D
espite what billboard-opposing neighbours might think, the choice to erect a 10-ft tall by 34-ft wide electronic sign on Highway 99 was not an easy one, said Squamish Nation executive operating officer Toby Baker.
"Our relationships with our local neighbours - be it constituents and government - are paramount to anything we're doing."
The Nation announced Thursday (Oct. 15) that its chiefs and council formally approved the highway billboard, along with installations on five other structures in Vancouver, West Vancouver, North Vancouver.
The proposal received widespread negative reaction from Squamish to North Vancouver, which resulted in a decreasing of the original number of signs from 28 to six.
"Although there is concern, they [council] recognize that whatever they or any other government is going to do to look after its folks, they have to make some choices that are not always easy, and this one is one of those," said Baker.
Although Baker declined to give a specific tally of how each of the 16 members voted, he suggested the compromise and the split council decision indicates that the Nation cares about good relations with neighbours.
"Our council in their minds have gone beyond what they needed to do to compromise the revenue stream to membership and still proceed here by taking into account that negative reaction," he said.
The project means the Squamish Nation may earn millions in revenue over several years.
"Like many other municipalities," said Chief Gibby Jacob, "we need to look closely at how we can use our own landholdings to help provide important new revenues to support social and educational programs and services for our community - the billboards are merely one source of revenue among many that we will be developing to sustain the needs of our growing population."
Baker said that as Nation members' needs continue to be met through revenue generating projects, relationships between the Nation and its neighbours will continue to progress.
"Those needs are going to be around longer than billboards will ever be and longer than gaming centres will ever be.
"And that's why the investment and the relationship from this point forward will continue, and we hope that it will evolve in a very positive way mutually, for both parties."
Baker said the Nation is also working out a mutually benefical outcome with the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee (VANOC) over the billboard.
"This is not being put in place to create a rogue opportunity for anybody," said Baker. "It will fall in line with compliance issues between the four host First Nations and VANOC."
