May 16, 2024

THURSDAY, MAY 16,

TOP HONCHO

Squamish Mayor fields Qs on the state of the muni, with a few on WLNG

BRIGHT NIGHT LIGHTS: Squamish and seemingly everyone else in the world got to enjoy quite the lightshow over the weekend, with a stunning display of the aurora borealis lighting up the night sky courtesy of an intense geomagnetic storm from our sun. Nobody was short on opportunities to see the lights, and millions of people shared pictures online from around the world. Here, local photographer Kaylan Worsnop captured the bright colours above the Stawamus Chief.

NIGHTMARE’: FAMILY RECOUNTS CRASH TRAUMA

A vehicle dragged a stroller with a baby inside it for blocks, while a grandmother faces a long recovery from head trauma

SCOTT TIBBALLS stibballs@piquenewsmagazine.com

On Monday, April 22, a driver struck a grandmother pushing a stroller crossing the road in Squamish, throwing her to the ground and dragging the stroller—baby still inside—for multiple city blocks

Sara, who is the daughter of the woman struck, Carolyn, and the mother of the baby, Quinn—shared her family’s story in the hopes it can prevent anything like it happening to anyone else

Sara, along with her parents and two of her three children, had flown to British Columbia from Ontario to be with her sister, who was due to welcome her first child within days

She said her family was going for an after-dinner walk on Monday evening when tragedy struck

“My mom was pushing Quinn in the stroller and they were going west on the south side of Pemberton Avenue They were in the crosswalk on Second when the car heading south on Second struck her and the stroller,” she said.

Sara, her father, and her three-year-old were on the

Continued on 3

PHOTO BY KAYLAN WORSNOP

FLOATEL CAN NAVIGATE CHOPPY WATERS WITH SQUAMISH: WLNG

WLNG president Christine Kennedy said they were committed to finding a path forward with the District

ANDREW HUGHES ahughes@squamishchief.com

Woodfibre LNG president Christine Kennedy said the company remained committed to finding a path forward with the District of Squamish for the floatel, but was mum on any future contingencies if the two can’t come to an agreement.

On May 9, Woodfibre LNG (WLNG) and Bridgeman Services Group gave a tour of the floatel to members of invited media.

The vessel, which is called MV Isabelle X is intended to serve as the floating worker accommodation for the construction of the liquefied natural gas export facility on Howe Sound, near Squamish The floatel was intended to act as an alternative to housing the bulk of workers in the community.

It is currently docked in Vancouver—and may stay there for the time being while WLNG navigates a setback in its plan, in that the District of Squamish recently failed to either reject outright or approve a temporary use permit (TUP) that would have allowed the company to house up to 650 workers onboard. Those on council who opposed the TUP cited community safety concerns and a lack of information in the application.

Despite that setback, WLNG invited members of regional media to take a tour of the vessel, with Brian Grange, president of Bridgemans Services Group (which fits out ships), showing off the various amenities onboard the ship, which has taken about a year to prepare for use as a floatel.

With 24-hour security, electric heating and

cooling system, laundry service for workers, waste management strategy and other environmental commitments such as no single-use plastics, the vessel is also decked

out with amenities for workers including a full-service gym and multiple rooms dedicated to games and dining plus lounges.

“We put a lot of time into understanding

PHOTO BY ANDREW HUGHES

Camp: Film Screening &Conversation

sidewalk, and saw it happen

“It was a nightmare,” she said

“My mom was lying in the street unconscious and bleeding from the head Quinn and the stroller were totally missing.”

As it turns out, the stroller was lodged in the front of the vehicle that struck it, dragging it for streets as the driver fled the scene.

Bystanders leapt into action to find the stroller upon hearing Sara’s screams in the immediate aftermath, flooding the streets to search for, and eventually find, the vehicle with the stroller still wedged into the front of it near Pemberton Avenue and Fourth Avenue.

Little Quinn was still inside, miraculously not seriously injured.

Sara said she had a lot of thanks to give to those who stepped up and helped her family in the chaos.

“Thank you to all the amazing bystanders who jumped into the street to help stabilize my mom and keep her warm,” she said

“Thank you to the very brave person who pulled Quinn and the stroller from the vehicle and got him to safety This is the same person who eventually connected the dots, found me, and ran me to my baby I will never forget him.”

She also offered thanks to those who first found Quinn; who watched over her

three-year-old and kept her husband updated by phone; and who drove her father to the hospital

“Thank you to the many people in the Squamish community who have reached out with love, dropped off meals, sent messages and offered so many things to our family,” she said “Thank you to the first responders and medical teams. Thank you to the friends and family back home who have been supporting us from afar We are forever grateful.”

ON THE PATH TO RECOVERY

Baby Quinn didn’t suffer life-threatening injuries, but he didn’t escape the incident unscathed, with a bump on the head, bruising to his face and cuts on his tongue. He was flown down to the BC Children’s Hospital for a CT scan in the immediate aftermath of the incident, and according to those tests there was no bleeding inside his brain—but time will tell

“We are very hopeful that he will make a full recovery,” said Sara

For Sara’s mom, Carolyn, the journey to recovery is much longer, with fractures in her sacrum and her leg, and two areas of bleeding in her brain.

“Originally they were stable and we thought we’d be able to avoid brain surgery, but her symptoms have been getting worse over the past week, and her most recent CT scan

indicates there is too much pressure in her brain,” said Sara

Carolyn is scheduled for neurosurgery in coming days to remove a hematoma and relieve the pressure in her brain, and is being closely monitored in a Vancouver hospital

In a sign of the trauma she sustained, Carolyn has no memory of the incident or the following day.

“We are hopeful that she will make a full recovery but she may have residual difficulties,” Sara said “We won’t know until a few months after surgery.”

Whatever happens, Carolyn, who works as a rural family physician in Ontario, will not be able to return home for more than a month, and won’t be able to return to work for months more—a point Sara said showed the flow-on impact of the incident.

“Time off work affects the whole community, which, like most Canadian communities, is already experiencing a family doctor shortage,” she said

COMING TOGETHER

Sara’s entire family were shaken by the incident, which happened just as they were coming together to support one of their own in what should have been a time of celebration—her sister had her first child in the days after the incident, but her mother wasn’t able to be with her as planned.

Sara’s husband and her five-year-old child are now with them in British Columbia, while her brother flew all the way from Indonesia to support his mother

While they were back and forth between Squamish and Vancouver in the aftermath, the family opted to stay in Vancouver, close to Carolyn, while she navigates her recovery in hospital in coming days Eventually they hope to shift home base back to Squamish

“Our motivation in sharing our story is to try to prevent this from happening to anyone else,” said Sara.

“There were lots of witnesses. Thank you to everyone who has shared video and given statements. If there is anyone who has not yet spoken to police but has information about the incident, please contact the Squamish police.”

The RCMP investigation into the incident which took place at the intersection of Pemberton Avenue and Second Avenue in Squamish at 8:30 p.m. on Monday, April 22—is ongoing. The driver was arrested two blocks from the scene.

If you have information, call the Sea to Sky RCMP at the Squamish detachment at 604-892-6100

The Squamish Chief has opted not to include surnames of those affected in this story, out of respect for the family’s privacy

as important,” he said. “Our floatels are their own ecosystems.”

Grange said Bridgemans has refitted numerous vessels into floatels all over the world and the MV Isabelle X is one of three the company currently maintains.

