicing their own vehicle (a dying art); is perfectly OK with sitting in their car for 45 minutes to an hour every 400 kilometres when they drive across the province for whatever reason (because flying is too expensive anyway); and doesn’t care about resale value or the potential risk of having to buy a new battery before the vehicle reaches the end of its life

not going to anytime soon. Sure, some Canadians can tick all of those boxes, but the vast majority do not, so crafting policy, forcing up the price of gas and penalizing the use of anything but electric vehicles comes off as elitist and tone deaf

But that world doesn’t exist and the way the economy seems to be going, it’s

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

NOT GATEKEEPING

I read with interest Anita So’s letter on gatekeeping in the outdoors [“Is gatekeeping ethical? The role of outdoor safety guidelines,” published April 11 in print ], and while I agree with the sentiment on backcountry education, I disagree that “gatekeeping” is the proper term for it.

Being concerned for someone’s safety, and educating them on the risks they’ll face is the furthest thing from gatekeeping, it’s empowering.

When you go to the effort of informing people of the risks of outdoor adventure, you give them the tools they need to make good decisions. When you tell them what training they can take to be safer, you give them the skills to go further, manage their risks, and do more Giving people knowledge when they need it is a gift

I have been a Search and Rescue (SAR) volunteer for a few decades, and I have seen how public safety messaging often takes the form of a nagging message “Don’t do that, it’s dangerous.” SAR volunteers and others delivering public safety and AdventureSmart training can come across as scolding, anti-fun grumps

Unfortunately this is because a lot of SAR members have seen the consequences when someone takes on a challenge that exceeds their ability, and it is not pretty That trauma leaves a mark, and can make us quite strident when attempting to educate or inform others

Every backcountry traveller, SAR members included, has stories of how we learned our limits. We went out there, made mistakes, had epic experiences, and lived to tell the tale. Mountaineers and backcountry skiers share these stories

with each other so we can learn. When we share our knowledge with beginners, we have the same goal

Backcountry adventure always lies at the point where you test your skills, equipment and knowledge against the environment. Some of the most visceral, moving and life-changing experiences become possible there. It can take years to discover what your limits are, physically and mentally, to reach this point. An early bad experience can deny you the opportunity to achieve what many of us feel makes life worthwhile.

Backcountry safety education through advice, courses, signage and other forms is intended to empower you to make good decisions and come back safely, not prevent you from having an adventure, and we need to make sure the tone of such messaging reflects that fact

Michael Coyle Squamish

VRS NEEDS IGNORED

Regarding the story “Squamish council endorses priorities for rest of their term, setting aside other initiatives,” [published April 4 online]. Enough said Property value trumps basic human rights Vehicle residents are not allowed to have a good night’s sleep without being surveilled and treated like criminals by bylaw, the District and NIMBYists.

The District of Squamish has again betrayed vehicle residents by voting to remove the vehicle resident policy from the 2024 Strategic Plan. Their excuses?

Pursuing inclusive policy can put the $7,000,000 CMHC grant and the airport strategy at risk; they lack staff. Paid parking and pickleball are more

So, to use some rubbish phrasing, those making decisions should “check their privilege” before they start turning screws on the average Canadian who just wants to get to work

How do you feel about the latest federal budget?

Have your say at squamishchief.com

LAST WEEK’S QUESTION

Do you think the NDP government has done a good job improving health care in B.C.?

NO

important

Straight language: We are less valuable than market rate affordable real estate and someone living in a fixed house paying rent/mortgage. I’m not surprised. Capital always wins in this colonial mindset that prioritizes capital over people.

Permit systems and safe lots are not enormous impossible projects. For crying out loud, we have parking lots that stand empty at night with toilets and garbage cans, but are monitored by security guards to ensure that they keep us out at night!

One councillor recognized the negative social and safety effects of the bylaw on vehicle residents, and acknowledged that the number of people living in vehicles is only increasing. They made a motion to discuss amending the bylaw language as it pertains to sleeping in a vehicle. All councillors voted against this, including those who, during their election campaign, said that they wished we’d done more to help vehicle residents. Coun Jenna Stoner blatantly said that she doesn’t think that amending the bylaw would be very helpful to us Excuse me? How would that not be helpful? The bylaw enforces and targets sleeping in a vehicle, regardless of one’s behaviour. It’s not complaint-driven bylaw actively seeks us out! We’ve been asking for this amendment since 2019! We do not need tone policing or social handouts We need the inhuman and ineffective bylaw changed. We need an inclusive policy

Shame on the District of Squamish If they really cared about people—suspend the bylaw until you have capacity to deal with it.

