Downtown Squamish BIA hopes to make the core a destination

Editor’s Note: Support the Squamish Reporter with a small subscription

The Downtown Squamish Business Improvement Association recently completed its first major rebrand in years, and Executive Director Kerry Neil says they are set to make downtown Squamish a destination in its own right.

“People come to Squamish and sometimes miss downtown entirely,” Neil said. “Our hope is that people will specifically come here to go to downtown Squamish.”

The visible changes include new signage, flags, a redesigned website, and branded shopping bags. But Neil is clear that these aesthetic changes are just “the icing on the cake,” for the new strategic plan the BIA is showcasing at the June 6 council meeting.

The BIA’s new strategic plan, its first since 2020, is built around four priorities, ‘eco-nomic’ resilience, community connectivity, proactive stewardship, and pride in place. The first three Neil said are meant to feed into the fourth, with the ultimate goal of fostering genuine pride in what downtown has to offer.

The BIA’s mission articulated in the plan,  is to cultivate “a business ecosystem that thrives by nature,” a nod to downtown Squamish’s unique position as a commercial core surrounded by so many outdoor activity options.

In partnership with the District of Squamish, the BIA helps deliver events throughout the year, including the Squamish Mural Walk Festival, Open Street Day, Squamish Together, and the Holiday Parade.

According to the presentation to council, the District invested $47,500 in the BIA partnership in 2025. Downtown Squamish says it leveraged that initial investment, into over $206,500 in total community value, through grants, sponsorships, and other supports.

Looking ahead, Neil says the BIA is focused on pushing the downtown brand out to audiences within a roughly two-hour radius of Squamish, working in close coordination with Tourism Squamish, the Chamber of Commerce, and Squamish Arts.

Safety and cleanliness are also top of mind, according to Neil. The BIA currently works with Goodbye Graffiti to keep downtown clean and free of vandalism, and Neil sits on the Community Action Team alongside other local organizations. Neil said she would love to see a dedicated street team or community policing presence downtown, but that kind of initiative requires funding the BIA doesn’t currently have.

“We can advocate for it,” Neil said, “But at the end of the day, we just want downtown to be safe and welcoming and economically resilient.”

One ongoing advocacy issue is the proposed location of a supportive housing project at X̱wún̓eḵw Park. Neil was clear that the BIA supports housing solutions in the downtown area, but has serious concerns about that specific site, citing its potential as a waterfront public space and a future ferry terminal connecting Squamish to Vancouver. The BIA has urged the District and BC Housing to explore alternative locations.

Editor’s Note: Support the Squamish Reporter with a small subscription