Following the tour, Grange, Squamish Nation representatives, and WLNG president Christine Kennedy held a short Q&A. Throughout the questions, Kennedy

maintained that the company was continuing to pursue a way forward with the District despite a council vote on April 30 that left it high and dry.

“We look forward to continuing our work with the District of Squamish on advancing this best possible solution,” she said, adding that the company was willing to meet the security deposit suggested by a Squamish councillor of $10 million, as opposed to the currently proposed $2 million

Currently, without the floatel in use,

Kennedy said workers continue to be ferried to the worksite from a land-based camp in Port Mellon, which is closer to the Sunshine Coast and outside District of Squamish jurisdiction.

Kennedy was asked a few times what contingencies WLNG is thinking of applying if the floatel doesn’t work out, but was not drawn on alternatives, saying that the company anticipates they will find a solution with the District

“It is the approved plan by the provincial

government and the Squamish Nation government that have the authority to make those decisions,” she said.

“The District of Squamish makes a zoning decision, but the approval for using the floatel to accommodate workforce has already been made by other levels of government.”

While the May 9 tour was attended by media, Kennedy said that WLNG maintained an open invitation to members of the District of Squamish staff and council to tour the floatel.

DISTRICTOFSQUAMISH

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

WAYS TO PARTICIPATE

Persons who believe thattheir interest in property is affectedbythe proposed OCP and Zoning Bylaw amendments will have an opportunitytobeheardinperson and to provide written submissions.

In Person

PROPOSEDBYLAWS: DistrictofSquamish Official CommunityPlan BylawNo. 2500, 2017, AmendmentBylaw(CheekeyeRiver Development) No.2615, 2018; and DistrictofSquamish Zoning BylawNo. 2200, 2011, AmendmentBylaw(Cheekeye RiverDevelopment) No.2306, 2013

PROPOSED AMENDMENTS: To re-designate the lands identified in Figure1from“Civic and Institutional”, “RestrictedIndustrial”, “Residential Neighbourhood”and “Parks,GreenwayCorridor and Recreation”to“Residential Neighbourhood”and “Parks, GreenwayCorridor and Recreation”inorder to allowthe proposed CheekeyeRiver Development.

The CheekeyeRiver Developmentproposes approximately 1215 residential units including small and medium lotsingle detached housing,townhomes,apartments,neighbourhood commercial establishment, as well as aparkdedication of the Brackendale Farmers Institutelands and RayPeters Trail

To extend the Growth ManagementBoundarycontained in Schedule “C”tothe OCP in order to include all of the proposed developmentarea.

ToreduceDevelopmentPermit Area No.10(DPA10) Map contained in Schedule “M”tothe OCP to exclude the proposed developmentareafromIntensiveand Restricted Industrial DPA10designation.

To add apolicystatementtoPart3ofthe OCP recognizing the proposed development.

To rezone the lands identifiedin Figure2fromRS-1 (Residential 1) and RE (Resource) to Comprehensive DevelopmentZone 82 (CD-82), which will be comprised of Zone Parcels AtoH,inorder to permit the proposed CheekeyeRiver Development.

LOCATION: Thelands subjecttothe twoOfficial CommunityPlan and Zoning BylawAmendments abut the east side of GovernmentRoad and both sides of Ross Road

HOWTOVIEWTHE PROPOSED BYLAWS

A copy of the proposed Bylawand relatedinformation that has been or may be considered by Council maybeinspectedonline or at MunicipalHall.

•squamish.ca/public-hearings-and-meetings

•37955 Second Avenue, Squamish,British Columbia, from May17to28, 2024 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Mondaythrough Friday, excludingstatutoryholidays.

Questions? Contactthe Planning Department: 604.815.5002

Allsubmissions will form partofthe public record.

PleasenotethatCouncil maynot receivefurther submissionsreceived from the public orinterestedparties concerning the Bylawdescribed above afterthe conclusion of the Public Hearing.

Thisisthe first of twonotices of Public Hearing.Dated this 16th dayofMay,2024 at Squamish, British Columbia.

In Writing

Youmay participate in personduring the public hearing at Brennan Park Recreation Centre (gymnasium), 1009 Centennial Way, Squamish, B.C.

ASpeakers List will be established.You may 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,starting at 5:30 p.m. at Brennan Park Recreation Centre (gymnasium entrance).

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

Speakers areprovided3minutes to make comments to Councilregarding the bylaws being considered

*Please notethatdue to technical capacity considerations at this venue and in order to ensurea fair and undisrupted hearing, electronic and phone-in participation will not be available.

If youare unabletoattendthe public hearing,ordonot wish to speak at the hearing,you can still participate by submitting your written comments to hearing@ squamish.ca,orbydropping them off at Municipal Hall before4:30 p.m. on May28, 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 withoutspeaking: If youdonot wish to participate but would liketowatch the public hearing, youcan do so by watching the meeting at squamish.ca/live-meetings

DISTRICTOFSQUAMISH

NOTICE OF BYLAWREADINGSFOR ZONINGAMENDMENTS

DistrictofSquamishZoningBylaw2200, 2011 AmendmentBylaw(Short-term Rental Accommodation Definition) No.3042, 2024

PROPOSEDBYLAW AMENDMENT:

Theproposed AmendmentBylawreplaces the definition of Short-term Rental Accommodation with the following,toalignwith the Province’s definition:

SHORT-TERM RENTAL ACCOMMODATION means an accessoryuse of adwelling unit, or anyportion ofit, fortemporarycommercial accommodation by transientpaying guests foraperiod of lessthan 90 days and includes vacation rentals and bed and breakfasts,but is not ahome occupation and does not include tourist accommodation.

DistrictofSquamish ZoningBylawNo. 2200, 2011 AmendmentBylaw(Small Scale Multi-Unit Housing) No.3036, 2024 andDistrictof Squamish Zoning BylawNo. 2200, 2011, AmendmentBylaw (Bill 44 Parking Reductions)No. 3035, 2024

AFFECTED LANDS: Properties Currently Zoned RS-1, RS-1A, RS-2, RS-2A, RS-3 and RMH-2, except properties locatedinhigh flood hazardordebris flow hazardareas.View amap of the affectedlandson squamish.ca/PublicNotice.

PROPOSED BYLAWAMENDMENT:

Theproposed Bylawistoamend the zoning bylaw to include anew R-1 zoning thatwould allowupto fiveunits on aproperty.The R-1 zoning would be applied to properties currently zoned RS-1, RS-1A, RS-2, RS-2A, RS-3 and RMH-2, except properties locatedinhigh flood hazardordebris flowhazard areas.The amendments areintended to increase the minimum densitystandards by allowing more small-scale,multi-unit housing options in land use zones thatare otherwise restrictedtosinglefamily dwellings or duplexes, as required by the ProvinceofBritish Columbia in accordancewith Bill 44. Theamendments alsopropose to reduce parking requirements forsecondarysuites,accessory dwelling units and multi-unit flex units.

DistrictofSquamish Zoning Bylaw2200, 2011 AmendmentBylaw(2543 Mamquam Road) No.3047, 2024

AFFECTEDLANDS: 2543 Mamquam Road, Squamish BC

PROPOSED BYLAWAMENDMENT:

Theproposed AmendmentBylawisa housekeepingexercise to update the legal descriptionand PID of 2543 Mamquam Road in the LightIndustrial Small LotZone (I-10 Zone) following a lotline adjustmentofthe property

LOCATION MAP:

BYLAWREADINGS:

DistrictofSquamish Zoning Bylaw2200, 2011 AmendmentBylaw(UniversityAmendments) No.3083, 2024

AFFECTED LANDS: CIVIC: 3295 Mamquam Road, Squamish BC. LEGAL: LOTADISTRICTLOT 512 PLAN EPP78733

PROPOSEDBYLAW AMENDMENT:

Theproposed AmendmentBylawistoincrease the requirementfor residential rental tenureinArea3 of the UH-1 Zone from 10% to 30% to alignwith the rental tenurerequirements placed on other parcels in the Universityneighbourhood.

