Unofficial summary · Not affiliated with the District of Squamish · 9-minute read · View in browser

Meeting: Special Business Meeting, Tuesday, October 6, 2026 (chaired by Councillor Andersen)
Length: 4 hours 39 minutes
Watch: Full video on YouTube · Agenda and reports: District of Squamish Council portal

Key decisions

CARRIED, AS AMENDED · Capital projects included in the 2027–2036 financial plan
Council directed staff to include the capital projects in the October 6 financial services report in the financial plan. Amendments removed the library board computer equipment, asked for options to increase asset management reserve contributions, and asked staff to show possible Brennan Park upgrade funding in the plan documents (see below).
Vote on the main motion as amended: unanimous. Moved by Councillor French.

CARRIED · Brennan Park in the 10-year plan documents
Staff will find a mechanism to show the possibility of Brennan Park upgrade funding in the 10-year financial plan documentation. Staff said there is no cost estimate yet, so any number would not be reliable.
Vote: in favour Councillors Hamilton, Stoner, Pettingill and Greenlaw; opposed Councillors French and Andersen. Moved by Councillor Hamilton, seconded by Councillor Pettingill.

CARRIED · Government Road active transportation, phase one
Phase one (Depot Road to Eagle Run, near Brackendale Elementary and Don Ross Middle School), budgeted at $2.6 million, will be funded under staff's option two: the Community Works Fund and the alternative forms of transportation reserve, keeping road DCCs for the Pemberton–Laurelwood bridge. Construction is targeted for 2028.
Vote: unanimous. Moved by Councillor Stoner, seconded by Councillor French.

CARRIED · Asset management reserve options
Staff will bring options for increasing contributions under the asset management reserve funding strategy to the November budget workshop, noting one update cycle of the strategy was deferred.
Vote: unanimous. Moved by Councillor Stoner, seconded by Councillor Hamilton.

CARRIED · Library board computers removed
The library board computer equipment was taken out of the capital plan.
Vote: carried; Councillor Andersen opposed. Moved by Councillor Stoner, seconded by Councillor Hamilton.

CARRIED · Municipal hall lease funding back for review
Staff will bring information on the lease funding for municipal hall to the November budget workshop. An earlier motion to remove the 2027 lease amount ($200,000) was defeated.
Vote: unanimous. Seconded by Councillor French.

CARRIED · Letter on federal grant delay
The mayor will write to the federal Minister of Housing and Infrastructure about the roughly two-year wait for a decision on the District's Active Transportation Fund application for the Mamquam River bridge project.
Vote: unanimous. Moved by Councillor Stoner, seconded by Councillor Greenlaw.

DEFEATED · Remove the 2027 municipal hall lease amount
Would have removed $200,000 budgeted in 2027 for possible municipal hall lease space.
Vote: in favour Councillor Hamilton; opposed Councillors Pettingill, French, Greenlaw, Andersen and Stoner. Moved by Councillor Hamilton, seconded by Councillor Pettingill.

DEFEATED · Remove the Brennan Park fitness space feasibility study
Would have removed the study for the new second-floor multi-purpose room at Brennan Park.
Vote: in favour Councillors Pettingill, Hamilton and Greenlaw; opposed Councillors Stoner, French and Andersen. Moved by Councillor Pettingill, seconded by Councillor Greenlaw.

DEFEATED · Accessible playground funded from CACs
Would have asked staff for a proposal to bring forward the accessible playground (or similar) using CAC funds.
Vote: in favour Councillors Greenlaw and Pettingill; opposed Councillors Hamilton, Stoner, French and Andersen. Moved by Councillor Pettingill, seconded by Councillor Greenlaw.

RECEIVED · Financial report and key projects update (January 1 to June 30, 2026)
Vote: carried. Moved by Councillor Stoner.

Recorded votes

Votes where members of council did not all agree. Unanimous votes are not listed.

