A new report from BC Stats has estimated that the province's population will rise to 7.9 million by 2046—an increase of 43% over today's 5.5 million.
Most of that growth will come to B.C.'s Lower Mainland/Southwest region, encompassing the entire Sea to Sky Corridor with Squamish in the middle.
District of Squamish Mayor Armand Hurford told The Squamish Chief that population growth was a regular discussion point with constituents and a source of opportunity for the community to engage in renewing assets and amenities.
"Squamish has always been a desirable place to be, but we've seen an extremely high rate of growth," he said.
"We've done a lot of work in this area. We've got master plans for infrastructure renewal to accommodate growth, and we're right now in the midst of a huge period of facilities replacement," he said, listing the new fire hall, upgrades at the water treatment plant, upcoming improvements to Brennan Park, and more.
"We've been working really hard to make sure that we match that needed infrastructure investment with the demands that the growth has on the community. As much as the latest news is important and a great opportunity for discussion, this isn't entirely new ground for us here; it's something we're always thinking about as we go about making plans for the community."
Hurford said that the changing face of the community was a regular discussion point with constituents—after all, Squamish has seen steady growth over much of its history, and is currently seeing a burst in growth.
"It is really challenging, but we all know the only constant is change," he said, saying that growth could be seen as an opportunity to increase amenities and services.
"I think it's quite exciting, and it's important that as development comes forward that our policies at a staff level and the decisions at a political level around the council table can be really impactful, and it's important that we keep in mind where those pinch points are for growth and where the community becomes uncomfortable."
On that, Hurford said there were issues where he hoped the province would come to the table and support communities like Squamish more.
"We've had a transit futures plan that doubled transit service over the five-year term, but the province hasn't come to the table with their part of the funding for two years now."
Hurford said that increasing transit in pace with population growth was an opportunity to help a community understand the ways that population growth could be beneficial.
"There are a lot of pieces here, and investment in our recreational facilities is part of that puzzle too—to make sure we're realizing the potential benefits from growth given the growth is inevitable."
Squamish is projected to see its population increase from around 24,000 today to over 37,000 in 2046—an increase of 53%—well above the provincial increase—but, Hurford said that wasn't surprising.
"We do know that Squamish is a wonderful place to be, so I don't see the demand reducing over time," he said, adding that the DOS projections had traditionally been more aggressive in estimates than BC Stats or Stats Canada numbers for the community.
Hurford said that it was incumbent on the community and the DOS to make the most of the opportunity presented by a growing population and ensure that Squamish developed as a complete community, including ensuring adequate healthcare, education, and places to do business.
"It's a holistic approach to delivering services and setting the table so we're not destined to be a bedroom community of Vancouver—because we are not—we are our own distinct place … A lot of this falls to us at the municipality, and hopefully provincial agencies are listening and responding. I have examples of that working and some that aren't, but hopefully, over time, we can ensure that provincial investment aligns with the growth that we're actually seeing on the ground."
The Squamish Chief reached out to the government of B.C. to allow them a chance to respond to Hurford’s comments and will add any reply to this story when we hear back.