LETTERS: Continued on 14

YES

56%

29%

NOT SURE 15%

MOST READ STORY

District of Squamish seeks to create new residential zone

TOP TIKTOK OF THE WEEK LETTERS POLICY

This week, reporter Andrew Hughes attended the Seek market at the Railway Museum of B.C. See this and many other videos at @squamishchief on TikTok

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

LETTERS: Continued from 13

Stop catering to market rate “affordable” housing. Recognize that the real problem is with property value, real estate speculation and NIMBYism Acknowledge the diverse and creative housing options that exist, right now, in Squamish. We can’t solve the problem with the same thinking and system that caused it They’ve left us no options but to take matters into our own hands, socially and legally.

Thomasina Pidgeon, Squamish

BIKES & CARS NOT A GOOD MIX

Regarding the editorial, “Do B.C.’s new road rules truly enhance cyclists’ safety in Squamish?” [published April 11].

I am both a driver and a biker. My mental focus is different when I bike or drive. Like most responsible drivers, I try to be very aware of bikes on local streets as well as on the Sea to Sky Highway. As a biker, I am constantly aware of my presence amongst the big boy vehicles. In spite of the Polish research that suggests more bikes mean slower vehicles, I am not at all convinced that is workable in the B.C. context, nor is the new legislation coming in June

On local streets, I find a high disregard for bikers who weave in and out and mostly disregard stop signs and move at high speeds along trails and throughout the town E-bikes and scooters add to the

complexity, and then the growing number of motorized wheelchairs also add to the mix. Vehicles have to follow the ministry rules, pedestrians also have sidewalks and button control walk zones. Bikes, scooters and wheelchairs are an unregulated form of transport, using streets, bike lanes and sidewalks as they wish or need Yes, there needs to be a focus on education and also on sanctions for those who create dangerous situations—driver and pedestrian

As to bikes and vehicles on the Sea to Sky Highway—Ouch! This highway is already the most dangerous in the province and the commercials showing high-speed performance promote such behaviour on this highway.

There is an answer and it will be years ahead, but the planning could start now— create a bike lane parallelling the CN Rail line from Pemberton to North Vancouver. Most rail beds eventually become hiking or biking trails, and this section of the CN line is hardly used. Such a pathway will offer a very safe alternative to the Sea to Sky Race Track Highway.

Think about the scenery and the low grades

Think about the tourism potential.

Think about the carbon capture.

Think about safety!

Larry Murray Squamish

PHOTO BY JENNIFER THUNCHER/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF SIGNS OF CHANGE: Buses that were formerly destined for Quest University and the corresponding bus stop signs have now changed to “University.” The changes happened over a few weeks in February, according to District of Squamish staff

NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK

APRIL 14 - 20

LIBRARY VOLUNTEERS ARE SQUAMISH’S UNSUNG HEROES

Kay Austen of Squamish Public Library’s Visiting Library Program shares the joy of reading

STEVEN CHUA

For The Squamish Chief

For 16 years, Kay Austen has been freely giving her time to lend a hand wherever she’s needed at the Squamish Public Library.

Most recently, she has been part of the institution’s Visiting Library Program, which delivers books and other materials to people who are housebound.

It’s a job that requires a personal touch.

“I like this delivery work, and the reason why is because you get to know the patron so well,” said Austen. “You get to know them as a friend. You’re fulfilling a real need.”

Austen currently serves someone who goes through four books a week and likes mysteries— but they can’t be too violent. Her client likes Agatha Christie—but not so much the author’s short stories.

Finding the right mix of materials is a constant balancing act. And the physical requirements of doing this job are no easy task, especially as

Austen is currently using a walker to assist her in getting around “It won’t be long before I’m going to be at the receiving end, because I’m waiting for a new

hip,” she said with a chuckle. This Squamish retiree is just one example of the many unsung heroes in our community who don’t necessarily wear capes.

They make community life happen in Squamish They are a cornerstone that creates a sense of belonging in town Without them, many services and events that we take for granted can’t happen

They are volunteers And while they are often unrecognized, their work is essential to creating a functioning community.

Ever since she was a teen, Austen had an affinity for libraries.

Back when she was growing up, in order to get away from the rambunctious noise of her three brothers, she sought refuge amidst the shelves of books.

It became a weekly ritual for her to go to the library every weekend.

“By the time I hit high school, our house was really raucous,” said Austen. “There were people running around everywhere, and I needed a place to escape. And so when I discovered the library, every Saturday afternoon, that was my place to go So I formed a relationship with

VOLUNTEER: Continued on 17

PHOTO BY STEVEN CHUA/FOR THE SQUAMISH CHIEF Kay Austen

NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK

APRIL14-20

VOLUNTEER: Continuedfrom15

librariesthen, andloved them ever since.”

