District clarifies latest offer to CUPE 2269

Amidst ongoing, escalating job action by CUPE Local 2269 representing approximately 250 District of Squamish employees that began October 2, the District is working to address the two main Union issues - affordability and work/life balance. The two sides have been to the table twice since October 1, and each side presented a new proposal.

The District’s most recent proposal was in direct response to the Union’s concerns related to affordability by reallocating the general increase amount offered at the bargaining table to provide additional support to the lowest paid employees. This included a wage increase to $27.50 per hour for the lowest paid employees, and a general wage increase offered to all other positions of 3.26% in 2025 and 2.99% in 2026. This builds on the 11.5% increase received over three years (2022, 2023, 2024), and a one-time cost of living payment of 4.5% in 2024. Vancouver, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, and Maple Ridge CUPE unions have all agreed to general wage increases of 3.5% and 3%.  

To address work/life balance, the District offered to decrease the time it would take Union employees to achieve four weeks of paid vacation. Employees would receive four paid weeks of vacation after four years of service (rather than the current five years). This change would give District of Squamish employees additional vacation time earlier than many other municipalities including Metro Vancouver municipalities and the Resort Municipality of Whistler.  Compressed work schedules were also offered by the District. Employees who were not offered compressed hours of work due to operational and service requirements were offered the opportunity to bank and use additional overtime to provide them with additional paid time away from work.

In the Union’s latest proposal, they increased their initial position, which included an 8.5% wage increase over two years, to a 16.5% wage increase over four years.

“We highly value our CUPE 2269 employees for the hard work and commitment they demonstrate every day in serving the community,” says District of Squamish Mayor Armand Hurford. “Our goal is to reach a fair Collective Agreement that recognizes the Union’s concerns on affordability and work/life balance. However, this must be achieved within the financial reality of the District’s budget as Council is also responsible to taxpayers. With the draft 2026 budget tabled for discussion this week showing a potential 13.2% increase in the property tax revenue required over last year, we are in a very challenging position to balance all community needs. We are not the City of Vancouver; we are a community of just 30,000 people.”

Approximately 53% of CUPE Regular Full-Time employees already earn a base salary of $75,000 or more, and all regular part-time and full-time employees receive a rich benefits package that includes dental; orthodontics; vision care; prescriptions and paramedical services that have a $1500/year maximum per family member. Regular employees also enrol in the Municipal Pension Plan which provides financial stability in retirement.

The District remains focused on reaching a Collective Agreement that provides a fair employment package to employees and thoughtfully allocates taxpayers’ money. The current CUPE job action continues to escalate where union employees have stopped performing pieces of their job while continuing to receive full pay. Management staff are performing this work to ensure that the impacts to residents are being mitigated. For a complete list of impacts from CUPE 2269 job action, view the Current Operational and Service Impacts section at squamish.ca/strike.

October 9, 2025