Long-time forestry researcher and consultant Eric Andersen’s name will be on the ballots in a bid for a council seat.
On Tuesday, Oct. 7, Andersen announced his intention. Andersen has volunteered on a number of community organizations, focusing on issues from affordable housing to recreation and the environment.
“Municipal hall is already a very familiar place to me, having served on various district working groups, task forces and committees — and as an interested citizen,” Andersen stated in a press release.
Andersen served as director of Squamish CAN, the Clean Air Society, the Howe Sound Curling Club and as a member of various chambers of commerce and forest industry committees.
“I see an unbalanced jobs-to-housing ratio as a big challenge for Squamish — important to address for economic, but social and also environmental reasons,” he said. “Resigning to becoming a long-distance commuter suburb — a place to just live and play — is not a necessary fate or a good one.”
Moving forward, an Official Community Plan (OCP) review is an important task, Andersen said. The district also needs to look at its marine strategy and complete the estuary plan review, he noted. The Squamish oceanfront is also on top of Andersen’s list.
“The oceanfront plans are important, but in a bigger context,” he said.
