There are 11,492 homes in Squamish, but only .03% are multi-unit properties, according to new modelling data the district staff will present to the council at a meeting tomorrow, January 14. Multi-unit dwellings include triplexes, four-plexes, carriage houses, cottage clusters, etc.
The so-called Squamish Now data provides a snapshot of housing and is part of the Squamish Insight Model (SIM) the district is developing to understand residential housing better. According to the latest data, 42.6% of all homes in town are single-family homes, 4.9% are two-unit properties, 0.03% are multi-unit, 22.1% are townhouses, and 31.1% are apartments.
The largest number of single-family homes are in Garibaldi Highlands neighbourhood, which has 1,020 single-family homes. In the highlands, 92% of homes are single-family homes. The largest number of townhouses can be found in Mamquam (an informal neighbourhood name for the area immediately north of Mamquam River and west of Highway 99) there are 371 townhomes.
Garibaldi Highlands has the highest number of secondary suites at 264, followed by Valleycliffe with 243 suites and Brackendale with 145 suites. Based on the data, the District of Squamish estimates the town’s population to be 28,561.
In April 2024, the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) approved a $150,000 grant to the District of Squamish to fund a project to enhance land-use planning and decision-making. The funding will go towards a temporary GIS position responsible for creating the Squamish Insight Model (SIM) for residential land use.
The SIM’s development focuses on three major components:
Squamish Now: This is data on current residential development and land uses across the community.
Squamish Next: This will highlight residential projects in the pipeline and offer insights into near-future changes.
Squamish Future: This will speculate on long-term land use and potential developments not yet in the application stage.
The current model is specific to residential land use, but could include employment land uses, though there are no plans to do at this moment.
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