LOCATION MAP:

Consideration of first,secondand thirdreadings of the proposed Bylaws will be at the Regular Meeting of Council on May21, 2024 at 6p.m. in Council Chambers at Municipal Hall,37955 Second Avenue, Squamish BC. No public hearing will be held forthis application.

NO PUBLIC HEARING:

In accordancewith the new Provincialhousing legislation, Section 464(3) of the LocalGovernmentAct,local governments arenow prohibited from holding public hearings relatedtorezoning applications fordevelopments thatare primarily residential and areconsistent withthe local government’sOfficial CommunityPlan (OCP).This proposal meets those requirements

Acopyofthe proposed bylaws and relatedinformation thathas been or maybeconsidered by Council maybe inspectedonline or at Municipal Hall.

•Online at:squamish.ca/PublicNotice

•Municipal Hall at 37955 Second Avenue,Squamish,British Columbia, from May10, 2024 to May21, 2024 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Mondaythrough Friday.

Enquiries regarding the proposed amendmentbylawmay be made to the Planning Departmentat604.815.5002 or by email to planning@squamish.ca.

This is the second of twonoticesofbylaw readings Datedthis 16h dayofMay 2024 at Squamish, British Columbia.

AFFORDABILITY, INDUSTRIAL PROJECTS TOP OF MIND AT SQUAMISH MAYOR’S LUNCHEON

Mayor Armand Hurford spoke to affordable living, industrial projects and public transit at the annual event on May 8

ANDREW HUGHES ahughes@squamishchief.com

Affordability and major industrial projects were top of mind at the annual Mayor’s Luncheon

On Wednesday, May 8, Mayor Armand Hurford addressed a crowd of about 75 community business members at the annual event held by the Squamish Chamber of Commerce. Hurford spoke to council’s strategic plan, which covered the four main pillars: connected and livable community, resilient people and relationships, reliable service delivery, and prepared for the future. Hurford kicked off his speech by talking about provincial housing legislation and funding for such legislation, mentioning the $7 million in funding secured by the District from the federal government. From there, he spoke to reconciliation actions the District is engaging in with Squamish Nation, including the ongoing development of a memorandum of understanding between the two, and the start of improvements at Brennan Park Recreation Centre among other infrastructure improvements.

“We’re also committed … to improve affordability in our community, including attainable housing, child care, and transit,” he said.

After the speech, Hurford took on questions submitted by the group, which centred on the Woodfibre LNG (WLNG) and Fortis BC projects, affordable living, public transit and more.

One of the first questions Hurford answered was about the District’s plan for affordable

Jordy’sjourneyinSquamishstarted in 2020 when he movedtothe seatosky corridorfor hiscareeras aprofessional skier. He instantlyfell in love with the landscapeand itsamenities Sincethen, Jordy has establisheda strong connectionand involvement withinthe community andisproudtocall Squamish his home.Whenhe'snotintheoffice youcan usually findJordy skitouringinthe backcountry, riding thelocal mountainbiketrailsorplayingthe localgolfcourses

Jordyispassionate aboutusing hisexpertise to make apositivedifference in the lives ofhis clients andcommunity,while continually strivingtobe a trustedadvisor that deliverspersonalized service. Jordyunderstands the market,the players, andall of thevariables involved in arealestatetransaction He wantstomakesure youfeel supported andthat youhavea trustedadvisorbyyourside

JORDYKIDNER

housing Hurford said one way they’re taking action is by “getting out of the way” by zoning the community to be able to quickly create affordable housing. Another method he mentioned was using the assets that they have to add housing, giving the example of potentially adding housing above Firehall No. 2.

“We’re leaving no stone unturned to find ways to incentivize affordable housing,” he said

There were several questions from the group about the Woodfibre LNG and FortisBC projects, many of which had to do with how the companies are utilizing local procurement Hurford reiterated it is a requirement by the environmental assessment to utilize local businesses where the companies can and that the District is in “constant communication” with regulators that oversee the projects.

Another question to the mayor about the WLNG project asked plainly if the District or council had ever suggested that the company not utilize local businesses, to which Hurford simply replied, “No.”

Near the end, Hurford was asked how the community could move the dial on public transit. He said the District continued to advocate for in-town transit and also used the opportunity to mention the provincial responsibility for regional transit while two candidates in the upcoming provincial election, Jen Ford and Jeremy Valeriote, were in the crowd.

“Particularly through this stretch of a lot of election time, we need a willing partner at the province to help us find a way through this,” he said.

PHOTO BY ANDREW HUGHES

Squamish Mayor Armand Hurford addressed a crowd of about 75 people atop the Sea to Sky Gondola, where he said the District of Squamish was committed to improving affordability

DOWNTOWN SQUAMISH DEVELOPMENT CLEARS ANOTHER HURDLE

The Village on Bailey is a proposal for 230 units on Bailey Street

SCOTT TIBBALLS stibballs@piquenewsmagazine.com

The District of Squamish (DOS) council has given second reading to rezoning for the ‘Village on Bailey’ proposed development on the edge of downtown Squamish

The development would see 230 units and 10,000 sq. m of commercial space built on the edge of downtown, wedged between Bailey St and the railway along a corridor of undeveloped land divided into three lots.

At the May 9 regular council meeting, second reading was approved unanimously with two amendments added following lengthy discussion, with councillors requesting a no-gas covenant over the entire site, and changes to the maximum allowable building height for a parking garage to increase the amount of parking available if the developer chooses to provide more parking above what they proposed.

The two changes go with a raft of staff recommendations that the developer have plans for street connections to downtown and neighbouring roads (including potentially connecting Third Avenue to Buckley Avenue across the tracks); have a traffic impact assessment conducted and approved; provide a

flood modelling report and environmental report; and ensure compliance with CN Rail development guidelines before the development progress to the next stage, being another public hearing.

The development has long been in the pipeline, having first come before the DOS council in 2021 and having gone through two public hearings already in its journey towards approval. It received first reading in July 2023, at which councillors requested more information and work on affordable housing, more information on the proposed ‘hybrid theatre’ to be

included in the development, and a revised phasing plan to secure community amenities and affordable housing.

Under the revised plan as supported on May 9, the development now includes 39 affordable units grouped into Lot A of the proposal—which is the portion of land closest to Cleveland Avenue.

With revised phasing, the development is proposed to go ahead in a way that would allow the developer to anchor construction by first building 89 market units in Lot B as part of phase 1, before moving on constructing the

affordable housing in Lot A as phase 2, and then community amenities of childcare space, a hybrid theatre, and a public parkage in Lot A as phase 3, the remainder of market units (102 in total) in Lot C as phase 4, before finishing with nearly 10,000 sq m of commercial space in a final building on Lot A as phase 5, which will be located right on Cleveland Avenue

According to staff, the manner of phasing “allows phase 1 to offset initial site and infrastructure upgrade costs, while delivering on key district amenities in phases 2 and 3.”

Upon questioning from council, staff added that the 102 market units in phase 4 were important to the overall development, so phases 2 and 3 were highly likely to be completed, while the commercial space in phase 5 was a critical component also in commercial tenant space.

