Residents have until July 20 to share feedback on a proposed set of land use objectives for the Sea to Sky Region that would protect thousands of hectares of forest land and cultural sites significant to the Squamish Nation.
The proposed objectives stem from the 2025 Squamish Nation Land Use Planning Agreement (Phase 2), a deal signed last June between the B.C. government and the Squamish Nation (sḵwx̱wú7mesh úxwumixw). The agreement guides forest stewardship across the Sea to Sky and Sunshine Coast Natural Resource Districts while working to uphold Indigenous cultural values.
If approved, the objectives would protect nearly 7,250 hectares of forest land, including 925 hectares of old-growth forest identified through the provincial Old Growth Strategic Review. The plan identifies 33 Síiyamiin, cultural and historical sites of significance to the Squamish Nation, covering more than 4,250 hectares, as well as six special cultural management areas spanning more than 15,800 hectares.
The objectives address a range of topics including old and mature forests, large cedar trees, riparian and wetland areas, and trees that have been culturally modified.
Randene Neill, Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, said the plan reflects the province’s commitments to reconciliation and climate resilience. “By honouring Squamish Nation’s connection to the land and applying their traditional knowledge to forest stewardship in this area, we are charting a path forward that balances economic opportunity with environmental stability,” Neill said.
Ruth Simons, the executive director of the Howe Sound Biosphere Region Initiative Society, called the agreement a historic milestone for the region. “By expanding Indigenous-led sustainable forestry practices and creating greater predictability for land-use decisions, the agreement supports both ecological and economic resilience,” Simons said.
Kate-Louise Stamford, a local trustee with the Islands Trust on Gambier Island, noted that the plan would shield roughly a quarter of the island from industrial and forestry activity, calling it a “shared vision for the island’s future.”
Members of the public can review the draft ministerial order, including maps and spatial data files, at engage.gov.bc.ca/squamish-nation-land-use. Hard copies are also available at the Sea to Sky Natural Resource District office in Squamish.
Written comments can be emailed to SouthCoastLandUse@gov.bc.ca or mailed to the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship at 200-10428 153rd St., Surrey, B.C., V3R 1E1. The comment period closes at 4 p.m. on July 20, 2026.
