District of Squamish Council has adopted a camping bylaw to direct camping within the municipal boundary to designated campsites, and enable recreation-driven camping in a way that mitigates social and environmental impacts.
The bylaw provides the District of Squamish with a tool to enforce no camping restrictions within a Camping Bylaw Zone, identifying sensitive areas along the Mamquam Forest Service Road and Powerhouse Springs Road, and the Squamish Estuary and Spit.
There are more than 700 campsites in Squamish that are equipped with infrastructure such as fire pits, wildlife-resistant containers and education on how to responsibly enjoy recreation assets.
The bylaw aims to balance the perspectives and values shared among Squamish’s van dwelling community of full-time Squamish residents who live and work in the community year-round.
Anyone camping within the identified sensitive areas will be asked to relocate. Campers that are unwilling to voluntarily move to an authorized camping area will be subject to a fine of $100. The Traffic Bylaw already prohibits camping on municipal roadways.
Enforcement approaches will involve bringing awareness and education to campers in order to highlight the restricted areas and promote campground alternatives. Municipal bylaw officers, in conjunction with police and provincial agencies, will focus enforcement efforts on seasonal campers through routine patrols in the Estuary and the Spit, as well as the Mamquam Forest Service Road and Powerhouse Springs Road, and adjacent parcels of crown land.
“The density of people camping on our back roads within municipal boundaries has increased to the point where there is significant concern about the impacts to our community and environment,” said Mayor Karen Elliott.
“We want people to come and experience Squamish, and we want people to stay and camp here in designated campgrounds. Recognizing the growth of visitors to our community, Council will continue to advocate with the Province of B.C. to expand existing campgrounds or establish new ones to match the interest in our community and our world class recreational amenities.”
Tourism Squamish has launched a campsite availability calendar to assist campers with finding campsites in Squamish. The tool provides campers with a calendar identifying available campsites each night at local campgrounds. View the calendar here.
For more information including a map of the Camping Bylaw Zone and frequently asked questions, visit the website athttps://squamish.ca/camping-bylaw.
Dave Colwell says
OK, this should be applied consistently throughout the District and not be circumvented by people with’ inside tracks’. A good example is the growing use of land adjacent to the Industrial area opposite to the Golf Course on Mamquam road for ‘Van Dwellers’. Whether or not anyone disagrees with the bylaw, it should be applied until amended. Sadly this is not the case with so many of our bylaws which are only applied if people complain. The ‘Off-leash’ one for dogs is a prime example. If people have been given permission to park and live in their vans etc. on a person’s property they should keep their situation clean, without ‘eye-sore’ and environmentally friendly. Torn blue tarps also don’t cut it. try green ones!!