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

Meeting: Regular Council Meeting, Tuesday, October 6, 2026 (chaired by Councillor Andersen as acting mayor for October)
Length: 1 hour 49 minutes
Watch: Full video on YouTube · Agenda and reports: District of Squamish Council portal

Key decisions

ADOPTED · Council pay bylaw
The remuneration and expenses amendment bylaw (Bylaw 3285), given three readings on September 29, was adopted without discussion. It sets the mayor's pay at $125,000 a year and councillor pay at 36% of the mayor's, and applies to the next council.
Vote: unanimous. Moved by Councillor Greenlaw, seconded by Councillor Hamilton.

ADOPTED · Financial plan fall amendment
Council adopted the 2026–2035 financial plan amendment bylaw (Bylaw 3270).
Vote: carried. Moved by Councillor Hamilton, seconded by Councillor Greenlaw.

THREE READINGS · Steep slopes development permit area
Third reading for OCP amendment Bylaw 3244, creating a development permit area for most slopes of 30% or steeper. A permit would be needed for subdivision, construction, excavation deeper than 1.2 metres, or removing trees 20 cm or larger.
Vote: unanimous. Moved by Councillor Pettingill, seconded by Councillor Stoner.

THREE READINGS · Steep slope permits delegated to staff
Land development procedures amendment Bylaw 3266 lets staff, rather than council, approve steep slope permits, as with the flood, wildfire and environmental permit areas.
Vote: unanimous. Moved by Councillor Hamilton, seconded by Councillor Stoner.

ADOPTED · Garibaldi Estates zoning bylaws
Five bylaws for the Garibaldi Estates neighbourhood were adopted in one motion.
Vote: carried; Councillor Greenlaw opposed. Moved by Councillor Stoner, seconded by Councillor French.

ADOPTED · Co-living bylaws
Bylaws 3258, 3246 and 3239 were adopted.
Vote: carried; Councillor Pettingill opposed. Moved by Councillor Stoner, seconded by Councillor Hamilton.

ADOPTED · Land development procedures and subdivision bylaw updates
Amendment Bylaw 3231 (land development procedures) and Bylaw 3232 (subdivision and development control) were adopted.
Votes: Bylaw 3231 carried with Councillor Pettingill opposed (moved by Councillor French, seconded by Councillor Stoner); Bylaw 3232 unanimous (moved by Councillor Stoner, seconded by Councillor French).

THREE READINGS · Housing agreements for a 2nd Avenue mixed-use building
Two identical housing agreement bylaws (3207 and 3248) for a four-storey building at 37780 and 37794 2nd Avenue with ground-floor employment space and 15 apartments. Three apartments will be secured as market rental, which lets the project use the zone's residential density bonus.
Votes: both carried; Councillor Greenlaw opposed.

ADOPTED · Non-market rental housing agreement, 1940 Centennial Way
Bylaw 3267 secures a non-market rental townhouse unit.
Vote: unanimous. Moved by Councillor French, seconded by Councillor Greenlaw.

ADOPTED · Permissive tax exemptions
Bylaws 3275, 3276 (search and rescue society) and 3277 (Squamish Helping Hands Society overdose prevention site) were adopted together, then a one-year 2027 exemption for the Squamish Valley Golf and Country Club (Bylaw 3278). Councillor Andersen declared a conflict on the golf club bylaw and left the room; Councillor Greenlaw chaired that item.
Votes: unanimous.

CARRIED · Free transit on provincial voting day
Transit will be free on provincial general voting day, October 24. Staff said the District's share for one day is under $1,000.
Vote: unanimous. Moved by Councillor Stoner, seconded by Councillor French.

CARRIED · Housing impact metrics made public
Staff will ask FortisBC and Woodfibre LNG to make public the cumulative housing impact metrics back to 2024, or report to the public if the request is denied. This adds to the September 29 motion.
Vote: unanimous. Moved by Councillor Greenlaw, seconded by Councillor Hamilton.

CARRIED · Howe Sound Biosphere MOU renewed
Council renewed its memorandum of understanding with the Howe Sound Biosphere Region Initiative. Councillor Stoner noted it is not binding and that hosting a future meeting would be a budget decision for the next council.
Vote: unanimous. Moved by Councillor Stoner, seconded by Councillor Hamilton.

CARRIED · Brackendale post office letters referred to staff
Vote: carried, none opposed. Moved by Councillor Pettingill, seconded by Councillor French.

CARRIED · Proclamations
October 15 as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day and October as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month; October as Circular Economy Month.
Votes: carried.

Recorded votes

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

• 2nd Avenue housing agreement bylaws 3207 and 3248 (three readings): carried. Opposed: Councillor Greenlaw. In favour: Councillors Pettingill, French, Hamilton, Stoner, Andersen.
• Garibaldi Estates bylaws (adoption): carried. Opposed: Councillor Greenlaw. In favour: Councillors Hamilton, Stoner, Andersen, French, Pettingill.
• Co-living bylaws 3258, 3246, 3239 (adoption): carried. Opposed: Councillor Pettingill. In favour: Councillors French, Greenlaw, Hamilton, Stoner, Andersen.
• Land development procedures Bylaw 3231 (adoption): carried. Opposed: Councillor Pettingill. In favour: Councillors French, Greenlaw, Hamilton, Stoner, Andersen.