Sheworkedasahighschoolteacher in England, butwhenshe movedto Canada,she startedteachingelementary. In that role,she wasalsotaskedwithbeing ateacher-librarian

“Itwas just alovelyjob.Itwas just so much fun,”she said Austen wasnow able to shareher enthusiasm aboutone of herfavourite places with new generations.

Sheguidedchildrenwho were learning how to usethe library. She’ssince seen things evolve from card catalogues to computer databases.

Oneofthe most satisfying partsofworking in librarieshas been watching people become independentintheir useofthe facility’s services,Austensaid. Forexample,seeing peoplelearn to find thebooks andmedia they desire on theirown hasbeena real pointof satisfaction forher.

“One of thejoys, Ithink,isseeingpeople findingthattheycan do it withoutany help Theydon’t need to askyou in theend,” shesaid. When shemoved to Squamish 16 years ago, shedecided that shewould volunteerher time to help outatthe locallibrary

Foryears,she’s been helpingout with just aboutanythingthatstaffershaveneeded

assistance with.

Then,one day, Austen learnedthe mother of onelibrary stafferwas housebound,and she volunteeredtobring bookstoher

That’s whereshe gother startinhercurrent role in the Visiting Library Program, andshe’s been doingthateversince

RachelBerquist, thelibrary’s programming andoutreachco-ordinator, said theVisiting LibraryService gotits official startinApril 2021.

“Itis avolunteer-supportedprogram where our volunteers providedeliveryoflibrary materials to homebound patronsinour community,” said Berquist in awritten statement. “Theyprovide avaluableconnection to thelibrary,makinglibrary services and collections accessible to many morepeoplein ourcommunity than just thosewho come throughour doors.”

At themoment, thereare nine active volunteers participatinginthe Visiting Library Service. They’reserving between15 to 20 people in Squamish

Sheadded this serviceisavailable to anyone whois homeboundinthe Squamish Public Library’s servicearea.

If youknowanyonewho couldbenefitfrom this program, youcan visitsquamishlibrary ca/visiting-library-service.

TO

$70,000- 13 VITAL SIGNS MONITORS

$5,000- X-RAYCHAIR

$5,000 - LAB STORAGE FREEZER

$50,000- OPERATING TABLEFOR THE O.R. (co -fundedwith the Whistler Healthcare Foundation)

Contribution towards the CT scan project (WLNG and SHF)

Funding for education and team building for VCHstaff/ locations

squamishhospitalfoundation@gmail.com

FIDDLER’S ALBUM A WINNER

Local wins at National Folk Music Awards

JENNIFER THUNCHER

jthuncher@squamishchief.com

Squamish’s own Jocelyn Pettit has garnered national recognition for her music.

The local fiddler, singer, composer, stepdancer, and her musical partner Ellen Gira won Traditional Album of the Year at the Canadian Folk Music Awards last weekend for their first album together, All It Brings

Pettit was one of only three musicians from British Columbia to earn awards at the ceremony, which celebrates and promotes the best of this country’s folk musicians.

Pettit’s award was given out on the last day as the last award at the event that was held April 3 to 7 in St. John’s.

“We’re just so honoured to be nominated alongside so many other amazing artists. The Canadian Folk Music Awards are such an incredible gathering of artists and industry professionals from all across the country. And it’s definitely a huge honour to be representing B.C.,” Pettit told The Squamish Chief on Friday, a day after returning to Squamish from the east coast.

The other winning artists from B.C. were Ginalina, who won for Children’s Album of the Year, and Jill Barber with Erik P. H. Nielsen, who tied for Producer(s) of the Year

DARTS & DAFFODILS

A HOCKEY RINK FULL OF DAFFODIL COVERED PUCKS to the off-duty Firemen & Co who put aside their own post-game camaraderie on Sunday, April 7th, to assist and evaluate a fallen senior Hilltop hockey duffer, who as it turned out suffered a separated shoulder and bone chip fracture trying to demonstrate how not to toe-pick when exiting the players bench. Your professionalism and good humour was greatly appreciated, by both the fallen hockey legend, as well as his fellow teammates observing from their players bench. Cheers, #10

AN OFFICE FULL OF DAFFODILS for the fellows at Baltech Electronics for their

All It Brings features Pettit on fiddle and Gira, who is from Maryland, U.S., on cello.

