Key Issues

The Squamish Chamber is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in the community by actively supporting business, economic growth and economic diversification. Preserving employment lands, attracting well-paid jobs, supporting business growth, and developing the workforce are key priorities.

We continue to work closely with the Squamish Economic Development office and other levels of government to support opportunities, identify areas of concern, and provide feedback and data to inform budgets, strategies, plans and initiatives that impact the Squamish community.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Preserve Employment Lands

The Squamish Chamber supports maintaining and growing a viable economy and has a strong interest in preserving the District’s remaining employment land acreage and building capacity for various business operations. Preserving and enhancing employment lands brings revenue to the District, jobs to residents and provides a variety of types and sizes of sites for employment opportunities, allowing the District to remain competitive domestically and internationally.

Attract Well-Paying Jobs

As the cost of living and housing continues to increase, attracting well-paid jobs to Squamish has never been more important. The Squamish Chamber supports attracting well-paid jobs across business sectors so that we can continue to build a community where people can live, work and play.

Support Business Growth

The Squamish Chamber supports attracting new businesses and growing existing businesses in Squamish to create a progressive and prosperous business environment, including a wide variety of thriving businesses which contribute to employment availability and diversity.

Develop the Workforce

The Squamish Chamber supports developing the local workforce for both existing Squamish-based businesses and for companies that are locating to Squamish. We support the development of talent needed to create wealth and to adapt to ever-changing economic realities in our community.

TOOLS & RESOURCES

• Squamish Excellence (training)
• Hiring and Retention Guide
• 2040 Draft Community Plan
• Squamish Economic Action Plan
• Squamishchamber.com/Resource 
• Hardwired for Business, Economic Action Plan 2017-2019
• Squamish Economic Steering Group and Working Groups
  • Data and Website
  • Connect Place Plan
  • Brand and Marketing
  • Workforce and Skills
  • Future Forward 

POLICY  COMMUNICATION

• Protecting Funding for Tourism Marketing Programs
• Proposed Federal Tax Changes
• Long Term Leases at Squamish Airport
• Taxation of Short-Term Residential Units
• Need for Balanced Policies to Address AAC Underharvest
• Short Term Rentals – Feedback on Proposed Regulation

Housing affordability is a priority for businesses. In 2018, three in four (76%) of businesses surveyed experienced challenges recruiting and/or retaining staff, with lack of affordable housing to rent cited as the main issue. The scarcity of housing is not limited to social housing, and impacts a cross section of businesses. The Squamish Chamber supports initiatives that improve access to affordable housing for employees (e.g. purpose built rental), stimulate housing inventory and reduce barriers to development and ownership.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Attract and Retain a Skilled Workforce

Attraction and retention of a skilled workforce is necessary across all business sectors to ensure we can continue to build a community where people can live, work and play.

Improve Access to Affordable Housing

To further facilitate business growth, the Squamish Chamber supports improved access to affordable housing through an increase  in a variety of housing options, including, but not limited to purpose-built rentals, secondary suites, and workforce housing. 

Reduce Barriers to Development and Ownership

The Squamish Chamber supports stimulating housing inventory by supporting policies at the local, provincial and federal levels of government that reduce barriers to development and ownership of housing. 

TOOLS & RESOURCES

• Housing Task Force Final Report
• Affordable Housing Update
• Affordable Rental Housing Project
• Housing Affordability Panel
• Squamish Economic Steering Group – Connect Place Plan
• Community Housing Needs Assessment
• Short Term Rentals Review

POLICY COMMUNICATIONS

• Housing and Labour – The Impact on Squamish Businesses
• Housing in Squamish – Developers

The Squamish Chamber does not have the resources to review individual developments. In line with our guiding principles, a number of factors for consideration have been identified. Read more.

As the Squamish community grows, the Chamber supports developments that are based on global best practices, rational, well planned and thought-out decisions. Growth management seeks to accommodate growth rationally, not prevent or limit it. Support for initiatives will consider the impact of future developments on the  need to sustain employment lands, protect the environment and contribute towards a strong and resilient community where residents have access to services, well-paying jobs and affordable homes.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Balancing Growth and the Environment

The Squamish Chamber supports growth management initiatives that consider the impact of future developments on the need to sustain employment lands and provide affordable housing options while protecting the environment. We support initiatives that aim to reduce overall Green House Gas (GHG).

Housing / Population Threshold

The Squamish Chamber supports the removal of a population cap and a set of criteria not specific to District Lot numbers, existing or future residential neighbourhoods. This is not intended to undermine growth management strategies but rather ensure the long-term sustainability of our community by alleviating pressure on employment lands, protecting wildlife habitat and creating a diverse range of accommodation which meets the needs of all our residents.

Preserving Employment Lands

The Squamish Chamber supports maintaining and growing a viable economy and has a strong interest in preserving the District’s remaining employment land acreage and building capacity for various business operations. Preserving and enhancing employment lands brings revenue to the District, jobs to residents and provides a variety of types and sizes of sites for employment opportunities, allowing the District to remain competitive domestically and internationally. 

