A spectre haunts Mayor Armand Hurford: The male FortisBC worker out to enjoy a Saturday evening in Squamish.
As he rejected FortisBC’s Temporary Use Permit application for a workforce lodge after a marathon public hearing on September 25, a worried Hurford pondered the consequences of having hundreds of male workers in the community on the weekend.
“A lot of these projects have shift work. Folks come into work a week, two weeks, three weeks, whatever it is. They return to their home communities, be with their friends family, recreate, maybe travel the world. This is hard work done by skilled workers,” he said.
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Then he added, ominously: “And what we see here is a six-day work week. What does Saturday night look like in Squamish….with a 600-person man camp.”
With that question weighing heavily on him, Mayor Hurford suggested the best way to deal with workers is to have FortisBC bus them from Lower Mainland. “You’re going to bus in half the workforce. And on the days off, we’re going to have half the challenges on a Saturday night in Squamish,” he concluded.
The councillors who rejected the FortisBC TUP permit also read from the same playbook, demonizing the workers with well-rehearsed shibboleths. A dark undercurrent has driven much of this council’s decisions regarding blue-collar workers, fueled by fear and loathing and driven by ideology.
Over the past few months, councillors have freely blended misandry and classism with arrogance and hysteria to cast FortisBC workers as potential rapists who must be kept out of Squamish at all costs. In doing so, they have revealed themselves as a clique posing as a council, working, it seems, for special interest groups rather than the citizens of Squamish.
Coun. Greenlaw: “I don’t see why the district would take on the risk to our women.”
Speaking with the zeal of an evangelical pastor, Coun. Lauren Greenlaw made it clear she would not support a Temporary Use Permit that included a liquor license and parking for hundreds of vehicles. She was quick to draw the line to gender violence, a theme she has returned to several times this year.
“I would like to take a moment once again to reiterate that there is a connection between gender violence and the resource industry, and it is, to quote Ms. Brown an unequivocal fact, and there is a reason why I am wearing a red dress tonight. I am disappointed in Ms. Kennedy of Woodfibre LNG for making comments in the media implying that it is the rhetoric of this Council, as opposed to direct findings of the Murdered and Missing Women and Girls,” she said.
Greenlaw continued: “For the district to take on the risk to our women, in particular Indigenous women and the young women living on a campus that will be 450 meters away, to potentially compromise our town’s backup aquifer, which is to say our potential drinking water source, and to very likely kill a locally-owned, fledgling community asset and ecotourism business to boot, seems well, it seems like a lot of risk for the district to take on for an issue that could be addressed with fewer than ten Greyhounds a day from Metro Vancouver.”
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Greenlaw said that she was concerned that by issuing this permit, the district would also be opening itself up for potential lawsuits from environmental groups, “as there has been a growing trend of environmental groups holding governments accountable for environmental and human rights violations, both of which could be introduced by this project and potentially locally business who will be negatively impacted.”
Coun. Pettingill: “My concern is putting these people into camp setting.”
Rejecting the Temporary Use Permit was an easy decision for Coun. Chris Pettingill. “Maybe I’m missing something here for this decision tonight. It doesn’t seem that hard. This seems very, very plain and simple that this is not a good, supportable project. So I will not be voting in favour of the TUP,” he said.
Pettingill has worked hard to ensure Woodfibre LNG and FortisBC workers stay out of town, even asking where Woodfibre LNG workers will be on their off days.
Pettingill said he was unaware that a pipeline worker is a greater risk than another worker, but he was worried about them living together. He cited university dorms as an example.
“It’s when there are collections of people together. My understanding is that some university dorms and so on see elevated levels of sexual assaults and so on. And so my concern is actually more about putting these people into a camp setting, as opposed to having them distributed throughout the community where they are having conversations and interactions and building friendships with people who live here all the time,” he said.
“Fortis has not presented any information about why this is a safer option, and all the data I have seen actually leads me to believe that the camp setting is where the greatest risk is.” He also admonished FortisBC and concluded by saying that they don’t want the camp and can bus people from Vancouver.
“They’ve been told for ten years what the situation our community was. They haven’t been interested. We’ve heard seen the correspondence for a couple years now between Squamish Canyon and Fortis. It’s really frustrating. And I want to point out, as much as we can talk about conditions, you can’t put a condition on every eventuality. You need to trust that proponent is going to make some good-faith efforts to work with your community. Unfortunately for me, they have given me no confidence that they would actually work in good faith to resolve community issues. And so for me, the only thing I’m left with, and the only option available to me, is not to grant the permit. Fortis has also been very clear that they don’t need this.”
