According to the strategic plan endorsed by our municipal council last summer, Squamish is slated to become a hub for entrepreneurs, change agents and innovators. How are we doing so far?
It seems new ventures pop up on a weekly basis in this town and they fold with the same frequency. Even business-catalyst associations have found the going tough. StartUp Squamish, an ambitious local commercial incubator, shut its doors permanently after just one year of operation. And the future of the Inside Edge Knowledge Association, another innovation facilitator, is uncertain. It was touted as a collection of business trendsetters “with the vision to diversify the Sea to Sky Corridor into a prosperous network of industry professionals providing the community and province with excellence in technology, design and new media.”
Michael Kanka, a member of the group and a partner in a Squamish-based photography firm, says the organization appears to be inactive these days. Still, he believes operations like Inside Edge are needed, “because if it comes to business development or opportunities for new businesses, Squamish seems like an aimless ship to me.” Kerry Brown, who was instrumental in launching the group, says a number of the longtime directors burnt out or ended up moving on to other pursuits.
But many new businesses are thriving here. Pinkbike, a popular online mountain biking portal, recently moved its headquarters to Squamish. On the technology front, Carbon Engineering, a world leader in carbon dioxide capture systems, has set up shop on the Squamish Oceanfront Lands.
And another recent arrival, Quantum Technology Corp., has taken on a number of helium gas purification projects and is working on a high-resolution telescope. Of course, the most impressive start-up on the block, the Sea to Sky Gondola, has surpassed all expectations and is garnering international attention.
Outdoor-oriented retail ventures are also thriving. Drew Hitchmough opened the doors of Urban Alpine six years ago in Garibaldi Village. The sporting equipment and apparel shop offers first-rate service and a wide-ranging selection of merchandise that rivals or surpasses anything available in Whistler.
Jeff Levine, who runs the Sea to Sky Adventure Company, says his operation has “exciting plans underway.” The popular guided tours and outdoor equipment rental outfit is expanding to include rock climbing and a new paddling centre in Britannia Beach. Another local enterprise, One Ocean Expeditions, is an innovative cruise company that offers educational tours to remote destinations.
And the Garibaldi at Squamish four-season resort could join the mix after receiving a provincial environmental assessment certificate last month. That megaproject has the potential to completely alter the Squamish business landscape.
