Public invited to give input on Temporary Use Permits for FortisBC

The District of Squamish will hold a public event to gather community feedback on the Temporary Use Permit for the FortisBC Temporary Workforce Accommodation and construction yard.

This event will take place at Brennan Park Recreation Centre on September 25 at 6:00 PM. Residents are encouraged to attend and share their views on the proposed Temporary Use Permit for FortisBC. The permits allow specific land uses not typically permitted under the current Zoning Bylaw. Permits are valid for up to three years and can be renewed once for an additional three-year period.

FortisBC Temporary Workforce Accommodation

The proposal includes establishing a temporary workforce accommodation facility for housing workers in FortisBC’s gas-line development project. The accommodation, located on a 7-hectare site owned by Lafarge Canada, will feature single-storey wooden structures capable of accommodating up to 576 beds, with the option to add 36 more. The facility, managed by ATCO, will be set on wood crib foundations and cover approximately 13,545 square meters (145,800 square feet).

FortisBC expects to lodge between 300 and 400 workers at the camp from 2023 to 2025, peaking at around 600 workers during the summer of 2025. The lodge will be within a cleared forestry cut block, characterized by relatively flat terrain and new growth of shrubs and trees.

Proposed Construction Yard

The proposed construction yard will be located northeast of the Valleycliffe neighbourhood on a 10.5-acre site owned by Squamish Nation. An additional 2.6 acres on the east side of Powerhouse Springs Road will be used as a parking area for the project. The yard, expected to be operational in early 2023, will support the entire duration of the gas-line project but will close during winter with all access points secured to prevent unauthorized entry.

Planned uses for the yard include serving as a marshalling area for construction crews, hosting morning briefings, providing temporary offices for the Project Management team, and offering warehousing, equipment storage, refuelling, and waste management services. The yard will operate six days a week, from Monday to Saturday, between 7 am and 7 pm, with Sundays designated as rest days for construction crews.

The District of Squamish encourages residents to attend the event and voice their opinions on the proposed Temporary Use Permit, but asks that public comments should focus specifically on the permit details.