Anders Ourom: positions paper, in full

His note with the paper

So, before I leave for ten days at the Yosemite Facelift, pursuing my commitment to stewardship and conservation, here are some thoughts ('positions') on current issues in Squamish. The first seven were questions posed by the Squamish Chief, our local newspaper. The other questions have been raised by others, or are issues of concern to me. This may be updated, depending on facts and informed debate.

This is simply to illustrate that I've given serious consideration to various important issues, and my views on them. It should be reasonably clear where I have a firm position, and where I believe there's room for information, discussion, and problem solving.

I'll now be at the Yosemite Facelift, planning to return on September 30th. (I was training for it at the Brackendale Fall Fair.) I should be available while I'm away by telephone, e-mail, social media, and maybe even things like Zoom. And welcome debate on the issues and possible solutions, although sometimes it may take me a bit of time to reply.

1. Should there be a permit system for vehicle residents?

Yes, if there is a defined parking area(s) for their vehicles – residents, seasonal workers, and perhaps longer term visitors. It would require a registration and fee system, including identification, licences, as well as basic services such as water, recycling, garbage disposal and toilets.

If paid parking is brought in for say the downtown, “resident only” and “employee only” vehicle permits and zones would make sense.

Some who live in a vehicle, either by choice, because they’re travelling here to visit or for recreation, or because they can’t afford any alternative or don’t have a choice, may not accept a District-wide permit system, and it may be difficult to enforce. There are a lot of corners where the determined can find parking. There’s certainly a concern with parking/location for such vehicles, but the larger issues may be impacts such as human waste, garbage, fires, and general disorder, as sometimes occur at the various ‘encampments’.

I’m opposed to parking fees for day use recreation and trailhead parking, such as the Smoke Bluffs or Perth Drive, but agree with “residents only” and “no camping” signage. I have concerns about commercial parking in these locations. There’s no room.

2. Given our current revenue situation, what is the solution to the issues with Brennan Park?

100% of the money received from Woodfibre LNG should go to renewal of the facilities at Brennan Park. But the complex should still be named Brennan Park, even if some large donor(s) appear!

Squamish needs a lot of investment in recreation and cultural facilities, not just at Brennan Park. They help attract people to Squamish. Skating rink(s), fields, swimming pool, curling rink(s), gym(s), community spaces, full cultural and performing arts facilities, museum, maybe a new or second library, and more. It is likely to take 5 – 10 years to make it happen.

Few recreation and cultural facilities are outside of the downtown area and Brennan Park, and this needs to be considered.

Including all District lands from Brennan Park down to Finch Drive, there may be room to build new facilities. For example, build a new civic centre with added facilities to the south, then demolish the current structure and use that land for other needed facilities, or if necessary sell it for development. A phased transition would be critical.

Our town hall badly needs to be replaced. Selling the land it’s on would also help finance its replacement at a suitable location, and contribute to Brennan Park renewal and other needs.

3. Do you agree or disagree that property taxes are too high right now?

The recent dramatic increases in property taxes have had a significant impact on both families and businesses. Property taxes have risen much too quickly over the last few years, much more than the rate of inflation. There should now be a temporary freeze on further increases, so that they can be rebalanced, with inflationary changes resuming in due course. And as a general rule, I believe that all taxes and fees should increase with the rate of inflation and in a timely manner, with variances only if justified.

If the District’s finances are so bad that property and other taxes and fees have to be increased again by more than the rate of inflation, we may have to accept that. For practical purposes, the District cannot have an operating deficit, so the alternative would likely be to cut services and expenses.

4. Street disorder, real or perceived, is a concern, where do we go from here on this?

Public safety is always a priority. I used to live a block from the emergency entrance to VGH, and have experience of street disorder in that area.

The District can increase its budget for policing or increase bylaw enforcement, but has limited ability to direct the RCMP. It has independent discretion as to how it will conduct law enforcement.

The RCMP’s annual report shows violent crime increased by about 12%, sexual assault by 46%, and intimate partner violence by almost 17%. It’s far from just in the downtown or linked to encampments but regardless, is unacceptable.

(These may not factor in population growth, and “street disorder” may not become a statistic unless it leads to a reported incident, or charges.)