Coun. Hamilton: “Gender-based violence escalates with the presence of extractive industries.”
Speaking in language redolent of a university classroom, the academic-turned-politician Andrew Hamilton could not even bring himself to use the word ‘workers’. He clinically referred FortisBC workers as an ‘extractive industry’ while explaining why he would vote against the lodge.
He started by stating two ‘global truths’: “Climate change is caused by the extraction and burning of fossil fuels. Gender based violence escalates with the presence of extractive industries. But those truths are outside the control of our decision today.”
Hamilton continued: “It’s not clear whether it’s safer to have extractive industry living in the community or living in work camps. The result is generally that violence, gender-based violence follows the extractive industry, regardless of how the industry workers are housed. The question tonight is about land use, and our policy reads to permit temporary use to provide short-term opportunity, when considered appropriate by the council, without negatively affecting existing business or surrounding property in terms of noise, lighting, parking traffic and other impacts. We have heard many impacts that this work camp is going to have on surrounding businesses and on surrounding neighbors. The proponent has had well over a year to address these impacts and mitigate these impacts. Our staff have done an amazing job of working with the proponent to push them to more and more mitigation of these clear impacts they’re making on our community. In my view, the proponent has decided not to implement those mitigations, and therefore I will not be supporting this temporary use application.”
Coun. Stoner: “One of the biggest challenges in trying to retain workforce and recruit workforce is housing.”
In voting to support the Temporary Use Permit, Coun. Jenna Stoner surprisingly broke ranks with her fellow councillors and urged them to consider the impact this would have on local housing.
“We are talking about potentially 200 additional people, on top of the 350 people who are already taking up our 0% vacancy rate and they (Fortis workers) did find the hotel rooms, and they did find the rental vacancy spaces by pushing lower-income workers out,” she said.
Stoner continued: “We’ve heard from our business community. We’ve heard from our tourism community that housing is one of the biggest challenges in trying to retain and recruit the workforce. Housing is the benchmark of our community, and we’re willing to give up 200 plus units for the next three years, probably more, and have folks who live in this community who are just trying to make ends meet, and have them competing with folks who have an extra $5,000 of disposable income.”
Coun. French: “Hard workers who are being judged harshly as a threat to our community.”
Coun. John French voted in favour of the permit and said the lodge was better than workers taking up housing inventory.
“The bulk of our hotel rooms will be taken by workers for the next few years, leaving tourists with very few accommodation options. A really tight rental housing situation in Squamish will become even more untenable as the temporary workforce members who don’t want to live in a hotel room bid up rental prices, apartments, secondary suites, carriage houses, tiny homes, and all the other rental spaces we have in our community back and forth every day from Metro Vancouver and the workers will be embedded directly inside our community,” he said.
“So those hard workers who are being judged harshly as a threat to our community, for me, the workforce Lodge, as it’s proposed, in this location, is a good location because it’s in an isolated forest area that is somewhat isolated from residential neighbourhoods. I support the temporary use permit. It offers a better option than putting the hard-working pipeline crew in hotel rooms and scarce rental units over the next couple of years.”
Coun. Andersen: “We know we are going to be able to do better.”
Coun. Eric Andersen also voted in support of the permit and reminded council this won’t be the first time that workers would be living in a camp in Squamish.
“The 2010 Olympics not only had workers for the Olympics themselves but also for the highway upgrade, which wasn’t mentioned earlier. That also involved a work camp here in Squamish. Those were projects that we coped with, and this time, we know we are going to be able to do better.”
Drew says
I couldn’t attend the public hearing. Shame on the council. Once again, we elected the wrong people. This is not my council, this is a My Sea to Sky slate.
Rick Penner says
Wow,their are other options to mediate,starting with smaller steps jointly agreed,
Kris Bastac says
Show me the evidence of male blue collard workers commiting violent acts against women in our community. Show me the assault and vandalism caused by workers enjoying a Saturday night in our town. Where are these unequivocal numbers and precedent these council members are basing these decisions on. You people should be ashamed of yourselves.