A major item of discussion at the meeting was the provision of a hybrid theatre in the development, which was presented would have between 300-325 seats, and would be designed to accommodate large audiences attending a wide variety of public events or private functions. It would be privately owned, but the developer is proposing to ensure it is available to public groups.

All conditions as laid out in the staff recommendation must be met before a public hearing can be scheduled for further community engagement.

IMAGE COURTESY OF DISTRICT OF SQUAMISH

A rendering of one of the buildings proposed for Bailey Street

DISTRICT OF SQUAMISH

HOLIDAY HOURS

Monday, May20

Municipal Hall Closed

BylawServices

Call 604.815.4040 forassistance 8am. to 4:30 p.m

Brennan Park Recreation Centre

Public Works

Foremergencies: 604.815.4040

Squamish Fire Rescue Foremergencies: 911

9a.m. to 3p.m. Details below

OfficeClosed

OfficeClosed

Squamish Public LibraryClosed

The55ActivityCentreClosed

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

•Ditch Remediation along Highway99 -Requestfor Proposals

•SecurityPatrolling forDistrictFacilities -Request forProposals

•Sewer CCTV Reporting &RehabilitationProgramRequest forProposals

•AdventureCentreRevitalization Phase 2:DesignBuild Services -Request forProposals squamish.ca/doing-business-with-the-district

LET’S TALK ABOUT...

Residential Recycling

We all know how good recycling is forthe planet, butsometimesitcan be achallenge.Tomake glass recycling easier,help us identify potential locations forneighbourhood glass collection stations through an online mappingtool –andtake our surveytolet us know thechallengesyou face when recycling sowecan work togethertowards solutionstoreducerecyclingcontamination

NorthYards Park

TheDistrictofSquamishisdevelopinga neighbourhood parkatthe endofNoName Road. We want to know how youcurrently usethe space andwhatyou want to see in anew park.

LetsTalkSquamish.ca

SIGN UP FOR ENEWS

Signupfor the District’sweekly e-Newstoget importantupdates in your inboxevery Friday. squamish.ca/enews

Monday, May20, 12 -3p.m.

Dress upinroyal fashion and join us forapublic skate.

Develop your mountain bike skills on the trails youlove, and some thatyou haven’ttried before!

Registration nowopen.

OUTDOOR WATER USE RESTRICTIONS

Stage 1restrictions nowineffect

During Stage 1, lawn watering with asprinkler is allowedtwo days per week from 4a.m.to10a.m and 7p.m. to 10 p.m. based on street address.

•Odd numbered addresses can wateron Thursdays and Sundays.

•Evennumbered addresses can wateron Wednesdayand Saturday.

INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS

squamish.ca/building-our-future Work to upgrade and repair selectwatermains throughout Squamishwill begin shortly.Visitthe websitefor locations and timing.

BRENNAN PARK UPGRADES UPDATE

Thefirst phase of the Green and AccessibilityRetrofit

Projectisunderway, starting with upgrades to the ice arena changerooms.The changerooms will be closed to the public until end of August and will requireice users to arrive at the centre pre-dressed beforeusing thearena 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.

for details and registration visit: squamish.ca/rec

squamish.ca/futureBPRC

‘ON THE PUBLIC RECORD’: SQUAMISH COUNCIL RECEIVES FORTISBC LETTER

The letter from a lead company associated with the Eagle Mountain-Woodfibre Natural Gas Project touches on accommodations and community safety

SCOTT TIBBALLS stibballs@piquenewsmagazine.com

The District of Squamish council has voted to receive a letter from FortisBC that provided an update on its activities related to the Eagle Mountain-Woodfibre Natural Gas Project (EGP).

In the letter from FortisBC’s vice president of major projects, Mike Leclair, the company touches on its temporary use permit applications with the District of Squamish (DOS), workforce numbers, accommodation efforts and community safety.

Coun. Eric Andersen pulled the letter at the May 7 council meeting to bring up a few points, saying that the letter addresses many community concerns in a document now on the public record.

“My reason for highlighting or pulling out this item of correspondence is just that simply because there’s been a lot of discussion in this letter which I think is very clear and well-laid out regarding Fortis’ approach to addressing our housing concerns in the community.

“It’s important information and I think it’s important to highlight that we have it, and it’s

available,” he said, saying that it addressed a raft of housing concerns, and pointing out that FortisBC was “voluntarily paying the MRDT [hotel tax] to local hotels for remittance to Tourism Squamish—a concern that has come up in conversations around the community.”

Andersen said that the letter was a key plank in putting the company’s efforts out there amid community debate

“I think that this is important with all the confusion and conversations, that we point to these items of communication that are on the public record.”

According to the letter, FortisBC continues to work through efforts to secure a temporary use permit for its ‘Lodge’ work camp in Squamish, and was due to submit updated plans on May 13 with an eye for a final decision from the DOS by September.

Should FortisBC successfully secure a TUP, the Lodge is expected to take eight months to construct, and was expected to be fully operational by June 2025.

The letter also touches on current workforce numbers, as the company and its subcontractors have been at work since August 2023

According to the letter, there are currently 190 non-local workers in Squamish associated with FortisBC works, a number that will increase to 270 in summer 2024, and 550 by

BEAR ENCOUNTER CLOSES SQUAMISH ESTUARY TRAIL

A woman received non-life threatening injuries after being bitten

SCOTT TIBBALLS stibballs@piquenewsmagazine.com

According the Conservation Officer Service (COS), the trails were closed after Friday evening, when a woman who was walking her dog south of Bailey Street encountered a sow and two cubs

The sow charged and bit the woman after her dog ran into the forest

“The woman received medical attention for non-life threatening injuries,” reported the COS.

“Conservation Officers responded to the attack site No bears were seen.”

COS signage warning walkers away from the area was placed on Friday and remained through the weekend while officers investigated the area searching for the bears.

The signs remained in place on Monday, May 13, alongside permanent District of Squamish signage warning that all dogs must be leashed on the Estuary Trails.

The COS reiterated safety tips for the public in case of wildlife encounters, recommending people travel in groups, ensure their pets are

Signage remained up days after the encounter.

leashed at all times, and carry bear spray. Locals are encouraged to report bear conflicts to the Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) hotline, at 1-877-952-7277

summer 2025 While the company made a commitment in 2023 to not use local accommodations for its workforce, it later said this wasn’t feasible, and proposed the Lodge to mitigate any impact on local accommodation supply.

As the Lodge would not be ready for 2024, the company said it was taking efforts to reduce impact by seeking more local contractors, and negotiating putting some workers in WLNG’s Floatel—a proposal now on the rocks, given the DOS neither supported or rejected the Floatel at a public hearing in the days before the meeting the letter was discussed. In the interim, the company was paying the MRDT to local hotels in order to sweeten the situation while it took up local accommodation.

Finally, the letter also talked about mitigations for community safety, with Leclair stating the company was “focused on creating a respectful, safe, more diverse, equitable and inclusive project culture” to soothe community concerns, with more detail in the letter itself

Coun Chris Pettingill also put up his hand to speak to the letter seemingly in response to Andersen’s assertion that it went a ways to responding to community debate, saying he had not intended to say anything initially but

chose to as it was up for discussion

Citing the WLNG floatel item, Pettingill said that community concerns around accountability of the lead companies and the project’s impact on Squamish were front-of-mind, in particular a traffic incident involving a pipeline subcontractor that was not addressed in the letter

“As we are looking for assurance of accountability with some of the work camp proposals and so on, it’s disappointing not to see that addressed,” he said

Pettingill went on to say that he had long taken issue with FortisBC’s method of community engagement through ‘community table’ meetings that saw stakeholders take part, saying that the community is not invited.