The theme of the uplifting album, which was released in 2022, is hope and resilience.

fabulous customer service and computer expertise. They had my Mac up and running like new in no time flat The work was done quickly and expertly and completed earlier than planned. Thank you.

Got something nice to say or some constructive criticism? Send your Darts & Daffodils:

Email: news@squamishchief.com or drop off at The Chief office (38117 Second Ave.) during business hours. Deadline for submissions is Monday at 4 p.m. for Thursday’s paper. All submissions must be signed and include a phone number for verification. Maximum length is 75 words. Darts are intended to be an anonymous critique between private parties. Darts must not directly or indirectly identify an individual or business.

on opposite coasts, we were influenced by a lot of the same people,” she said.

Pettit and Gira were up against The Bookends with the Stratford Symphony Orchestra, Mary Beth Carty, Meredith Moon, and La Déferlance.

“When they called out All it Brings, it was just this moment of so much excitement, shock, joy—just all the emotions. [It was] a little bit overwhelming, really,” Pettit said

The pair, whose harmonies seem to blend seamlessly like old friends, connected in Glasgow, Scotland in 2018 when they were both studying traditional music at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

“We had a lot of similar influences growing up listening to similar artists. Even though we were

“We already had some of the same favourite tunes. And we were able to just jump right in and start playing together, and then start arranging. And over time, our style has evolved, with doing more composition. We’re songwriting. We’re working on our second duo album at the moment.”.

Follow the duo for their upcoming shows, events and music at jocelynandellen.com

PHOTO BY LORAND SZASZ

Jocelyn Pettit

FOUR SEA TO SKY FREESTYLERS PODIUM AT 2024 JUNIOR NATIONALS

Krumme victorious twice as Trotter earns bronze; Heslop and Oliver take gold and silver respectively

DAVID SONG dsong@wplpmedia.com

It has been quite the campaign for local freestyle skiers Avery Krumme, Mattheus Heslop and Jude Oliver

Weeks after taking hold of a bronze slopestyle medal at the FIS Junior World Ski Championships, Krumme came up clutch again to strike double gold at Junior Nationals in Whistler Evelyn Mullie came within a point of the upset each time, but the Squamolian twice fended off her Calgarian opponent by narrow margins (86.00 to 85.33 points in slopestyle, 89.67 versus 88.67 in big air)

Sylvia Trotter also represented Freestyle Whistler with slopestyle bronze (81.33).

Heslop was the only one to break the 90-point barrier in boys’ slopestyle (90.33) as he claimed a victory of his own. Oliver nipped at Heslop’s heels for silver (88.83), leaving Ty Kargus with bronze (86.83).

In boys’ big air, it was Malcolm Farris (95.67), Henri Joyal (93.83) and Drew Christensen (92.17) atop the podium in that order.

“There’s a lot of kids that showed up here who had never hit jumps the size of what we have before,” said Freestyle Whistler director Chris Muir. “We didn’t have any real injuries. [The venue] was big and burly, but they all rose to the occasion.”

Although there were only so many medals to give out, there were also plenty of milestones to feel good about. For instance, Muir recalls how ecstatic Whistlerite Yamato Buhler was about landing his first cork jumps in competition.

‘THE SKY’S THE LIMIT’

Anyone who knows Krumme can tell you she’s often the hardest worker in any given room The 15-year-old is keen to train as much as her school commitments will reasonably allow, which is why she bounced back from two broken collarbones sustained in 2022 Now she’s busy cementing her place as one of the nation’s more prolific young talents.

“I was very thrilled with my performance [at Junior Nationals],” said Krumme. “I was a little bit jet-lagged coming back from Italy, so it was hard on the body and a little hard on the mind. Other than that, it was really good.”

In joining Heslop and several other young Canadians at Junior Worlds, Krumme had what she calls “a surreal experience.” She found it eye-opening to represent the Maple Leaf in a proper international opening ceremony, while her fourth-place big air result proves that she’s capable of holding her own against top opposition.

Her father Ray is delighted.

“There are so many life lessons with sport,” he

said “I think that’s the most important thing. To actually see the world and travel and get those experiences—Avery will remember that forever.

The sky’s the limit with her ability and I know her goals are a lot loftier than her recent performances

“The future is going to be exciting for Avery. [Her mom] Rachel and I are just there to support her and give her those opportunities.”

Like Krumme, Heslop knows a thing or two about bouncing back himself.

The 18-year-old absorbed a heavy, head-first crash during Junior Worlds and was rushed to hospital Some feared he might have broken his neck, but a fortunate CT scan revealed no permanent damage

Even so, it may have been the first time Heslop’s typically-boundless confidence was truly shaken during a contest.

