New hotel proposed in Squamish

Envisioning Excellence: A Proposed Addition to Squamish Hotels Landscape

A Burnaby-based development group is proposing a new hotel in Squamish at 1001 Finch Drive. This property was historically used for rural residential uses, including horse stables, paddocks, and riding rings.

The 45-room hotel is being proposed by Empowered Development at the intersection of Finch Drive and Loggers Lane. It is temporarily being used by Squamish Montessori School.

The mixed-use development consists of two four-storey buildings with a hotel, a 100-space child care facility, and 44 purpose-built market rentals with commercial units on the ground floor. Since the apartments are 100 per cent rentals, it is being considered a priority development application.

The western building would contain a commercial unit and the proposed hotel lobby, with 45 units over the three storeys above. The eastern building would contain an approximately 100-space child care facility, a permanent location for the Squamish Montessori School and another commercial unit at grade, with 44 apartment units over the three storeys above.

The proposed hotel is supported by District staff as there is a significant need for new purpose-built tourist accommodation within the District, says a staff report to Council. The report notes that no new tourist accommodation has been built since the Sandman Hotel in 2009 and the Squamish Budget Inn was also demolished recently, with the possible loss of the August Jack Motor Inn in the future.

Creation of a new hotel in Squamish was also identified as a need by the Squamish Tourism Impact Study, which was completed in 2020. With the hotel, school, and commercial space, the proposal includes just under 33,000 square feet of employment space and is expected to create close to 50 jobs in the community.