“I think we’ve seen recently the fate of a proposal that actually hasn’t had sufficient community engagement,” he said about the floatel TUP.

“And when there isn’t that connection and engagement, we end up in a situation where people’s permits and so on don’t get supported, and so I would really caution Fortis to think about ‘community table’ - what that really means and what they need in terms of engagement and listening to the community if they want success in what they’re asking for.”

No other councillors spoke to the letter

NOTICEOFSLRDBOARD MEETING

Wednesday,May 22,2024

Furry Creek,BC

Your questionsand inputare important and we wouldliketohear fromyou.

TheSquamish-LillooetRegional District (SLRD) Boardisholding its meetinginFurry Creekthis month. The regular meetingwill occurasscheduled with aMeet& Greetopportunity,where the public is invitedtomeetthe SLRDBoard

WHEN

Wednesday,May 22,2024

Meet &Greet from 4:00 -4:30PM

WHERE

Furry CreekGolfand CountryClub 150 CountryClubRd. Furry Creek, BC MEETINGAGENDAAND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

slrd.bc.ca/meetandgreet2024

Squamish-LillooetRegional District Box 219, 1350 Aster Street, Pemberton,BC, V0N2L0 www.slrd.bc.ca

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

F: 604-894-6526 E: info@slrd.bc.ca

PHOTO BY SCOTT TIBBALLS

PROJECTINFORMATIONMEETING

Adevelopment applicationhas been submitted to the District of Squamish forproperty locatedat 38795 &38779 BritanniaAvenue

And youare invitedtojoin JaswinderSingh Gabri(Cre8 ArchitectureLtd.)

At ameetingtodiscuss theapplicationand proposed development

Date:May 29, 2024.

Time:6:30PMTO8.30PM.

Locationofthe Meeting: SquamishElementarySchool38370 Buckley Avenue, Squamish, B.C.

Aformalpresentation by theApplicant will beginat: 6:30 pm

Details of theapplicationinclude:

Lot1,Lot 2BLOCK 22 DISTRICTLOT 759PLAN7828

And Lot3,Lot 4BLOCK 22 DISTRICT LOT759 PLAN 7828, 38779 &38795 BritanniaAvenue

Development Proposal:

Thisapplicationseeks to rezone thesubject properties from Residential2 (RS-2) to aComprehensive DevelopmentZone to accommodate 29 townhouse units.

Themeetingisbeing held by Cre8 Architecture Ltd. in compliancewithDistrict of Squamishpolicy. Theapplicant will present details of theapplicationand proposed development,receive input from membersofthe community,and respond to questions

Noticesare being distributed to residentswithin100m of thesubjectproperty. Ifyou haveany questions in regards to this noticepleasecontactthe Planning Department,at604-815-5002 or Jaswinder SinghGabri (the applicant)by telephone 778-891-0167 (jaswinder@cre8architecture.ca) and/or or bring yourquestions and commentstothe meeting.

Thisisnot aPublicHearing. Council will receive areportfrom staff detailingattendanceand interest in theproposal andwill formally considerthe applicationata laterdate.

Pleasevisit squamish.ca/showcase to view and comment on this application.

RCMP BRIEF

SQUAMISH POLICE REPORT ANOTHER VEHICLE THEFT

Sea to Sky RCMP have repeated warnings of a spike in vehicle thefts throughout the corridor.

According to a release on May 9, police reported officers in Squamish responded to reports of a stolen vehicle taken from a residential property in the Paradise Valley area

The vehicle was located quickly—only 15 minutes after the report was made, and two suspects with the vehicle were arrested at the scene.

One of them was a frequent flier, described as “well known to the Sea to Sky RCMP,” having been arrested four times for similar offenses over the past few days

“We know who these suspects are, and will continue to be vigilant in keeping our communities safe,” said Sea to Sky RCMP Sgt. Dallas Langley.

The two suspects are being held in custody awaiting a court hearing as of Thursday afternoon.

Sea to Sky RCMP re-iterated tips for helping prevent crime:

• Always keep your vehicle locked and use an anti-theft device

• Do not keep spare keys in your vehicle

• Do not leave valuables and property in your vehicle, or in sight

• Wait for automatic gates to close behind you if you enter or leave a secure parking area

• Report suspicious persons or activity around vehicles to your local police

CLIMBING MOUNTAINS FOR MOMS: Two local climbers—Vincent Lapointe, and AnneSophie Asselin—had a unique take on celebrating mothers this past Mother’s Day, scaling the Grand Wall of the Chief on Saturday (May 11) and camping out overnight so they could be bright and early with a banner for Mother’s Day on Sunday (May 12).

PHOTO BY BRIAN AIKENS

WOODFIBRE LNG CLEARS SLRD’S ’LITTLE ROADBLOCK’ OF MINOR AMENITIES

The regional district issued a temporary use permit for temporary office and infrastructure amenities near the Woodfibre LNG project on the west shore of Howe Sound

SCOTT TIBBALLS

stibballs@piquenewsmagazine.com

The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) voted to approve the temporary use permit (TUP) for minor amenities on land near the Woodfibre LNG project, just outside the District of Squamish (DOS).

The SLRD board was revisiting a TUP application from FortisBC from February, when they voted against allowing the permit that would have seen offices, amenities and infrastructure installed that would support workers involved in the ongoing natural gas project nearby Instead, they referred the application back to staff for clarity on the use of the site, for further engagement with the DOS, and wider public notice

Upon returning to the SLRD board at the April 25 board meeting, the board voted to approve the TUP, but not without challenge.

Director Chris Pettingill, who is also a DOS councillor said that he was challenged in “seeing alignment with [the SLRD] OCP” in supporting items that would further resource extraction such as natural gas.

Pettingill, who led the charge in questioning the TUP application back in February, said that his understanding of provincial legislation around official community plans was that they could not be overridden by other bylaws, such as a TUP, and therefore challenged whether the SLRD could issue a TUP to FortisBC at all.

The SLRD’s Director of Planning and Development Kim Needham, responded that the entire point of TUPs was to trump zoning and OCP bylaws for a set place and set period of time

“The whole reason for [TUPs] is because it doesn’t meet with zoning and OCPs,” said Needham

Pettingill pressed the issue and repeated that his understanding of the legislation was that a TUP could not do that, but Needham dismissed his point.

“I’ve been working in planning for a very long time and I’ve never encountered that issue,” she said “If we wanted to pursue that question further and seek a legal opinion that would be something that would have to be outside this discussion.”

Needham added that SLRD staff had responded to questions given to them by the board at the February meeting, “and that

CAMPFIRE BAN IN

wasn’t a question. So if the board wished for us to answer that question, we could do so, but it would delay the issuance of the TUP for this month.”

Pettingill did not address any of the answers provided by staff in the documents provided in response to previous questions.

The only director besides Pettingill to explicitly oppose the TUP was Area B Director, Vivian Birch-Jones, who said she took issue with the wider project the amenities were associated with.

“[I] won’t support it because it facilitates the expansion of oil and gas,” she said “That is not part of the solution in the current climate crisis.”

Director Armand Hurford, who is also the Mayor of the DOS talked about his issues with the scope of the plans in front on them—being the TUP—and the broader project they were attached to in a nod to the initial questions given to staff back in February asking for more detail on the wider benefits of natural gas and the impact of the WLNG project overall.