Joy Boulier says
Thank goodness John French and Eric Anderson have some smarts. It’s embarrassing to think the rest of council discriminates like this and think all those workers are criminals and rapists etc. Maybe they need to be banned from other communities because they are potential criminals and rapists themselves. What makes them better than anyone else? It’s like banning every single new person that comes to Squamish, all visitors. This council needs to give their heads a shake and maybe they might get some sense. That’s a maybe. They should be ashamed of themselves
Bryan Harrold says
About the only thing councilor TRUMP forgot was the murder gene possessed by those savage enough to build the homes and infrastructure the green woke morons keep banging their gums about
Roy Marcel wey says
Murder genes are not inherited. Lol. I have worked at the Lng in kitimat since 2018. Most workers are polite and represent the project with honor. We have wives, sisters, daughters. People of Squamish would be so lucky . Economy of Squamish would benefit..
Peter Brown says
How incredibly rude and senseless, that your council has rejected the request. Talk about an elitist attitude. Shameful.
I guess it’s time for your council to put a huge gate at each end of the town of Squamish. You know, like the gated community you are obviously trying to build.
Talk about labelling groups of people.
I certainly wouldn’t recommend visiting there.
Lonnie says
Hmmm Kitimat had 10,000 or 15,000 workers in several camps here . Only problem I could see was keeping food on the grocery store shelves . Camp had gym they’re soccer fields. Shell done and is continuing to do a great job here in kitimat . Housing (affordable) . Camps here are fantastic people from all over the world the last 6 years no one has been murdered or raped to my knowledge. Just a bunch of great people making great money and spending some here in kitimat . Putting bread on the table for thousands of families around the world
Alex says
At the next election, only three will get my vote .
Alex
Lisa Hernandez says
These councillors do not represent Squamish – they represent special interest environmental groups.
The Man Camp , as several hysterical councillors have slandered it, will actually have hundreds of women workers as well . Including many local First Nations women from Squamish.
Shame on these councillors for their agenda. At least we know their names, they WILL be voted out next election
Michael lonergan says
No one mentioned that all these workers, all these workers, they’re coming to eat our pets! They are going to be eating our dogs and our cats!
Dennis says
Your council is way out to lunch . Kamloops had these same workers and no insudence in 4 years these are hand picked workers men and woman they raise millions of dollars for soap kitchens and other groups in the comunity where they are working . Not the company but the workers they will spend millions of dollars in your local businesses. I seen a ad the other day inviting people to Squamish maybe they should me talking to city’s where these workers just came from . This is not my community it is yours. I really encourage you to get out and vote on your next election as we have the same problem in kamloops with our council. I my self think all they want is the millionairs to live here and push everyone else out .
Jen says
So let me get this right?
Your telling me that there are no women that work in the camps?
So either we have a company that only hires based on gender,or we have a group of people that have other interests at play?
I can completey respect the want to keep women and children safe,but this just doesn’t seem right?
I take very seriously any potential of harm when it comes to anyone..incl men.
What happens when someone can’t afford,find somewhere to live..what potential risks/funds does that cause the community?
When you have no home,how are you supposed to keep employment?
Again,what risk does that cause the community?
I’m sure it does not help the issue of homelessness and addiction..but that’s no risk right?
What about these women and men that are trying to keep food on the table for there own families?
Giving the workers an opportunity to create there own little community,instead of living in much needed other accommodations.The camp would allow them to have a home away from home,especially for those who are on the road as much as these hard working people can be,it allows for a sense of community and with community comes a sense of belonging.
This should not be an issue of class,or gender!
But it seems to have become one.
It clearly paints these hard working individuals as lower class.
There seems to be no concern on the impact of housing,but I guess that has nothing to do with class either?
With so many other communities that are living alongside these camps,are there any direct examples of these concerns?
I would be more than open to hearing them.
Mark says
Hear me out: Mayor Hurford’s decisions seems to be deeply influenced by unresolved childhood trauma, rooted in Squamish’s rugged history. His family, having lived in the town for generations, likely passed down stories of loggers—tales of men hardened by labor, prone to brawling after too many drinks, and, at times, mistreating or harassing women in town. These memories have become ingrained in his psyche and have shaped his subconscious.
When Hurford looks at FortisBC workers, he may not realize it, but he sees echoes of those old loggers: unruly, aggressive men who embody the worst aspects of that roughneck culture. His mind amplifies these stereotypes, distorting his perception of the workers. His past experiences and deep-seated biases are subconsciously driving his decision-making, with his id subtly guiding his ego.