Access to Well-Paying Job, Services and Infrastructure

Support for projects will consider contributions to the Squamish community, public infrastructure investments and transit. We will consider support for initiatives that contribute toward a strong and resilient community where residents have access to services, homes and jobs.

TOOLS & RESOURCES

• Official Community Plan
• Growth Management Study, 2005

COMMUNICATIONS

• Official Community Plan – Community feedback (see page 39 for Chamber feedback
• 2040 Official Community Plan – Growth Management Chamber Feedback

The Squamish Chamber supports initiatives that ensure access by all residents and visitors to a full range of transportation choices within the District of Squamish and through the Sea to Sky Corridor e.g. bus, vehicle, rail, sea, air, and their complementary infrastructure, through the lenses of people, the economy and the environment; convenience, connectivity and environment being the initial priorities.

Initiatives require a comprehensive engagement process, market demand analysis and strong governance / operational models. The Chamber supports the undertaking of an updated corridor rail study and encourages the provincial government to prioritize regional business and economic benefits in transportation infrastructure investments.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Access To A Full Range of Transit Options

The Squamish Chamber supports initiatives that ensure access by all residents, visitors and businesses to a full range of transit choices within the District of Squamish and through the Sea to Sky Corridor e.g. bus, vehicle, rail, sea, air and their complimentary infrastructure.

We support the undertaking of a comprehensive Corridor Rail Study, which includes engagement, market demand analysis and review of governance / operational models.

Access To A Full Range of Transportation Options

The Squamish Chamber supports initiatives that ensure efficiency and access to a variety of transportation choices for goods. We support the movement of goods via road, air, and rail transportation, and through a thriving marine economy and working waterfront.

We believe the transportation of goods should be done in harmony with the community, social, cultural, environmental and economic aspirations. We support the creation of Marine and Air Transportation Plans, along with an Alternative Fuel Transportation Plan (e.g. electric, hydrogen).

Prioritize Investment in Transportation Infrastructure

The Squamish Chamber recognizes the regional business and economic benefits in transportation infrastructure investments.  The major transport infrastructure, which connects Squamish to the rest of the Sea to Sky Corridor and British Columbia are managed by the Provincial and Federal Governments of Canada.  The Squamish Chamber would be happy to assist in any transportation infrastructure studies by collecting data from the Squamish business community.

TOOLS & RESOURCES

• New Transit Route – Summer Pilot
• Sea to Sky Regional Transit Study, 2017
• Downtown Parking Study, 2017
• Squamish Active Transportation Plan, 2016 Update
• Downtown Truck Route Study, 2017

COMMUNICATIONS

• Sunshine Coast Fixed Link Feasibility Study
• Chamber letter re Mamquam Blind Channel Dredging 20180710
• Port Tax Review – Port Tax Review Squamish Chamber Submission – CPI – Ministry of Finance Response – BC Marine Terminal Operators Association Acknowledgement 

The Squamish Chamber of Commerce supports sustainable business practices. Sustainable business practices can be characterized by the harmonizing of three elements:

• Economic viability
• Environmental health
• Social responsibility

The Squamish Chamber believes that all businesses can help society achieve the three inter-linked goals of economic prosperity, environmental protection and social equity, issues which are already at the top of the corporate agenda and articulated in the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

As a matter of policy, the Squamish Chamber believes that there need be no conflict between commercial profits and environmental health. For businesses, the harmonization of economic viability, environmental health and social responsibility offers significant economic and developmental opportunities.

The Squamish Chamber of Commerce recognizes that adopting sustainable business practices is an evolutionary process, requiring that companies move forward in small steps while maintaining and/or improving their profitability.

The Squamish Chamber will support and encourage businesses to use sustainability principles in their planning and investment strategies, so as to increase their long-term economic viability and competitive advantage and, at the same time, decrease the demand on our limited natural resources. The Squamish Chamber will also encourage governmental action that supports sustainable business practices.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

The Squamish Chamber is committed to legislation, regulations and policies that: 

Promote Squamish As A Sustainable Community

• Making communities sustainable means creating career and business opportunities, safe and affordable housing, and building resilient societies and economies.
• It involves investment in public transport, creating green public spaces, and improving urban planning and management in participatory and inclusive ways.

Promote Squamish Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

• Promoting sustainable industries, scientific research and innovation, are all important ways to facilitate sustainable development.
• Expanding infrastructure and upgrading technology to provide clean and more efficient energy in all countries will encourage growth and help the environment.
• Supporting sustainable construction practices that reduce energy consumption in buildings
• Supporting sustainable transportation alternatives

Support the District of Squamish Climate Action Plan

• Helping to advance the District Climate Action Plan goals by sharing the goals with members and assisting members in achieving sustainable business practices
• Conserve and protect local ecosystems and environmentally sensitive areas.

RESOURCES & EXAMPLES

• Canadian Chamber: Climate Smart Chambers
• UN Sustainable Development Goals
• US Chamber Sustainability Policy
• Petaluma Chamber Policy
• SD Chamber Sustainability Policy
• Eldorado Hills Chamber Policy
• States Assembly Policy
• Jersey Chamber Policy
• UK Environment and Sustainability Policy
• Press 8 Sustainability Policy

COMMUNICATIONS