Ultimately, Hurford supported the TUP.

Area D Director Tony Rainbow—who represents the area where the TUP would be applied—noted that the application before the SLRD was not for a pipeline or a

compressor station—but temporary amenities. He spoke about the state of the site where the amenities would be located, noting that it was not pristine, and FortisBC had committed to rehabilitating the site when the amenities were eventually removed.

The only other speaker to the item was Area C Director, Russell Mack, who noted that the wider project was “a fair ways along,” and “throwing little roadblocks in the way” was not helpful.

“I think what we should be doing is moving this forward but making sure that everything they’re doing on this site is to the best advantage of the site and the surrounding area,” he said

“They need what they’re going to need and they’re going to put it somewhere. So if they’ve got a plan to put it here, they’ve got a plan to reclaim this site after they’ve finished using it and make it better than it is now, then I think we should support it.”

In the final vote, only Pettingill and Birch-Jones voted to oppose the issuance of a TUP to FortisBC for amenities on the site

The wider Woodfibre LNG project continues to move forward, though efforts to establish worker accommodations were set back by a District of Squamish vote on April 30

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EDITORIAL

WARM WEATHER BRINGSTHE KEENERS

But… it’s stillwinterup thereSquamish. Whileit’s(mostly)sunny andwarmdown at sealevel there’sstill alot of snow in the alpine,sothere’s alot of crossoverwhenitcomes to seasonal outdooractivitiesfor now. This time of year allows just aboutevery outdooractivity underthe sun.

Butdon’t gettoo excited: Thecombinationof cold weather up top, warm weatherdownbelow andlongerdaylighthours also meansthatthose headingout on hikes, long bike ridesortreks abovethe receding snowline hadbestbe prepared—not just with enough water, alight andbearspray—but enough layers to take into accountrapidly changing temperatures.

As many mayhavediscoveredoverthe weekendwhen they camped outtocatch a glimpseofthe northern lights,the temperatures mightbetoastywhenthe sunisabove the mountains, butonceit dropsbelow them the mercurywillattempt to make abee-linefor single digits.

Thelocal Search andRescue(SAR) team putit best earlierthisweek, with this masthead being told that outdoorrecreatorsshould be so well-preparedtheycould rescue themselves if they foundthemselvesintrouble in theoutdoors, andacallfor rescue to be theabsolutelastresort.

On Saturday,there were skiers,snowshoers, hikers,climbers, bikers—justabout everysortof activity youcould thinkof beingenjoyed within arelativelytight radius aroundSquamishand up anddown thecorridor—so it wouldn’t be a surpriseifthe localrescueteams foundthemselvesswept offtheir feet with calls.

Thankfully,thathasn’tbeenthe casesofar (touch wood), butanyoneand everyone heading outintothe greatoutdoorsshould be thinking safety first, second andthird.

We’reall keen to getoutintothe sunshine,to take advantageofthe last of thesnow (orits recent departure),and to work offthose winter blues—butlet’s allplay it safe andtry to avoid appearinginany news sourcesasacautionary tale.

As mentionedthistimeofyearallowsfor just aboutany outdooractivityunder thesun—and with that,the risksaswell.

It’sbusyonthe roads, thebears areout,the weatherischangingand theconditionsare varied.

YoustaysafeSquamish.

BE PREPARED FORSEA TO SKYHIGHWAY TRAVELAHEAD OF LONG WEEKEND

Ifyou hadasked me threeyears agowhenthe Sea toSky Highwaywas themostdangerous,Ialmost certainly would have saidinthe winter.But after a couple of summersofworking at TheSquamish Chief,it’sbecomeclear that thehighway is certainlyjustasdangerous as we head into these much warmer months—and we’vegot to start being prepared for it now.

Aseasyas it wouldbe, Iwon’t be overly critical or admonishingofany speeders outthere.Instead, with thereminderofavehicle incident on May10 plus theupcoming Victoria Daylongweekend,it’ll bemuchmoreabout ourpreparednessaswe navigate thebeautiful butsometimes daunting highway.

Oneofthe easiestthingswecan do is give ourselvesplentyoftimetotraveltoour final destination.Iamoften forgetfulabout thenumber of other driverswho arealsotryingtotravelinthe same directionasme, so I’malwayslategetting to places. Giving ourselvesa buffer allows delaysto

come andgowithout giving us too bigofa headache

Of course,ifdelaysoccur andyou find yourself stalledonthe highway, then beingpreparedwith an emergencykit packed with food andwaterwill definitely be helpful.Ifitisgoing to be superhot, consider bringing itemsthatcould help cool you down such as iceinacooleroraway to be in the shade.

It’s also times like thesethatmay test our patience,not only with otherdrivers butalso those in thecar with us.Havingahandy game mayjust proveto pass thetimemorequicklyand channel that aggression

Mayisalso theprovinciallydeclaredMotorcycle Safety AwarenessMonth

Whileweshouldalwaysbenotingmotorcycles whiledriving,the vehicles themselves maybeabit newaswe’ve just come from thecolder months with fewerbikes.ICBCsaysdrivers should maintain adistanceofabout threeto four seconds when followingamotorcycleand be especially cautious at intersections, wheresix outof10 accidentswithmotorcycles in B.C. occur.

AndIknowIsaidIwouldn’tbeoverlycriticalof speeders butmybestadviceisto always take things slow.There’s so much forpassengersto look at whileonthe stunning drive—whichnever gets old. Let‘em enjoythatbeautyataniceand easy pace.

MOUNTAIN VIEWS ANDREW HUGHES

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

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

PITCH-IN WEEK

Pitch-In week, April 22 to 28, 2024, is Canada’s largest environmental improvement campaign The District of Squamish, once again, provided a great opportunity for residents, students, and community groups to get together and clean up our community.

I was part of an intrepid group that braved blustery showers, grabbed bright yellow garbage bags, donned blue gloves and headed into the nooks and crannies of this lovely community.

In a few areas there was rubbish a-plenty but in many areas you had to look carefully to find items to put in our bags A credit to everyone who takes care to dispose of used items properly There is obvious pride and commitment in taking care of the environment that we all share and enjoy. But one thing was striking, the number of butts. Cigarette butts, that is. Once your eye became accustomed to looking for them, you will find them everywhere. On the sidewalks, on crosswalks, in gutters, in flowerbeds, on the river banks, beside trails, beside the water, in the bushes. The list goes on. It seems that some smokers find it quite acceptable to drop their butt, sometimes still lit, wherever they happen to be when finishing their smoke. This is, perhaps, a habit from a time when smoking was viewed more positively and the environment less so

Butts, particularly, from cigarettes contain many toxins These toxins can affect animals and pollute our waterways. Filters are not bio-degradable so they should not end up in the environment They need to be disposed of properly Unused tobacco can be composted. Filters can be recycled but this is not readily available. There is a company, Terracycle com, who offer this service. Smokers use ashtrays to manage butts when indoors. Tossing the butt in a corner or stamping it underfoot would be viewed as poor smoking etiquette. It would be wonderful if the same etiquette applied outdoors I have just discovered that there are portable ashtrays that one can use anywhere. They come in various sizes, they cost less than a pack of smokes. They are re-usable and lined with a fire-resistant interior that allows you quench and store your butt until you can dispose of it properly. They

LETTERS POLICY

Squamish

are available online in great variety. I am unaware if they are available at smoking outlets in town but, if not, this could be a chance to offer smokers this environmentally friendly option

Smokers value our environment just as much as everyone else The practice of flicking butts away or stamping them underfoot is a behaviour that has been perceived as acceptable

It no longer is It needs to stop The environment will thank us

Dr John Guilfoyle, Squamish

TIME FOR CALMING MEASURES

Iam a resident of Westwinds. I am writing on behalf of the Westwinds residents regarding the traffic calming measures issues on Third Avenue by the flashing lights crosswalk.