What was discussed

Steep slopes development permit area

• Staff said two geotechnical engineers advised that 45% would suit safety alone; 30% was chosen to also address visual impacts. Because Squamish terrain is mostly bluffs and flat benches, a lower threshold would not change the map much. Watch at 0:19:18
• Councillor Hamilton asked whether a tiny steep patch would trigger a permit for a whole lot. Staff said a geotechnical engineer reviewed the map parcel by parcel and removed areas, mostly on the floodplain, where small rises were not relevant. Watch at 0:28:06
• Staff clarified that the 1.2-metre depth is not a limit: deeper excavation triggers engineering review and screening. Permit area guidelines are not meant to be regulatory like zoning. Watch at 0:35:06
• Councillor Pettingill said they had some discomfort with delegating permits under guidelines but would support it. Councillor Stoner noted the work was funded by the federal Housing Accelerator Fund. Watch at 0:49:47

Housing agreements and zoning

• Councillor Stoner asked what happens if the owner doesn't rent the secured units. Staff said the agreement allows only market rental as the principal use but does not require the units to be rented, which would be hard to enforce. Watch at 1:02:47
• Councillor Stoner said a rezoning application has already come in under the new Garibaldi Estates zones. Staff said it seeks higher density, and that confusion over "common usable open space" will be fixed in the 2027 zoning bylaw update. Watch at 1:07:29

Correspondence

• Councillor Stoner said Canada Post has given notice that the Brackendale post office will close at the end of October, and that the MP and the mayor should be involved. Councillor Andersen suggested engaging the Chamber of Commerce. Watch at 1:27:30
• On a letter about log truck traffic downtown, Councillor Andersen cited the District's 2017 downtown truck route study, which links moving the Galbraith Avenue log sort to safety improvements at the Site B / Highway 99 intersection. Watch at 1:30:02
• Councillor Greenlaw said the housing impact data belongs to FortisBC and Woodfibre LNG and is not public, and named sexual assaults as a specific concern. Watch at 1:35:28

Announcements

• Councillor Stoner reported that the electoral area D director asked the regional district board to consider Woodfibre LNG's visual and noise impacts on Britannia Beach. Several councillors spoke about the District's formal apology to Squamish Nation around September 30. Watch at 1:38:39
• Councillor Pettingill reported a regional transit MOU from UBCM, that Councillor Stoner was acclaimed UBCM president, and several detections of invasive European green crab in Howe Sound. Watch at 1:44:20
• Squamish Youth Council applications are open for ages 14 to 24. Councillor Andersen said the District's UBCM resolution on keeping the BC Rail corridor passed by a large majority. Watch at 1:47:05

Public input

One resident spoke at the steep slopes public hearing, supporting a permit area but concerned that it sets no limit on how much rock can be removed, citing lots where hillsides were blasted out and the possibility of a mineral tenure being used to lower a hilltop. Staff said the province reviews mining applications. No one spoke during the unscheduled public attendance period, and no delegations attended for the proclamations.

Following up

From earlier issues:

• Council pay bylaw: adopted October 6 (above).
• Housing impact committee metrics back to 2024: council added a request that FortisBC and Woodfibre LNG make them public. No date given.

Still open: the November 10 budget workshop items (community safety, capacity-funding business case, development permit review costs, asset management reserve options, municipal hall lease funding), the budget information night and Woodfibre LNG / FortisBC update in November, the Community Forest items and the deferred Youth Council item.

New items we'll watch for:

• Final adoption of the steep slopes permit area (Bylaw 3244) and its delegation bylaw (3266): no date given.
• Adoption of the 2nd Avenue housing agreement bylaws (3207, 3248): no date given.
• Staff response on the Brackendale post office: no date given.
• Fix to the "common usable open space" definition: 2027 zoning bylaw update.

What's next

• October 17: General local election voting day. Staff said transit is also free on municipal voting day.
• October 24: Provincial general voting day (free transit). Children's clothing, book and toy swap for Circular Economy Month.
• November 7: Howe Sound forum of the Biosphere Region Initiative.
• November 10: Budget workshop pulling the 2027–2036 financial plan together.
• Early November: The newly elected council is sworn in.

Get involved

• Squamish Youth Council applications are open to residents aged 14 to 24.
• Circular Economy Month events continue through October, including the October 24 children's swap.
• Agendas, reports and ways to contact council are on the District's council page.

Terms used

Co-living: housing where residents have private rooms and share common spaces · DPA: development permit area, where a permit following set guidelines is needed before building or altering land · Delegation (of approvals): letting staff approve permits instead of council · Housing agreement: a bylaw-registered agreement securing how units are used, such as rental · MOU: memorandum of understanding, a non-binding agreement · OCP: official community plan · Permissive tax exemption: a property tax exemption council may grant to non-profits · SLRD: Squamish-Lillooet Regional District · UBCM: Union of BC Municipalities.

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.

• PST on fabric and yarn (raised by Councillor Greenlaw): the province's Budget 2026 tax changes page (updated February 26, 2026) says that effective October 1, 2026, PST exemptions end for clothing patterns, yarn, natural fibres, synthetic thread and fabric commonly used in making or repairing clothing.
• 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.