April 2025 Forum Review
Click to vew the reel of our day.
Sixty-four elected officials, staff and observers gathered at the Presentation Centre on the Squamish Oceanfront and at the Howe Sound Inn on April 25, 2025, for the Howe Sound Community Forum hosted by the District of Squamish.
It was hard not to be distracted by the view looking south down the Sound from the meeting room above a sunny Sp'akw'us Feather Park. The forum began with a welcome song from Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Uxwumixw Council member Deborah Baker who shared her family connections to the region. Mayor Armand Hurford welcomed everyone to his hometown, Squamish, with his family’s history in Squamish, which goes back a few generations.
The Forum attendees enjoyed the impressive 3D model of the Matthews West Squamish Oceanfront's development and the displays by Marine Stewardship Initiative and the Squamish Environment Society’s projects.
The morning presentations focused on two major projects the District is partnering on with the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw. David Roulston, Senior Manager of Infrastructure Planning for the District of Squamish, presented on the Cheekeye Debris Flow Barrier, a well-documented and most studied alluvial fan in Canada. Sarah Weber, Forester with Chartwell Consulting, presented on the Squamish Community Forest.
At lunch break, staff from Matthews West and the District of Squamish gave guided tours of the park, explaining how the development resulted in much-needed ocean access and park area for the public. This development has turned a heavy industrial site, now remediated, into a multi-use area for residential and lite commercial.
After lunch, the meetings resumed at the Howe Sound Inn. Representatives from the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Uxwumixw, the municipalities of Whistler, Squamish, West Vancouver, Gibsons, Bowen Island, and Lions Bay, plus the regional areas of the Sunshine Coast Regional District, Squamish Lillooet Regional District, and the Gambier Island Local Trust Area gave updates on actions and issues in their communities.
MLA Jeremy Valeriote, the MLA for West Vancouver/Sea-to-Sky, gave his first address to the forum members. The Honoarable Randene Neill, the MLA for Powell River Sunshine Coast, was not able to attend. We did not receive a Federal Update from MP Weiler as the election campaign was underway.
Stephanie Hewson and Erin Gray, Staff Lawyers with West Coast Environmental Law, will present on “BC has a Coastal Marine Strategy: What’s next?” The forum has been following the strategy since its inception as it is relevant to the health of Howe Sound.
Ruth Simons, Executive Director for the Howe Sound Biosphere Region Initiative Society, provided updates on the Society’s projects and reflections on past Forums. We benefit from looking back at issues at the time and seeing the results of planning. Ruth also summarized the highlights of the ongoing Ocean Watch Action Committee meetings.
The next forum will be in October 2025, and confirmation of the host and location will be announced soon.