“That [injury] was pretty scary,” he admitted. “I landed right on my head and then I was super disoriented. There were definitely some nerves [competing in Whistler], especially during big air. The weather wasn’t great on Sunday, and it was kind of the same as in Italy when I crashed.”

Nonetheless, Heslop managed to regroup.

“I’d say I did a pretty good job of pulling myself together and putting down a run,” he commented. “The original plan for Junior Nationals was just to have some fun. These courses that they build [in Whistler] are far from

standard, and I think it definitely helps to live here and constantly be skiing them.”

Heslop has his sights set on the Nor-Am circuit next season Elite results on that tour would vault him into World Cup action, which remains the ultimate goal

Meanwhile, Oliver’s silver medal comes at only 14 years old

As one of the youngest athletes in the field, Oliver understandably felt anxious going into last weekend. He vented to his mom Louise and to coach Brandon Fritz (a.k.a Fritzy) about how well he’d seen his opponents perform, and how he doubted his own ability to keep up with them

Louise and Fritzy helped him discover self-belief, and for good reason Oliver has a triple cork 1080, a switch double 1260 and an unnatural double 1080 in his bag of tricks—stuff that one might see at a Nor-Am tier event. He landed all three during his slopestyle run.

“I’ve had so much experience on these jumps in Whistler and my coach has really pushed me to get ready for all the bigger competitions,” said Oliver.

“It means a lot to do super well at one of them because I’ve trained so hard for it.”

Oliver’s illustrious season also includes big air gold and slopestyle silver at a national-level contest in Calgary and a landslide overall title on the Timber Tour—which he will likely not return to despite having one more year of eligibility.

SQUAMISH SENDS A CONTINGENT OF DRAGON BOATERS TO

They’ll be racing at the Barocay International Dragon Boat Festival

SCOTT TIBBALLS stibballs@piquenewsmagazine.com

Ateam of 13 from the Squamish Dragon Boat Association is headed to the Boracay International Dragon Boat Festival this week in a first for the local team

Having been training since February, team member Cathie Greenlees said the team—which goes by ‘Chawanda’—is getting excited to head to their first races in Asia

“It is really hard to be here right now,” joked Greenlees about her excitement to head out on the trip

She said the team had put their dragon boat in the water an entire month early in preparation for the competition, which is on April 27 and 28

The team has long trained in the Cattermole Slough, and with experience racing as far back as 2009 with regular trips around B.C. and the various seasonal races, they’re not unfamiliar with some tough competition.

“We’ve got lots of medals; we’ve won in various races. We traditionally go to the Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival [in Vancouver], and we’ve gone over to Nanaimo and Victoria, and there’s a lot of festivals around and we usually do up to four to five races every year.”

Greenlees said that heading as far afield as the

Philippines was a first though.

PHILIPPINES CONNECTION

“Our coaches have always been Filipino; they actually brought the dragon boat up to Squamish, so to go back to their country and paddle has always been a big dream of ours, and especially Boracay because it’s a beautiful

island.”

The current coach is Macky Sumalileng, who is from Apayao, in the Philippines.

It’ll be a little different from training in Squamish and racing in the cooler waters of the Salish Sea.

“Boracay has white sandy beaches, and warm water where if you fall in you won’t die in five minutes,” she joked.

Chawanda takes dragon boating very seriously, and the opportunity to experience an international race in the Philippines and also the relaxing sandy beaches of Boracay was an opportunity they didn’t want to miss after years of thinking about it

“We talked about it a lot, and it just seemed to click that we had people who said yes, we really want to go, and we moved forward really quickly and just did it.”

With up to three training sessions a week in the high season, Chawanda can be found paddling away from late March through to September or even as late as October each year.

For the trip to the Philippines, they were at it early and getting ready for what will be a new challenge in not just the location but the race itself.

“In the Asian countries, their forte is quick, 200-metre races. Ours are 500-metre races which is a lot longer, and it’s a different stroke, a different timing—so we really needed to get into

THE PHILIPPINES

the boat to start practicing on 200 metres,” Greenlees said the team—made up of women in their late 40s to the early 70s—were feeling confident.

“We’re confident that we’re not going to embarrass our coach. We’re known as a strong team, so we’re fairly confident we won’t embarrass ourselves either.”

The Squamish contingent will be taking part in three races as part of the trip to Boracay—a women’s race, a mixed race (with some of their coach’s former teammates from the Philippine National Police team), and a standard boat race

GOING TROPICAL

Besides the races themselves, Greenlees said the team members are looking forward to seeing the Philippines and enjoying the tropical climate.

