Local resident Sean Easton has announced his election bid for Squamish Mayor. Sean, a Squamish resident since 2011, says he was inspired to run for office by “the unmet needs I hear over and over again in the community.”
“To be honest, I never saw myself in politics. But, as I speak with residents in my work, I’ve begun to see how urgently something needs to change in Squamish. I’ve spent my career enacting change in communities by listening to people’s needs, designing creative solutions, and taking bold action where it’s needed. So I realized – if not me, then who?”
In a press release, he said he first arrived in Squamish as a whitewater guide before training as a youth worker. He later took on leadership of Whistler-based housing non-profit Zero Ceiling in 2017, transforming it from an under-resourced grassroots program to a sector-leading, sustainable organization that empowers marginalized youth with access to housing, employment, and the outdoors.
He also co-founded Squamish-based housing development non-profit DWIFT Housing, who are in the process of launching their first project to deliver below-market home ownership opportunities to Squamish.
The press release says his extensive experience in the housing and community sectors has given Sean a deep and critical perspective on what it takes to affect change. “At Zero Ceiling,” he says, “we work with young adults who face enormous barriers to thriving in our community. These are people who often fall through the cracks – but I’ve always found that, when we listen to what they really need, and then take action, they can thrive here just as much as anyone else. They’ve always been my biggest teachers.”
Sean and his family have built and own the infamous “Heart House” on the corner of Mamquam Road and Highlands Way. That project also emerged from an unmet need: his own family’s, the press release noted.
“We just couldn’t see how we could make it work here financially, even a decade ago. So me, my brother, our partners, and our parents all came together to get creative and build a home that allowed us to stay and raise our families here in Squamish.” The house has done just that, with the brothers now both raising children and running businesses in the Sea to Sky.
More recently, Sean launched Residents United, a grassroots community engagement collective dedicated to meeting the needs of Squamish residents. “There’s such a disconnect between what I hear from people in the community, and what is happening at a municipal level. Everyone is talking about affordability and access to amenities – and the town just keeps getting less affordable while amenities and infrastructure fall further and further behind.”
Ultimately, hearing from local residents pushed Sean to take the leap and run for office. “I say I’m standing as “A Mayor for the Community” because that’s what matters most to me – that the government represents and takes action on what is most important to the people of this town. If I can be the person who makes that a reality, I think it’s my responsibility to stand.”
If elected, Sean says his biggest priorities would be those he’s heard from the community: affordable housing, the cost of living, and access to amenities. But equally important, he says, is “truly effective, ongoing engagement with the community, and full transparency on how we’re using municipal resources. That’s what everyone is telling me is missing: they don’t feel heard, and they don’t feel their tax dollars are being spent effectively to make Squamish a place where they can thrive.”
While in any small town there are constraints, Sean believes we have far more options than have been presented. “Municipalities don’t have infinite power, but too often I see our decisions limited by convention rather than legislation or budgets. Towns across BC – and the world – are getting creative in solving the housing and affordability crises, and I believe Squamish can, and must, too. I think the responsibility of the Mayor is to pursue the very best for our town, and explore what’s possible: not what is easy or familiar.”
Until the formal campaign period starts in September, Sean plans to continue engaging with residents to better understand their greatest priorities and hopes for themselves, their families, and Squamish. The next Residents United event takes place on Thursday July 30 from 7-9pm at the Brackendale Art Gallery, and Sean encourages anyone who wants their voice heard to show up. There’ll be a chance to share your concerns and help design potential solutions. If you can’t make it, he encourages you to share your ideas with him at his website: seaneaston.com.
“I love this town so much,” says Sean, “and I want families like mine to be able to build their lives here for generations. It’s tough to see how much has changed in the last five years, and it’s getting harder to imagine that future. But I’m really hopeful about what’s possible, and I would be honored to have the chance to stand up for our town as our Mayor. I can see a different future, and I’m ready to build it.”
