ONGOING PRIORITY HIGHLIGHTS

Natural Hazard Mitigation

Marine Action Strategy Implementation

✔ Building permit applications, building designs and inspections are now screened through the Wildfire Development Permit Area 11 guidelines. This results in developments within wildfire hazard areas being built in accordance with FireSmart principles, which is a step forward in the area of wildland fire prevention.

✔ Intergovernmental engagement and three Mamquam Blind Channel maintenance strategy working group meetings were facilitated to examine maintenance needs, marine use navigation channel design considerations and options and funding tools for further review. An update will be brought to Council in Q3, 2023.

✔ Inputs from the Marine Access Review (Part 1) community engagement were examined and shared. Consolidated marine access mapping and marine access + boat launch recommendations are under development for discussion in Q2 2023.

YOUTH (0-25)

✔ In partnership with Sea to Sky Community Services, transitioned the Squamish Youth Services model to better balance the needs of all Youth in the community through programming, events and activities in a variety of spaces and places as directed by the 2019 Squamish Youth Strategy.

✔ Celebrated the opening of Sea to Sky Foundry and the Youth Hub (March 2023) to provide Squamish Youth with a range of wellness and social supports and activities.

✔ Selected 17 young people for the second Squamish Youth Council to amplify their voice in matters and projects that directly impact them.

CHILD CARE

✔ Partnership work with SD48 and Sea to Sky Community Services Society advanced with the successful capital funding award for co-locating and creating a new 36-space childcare facility at Valleycliffe Elementary School. Progress on detailed design for permitting and construction was made and partner agreements were drafted.

✔ Childcare amenity policy research was conducted to identify best practices for developing new guidelines to assess and accommodate childcare demand generated from new development.

Emergency Management Planning

✔ Multijurisdictional “Exercise Deluge” was executed and involved the activation of the District’s new Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), along with the Squamish Lillooet Regional District (SLRD), Village of Pemberton (VOP) and Squamish Nation, and simulated the mobilization of multiple EOCs during an extreme weather event that caused flooding, evacuations and impacts to critical infrastructure. The objective was to test gaps in response plans and capabilities of each government and build resiliency in our efforts to mitigate the impacts of a disaster.

✔ Regional Emergency Support Services group was engaged that includes the SLRD, Squamish Nation, Resort Municipality of Whistler, VOP, Lil’wat Nation and District of Lillooet. This group collaborates monthly on issues that impact our capacity to support evacuees, continues to work towards the development of a regional Canadian Red Cross volunteer team, and will enable us to provide supports to evacuees through the online Evacuation Registration and Assistance tool recently launched by the Province of BC.

✔ Two FireSmart Neighbourhood Plans were completed in high-risk neighbourhoods as identified in the Community Wildfire Protection Plan. This is an essential step to work towards recognition under the FireSmart Canada Neighbourhood Recognition Program. In 2023, FireSmart will continue to conduct home ignition zone assessments as well as adopt the Home Partners Program which provides specific recommendations to homeowners on reducing wildfire threat to their properties.

Arts And Culture Services

✔ 66 events were permitted in 2022 to enhance and activate the community.

✔ 2022 saw 31 productions with 59 filming days. Productions included Virgin River, Percy Jackson, and Goosebumps.

✔ Public Art Inventorying and Mapping project approved for 2023.