They’ll be gone for about three weeks overall, with a few pit stops to enjoy the scenery. But all that said, eyes were on the next race, and the future.

“When we get back, we’ll be victorious, and ready to start the rest of the season. “We’d also like to invite anybody that would like to try dragon boating to come and join us.”

Check out the Squamish Dragon Boat Association on Facebook for more information. Please note: Cathie Greenlees is a sales manager with The Squamish Chief.

SN Forestry OperationsLtd.

Forest Operations MapID#1434 NoticeofPublicReviewand Comment

Noticeisherebygiven that SN Forestry OperationsLtd., holder of NonRenewableForestLicence A98566 andNorthwest Squamish Forestry Ltd, holder of Tree Farm Licence38, is seekingpublic review andcomment on Forest OperationsMap (FOM)ID#1434,which is coveredbyForest StewardshipPlan#903. Thereviewand comment period relatedtoFOM ID #1434isavailablefor a30-dayperiodbetween April18, 2024,toMay 18,2024. This FOMconsistsof5 proposed cutblocks, as well as the associated roads, locatedinthe UpperSquamish Valleyinthe SeatoSky NaturalResourceDistrict.

TheFOM canbeviewedathttps://fom.nrs.gov.bc.ca/public/projects, andbysearching theFOM ID #1434orLicensee usingthe ‘find’ function. Alternatively, theinformationcontained in theFOM canbemadeavailable forin-person viewingduringregular businesshours at ChartwellResource GroupLtd.’sofficeat#201– 1121 CommercialPlace,Squamish BC.

Commentscan be submitted anytime duringthe 30-day period through https://fom.nrs.gov.bc.ca/public/projects, e-mailedtoSqomish.FOM@ crgl.ca, or mailedtothe addressnoted above. Please referencethe FOM ID when submitting comments.

Following thereviewand comment period,thisFOM maybereliedupontoapply fora Road Permit or CuttingPermitfor a3-yearperiod, ending April19, 2027.

Mahil, Pawanjit Singh

April 25, 1976- April 4, 2024

It is with profound sadness that the family of Pawanjit Singh Mahil announces his sudden and tragic passing two weeks beforehis 48th birthday.

Pawan was born in Mahil Gailan, Punjab, to his mother, Gurdev Mahil and his father, Avtar Singh Mahil (predeceased in 1996), and hewas an older brother to Kamal Mahil, who he leaves behind. After spending his 20s in England, Pawan settled down in Squamish with his wife, Hardeep KaurMahil, of 15 years and raisedtheir two beautiful children, Rytham and Seerat. Pawan had a life rich in experiences, friends, and family who all cherish their time with him.

Pawan was an incredibly hard worker who had akind heart and a special way of making people laugh. He was an amazing son, brother, cousin, husband, father to his two children, and uncle to his nieces Tavleenand Gurnaaz and all his nieces and nephews. Pawan’s life was agift to everyone who was lucky enough to experience it. Above all, he will be remembered as aman who cared immensely for others and valued time spent with his children and the ones he loved. We ask that you honour his memory by spending some extra specialtime with the people you careabout, especially in the great outdoors. Those who knew Pawan are invited to attend his memorial service at Squamish Funeral Chapel &Crematorium on Monday, April 15 at noon.

Itiswithgreatsadnessthatweannounce thesuddenpassingofDave

Hewillbegreatlymissedbyfamily andfriends

PredeceasedbyhisfatherRon(2018). SurvivedbyhismotherMary,daughter Caleigh,brotherDan,sisterDiane(Greg), niecesDes(Graham),Courtnay(Andy), Madi(Jake),Marleyandnephews Ryan(Kaci)andTyson.

Funeraltobeheldat

St.Joseph’sCatholicChurchonFriday, April19,2024at1pm.

It is withgreat sadness that weannounce thesuddenand unexpectedpassing of Margaret Mary (Denney) Johnson on February 22nd,2024,atSt.Paul’sHospital.

Marg was born on September 21st, 1946, in Edmonton,toMaxineand Hugh Denney, then movedtoWinnipeginherearlychildhood.

During herHigh School years, Marg followed herpassion forsinging by joining the Drama andOpera Club. Shewentontoperformin many musicalsand retained herloveofmusic throughoutherlife.

After graduating in 1965 from GrantPark High School, Marg gother first jobworking in the AdvertisingDepartmentofThe Bay. In 1967, Marg married herHigh School sweetheart, John Johnson,andmovedtoCalgary.

