The concerns she heard weren't new, but they are pressing.
Nearly 20 people were present for Member of Parliament Pamela Goldsmith-Jones's question and answer period with the Squamish Chamber of Commerce at the Squamish Adventure Centre on Jan. 22.
The chamber's executive director, Louise Walker, said of the membership's concerns, "Housing is number one. Transit is number two."
She said 70 per cent of the chamber's membership and Tourism Squamish said they have faced challenges recruiting and retaining staff because of the lack of affordable housing. Some businesses have told her that they might have to relocate out of Squamish, despite offering six-figure salaries.
The West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky MP said the federal government is encouraging communities to present plans or ideas that the government can then workshop.
"We have to be clear, I think, about what we offer the country in terms of creative and forward-thinking ways of putting in policies to get the world we want," Goldsmith-Jones said.
The federal election is in October.
Squamish residents also raised their concerns about fish farms, worsening forest fires, and the TransCanada pipeline.
Goldsmith-Jones also visited Howe Sound Secondary where students told her their primary concerns were about the environment, student loans, and healthcare.