It doesn’t help that he is involved with My Sea to Sky and is under the sway of Tracy Saxby. You should see her at these public hearings. She strategically positions herself near the councillors, her arms crossed, and with a stare of vigilance that ensures no one steps out of line. Unknown to Hurford, he’s merely swapping the unresolved trauma of his past for a new authority figure.
He could benefit from therapy, a safe space to confront these subconscious biases. Only then might he begin to separate the shadows of his past from the realities of the present, which will free him from the cycle of trauma that clouds his judgment.
Sam says
Interesting psychoanalysis. What about Lauren Greenlaw? She seems to be another one inflicted with traumas, some real, some imagined and some self-inflicted.
She has all that is required to be the modern-day activist: Victim complex, self-righteous anger directed against forces out of one’s control and just the right amount of narcissism to wage a US vs THEM war against the powers that be.
It’s not mentioned in this article, but after her mostly self-referential rant, Mayor Hurford asked that people not applaud her. Has this happened before? I don’t know, but even that possibility can work like an entheogen for most politicians.
There are times I wish Woodfibre LNG had not come to our town. They have riven our community and breathed new life in people who want to position themselves as activists because it’s fashionable and allows them to be part of the zeitgeist.
It’s disconcerting to think there are many Laurens and Pettingills out there, operating purely in binaries, steeped in victimhood and devoid of compassion for anyone who doesn’t conform to their idea of how life should be lived.
Lynda Gerhardt says
This is nuts!and I agree with all the comments! I can’t believe Squamish council is so single minded… camps are all over the province and all over Canada and the world …but .. for some reason squamish thinks they are all the bottom dwellers…
Clouded judgement or just plain stupidity….wow
@ch-187 says
Where do the residents of squamish work, Whistler, Vancouver? Are u a business employing these dangerous mountain men? Send them back to their community jobless so they can vote for progress.
Mike scully says
There is an issue with on-going air pollution from “flare offs” which will only increase along with volume…
Squamish is just starting to recover from the pulp mills daily output…but most are too young to remember those days…
Wendy says
“Resource Extraction” built the roads, paved the way and is the reason Squamish exists as a town at all.
Lived in the Sea to Sky region for 20 years. Wasn’t till I left to work in the “patch” that I could afford to purchase bicycles or ski passes or gear for my kids, or a car I could take to the city or rven the grocery store confidently.
The whole region is rife with NIMBYism; elitist and white collar as it can get.
I personally know people that have made their living in the Gas and Oil industry that are already living amongst the population of Squamish.
How horrific!!
The gender profiling, financial status profiling and wild imaginations of these council members is prejudice; plain and simple.
Hypocrisy is alive and well, nestled amongst the citizens of Squamish…
Ryan says
Union or fortis b.c should take them too court. I mean even bring in the natives is an insult too them. I’d really hate too be paying taxes in Squamish after a law suite is settled. Council really set up tax payers here. Good luck ill be skipping all gas stops here from now on.
jav b says
You have no right to discriminate against blue collar workers. Alot of us which are men as well as JOURNEYWOMAN, have families, kids and are standup community members and just trying to put food on the table and earn an honest living!
The opportunity that this project offers to the community and local businesses is phenomenal and beneficial for advertising and fiscally sound.
This article is defamation of character and is considered discriminatory based on societal class and work class which is also a hate crime.
Everyone that was involved in this article should be disgusted in yourselves.
You’re all a perfect example of why our society is falling apart and being segregated.
John says
I would expect more from a Mayor who has been around long enough to know how this town was built.
Amy says
The mayor never offered an answer, but anyone attuned to the ideological leanings of this council already knows it. To most, the sight of a family breadwinner in an orange vest and yellow hard hat might evoke a sense of duty and hard work. But to this council, such a figure is something far darker—a predator in waiting. Through the eyes of Armand Hurford, a blue-collar worker isn’t a laborer but a lurking menace, a threat to women’s safety.
Councillor Lauren Greenlaw, too, shares this moral landscape, where political allegiance defines one’s virtue or vice. She possesses the soul of a demagogue, her speech dripping with conviction that leaves no room for debate—only decrees. She casts herself as a victim in her rhetoric, framing the world in stark, uncompromising binaries of good versus evil. She reminds one of George W. Bush.