• Removing library board computer equipment: carried. Opposed: Councillor Andersen.
• Showing Brennan Park upgrade funding in the plan documents: carried. In favour: Councillors Hamilton, Stoner, Pettingill, Greenlaw. Opposed: Councillors French, Andersen.
• Removing the Brennan Park fitness space feasibility study: defeated on a tie. In favour: Councillors Pettingill, Hamilton, Greenlaw. Opposed: Councillors Stoner, French, Andersen.
• Accessible playground from CACs: defeated. In favour: Councillors Greenlaw, Pettingill. Opposed: Councillors Hamilton, Stoner, French, Andersen.
• Removing the 2027 municipal hall lease amount: defeated. In favour: Councillor Hamilton. Opposed: Councillors Pettingill, French, Greenlaw, Andersen, Stoner.

What was discussed

Mid-year financial report

• At June 30, of 54 special projects ($12.1 million) 34 were in progress and 3 cancelled; of 147 capital projects ($107 million) 102 were in progress and 20 cancelled. Staff said an engineering review found capacity limits, so some 2026 projects were deferred or cancelled. Watch at 0:09:10
• RCMP contract costs were $1.4 million under budget because there are 26 members against 32 budgeted. Asked by Councillor French and Councillor Pettingill about the long-running gap, staff said budgeting for fewer members than the contract strength would not be good financial practice, and that the RCMP say community safety is not at risk. Watch at 0:38:51
• Councillor Stoner asked whether cancelled annual paving and storm repairs would be doubled in 2027. Staff said no: the 2027 capital program is lighter, and emergency patch paving continues. Watch at 0:27:32

Key projects

• The Brennan Park upgrade is complete. The public works facility is partly occupied; full operation is expected in Q1 2027, delayed by a redesign of podium fall protection and material lead times, and staff said it is on budget. Watch at 0:34:24
• The landfill is on track to reach capacity by the end of 2029 or early 2030; staff are working with several provincial ministries on the lateral expansion. The Cheekye debris barrier is largely built, with substantial performance expected in Q4 2026. Watch at 0:17:35
• Councillor French asked about the Blind Channel pedestrian bridge. Staff said deficiencies, inspections and administrative steps involving other groups must be finished before it can open. Watch at 0:21:29

The 2027–2036 capital plan

• Projects total $25 million in 2027 and $357 million over 10 years. Reserves fund 74% in 2027 and borrowing 13%. Staff said the plan brings debt servicing to 14%, under the District's 20% policy limit. Watch at 2:14:08
• Highlights include $40.6 million for water main replacements and capacity upgrades, $36.6 million for dike upgrades (assuming $2 million a year in grants), and $27.8 million for phase one of the landfill expansion, up $2.7 million. Watch at 2:20:42
• Staff plan to blast the rock face at the Corridor Trail pinch point ($400,000) to widen the path and address drainage. Watch at 2:30:36
• Staff confirmed a federal grant application was submitted for the Pemberton–Laurelwood bridge, with first-phase results expected in spring. Watch at 2:36:22

Municipal hall and Brennan Park expansion

• Councillor Hamilton asked why a municipal hall replacement and Brennan Park expansion do not appear in the 10-year plan, noting the 2020 real estate and facilities master plan recommended replacing municipal hall within five years. Watch at 3:26:23
• Staff said space planning and building condition work are under way, a lease option already in the plan remains available, and more information will come to council within the next year. Watch at 3:40:40
• The lease funding is about $200,000 in 2027, $900,000 in 2028 and $1.4 million a year after that. Staff said it would be spent only if needed. Watch at 4:02:27

Brennan Park fitness space and the playground

• Staff proposed a fitness centre feasibility study in 2027 for the new 1,800 sq. ft. room, with equipment in 2028; interim fitness use is planned this fall. Watch at 2:47:52
• Councillor Pettingill questioned spending $30,000 on the study. Councillor Stoner said the space should not be left underused and asked for more detail on the cost. Watch at 4:18:28
• Staff recommended waiting for the Recreation Centre Task Force before moving the accessible playground forward, since its location at Brennan Park could be affected. Watch at 4:25:18

