Squamish, British Columbia, is a vibrant community and district municipality nestled at the north end of Howe Sound on the Sea to Sky Highway. With a population of 23,819 according to the 2021 census, Squamish is a hub of history, culture, and outdoor adventure. The Squamish census agglomeration, which includes the First Nation reserves of the Squamish Nation, boasts a population of 24,232.
The indigenous Squamish people have called this area home for thousands of years. The town of Squamish itself was established during the construction of the Pacific Great Eastern Railway in the 1910s, serving as the railway's first southern terminus. Today, Squamish is a popular destination for residents of Vancouver and Whistler seeking an escape from the hustle and bustle of city life.
Squamish is renowned for its outdoor activities, including mountain biking, hiking, and climbing. The Stawamus Chief, a massive granite cliff, is a favorite among rock climbers, offering over 300 climbing routes. The Squamish area is also home to over 1500 rock-climbing routes, including those at Shannon Falls, Murrin Park, The Malamute, and the Smoke Bluffs.
In addition to rock climbing, Squamish has become a major destination for bouldering, with over 2500 problems described in the local guidebook. Kiteboarding and windsurfing are popular water sports during the summer, thanks to the predictable wind on warm sunny days.
Squamish's extensive trail system is a key feature of the annual 50-mile ultra trail run, the Squamish 50. Other tourist attractions include Shannon Falls waterfall, river-rafting on the Elaho and Squamish rivers, snowmobiling on nearby Brohm Ridge, and bald eagle viewing in the community of Brackendale.
Squamish is a diverse community, home to a variety of faiths. The town boasts eleven churches and religious organizations, including several Christian denominations, the Baháʼí Faith, and a Sikh temple.
The Squamish Public Library, located in the downtown area, houses a collection of books, CDs, DVDs, and magazines. It also offers an art for loan collection and an online historical archive of various photographs, periodicals, and other items.
From 2010 until 2016, the municipality hosted the Squamish Valley Music Festival, attracting artists such as Eminem, Bruno Mars, Macklemore, and Arcade Fire.
Squamish has been a popular filming location for numerous movies and TV shows, including Free Willy 3: The Rescue, Insomnia, Before I Fall, Walking Tall, Chaos Theory, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1, Star Trek Beyond, and Woody Woodpecker. The town has also been featured in the television series Men in Trees, The Guard, A&E's U.S. adaptation of The Returned, the Hallmark Channel's Aurora Teagarden mysteries, and Netflix's Lost in Space reboot.
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Squamish had a population of 23,819 living in 9,191 of its 9,906 total private dwellings, a change of 22.2% from its 2016 population of 19,497. With a land area of 104.71 km2 (40.43 sq mi), it had a population density of 227.5/km2 (589.2/sq mi) in 2021.
Squamish has an oceanic climate with warm summers and moderately cold winters. It is one of the wettest inhabited locations in Canada, receiving over 2,200 millimetres (87 in) of rainfall per year, often falling in long stretches through the winter.
Squamish is home to Carbon Engineering, a company focusing on the commercialization of direct air capture technology. A $5.1 billion electric liquefied natural gas export facility is also being built in the area.
Public transportation in Squamish is provided by the Squamish Transit System. Daily bus service to Vancouver and YVR Vancouver Airport is provided by YVR Skylynx with multiple departures every day.
Squamish is made up of several neighbourhoods, including Brackendale, Valleycliff, Downtown Squamish, Dentville, Northyards, Garibaldi Highlands, and Garibaldi Estates.
Nearby localities to Squamish include Cheekye and Paradise Valley.
Squamish has a sister city arrangement with Shimizu, Shizuoka, Japan.
Lois Wynne was granted the Freedom of the City of Squamish on July 3, 2018.
