Squamish Marine Access Review
The District of Squamish is conducting a Downtown Marine Access Review to assess community ocean access needs, coordinate marine access areas and infrastructure, and improve ocean access for all marine users.
Advancing actions in the 2018 Marine Action Strategy, the review aims to:
- Create a unified map of marine access points in Squamish, as well as marine areas of cultural, ecological, social, and economic importance
- Assess ocean access needs, challenges, and opportunities in Squamish for all marine users
- Examine boat launching needs and options within the community
- Develop recommendations for Council to improve ocean access, funding, and management
Working with the community, we want to ensure an inclusive, accessible, safe, healthy, vibrant and working waterfront for all.
Let us know what is important to you:
- Take the Marine Access Survey(s) (Surveys now closed. They were open February 17-March 13, 2022)
- Mark the Marine Access Map below to indicate the marine areas that are most important to you (Map now closed. It was open from February 17-March 27, 2022)
- Join us at a Waterfront Pop Up and Community Open House (March-April 2022)
- Comment on draft priorities and marine access recommendations (April-May 2022)
Click here for a map of the core downtown area included in this review. The downtown core marine access review area includes community water access points and infrastructure (existing, interim, planned future) within the Mamquam Blind Channel (upper, mid and lower reaches), and Cattermole Slough (East of Third Avenue).
As part of this process, we have engaged to hear from:
- Community members and visitors to the marine environment
- Outdoor recreationalists
- Community organizations
- Businesses
- Land owners and marine tenure holders
- Commercial and industrial operators
- Government agencies, regulators, and public safety staff
- Marine researchers, educators and citizen scientists
In Spring 2022, staff reviewed and considered the responses from the surveys, marine access mapping tool, and conversations at the community pop-ups. A summary of what we heard and initial directions and recommendations were presented to Council on April 12, 2022. View the Staff Report and Engagement Summary here.
The community insights and priorities identified during this process will inform the recommendations for Council for both short-term and long-term marine access planning. This work will be continuing through the winter and staff expect to bring back an update and recommendations to the District's new Council in early 2023.
Marine Access Areas Mapping
We need your input to develop a community marine access map. Use this mapping tool to add colour-coded pins and comments to identify:
- Where and how marine users currently access the ocean;
- Areas of ecological and community cultural significance for protection and/or restoration
- Existing and future desired ocean access areas, amenities and infrastructure;
- Barriers that currently exist to marine access; and
- Existing marine safety issues or user conflicts.
This will help guide and coordinate plans for improved accessibility, safety, cultural and ecological protections and enjoyment of marine areas in Squamish.
Preliminary informational marine area maps that begin to illustrate the current marine use context, and existing and future planned waterfront areas, trails, amenities and improvements can be viewed HERE.
Átl’ḵa7tsem / Howe Sound holds great importance for the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation), the Squamish community and the Bioregion. The marine environment provides critical ecological functions and supports human health, local and regional economic activity as well as social and cultural values and community use and enjoyment.
While using this tool:
- Your ideas will be public once they have been reviewed.
- Your username and comments may appear in reports to Council as part of engagement reporting.
- Ideas that do not contribute to a safe and respectful space for others, or are unrelated to this topic, will not be posted. Please review our moderation policy.