I support the HEART and HEARTH programs, for encampment outreach and transitional housing, and the proposed supportive housing building. Also the appointment of a Director of Public Safety and resulting initiatives such as more patrols in the downtown, which seems to be helping.

Many complaints about street disorder seem to arise from activity in the vicinity of Under One Roof building, although often not due to residents there. We can learn from similar facilities elsewhere, in planning for and management of the proposed supportive housing project.

5. Should we be building outside of our growth management boundary yet?

Given what is currently known, and subject to advice from District staff and any new information, I’d be reluctantly in favour of amending the “GMB” to allow planning for development of the Cheema Lands to proceed. As the pre-conditions set by the District have been or soon will be met, it would be unwise to change the rules now.

It would still take a few years to work through all the processes and planning needed for a major, multi-phase development, and then begin construction, which depending on markets and finances might take a decade or more. With competition from developments on the waterfront and downtown, the Cheekye Fan and perhaps Crumpit Woods, and even the “GAS” proposal, there’s no telling. Road access being a key question – there’ll be increased traffic in existing neighbourhoods. All the other standard questions arise, such as water, sewers, roads, power, transit, maintaining as much of the forest and its trails as possible, and so on.

Planning for the Cheema Lands should be integrated with pending development of the neighbouring “Holborn Lands”.

Opening up the Cheema Lands and Holborn Lands should provide needed land for residential development, including elements of social housing of various kinds.

6. Describe how you would approach your relationship with Woodfibre LNG.

This has been poorly handled by the District ever since the federal and provincial governments committed to the project. I question the wisdom of the proposed ten year agreement with Woodfibre LNG, which is supposed to resolve all issues relating to financial contribution, taxation, etc. Does it factor in things like inflation, changes in the price of LNG, changes in the volume shipped, and timely reviews and renewal? Woodfibre may have an operational lifetime of 50 years or more, and has the capacity to expand. The agreement should be for a longer term, and provide for review and renewal.

100% of the income from Woodfibre LNG should be dedicated to renewal of District recreation, cultural, and municipal facilities, particularly Brennan Park.

The District should monitor environmental impacts (air, water, etc) from Woodfibre LNG from the start, publish the results, and where appropriate lobby senior governments and the regulator with regard to enforcement. The developer agreed to various standards after a lot of informed discussion, and should be held to them.

7. What is your solution for the parking tension downtown?

I favour:

NOT allowing further relaxation of downtown parking requirements, unless there are clear, transparent, and greater alternative benefits to the District, in particular downtown, that are delivered up front. Developers are large, sophisticated, and resourceful, and know exactly what they’re getting into when they propose a development. It’s time for some backbone.

Reviewing the OCP and related planning policies, documents, and decisions, so that if requirements with regard to parking in the downtown really are impracticable, making needed amendments – in context of a larger plan to address the resulting issues.

Construction of a central 3 – 4 storey parking garage.

The 30 kph speed limit in the entire downtown area.

Clearly marked and regularly repainted crosswalks.

Whatever can be done to enhance transit, for example frequency.

Increasing the number of charging stations.

Safely integrating (where possible) the enormous variety of e-gadgets into the existing sidewalk, road, and trail network, as and where appropriate.

Being open to the ideas of pay parking in downtown areas, "residents only" and “employees only” parking and zones, etc.

8. Reconciliation

It would be easy to make vague promises about what we have committed to as a District, province, and nation, which will be an ongoing challenge for us all. I won’t do that.

In my legal practice, I had numerous clients that were organizations that served one or more First Nation, or First Nations and their people generally. Some tiny, some large, a few very large. And a few First Nations. I like to believe that I’m moderately well known to at least some members of the Squamish First Nation - Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw – and might even say that some are friends. I’m working on a history of climbing at and near Squamish, and the First Nation is an integral part of it.

9. Climate Change and the Environment

Things we can do in Squamish:

Minimize our personal impacts, and learn. Encourage others to do the same.

Lobby for workable transit to and from Vancouver, and to Whistler and Pemberton. Bus, train, ferry – whatever is practicable.

Ensure that our buildings and developments are truly ‘green’ in materials, construction, and operation, and allow for natural hazards.