Other questions

• Staff said the Mamquam Road and Highway 99 intersection has the second-highest number of collisions in Squamish; it is under provincial jurisdiction and no provincial commitment has been made. Watch at 3:18:05
• On Mamquam / Ring Creek Road, staff said a geotechnical assessment has been received and they will ask council for direction on a controlled partial reopening. Watch at 4:01:20
• Staff said the Cheekye hazard land use policy will be a technical study with limited engagement, and that most public engagement will come through the later sub-area plan. Watch at 2:37:27

Public input

None at this meeting. This was a staff budget presentation with no delegations or public hearing.

Following up

From earlier issues: The capital plan budget workshop we listed for October 6 took place (above). Still open: the revised community safety approach, the capacity-funding business case and development permit review cost estimates (all expected November 10), the budget public information night (November), the next Woodfibre LNG / FortisBC update (November), the Community Forest items and the deferred Youth Council item. Council pay and housing impact metrics came up at the regular meeting the same evening; see our next issue.

New items we'll watch for:

• Options to increase asset management reserve contributions: November 10 budget workshop.
• Information on the municipal hall lease funding: November 10 budget workshop.
• How Brennan Park upgrade funding will be shown in the financial plan documents: by plan adoption in December.
• Mayor's letter on the federal Active Transportation Fund delay: no date given.
• Staff request for direction on partially reopening Mamquam / Ring Creek Road: no date given.
• Junction Park washroom and arts space options: Q1 2027.

What's next

• October 17: General local election voting day.
• October 24: Provincial election final voting day.
• November 10: Budget workshop pulling the 2027–2036 plan together and orienting the new council.
• November: Budget public information night (date to be announced).
• December: Adoption of the financial plan and utility fees bylaws by the new council.

Get involved

• The budget public information night in November is the main chance for residents to comment on the 2027–2036 plan, including these capital projects.
• The Recreation Centre Task Force project website is live, and its consultant is running interviews, surveys and engagement on the future of Brennan Park.
• Agendas, reports and ways to contact council are on the District's council page.

Terms used

ACC: amenity cost charge, a newer charge on development for amenities such as sports courts or a splash park · Asset management reserve funding strategy: the District's plan for saving to replace aging infrastructure · CAC: community amenity contribution, negotiated from developers at rezoning · Community Works Fund: federal gas-tax-based money for local infrastructure · DCC: development cost charge, collected from new development for growth-related infrastructure · Debt servicing: yearly principal and interest payments on borrowing · Placeholder budget: a provisional amount for a known need whose cost and timing aren't defined yet · Substantial performance: the contract stage when a project is complete enough to be used.

Context notes

We check factual figures cited at the meeting against public sources where we can. These notes add context; they are not verdicts on any speaker.

• 25% debt servicing limit (cited by staff): the province's municipal liability servicing limits page (updated July 2025) says that under the Community Charter and its Municipal Liabilities Regulation, a municipality's annual cost of servicing its liabilities may not exceed 25% of its controllable and sustainable revenues for the previous year.
• Landfill capacity (cited by staff): the District's landfill lateral expansion page says the landfill is on track to reach capacity "near the end of 2029" in one section and "in 2030" in another. The page is undated.
• Context notes on candidates' statements are paused during the election period.

Council Watch Squamish is an independent, unofficial summary of publicly accessible meetings of the Squamish Council. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the District of Squamish. This summary was generated by AI from an automatic transcript and may contain errors. Watch the linked video for the official record.

Brought to you by the Business Innovation Society of the Sea to Sky.
Was this issue useful? Reply with one word: yes or no.
Spotted an error? Reply to this email and we'll correct it in the next issue.
Know someone who'd find this useful? Forward it to them. · Past issues

Not subscribed yet? If you're reading this on the web or someone forwarded it to you, subscribe free to get each new issue by email after Squamish council meetings.