District of Squamish is throwing its support behind Squamish Nation plans for housing in Squamish.
Though council is on break in August, the District is holding a special council meeting electronically on Tuesday, August 15, to sign a letter of support for an application that Squamish Nation is submitting to the Housing Accelerator Fund. In a letter to Canadian Mortgage Housing Corporation, Mayor Armand Hurford expressed support for the Squamish Nation’s Housing Accelerator Fund application (HAF).
“The HAF is a vital source of funding for creating future housing. Council is looking to increase the local housing supply for our community. The Squamish Nation is in an exceptional position to accelerate the current housing supply,” he said. “The Squamish Nation’s territory is one of the most unaffordable housing regions in the world. Sḵwx̱wú7mesh homelands include dense urban locations that are easily accessed by transit and could support creating density in a streamlined manner to help meet our municipal housing targets faster.”
In March, Squamish Nation announced ambitious plans to develop 350 acres of its land reserves in BC, including 55 acres in Squamish. Those 55 acres includes Stawamus Reserve 24, west of the Sea to Sky Highway, across from Valley Drive, and a smaller property on the east side of the highway, where the nation runs the gas station. There are also plans to develop land on Site B.
“We are looking forward to seeing the acceleration of the much-needed supply of housing in our community by helping the Squamish Nation unlock funding for these initiatives,” said Mayor Hurford.
David J Lassmann says
If there is any group that deserves the right to develop land in the District of Squamish it is the Squamish First Nation. They have made great progress in recent decades but have still not been able to achieve equitable status within Canada. I would like to see the Province of BC transfer title to all crown lands in the Upper Squamish to the Squamish First Nation. I would like to see them be able to practice agriculture and industry that they see as suitable for themselves. They will need land for this.