Amendments made to Camping Bylaw in response to public feedback

May 19, 2021 – The Squamish Camping Bylaw, which is part of a suite of bylaws to help us manage the influx of visitors each summer,  was rolled back and given an amended third reading during the District of Squamish Special Business meeting on Tuesday, May 18, with changes being made following public feedback about the Blue Area denoted in Schedule A of the bylaw. The bylaw, along with the Parks and Traffic Bylaw amendments will be considered for adoption in the coming weeks.

 “We have received much correspondence about the Camping Bylaw changes currently being discussed at the Council table, and while we haven’t been able to respond to every person, their input has been read and considered,” says District of Squamish Mayor, Karen Elliott. “We have made an amendment to the bylaw to respond to one of the biggest concerns we’ve heard about – the Blue Area – and also hope to clarify some of the misperceptions in order to increase public confidence in the approach that is proposed. Thank you to all who have taken the time to reach out.”

 The primary amendments to the Camping Bylaw are as follows:

• A new section 3.1 states: “This bylaw applies to any Public Place within the territorial jurisdiction of the District”.
  • Reference to a Blue Area has been removed. The reference to “north of the Mamquam” has been removed.
• Schedule A (the map) has been amended to remove the Blue Area, and has added Smoke Bluffs Park as a third Red Area (in addition to the Mamquam Forest Service Road and Estuary); the three Red Areas do not allow camping or temporary overnight sheltering.

Clarification of key aspects of the plan

The District wishes to clarify the following key aspects of the bylaw amendments, the visitor/camping management approach and our approach to supporting homeless citizens:

• The District’s priority is to build supportive housing for homeless people as well as low income housing, with the support of provincial and federal funding. We continue to work with the Province and social service agencies to create solutions that safely house those in need. Under One Roof (40 units) and the Buckley Avenue affordable rental project under construction (76 units) are two such projects, and we are working hard to secure more.

• The bylaw provides regulatory tools that do not currently exist in our existing bylaws. Should the need arise, these tools will prevent the formation of encampments by providing criteria under which temporary sheltering for homeless people on public lands is allowed, while ensuring that Squamish’s most vulnerable residents are treated with compassion and have the support they need. Municipalities must provide public land for the homeless to temporarily shelter overnight, and the bylaw provides us with tools to regulate this: 

• • Shelters and belongings must be removed by 9 a.m.
  • A person cannot return to the same location two nights in a row. They must be 50m away.
  • Shelters cannot go up within 20m of a playground, a building, or on a trail or school ground, nor some specifically identified public places Downtown. 

• Visitors are not allowed to camp in municipal parks or on roadways, and we have added bylaw resources to support enforcement and to respond to complaints. Visitors will be directed to camp in a designated campground or recreation site, which collectively offer 728 campsites per night in Squamish.

 The bylaws and visitor management strategy will be monitored closely throughout the summer, and changes may be introduced to address emerging needs or issues.

Local collaboration underway

The District has initiated frequent meetings with local stakeholders to address visitor and camping management throughout the summer. Representatives of the Province, Squamish Nation, Tourism Squamish and recreation groups are meeting regularly to discuss issues and solutions. 

“The bylaw amendments are designed to support the immediate issues facing us and resident input will be invaluable over the summer to identify where enforcement is needed and hot spot areas to be addressed,” concludes Elliott. “With the proposed bylaw enforcement tools in place, the District is in a better position to help neighbourhoods cope with the historic visitor impacts they have experienced.”

An updated frequently asked questions is available at squamish.ca/visitor-camping-management/faq.

May 19, 2021