DISTRICT OF SQUAMISH
2021 Annual Report Message from the Mayor
The District of Squamish continued to weather the ups and downs related to the COVID-19 pandemic during 2021, while still delivering programs and services and making progress on its strategic priorities. It was a year of extremes which saw our Emergency Operations Centre activated for a total of 113 days due to the pandemic or weather-related events (heat dome, atmospheric river, extreme snow and ice events). Our community welcomed evacuees from around the Regional District and as far away as Lytton during fire season and our Emergency Management and Public Works teams did an outstanding job seeing us through the challenges of this year. Weather extremes are starting to reflect a changing climate and for this reason our Climate Adaptation Plan (2016) and Community Climate Action Plan (2020) are guiding long-term planning and infrastructure investment to reach our net zero goals and improve community resiliency. This year we created a Municipal Energy and Emissions Plan to ensure that District operations can achieve net zero by 2050. Responding to the climate crisis with urgency and innovation demands an all-handson-deck approach from the District, local business, the non-profit community and our citizens.
SQUAMISH
A focus on the social and economic wellbeing of our residents through collaboration with community partners and various levels of
government continued. Housing affordability will take many years and a multi-pronged approach to address. We introduced short term rental restrictions in 2021, made progress on the Westwinds and Swift Creek projects, and captured hundreds of affordable and purpose-built rental units through the development process. At the end of 2021 the Squamish Community Housing Society was established to focus specifically on increasing the stock of affordable housing. The new Youth Hub and Foundry Centre broke ground in 2021 and will support the mental and physical wellness of youth when they open in 2022. The Squamish Youth Council launched in 2021 and created three impactful projects to support youth and raise youth voices in the community. Our Community Childcare table continues its work to make childcare access easier, and the District captured new spaces through development, at every opportunity. Our Economic Development team was hard at work ensuring that we have the data, tools and programs available to support local businesses to attract investment and grow. Despite the pandemic, Squamish continues to attract new businesses and entrepreneurs. This report also looks ahead at the work we will accomplish in 2022 and it is an ambitious and focused list. On behalf of Council, I would like to thank our staff for their dedication and professionalism throughout the year and our community for pulling together to get us through some tough times. Let’s hope 2022 continues to bring us more opportunities to meet face-to-face and build community.
CAPITAL AND INFRASTRUCTURE REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT PROJECTS
POPULATION
24,232
113 DAYS EMERGENCY OPERATIONS
CENTRE ACTIVATED FOR PANDEMIC OR WEATHER-RELATED LOCAL EMERGENCIES
$22.3MILLION 292
BUILDING
PERMITS ISSUED
19% INCREASE FROM 2020
$242
MILLION
CONSTRUCTION VALUE
SQUAMISH FIRE RESCUE
945
INCIDENT RESPONSES
+250
OVER 2020
COMMUNITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN of 122 ACTIONS: 57 ACTIONS COMPLETE/ONGOING 32 INITIATED