Afew years later, Marg andJohnrelocated to Squamish,tostarttheirfamily.Derekwasbornin 1973,followedbyRyanfouryearslater.

Whileraisingtheboys,Margcontinuedtoworkatafewlocalbusinesses,untilin1986the opportunity to purchase The Country Store arose. Marg dedicated thenext 20 years to buildingthebusinesswhileprovidingSquamishwithauniqueexperienceinhercozystore filledwithbelovedtreasures.

In 2006, Marg closed the store to enjoy time withher grandchildren andcare forher husband,John.

Theywerelookingforwardtocelebratingtheir57thyearofmarriagethisApril.

Margissurvivedbyherlovinghusband,John,children–Derek(Rene,)Ryan(KimGinou,) grandchildren –Cooper, Jada, Jake, Jace, andKim’s sonLayton,Brother –Denis (Jan) andmanynieces,nephews,andfriends

ACelebrationofLifewillbeheldforMargonMay4th,2024attheHoweSoundInn,located at37801ClevelandAve.,from1pmto4pm.

MargaretMaryJohnson

KUMHO-A/TTires

General Labourers

Must Have Construction Experience.

Approved LMIA Available

Contact: 604-567-3337

info@bctfencing.ca

The Sea to Sky corridor’s top civil construction company. We arecurrentlyrecruitingprofessionally minded people to join our team. Construction Labourers *Competitivewages,extended health benefits(after3months) Email resume to: info@whistlerexcavations.com

($25-27)

•Full timeorParttime

•EmployeeBenefits

•Noweekends orevenings

•Locally ownedand operated family practice

•"BestDentalOffice 2023asvotedbyreaders ofPiqueNewsmagazine"

Please send your resumeand alittle aboutyourself to: managercreeksidedentalwhistler@gmail.com.

April 20-May 20

ARIES

Before making a decision that could influence your life and that of your loved ones, take the time to think about the longterm consequences Your generosity will be inspiring, and you’ll share your happiness with the people you love.

TAURUS

Making a few changes to your diet will improve your wellbeing. Having a deep conversation with your partner will help you avoid conflict and pave the way for a more serious commitment. Thoughtful gestures will be most appreciated.

GEMINI

May 21-June 20

You could perform a heroic act and save someone from a difficult situation. This will earn you the respect of everyone, even if you only lent a listening ear. Your presence could lighten the mood among your colleagues and your good nature will spread joy.

CANCER

June 21-July 22

Sept. 23-Oct. 22

LIBRA

Your actions will make your life more exciting and fulfilling

You’ll encounter new challenges at work and home However, this will promote personal, spiritual and professional growth

SCORPIO

Oct. 23-Nov 21

Sometimes, you must take a step back You’ll regain your financial or love balance by taking the necessary steps to move in the right direction. The artist benefits from great inspiration.

SAGITTARIUS

Nov. 22-Dec 21

If you plan to move, you’ll start to take the necessary steps more seriously. This includes finding a home that’s perfectly suited to your family, so you can feel more at ease in your own space

LEO

July 23-Aug. 22

Aug. 23-Sept. 22

You’ll expertly express your feelings, demonstrating powerful strength of character You won’t hesitate to disagree in a direct manner, which will earn you respect at work This will also increase your efficiency.

VIRGO

You must break free of routine and communicate more openly to deepen your relationship You could also consider living together if you haven’t already to take things a step further

TheParish of St.John theDivine, Squamish

Holy Communion and Morning Worship

Dec. 22-Jan. 19

Jan. 20-Feb 18

Your professional life will see a significant boost, leading to a considerable increase in income On the romantic front, your partner or someone interested in you will pleasantly surprise you with affectionate gestures

CAPRICORN

Be on the lookout for a sudden moment of clarity that will guide you toward the path you need to follow to achieve your personal and professional goals. You could even initiate a project close to your heart, leading to something significant.

AQUARIUS

You’ll broaden your personal and professional horizons by undertaking a transformative training course This new step will bring a renewed passion for life, greatly enriching your prospects for the future.

PISCES

Your emotions will be running high this week and your excitement will be palpable If you recently got into a new relationship, expect a clear sign of commitment from your partner Any changes that occur will only lead to happiness. YOUR

Sundays at 10:00 AM

Rev

Cameron Gutjahr

1930 Diamond Road 604-898-5100

www.squamishanglicanchurch.ca

info@squamishanglicanchurch.ca

Feb. 19-March 20

Exalting Jesus,Equipping His Followers,Engaging theWorld

WorshipService

Sundays 10am

onour website and Facebook Live 2262ReadCres. 604-898-3737

www.squamishbaptistchurch.org

SeeWebsite for Service times and location

coastalchurch.org/squamish

Share your PLACE OF WORSHIPwithSquamishfor $10.25/week -Call today to book your spot 604.892.9161

Whatisafloatel?

