Garibaldi Squamish | A Four-Season Resort for Squamish

Posted on by Meghan

Squamish is a pretty happening place right now. With one the youngest and fastest growing populations in Canada and sandwiched between the #1 ski resort in North America (Whistler Blackcomb), and a world-class city (Vancouver), the town has won the geographic lotto when it comes to an awesome location.

In recent years people have been moving to Squamish in droves, attracted to the recreation lifestyle and tight-knit communitythat this mountain town is famous for. There are many exciting developments transpiring in Squamish and one of the most talked about is Garibaldi Squamish, an all-season mountain resort proposed for ten minutes north of the town.

Garibaldi Squamish (formerly known as Garibaldi at Squamish) is not breaking news. Talks of this resort have been underway to varying degrees for over two decades. In 2016 the project received a conditional Environmental Assessment Certificate from the Provincial Government which was a huge hurdle in the project moving forward. Now the developers, Aquilini Developments and Northlands Properties in conjunction with the Squamish First Nations, have put forward an enticing conceptual master plan for the mountain resort. The most optimistic forecasts are calling for the first phase being operational as early as 2025, the pessimistic forecasts are that it will never break ground at all.

What is proposed for Garibaldi Squamish?

The four-season resort will be built over four phases with the goal of becoming the most ecologically friendly resort ever built. The final product will be a mountain resort sized in between Whistler Blackcomb and Cypress Mountain. The snow conditions and terrain make it an optimal ski resort with a balanced variation of beginner, intermediate and advanced runs. In the summer, the resort will transform into a mountain biking mecca to piggy back on the already booming mountain bike recreation available in Squamish and Whistler. There will also be plenty of village amenities, real estate opportunities and of course, jobs.

Phase One-

Phase One will include the main village area as well as eight chair lifts, 247 hectares of hiking, biking and ski trails and is expected to employ nearly 1,000 people. The village will be accessible via a 10km road from Highway 99. This phase will include some multi-family housing around the Village area as well as 668 employee beds; ten percent of all housing built at the resort will be dedicated staff housing. The earliest expected completion for phase one is 2025 and once complete the resort capacity will be at 4,370.

Phase Two-

Phase Two will double the resort capacity, include an additional three chair lifts and will create employment for 1,800 staff; recreation terrain will increase to 323 hectares. Phase two will only begin once phase one is completely operational and sustainable with an optimistic target date of 2030.

Phase Three-

Phase Three, to be complete by 2035, will take the resort capacity to 12,271. At this point there will be 14 chair lifts, 445 hectares of hiking, biking and ski trails, with 2,400 staff and 2,080 employment beds. Further expansion to the single and multi-family real estate will continue with ski-in ski-out the primary style of accommodation.

Phase Four-

The completion of phase four is extremely optimistic however if this phase were to go ahead they are currently planning for a resort capacity of 17,538, jobs created for 3,045 staff, 21 lifts and 662 hectares of recreation terrain. According to current planning, phase four would be complete by 2040.

What are the pros and cons of Garibaldi Squamish?

With any proposal of this scale and scope there are bound to be varying opinions. Since the inception of Garibaldi Squamish years ago there have been proponents for and against the project. Based on the general feedback from the public, here are what seem to be the biggest pros and cons that have people talking.

Pros

Those in favour of an all-season mountain resort in Squamish are excited about the idea of having a recreational amenity, similar to Whistler, only 10 minutes outside of Squamish. Locals who have been skiing and riding at Whistler are now met with increasing volumes of people and escalating prices making the experience unrealistic for many, especially on weekends. With a ski resort right outside of Squamish skiers, riders, mountain bikers and hikers would have an amazing asset at their doorstep. Families could enjoy this amenity that would make recreation even more accessible for people of all ages and ability levels.

Job creation is another major benefit of this project. Much of the Squamish population commute to Vancouver or Whistler for employment. With nearly 1,000 staff positions expected with phase one, plus on-mountain housing to cater to these positions, the issue of workers and housing will be addressed creating many opportunities for local workers as well as regional and international employees.

Though the project boundaries are currently outside of the District of Squamish there are talks to move this boundary to incorporate the resort within the municipality. If this were to be the case the tax revenue from the resort would help offset some of the high taxes currently distributed amongst local businesses.

The tourism industry would get an enormous boost with an all-season resort which would flow into the local economy benefiting many sectors including the hospitality, construction, retail and services. The Sea to Sky Gondola, though initially had major opposition, has put Squamish on the map when it comes to tourism and has become an incredible community asset.

Cons

Those opposed to Garibaldi Squamish have voiced many concerns about the prospect of a local ski resort. One of the biggest issues related to the project are traffic concerns. The Sea to Sky Highway is already near capacity, especially on weekends, with Whistler traffic passing through Squamish on the way to and from Vancouver. Garibaldi Squamish would heighten this congestion at peak times which worries many, through the resort is planning to address this issue with other stakeholders to find ways to reduce traffic during peak times, such as the use of public transportation instead of private vehicles.

Another hot issue is the competition factor. Many groups and individuals in Whistler have expressed concern about what a ski resort in Squamish would do to visitor numbers in Whistler. Though models show that areas with a cluster of ski resorts tend to have better occupancy overall, there is still a feeling of protectionism from some groups in Whistler concerned about how a ski resort in Squamish could impact the resort town.

The environmental impact of the resort is a huge topic. Anytime a major resort is planned on a significant environmental site concerns are raised. There are 40 conditions issued by the Provincial government that the resort developers must address in order to move the project forward. Water is a big concern as the water needs of a resort of this scale are significant, investigations are underway to find a sustainable water source. The current proposal would cover about 2,500 hectares. Of that 624 hectares would be mountain recreation, 524 hectares allocated to the base area and infrastructure and 54% of the area would be left undisturbed.

The cost to manage and allocate the utilities and infrastructure is another concern to many residents in Squamish. With many of our local amenities needing funding people are concerned that the cost to fund and maintain municipal utilities and infrastructure would be too costly.

What’s next for Garibaldi Squamish

The site of Garibaldi Squamish currently falls within the jurisdiction of the Squamish Lillooet Regional District (SLRD). There are talks of including the resort within the boundaries of Squamish and if this were the case the District of Squamish, as well as local residents, would have much more of a say when it comes to the project. With a very recent change in local government, it is not yet clear where the new mayor and council stand when it comes to the project. Likely a period of public engagement will proceed with the possibility of a referendum to decide if the majority are in favour or opposed to the project.

For those that want more information on Garibaldi Squamish you can visit www.garibaldisquamish.com, those in support of the project can join the conversation on Facebook and Instagram.

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About Meghan

Meghan is a real estate agent who is passionate about connecting lifestyle driven individuals to her vibrant town of Squamish, BC. Meghan was born and raised in Squamish, spent 15 years living abroad, and is now back partnering with her mother Nanci Fulton who has been selling real estate in Squamish for 30 years. Meghan loves representing buyers, welcoming them to her community and helping them find their perfect place to call home.