The District of Squamish has seen a sharp rise in emergency responses to encampments, with over 375 calls made to fire and police services in just 18 months, according to a report presented to council in July.
Data from Squamish Fire Rescue (SFR) and the RCMP shows that three downtown encampments, located behind Under One Roof on Third Avenue, at Bailey Street, and at Vancouver Street, have become hotspots for fire and safety-related incidents.
In 2024, SFR responded to 146 calls across the three locations, with 49 of these calls identified as fire-related. The report, presented to Council, in July reveals that Squamish Fire Rescue (SFR) and RCMP responded a combined 374 times to three encampment sites in 2024 and the first half of 2025, with more than 70 fire-related incidents and dozens of police calls for disturbances, theft, and suspicious activity.
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The highest number of calls were recorded at the encampment behind Under One Roof at 37871 Third Avenue, where fire crews responded 98 times in 2024 and 84 times in the first half of 2025. Although only a portion were fire-related, SFR noted an alarming trend: eight significant fires, including trailer and tent fires, were reported across all sites between January and June 2025.
The report also identifies multiple fire hazards at these locations, including stockpiles of near-empty propane cylinders, flammable debris, and combustible materials such as lithium batteries, solvents, and gasoline stored near forested areas. According to the report, fire crews and bylaw officers have begun regular walkthroughs to educate residents and remove propane tanks.
Meanwhile, RCMP officers responded to 97 calls across the three sites during the same 18-month period. Officers were frequently dispatched for disturbances, including fighting, yelling, and noise complaints, as well as wellness checks, mischief reports, and fire assistance.
Staff told Council that encampments are also straining municipal bylaw and policing resources. Bylaw Services received 62 complaints in 2024 and another 56 in just the first six months of 2025, with concerns ranging from theft and off-leash dogs to aggressive behaviour and unsanitary conditions.
Staff safety has also emerged as a concern, with reports of stray dogs, open drug use, barbed wire traps, and erratic behaviour. District employees now attend encampment visits in pairs and often require police presence for protection, according to the report.
In addition to fire and safety risks, encampments are generating human-wildlife conflicts due to unsecured food, garbage piles, and a lack of routine sanitation. Bear sightings and encounters have become common at and around these sites, especially behind Under One Roof, where staff noted persistent issues with waste despite some management support.
District staff said they conduct occasional clean-ups where safety is at risk, but admitted that such efforts are often futile without long-term solutions or support to prevent re-encampment. Meanwhile, BC Housing has funded Squamish Helping Hands Society with an Encampment Outreach Worker to provide outreach to encampment occupants located in Squamish’s downtown core. The position started in April this year.
I think, and it’s just my opinion, but most of these people don’t want help.. they like living/camping not having to work.. I’m just hoping that everyone that needs and wants help is not getting caught up in all that.. if they wanna live off the grid without help, then move out of our downtown where you are ruining people’s lives who are trying to raise their kids and be productive members of our awesome community! There’s help out there..but do they want it .. that’s the question 😌
This is a highly disrespectful situation to the people in the box. These parasites are going to drive the economy and the government’s services into the pit. … and the situation will only get worse until someone stands up to the reality of the event. It’s time to introduce these users to the other side of responsibility; they are the drivers of the situation, not society. Taxes are going to protect those who have no interest in becoming part of the system. We have to stop… where is that Dictator to solve the problem? No service would be a start. The solution may come to containment.
Have some compassion – these are people who are in hard situations and likely they wouldn’t be living this way if they had other options.
1251 Bailey Street has undertaken an expensive clearing of small trees and brush and there has not been an incident there for months. There are many people living on the street who are not the problem but a few make it difficult to be safe on the street. Helping Hands does an amazing job and is trying to make the people they help accept some responsibility for themselves. Recently one long time underhoused person had their entire life’s belongings burned by a person who did not live on the street but took this person’s situation into his own hands and burned everything he owned. That is also not the solution.
This is an epidemic everywhere and solutions need to be found. With housing taking a long time to get approved and many housing starts on hold, there is probably not a quick solution to this problem.