Floatelsare increasingly beingused forworker accommodation whenland-based options pose significant challenges, as theycan bequickly positioned and removed and canbeoperatedsustainably, leaving no ecological footprintafter departure. TheWoodfibreLNG floatelisa modern vessel with state-of-the-art sewage,water and power services that meet or exceed Canadian and provincial regulations.Aconverted cruise ship,the floatel offers apremium live-work environmentfor its residents, including:

•Individualrooms withprivateensuites

•Catered dining areas

•Outdoorand sports lounge

•8,000 square foot fitness facility

•Billiardsand games room

Whyisafloatelbeing used on the Project?

In 2019, Woodfibrebeganthe process of gathering input fromthe communityabout thepotential impactofthe constructionproject and developmentofanLNG facility. Wereceived thousandsofcomments,manyregistering concerns about traditional work camps,the potential influx of non-localworkers, and potential impactson rental housing,traffic and the safetyofwomen and girls. We listened,weheard, andweresponded with a community-drivensolution in the form of afloatel.

Howdoesafloateladdress concerns expressed by the community?

Fromthe start, ourpriorityhas been to ensurethe constructionofthe WoodfibreLNG facilityhas as little impactonSquamish as possible and thefloateldoesjust that.

WoodfibreLNG received an amendmenttoits environmental assessmentcertificate to authorizethe floatel, andconditions thatrestrict communityaccess and travel into the communityfor non-local workers.

Major projects don’tneed to have major impacts.

Woodfibre LNG’s floating workforceaccommodation, also knownas the floatel, is expectedtoarrive at the Woodfibre LNGprojectsitein spring of 2023 whereit will remain moored until the completion of constructionin2027. Thefloatelwillprovidehigh qualityhousing to approximately 650 non-local workers during construction of the WoodfibreLNG Project.

Accommodating workers on the floatel, along with firm restrictions on access to the community ,will mean that workershaveno impactoncommunity infrastructureand serviceswhile providingthemworld class,safeand comfortableliving accommodations.

Theuse of afloatelisalso supportedbya coalitionof hereditary chiefs and the project’s GenderSafety Committee AdvisoryCommittee –and will address problemssometimesassociatedwith work camps, ensuring asafeworking environmentfor allworkers, including Indigenouswomen.

When areworkers expectedtooccupythe floatel?

Theprovincialgovernmentand Squamish First Nation formally approved the floatelseveral monthsago.Wenow await approval by the DistrictofSquamish. Workers are anticipated to occupythe floatelinspring2024.

What is thecost of thefloateland whois footing thebill?

WoodfibreLNG pays thefullcost of the $100 million floatel and thecostofcatering,housekeeping,and other services onboard, as part of its commitmenttoensure the project has as little impactonSquamish as possible.

Howwill gender safetybeaddressed on the floatel?

To work on the project,all workers mustsigna code of conductwhich includes gendersafety provisions and are requiredtotake ahalf-day, in personcultural awareness andgendersafety training sessiondelivered by Squamish Nation trainers.Tofurthersupportawelcoming and respectful workplaceculture, IndigenousFloatel Cultural Managers will be on boardthe vessel.A first-of-its-kind Genderand Cultural Safety ManagementPlanisa provincial regulatoryrequirement on theprojectand will furtherthe zero tolerancepolicyfor,and provide safe and appropriate mechanismsfor preventing and responding to,any form of bullying,harassment, or sexualized violence.

In addition, 24- hour safetyand securitymeasures arein place, including securitybadging stations and onboard security, to ensure the comfortand safetyofall workers.

Howwill workersbetransportedtoand from the floatel?

To ensurenoimpactsontraffic through Squamish, non-local workers will be transportedbyboatfromthe LowerMainland to and from the floatelatthe Woodfibre LNG projectsite.

What is the environmental impactofthe floatel?

Thefloatelisdesignedtohavenet zero environmental impact, will operateonhydroelectric shore powerand has awide arrayofadvanced environmental systems including awater treatmentsystem, industrial heat pumps,and sewage treatment thatincludesultrafiltration, alow intensityUVunit,and shipping to awaste management facilityinBC. In addition, the floatelisdesigned to eliminate wasteand recycleasmuch as possible.

Watchtolearn moreabout WoodfibreLNG’s commitment to community and worker safety.

woodfibrelng.ca/floatel