Holding all developers, not just Woodfibre LNG, to required/agreed standards.

Participate in stewardship and park-related events.

And if we can work toward a future where most “in Squamish” personal trips are on foot, transit, bicycle, or e-device or some kind…

I am a long-term advocate for the environment. Particularly as a leader in the climbing community, I was quite involved in the creation and management of Stawamus Chief Provincial Park, Smoke Bluffs Park, Skaha Bluffs Park, and Baldwin & Cooper Park. All were created both for natural and recreational values, and I continue to be a volunteer park steward in local parks.

10. Emergency and disaster preparation (including Fire Smart).

After the Hop Creek fire on DeBeck’s Hill in June 2025, the debris torrent at Lions Bay that closed the highway in December 2024, and other events, it’s clear that we could do better. A lot of Squamish is exposed to risk from floods and fires particularly. I moved into my strata in early 2024, right next to the forest, and was astonished to learn that we have some ornamental cedars.

Preparing for wildfires (in a drying climate), earthquakes, landslides, debris torrents, floods, snowstorms and so on may sound boring but is quite important. Not to mention highway closures from accidents.

This is something where cooperation with provincial and federal programs is needed, such as with regard to the dikes we depend on, but there's lots we can do ourselves and as a community to be prepared. FireSmart is one example - we all saw what happened in Lytton, Jasper, and elsewhere.

After the last debris torrent in Lions Bay, innumerable kind individuals and organizations in Squamish stepped up and provided lodgings, meals, and help to the stranded travelers. Not the first time that the highway has been closed, sometimes for several days. It'll happen again.

Being prepared for the next time - that is, to provide emergency accommodation, food, and basic services to a lot of new friends - seems possible. We have Brennan Park, maybe churches, perhaps school auditoriums, and other buildings to work with. Maybe hotels. They have space, light, heat, electricity, toilets, parking, and even wifi. All we need to do is have a plan for using them, and pre-stocking them with the basics - cots, blankets, privacy screens, supplies, and so on - then bringing in staff and volunteers to make it work.

11. Investment in Outdoor Recreation

Promote Squamish as a gateway community to the Sea to Sky, particularly Stawamus Chief and Garibaldi Provincial Parks.

Work to expand camping opportunities in the entire region, both for regular tent campers and ‘vanlife’ camping.

A consistent approach throughout the area for things such as trailheads (parking, toilets, waste disposal, signage), signage and names for trails, and Leave no Trace behaviours.

Fostering a symbiotic relationship with BC Parks and local provincial parks – Squamish, Garibaldi, Tantalus, Alice Lake, etc. Trails, trailheads, signage, parking, transit, bicycle racks, booking, and so on.

Regrading the Smoke Bluffs parking lot, putting down another coat of "chip seal", regularly mowing the adjoining invasive weeds, and charging commercial users of the lot.

Safely integrating the enormous variety of new e-gadgets into the existing sidewalk, road, and trail network, as and where appropriate.

Preserving hiking and mountain biking trails in the privately-owned Cheema Lands, Crumpit Woods, Cheekye Fan and other areas as they are developed, to the extent possible.

Support for Squamish Search & Rescue.

Safety, in particular recognizing that many trails aren’t designed to be safely “multi use”, or historically never were, and managing them accordingly.

12. Wildlife & Invasive Species

All new multi-unit buildings, and all new developments, should be required to have communal recycling/garbage/compost sheds, that are locked and bear-proof. The kind in Canmore and other bear-smart communities. Over time, we should retrofit existing neighbourhoods and buildings with similar structures.

The gradual return of grizzlies to the Squamish area is of concern.

With a warming climate, growth in the number of ticks, both deer ticks and possibly lone star ticks, seems a growing public health concern.

There are numerous utility corridors through Squamish, often covered with flammable plants such as Scotch Broom and Himalayan Blackberry. Perhaps we can work long-term with BC Hydro and other owners and agencies to gradually remove invasive species from these strips, and replace them with less flammable and even economically useful plants. Those strips might then help as fire breaks, require less maintenance, and so benefit everyone.

13. Economic development.

I left this for last, because it is one of the most important. And, to quote Forrest Gump, that’s all I have to say about that. We have to have a strong, resilient economy that is business-friendly.