After hearing Squamish residents’ concerns, the SLRD has held off on adopting amendments to its Regional Growth Strategy that may have created a hurdle for the proposed Garibaldi at Squamish resort.
The regional authority previously planned on adopting the amendments on Wednesday (Jan. 24) but has instead opted to hold a public hearing in Squamish. The tentative date is Feb. 19, with more details to be released in the near future at slrd.bc.ca.
“We had some feedback that residents in Squamish felt that they didn’t have the opportunity to speak to the changes,” said SLRD chair Jack Crompton. “That is something we take very seriously and want everyone to have that opportunity.”
The Regional Growth Strategy, or RGS, is a high-level document that lays out a general outline for how future development will take place in the SLRD.
The debate around proposed amendments to this document has been a highly-contended process that has drawn both applause and ire.
In this case, a spotlight has been cast on the fate of the Garibaldi at Squamish resort, also known as GAS, a proposed all-seasons destination resort in Brohm Ridge.
Changes to the RGS would’ve eliminated destination resort language in the document, among other things, which some perceived as a snipe against GAS.
Proponents of the change to the Regional Growth Strategy say that it will protect the environment, stifle unnecessary urban sprawl and help control traffic on the Sea to Sky Highway. People who are against GAS tend to fall in this camp.
The SLRD has said a number of times over the years that it is against the proposed development.
On the other hand, critics of the RGS amendment say that it unfairly targets the GAS proposal.
Among those opposed to the Regional Growth Strategy amendment are Squamish locals who believe the economy could benefit from jobs the resort would presumably create.
Also against the amendment are representatives of Garibaldi at Squamish.
“Garibaldi at Squamish opposes this proposal to amend the Regional Growth Strategy, which changes our mountain resort project from being specifically encouraged to specifically discouraged,” said Rod MacLeod, the vice-president of planning at Garibaldi at Squamish, in a letter written to the board during last year’s consultations on the matter.
The Squamish Nation has voiced opposition.
A letter from Chief Gibby Jacob last year voiced disagreement with the change, as it could affect economic opportunities for the Nation.
He also accused the SLRD of failing to include First Nations in the consultation process.
However, the SLRD has said that it reached out several times to the Nation to arrange a meeting but never received a response.
