The District of Squamish is working to select a site for a temporary housing program in downtown Squamish. The announcement comes after the province said it’s partnering with seven communities, including Squamish, to address homelessness through new shelter and housing initiatives.
District staff are selecting a location for temporary housing under the province’s HEARTH program, according to Rachel Boguski, the district’s communications coordinator. The site is anticipated to be downtown, close to drop-in services at Under One Roof, to help residents access daily supports.
The district will share the chosen site and housing details with the community once due diligence is complete, Boguski said.
The move makes Squamish one of seven new communities joining the province’s homeless and encampment response initiatives announced this week. The provincial government, through BC Housing, operates HEART teams that assess the needs of people in encampments and connect them to support services. The HEARTH program provides emergency housing and shelter options with coordinated supports.
“Communities are stronger and safer for everyone when we bring people indoors to safe housing, so they have better opportunities to connect to the supports and services they need to bring stability to their lives,” said Christine Boyle, minister of housing and municipal affairs.
The partnerships follow commitments outlined in the province’s 2025 Cooperation and Responsible Government Accord with the B.C. Green Party caucus. Fifteen local governments now partner with the province on HEART or HEARTH programs, or both.
The other new partner communities announced include Campbell River, which is adding eight temporary supportive housing units to an existing HEARTH site; Cheam First Nation, which expanded an existing building from eight to 20 beds; Cranbrook; New Westminster, which is renovating its 50-bed shelter and expanding to 24/7 operations; Powell River, which will open a 40-bed temporary shelter in March 2026; and Smithers.
Eight communities partnered with the province during the first phase of the program: Abbotsford, Campbell River, Chilliwack, Cheam First Nation, Duncan, Kamloops, Kelowna, Nanaimo, Prince George, Victoria and Vancouver.
“Housing is a fundamental right, and this program offers a chance for our unhoused residents to experience a sense of dignity, safety and belonging as an important step to stabilize their lives,” Mayor Armand Hurford said in a statement.
The province says it has delivered or has underway more than 95,000 homes in communities throughout B.C. since 2017, including almost 1,050 spaces of temporary housing and shelter.
