What Squamish Wants › More info

Put the modular shelter somewhere other than the park near Junction Park

The background, so you can decide for yourself. Facts checked October 26, 2026.

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Under the provincial HEART and HEARTH program, BC Housing and the District of Squamish are looking for a site for temporary, staffed housing for people leaving encampments. In spring 2026 the site being studied was Xwu'nekw Park at 37956 Loggers Lane, across from Junction Park and next to the new pedestrian bridge over the Mamquam Blind Channel.

A petition started in April 2026 asked for a different site. It said the park was picked without enough public input and raised safety worries for families and children using the area. It did not oppose the program itself. Downtown business groups also wrote to council asking for consultation before any site was chosen.

On June 16, 2026, council announced it had removed the Xwu'nekw Park site from consideration. BC Housing says the site was dropped because of site viability issues. As of October 2026 no new site has been confirmed, so this ask is now mostly about where the housing should go next and how much say neighbours get.

Key facts

Site that was studied
Xwu'nekw Park, 37956 Loggers Lane, across from Junction Park2
Early petition support
More than 290 signatures by April 20, 20261
Later petition support
964 signatures by April 27, 20262
Current status
Park site removed from consideration (announced June 16, 2026)3
New site
Not confirmed as of October 2026; District and non District land both being considered4
Expected opening
Winter 2027/28, BC Housing estimate4

Where it stands

It has happened. We keep it on the list so you can see how people felt about it.

Who decides: Squamish council.

The case for each answer

The strongest honest case for each side, as people who hold it would put it.

Yes

  • Parks near a school walking route and busy family areas are a poor fit for this kind of housing, and a site outside the busiest downtown areas could still have transit links to services.
  • Neighbours and businesses should be heard before a site is picked, not after.

No

  • Any site will have neighbours, and every move restarts the search and can push back housing for people sleeping outside now.
  • Sites close to services, health care and transit work best for residents and staff.

How we got here

  1. March 2026Council announced it backed the HEART and HEARTH designation and told staff to find a site with BC Housing.5
  2. April 2026A residents' petition and a letter from downtown business groups asked for consultation and a rethink of the park site.2
  3. June 16, 2026Council announced it had told staff to remove the Xwu'nekw Park site from consideration.3

Questions people ask

Is the park still being considered?

No. Council announced on June 16, 2026 that 37956 Loggers Lane, Xwu'nekw Park, was removed from consideration.3

Did the petition oppose the housing program?

No. It questioned the site and the lack of consultation, not the program.1

Will neighbours be told about the next site?

BC Housing says once a site is confirmed it will contact nearby residents directly and set up meetings with the project team.4

More background

Sources

  1. Squamish Reporter: Petition urges rethink of modular housing for homeless in Downtown Squamish park (April 20, 2026)
  2. Squamish Reporter: Squamish businesses call for consultation on downtown homeless housing proposal (April 27, 2026)
  3. District of Squamish: Regular Business Meeting minutes, June 16, 2026
  4. BC Housing: Squamish temporary transitional housing (HEART and HEARTH)
  5. District of Squamish: Regular Business Meeting minutes, March 3, 2026

Spot something wrong or out of date? Email squamishvoters@gmail.com.