In 2022, one of our residents, Dana Drake, gathered about 100 signatures signed by both the Westwinds residents and Shannon Retirement Home regarding how fast the majority of vehicles were travelling around a certain section of Third Avenue by the flashing lights located in front of Westwinds.

He also reached out to one of the District’s representatives and an article was written by Steven Chua from The Squamish Chief concerning these issues June 20,2022.

It is now May 2024, and these are still the same requests from the residents of Westwinds.

1. Speed humps/bumps are needed on both sides of the flashing crosswalk in front of Westwinds on Thrid Avenue to slow down vehicles Seniors from Westwinds and Shannon Retirement homes use the flashing lights crosswalk on a daily basis, including children, parents and the surrounding neighborhood

2. School Zone signs are needed in the section by Westwinds and Shannon Retirement Home

3. Speed limit signs of 30/ Km are needed like they are in school zone areas. These should be located before the flashing crosswalk where the vehicles are turning off Bailey Avenue, and by Shannon Retirement homes driving from Pemberton Avenue past the crosswalk heading towards Bailey Avenue.

4. The flashing crosswalk in front of

Westwinds is still proving to be a hazardous area because vehicles are not stopping or slowing down, ignoring the smaller-sized flashing light

The flashing light at the crosswalk is not as tall as the ones in front of the schools and on Highway 99 So, when the lights are flashing the vehicles do not seem to see anyone until they are almost upon the person still walking in the crosswalk.

Recently, I appeared at the April 16 Council meeting and spoke during the unscheduled public attendance I understand, up to a point, what the Mayor was saying regarding there are other traffic calming issues in the rest of Squamish, that our issues regarding our area should not be more important than the other traffic calming requests However, I also feel very strongly that this particular traffic calming measure has been an ongoing issue for two years this coming June, and it should be addressed now. So, the residents of Westwinds next step will be organizing some protests by the flashing crosswalk to show we are not giving up until these requests are addressed.

We, the Residents of Westwinds hope this situation will be resolved sooner than later before someone gets badly hurt or worse.

Deidre Plaatjes, Squamish

BEARS AND HUMANS SHARING THE SQUAMISH ESTUARY

Every spring we close the estuary trail following a bear encounter. We know there are at least 4 bear dens in the area and every spring the mother bears will emerge hungry and caring for their newborn cubs in tow.

The estuary is by far the most fertile land in the area A smorgasbord of fresh food for the hungry mother and growing cubs to feast on and grow strong for the winter Can we close the estuary trail in the spring time knowing that it is essentially the pantry of the valley We get to enjoy it all of the other seasons. We all know that the mother bear and cubs lose each time there is a serious attack She is killed and the cubs orphaned

Reconsider the headline to be: Mother bear of two newborns successfully wards off threatening person with predator, who entered her kitchen. How will you share this beautiful valley, our home.

Jessica Riquetti, Squamish

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Do you think Squamish has an issue with unleashed dogs?

Have your say at squamishchief.com

Do you agree with the council’s decision that defeated the WLNG floatel application? LAST WEEK’S QUESTION

MOST READ STORY

‘It was a nightmare’: Family recounts traumatic Squamish incident

TOP TIKTOK OF THE WEEK

This week, Andrew Hughes travelled all the way to Vancouver to tour the Floatel which WLNG hopes is the solution to housing for the natural gas project.

SQUAMISH COUNCILSAYS‘HELL YEAH’TOGIVINGUPPOWERSTOAPPR

Councilsignedoff on parental leavefor member,but wantsthe province to change rulessoelected officialscan take parentalleave withoutcolleague approval

SCOTTTIBBALLS

stibballs@piquenewsmagazine.com

The District of Squamish (DOS)council has endorsed amotiontolobby the provincial governmenttochangethe community chartersothatelected officials seekingparentalleave don’t have to asktheir colleagues to approveit.

Speaking at theMay 7regular council meeting, Coun.Jenna Stoner,who is expecting anotherchild,bundled herrequest forparental leavewitharequest to advocatefor change at higher levels of governmentsootherswouldn’t have to make similarrequests.

“I am stillrequiredtoask my council colleagues foramotionofleave,” shesaid.

“Althoughwedo have aparentalleave policy in placeatthe District …according to the communitycharter,Istill need amotionfrom my councilcolleaguestobeabletotakethat time.”

To change that,Stonerasked that theDOS requestameeting with theministerof municipalaffairs at thenextUnion of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) convention to advocatefor change

Whilethe DOShas aparentalleave policy that wasadoptedin2019thatallows

PHOTOCOURTESYOFUBCM

Squamish councillor JennaStoneratUBCMin2023. Stoner is unlikely to be at UBCM in 2024 dueto parental leave, andhas askedher fellow councillorstoadvocateonbehalfofparents in herstead

councillorstoseekand receiveuptosix months ofpaidleave afterthe birthoradoptionofa child, theprovincialcommunity charter remainsthe overarchinglegislative powerand encompassesparentalleave underabsenteeism from councilmeetings, therefore requiringthe electedofficialtoformally requestleave in ordertonot be disqualified from holdingpublicoffice.

Stoner said that advocacywould be to removethatrequirement,pointingout that

whilethe province allowedmunicipalitiesto adoptparentalleave policies wasone thing, the provincial legislation stillapplied.

“I don’tthink [the province]understandthat youstill at theend of theday need to bringa motion forward, so thereisariskthatitgets politicized,”saidStoner.

“I wouldrequest that my councilcolleagues …takeupaministermeeting on behalf of myself,futurecouncillors,and theprovinceas awhole,” shesaid, noting that shewas unlikely

to be at theUBCMConvention(scheduledfor September) herself,asshe wouldbeon parental leave.

MayorArmandHurford notedthattherewas a“lineup”among councillorstosecond Stoner’s motion,withCoun. Lauren Greenlaw offering asuccinct“hellyeah” in supporting it “Thereisnoway that this is somethingthat should be politicizedwhen someonewants to addtotheirfamily,it’sjustnot acceptable,” said Hurford, whocited storiesofdysfunctional councils around BritishColumbia.

Coun.JohnFrenchalsospoke to themotion, highlighting theimportanceofparentalleave, insteadofmaternity leave—allowing both mothersand fatherstohavetimeoff when they welcomeanew family member.

French leaned into thepolitical portionof removing councilinput on granting leave.

“Grantingofparentalleave shouldn’tbeleft open to politicalposturing that couldresultin an electedofficialbeing forced outofoffice becausetheircouncil colleagues refuse to grant parental leave,”hesaid.

“That’sweaponizing thesystem, andthe currentreality actually allows forthat.”

Councillorsunanimously approved both Stoner’s requestfor parental leave(to beginthe dayafter thebirth of her child),and hermotion to advocatefor change.

BritanniaMineMuseum gratefully acknowledgestheir communitysponsors:

Safetyin Mines

SEA TO SKY GONDOLA CELEBRATES 10 YEARS

Atourism staple in Squamish celebrated ten years in operation this past week, with the Sea to Sky Gondola wrapping up its first decade with free events (and cupcakes for early birds that hiked all the way) up top.

The combination of warm weather and events meant it was a busy weekend.

“The 10 year anniversary celebration included early

morning yoga, local performances on the deck, summit walking tours and a vendor village in the backyard plaza,” said Sea to Sky Gondola director of sales, marketing and guest services, Christy Allen.

“The entire team was thrilled to see so many familiar faces enjoying the best of Sea to Sky Gondola The festivities along with the sunny skies contributed to our busiest weekend of the year so far.”

YOU CAN GET YOUR HEART RACING THIS SUMMER

The Squamish50 and Hot on Your Heels are back

WILL JOHNSON

Special to The Squamish Chief

Exercise is a great equalizer.

When you sign up to race a mountain bike down a serpentine forest road, or to pound your way through dozens of kilometres of Sea to Sky wilderness, it doesn’t matter if you showed up in a luxury sedan or in your bare feet

The trail doesn’t care about your bank account, your marital status, or your social media accounts All that matters is how far you can push your body, and how much you choose to achieve.

“We get a mix of everyone coming out to our race We have people living out of their van all the way to some of the most successful people you’ll ever meet in businesses large and small. We have a broad spectrum of people all unified for the love of being outdoors and on the trails,” said Gary Robbins, founder of the annual Squamish50 race, which runs this year Aug. 17 and 18.

The Squamish50 is a gruelling network of trails with a marquee 81-kilometre route that involves over 11,000 feet of climbing and descent. With stunning vistas and

snow-capped peaks, the course attracts repeat visitors from all over the world—making it an adventure destination for runners with a

particular interest in this sort of punishing event.

“As the race director, it gets reiterated and hammered home when people come from all over the world and say how special the Squamish50 is—that they’d never run through a rainforest before,” he said.

two girls put butterfly wings on their back. Then we had someone wear a pearl necklace and earrings, and it slowly grew until about 2017 a switch went off. Suddenly it was this costumed event, with people putting on a feather boa or a tutu,” she said.

“Suddenly, it’s not intimidating. It’s fun.”

“The forest, the moss, the greenery and the rain, these are things locals might take for granted but our participants often describe as their version of running through Narnia.”

Robbins is proud of the fact that their race is currently split evenly between male and female participants, as they’ve been working to establish the race as a welcoming and inclusive space for years now. The other number that is significant is that only 20% of the runners are local, meaning the event is gaining word of mouth elsewhere—particularly among Americans.

“We want this to be a gathering of community, so that everyone can enjoy being part of it as a volunteer, a runner, a sponsor, a spectator. This is really the annual celebration of trail and ultra distance running not in B.C., but in Canada.”

NO BOYS ALLOWED

It was about 12 years ago that Melissa Sheridan noticed that outdoor mountain bike racing in the Sea to Sky Corridor skewed heavily male, and that there weren’t many opportunities for women to get involved That’s when she formed Hot on Your Heels, an annual event coming up on July 6 in which men make space for the ladies to compete and play.

It started out pretty normal, but over the years it’s begun to evolve.

“That first year that I ran Hot on Your Heels,

The course is primarily blue level trails, with a few black ones that push the competitors. The course is approximately 20 kilometres and takes the average rider around three hours to complete it with stops along the way.

While the women ride, the male volunteers are also free to express themselves Sheridan didn’t realize ahead of time that this meant many of them would strip into skimpy, hilarious clothing Because the event has such a party atmosphere, she believes it makes the environment more comfortable for people who are nervous or who have never raced before

“We saw women explode in numbers on the trails, and I don’t want to toot my own horn but we were a large part of that Now we’ve had so many races in other towns contact us, like Vernon and Revelstoke and Nanaimo all the way down to Washington and even Australia,” she said

“When you go up to the trails these days, it’s much closer to 50/50 male to female.”

The event is a fundraiser that has raised over $50,000 over the years. This year’s recipient will be Indigenous Women Outdoors

The event is capped off with an after-party at the Squamish Valley Golf Course

“To get back to our name, Hot on Your Heels, we put on our high heels and dance the night away, celebrating what we did that day. All the women are all full of energy, proud of what they’ve accomplished, and the stoke factor is definitely high.”

Gary Maurice Neubauer

March28, 1951 -April 20, 2024

Survived by hiswife Joyce, sonDerek, daughter Angela,stepdaughterRebecca (Colin) stepson Geoff (Amber), sister Joyce(Greg), brotherTonyand grandchildrenJacob,Owen, Abby,Isaac andLucas

Asper Garyswishes, therewill notbea service. Restinpeace Gary youwill be trulymissed.

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CONSTRUCTION LABOURER – Greatopportunity to learn on-the-job. Stamina for physically demanding work and perseverancetobrave inclement weather required. Previous experience preferredbut not required. Training provided. $25-$32 per hour

“Roses Red”

Having handles

Soft belt

Measly

Potent particle

Untidy condition

By what method?

Respectful wonder

Guiding suggestion

Itch

ARIES

March 21-April 19

You must put your feelings aside during negotiations to guarantee a positive outcome It will also be essential to respect laws and regulations closely to avoid potential problems Sept. 23-Oct. 22

TAURUS

April 20-May 20

You’ll have a heavy workload at the office this week, leaving you little time to breathe If your health isn’t at its best, you’ll need to rest to regain energy and face the challenges life throws you head-on. Oct 23-Nov. 21

GEMINI

May 21-June 20

Completing a challenging task could reveal hidden talents and fill you with pride However, your family might create stressful situations, making coping harder

CANCER

June 21-July 22

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.

July 23-Aug. 22

Nov. 22-Dec. 21

You may spend part of the week at home, renovating your space or moving spontaneously Household chores could take up all your time A family member will need your help Dec. 22-Jan. 19

LEO

Your discretion will be put to the test If you know certain secrets, you could find it challenging to keep them to yourself, risking unwittingly revealing sensitive information. Position yourself to receive information rather than give it out.

VIRGO

Aug. 23-Sept. 22

SCRIBBLE BOX

LIBRA

You may feel unstable at times this week, but you’ll know how to make decisions and solve problems when faced with challenges. You may be surprised to find that people respond positively to your call.

SCORPIO

Your creativity will peak, and you could create an artistic masterpiece An exhibition or show could impress you and give you an unforgettable moment. You’ll be generous.

SAGITTARIUS

You’ll have an active social life this week Many of your friends will want to meet up at the same time You’ll take part in important events and engage in enriching and sometimes very revealing conversations

CAPRICORN

The opportunity to start your own business could present itself You could also take a big step forward in your career by getting promoted to a leadership position. You’ll take on this new role until retirement.

AQUARIUS

Jan. 20-Feb 18

This is the ideal time to consider buying or selling a property You’ll be surprised to discover that you have the means to reach your ambitions Affection is necessary in a happy relationship Feb. 19-March 20

TheParish of St.John theDivine, Squamish

Holy Communion and Morning Worship

Sundays at 10:00 AM Rev Cameron Gutjahr 1930 Diamond Road 604-898-5100

www.squamishanglicanchurch.ca info@squamishanglicanchurch.ca

You could be told something confidential or discover a secret You may have to decipher a message in a foreign language at work or receive a particular comment from your partner

PISCES

You may feel nervous or excited, possibly caused by tears of happiness. It could be due to a significant achievement of one of your children, such as taking their first steps or graduating, which will make you incredibly proud.

ExaltingJesus,Equipping His Followers,Engaging theWorld

WorshipService

Sundays 10am on our website and Facebook Live 2262ReadCres. 604-898-3737 www.squamishbaptistchurch.org