Norman Fennema

HIST 3991: Environmental History

Robin Arens

May 29, 2023

Environmental History of Downtown Squamish

I live on Cleveland Street in Downtown Squamish. This neighbourhood is located in between the Mamquam blind channel and the Squamish river estuary, at the northern end of Howe Sound. Downtown Squamish has existed as a townsite since 1914 [1], however the people of the Squamish Nation have lived in the area for thousands of years [2]. The city’s location is a confluence of ecosystems, a temperate rainforest in the Coast Mountains and the Squamish River Estuary where the Elaho, Mamquam, Cheakamus and Squamish rivers drain into the Pacific Ocean. 

Many millennia ago, during the ice ages before the first human settlements, the Squamish area was covered by a glacial mass exposing only the highest peaks in the mountain range [3]. The movement of these glaciers eroded the area’s bedrock into one of North America’s southernmost fjords [4] with its rounded mountains and granite monoliths, of which the Stawamus Chief is the most recognizable [5]. 

According to local author Kevin McLane, the first inhabitants of this area arrived over 5000 years ago [6]. The people of the Squamish Nation arrived in the area at least a thousand years ago [7], and have lived here ever since. As descendants of the Coast Salish peoples, the people of the Squamish Nation lived in permanent villages in the winter, and in temporary camps in the summer during the gathering season [8]. Besides salmon fishing as their primary food source, they relied largely on the harvesting of fruits, nuts and other plant resources for sustenance, medicine and materials. Notable food plants are salal and camas [9]. Cedar, alder and oceanspray were used for building materials [10], and Oregon grape, Indian consumption plant and cascara were widely used for medicinal purposes [11]. 

European, Chinese and Sikh settlers made their way to what is now Squamish as early as 1874[12]. The local economy at the time primarily revolved around agriculture and forestry, of which the latter saw a significant growth through increasing industrialization around the turn of the century as well as the opening of the Woodfibre pulp mill in 1912 [13]. 

In 1914 construction started on the railroad from Squamish north to Prince George [14] to allow for resource extraction operations to streamline transportation from the interior to Squamish, from where waterways continued on to Vancouver and beyond [15]. During this time period work was also underway on what would become the Seaview Highway, now named the Sea to Sky highway, which connects Vancouver to Lillooet [16]. During the 1960’s and 1970’s, the town undertook construction of a system of dykes to protect the community, highway and railroad [17]. Without these dykes, the town would likely suffer yearly floods during high water periods in the surrounding rivers. 

In 1965 the Chlor-Alkali chemical plant was built in the Squamish River Estuary [18], where Downtown Squamish is now located. This plant, opened for the production of chemicals essential in the pulp and paper industry, heavily contaminated its direct environment, and in 1991 production was halted [19]. The reversal process for this contamination took until 2003 to complete [20], and nowadays this location is home to the Squamish Estuary park and designated a Wildlife Management Area in 2007 [21]. The Estuary “hosts three major vegetation environments: Aquatic, Estuarine and Terrestrial” [22], and is home to a large variety of flora and fauna. 

Besides remediation of the former chemical plant, the Squamish Nation is also working together with the Squamish River Watershed Society to remove the ‘Spit’ which was installed in 1970 to ‘facilitate port development’ [23]. This removal will return tidal connectivity between Howe Sound and the Squamish River Estuary, which in turn will allow for the Chinook salmon run to return to the area [24]. 

On the other side of Downtown, a dredging project is underway to clear the Mamquam Blind Channel, to facilitate use of the waterway for the local economy as well as the Sta’7mes community [25]. On the western shore of the Mamquam Blind Channel construction is underway on the Waterfront Landing Park. Besides creating an area for recreation, this project aims to restore the soil and vegetation of this shoreline [26]. Finally, outside of the Downtown area, other habitat restoration project are also underway [27]

In 1981 construction began on the Tenderfoot Creek Hatchery [28]. This hatchery “was built to provide fishing opportunities for First Nations, recreational and commercial fishers” [29] and is still in use today. The work of the hatchery helps sustain salmon stocks in the Squamish River watershed which in turn assists in sustaining the local population of Bald Eagles. 

Other environmental stewardship projects in Downtown Squuamish include three community gardens [30] as well as a seed library [31] and, in collaboration with the Squamish Nation, an 11,303 hectare Community Forest [32]. The district also assists in organics collection [33] for Sea to Sky Soils, a composting facility in partnership with the Lil’wat Nation [34]. Finally, a number of environmental bylaws have been established by the District of Squamish for the protection of the various ecosystems in the area [35]. 

As mentioned in the introduction, Squamish is where a number of ecosystems come together. This confluence brings with it an abundance of wildlife. The Squamish Estuary, which lies directly besides Downtown Squamish, is home to a variety of species including salmon, steelhead, black and grizzly bear, deer, cougar, rodents, and even a few endangered species [36] While there are a number of animal species that have gone extinct in the province, there are no records that any of these were found in the Squamish area in the past [37]. Currently the area does have issues involving invasive species. The three invasive plants of most concern are Giant Hogweed, Japanese Knotweed and Yellow Flag Iris [38]. Japanese Knotweed is of particular concern due to its potential damage to infrastructure and riparian systems, and as such the Sea to Sky Invasive Species Council is currently actively attempting to stop its spread.

As this paper makes clear, Downtown Squamish has a rich environmental history that started before early First Nations moved to the area. With early European settlers came significant environmental changes of which some have since been reversed, but with the amount of (environmental) restoration projects currently underway, the environmental history of this area is all but concluded.

References

[1] District of Squamish. n.d. “History.” District of Squamish. Accessed May 22, 2023. https://squamish.ca/discover-squamish/arts-culture-and-heritage/history/.

[2] McLane, Kevin. n.d. “History of Squamish.” Squamish Historical Society. Accessed May 29, 2023. https://www.squamishhistory.ca/historyofsquamish.

[3] McLane, Kevin. n.d. “History of Squamish.” Squamish Historical Society. Accessed May 29, 2023. https://www.squamishhistory.ca/historyofsquamish.

[4] David Suzuki Foundation. n.d. “UNESCO Biosphere Reserve: Átl’ka7tsem/Howe Sound.” David Suzuki Foundation. Accessed May 29, 2023. https://davidsuzuki.org/project/howe-sound/.

[5] McLane, Kevin. n.d. “History of Squamish.” Squamish Historical Society. Accessed May 29, 2023. https://www.squamishhistory.ca/historyofsquamish.

[6] McLane, Kevin. n.d. “History of Squamish.” Squamish Historical Society. Accessed May 29, 2023. https://www.squamishhistory.ca/historyofsquamish.

[7] Wikipedia. n.d. “Squamish people.” Wikipedia. Accessed May 29, 2023. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squamish_people.

[8] Mowat, Ken. n.d. “Coast Salish.” The Canadian Encyclopedia. Accessed May 29, 2023. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/coastal-salish.

[9] Chapman Turner, Nancy, and Marcus A. Bell. 1971. “The Ethnobotany of the Coast Salish Indians of Vancouver Island.” Economic Botany 25, no. 1 (January): 91. https://www.jstor.org/stable/4253212.

[10] Chapman Turner, Nancy, and Marcus A. Bell. 1971. “The Ethnobotany of the Coast Salish Indians of Vancouver Island.” Economic Botany 25, no. 1 (January): 92. https://www.jstor.org/stable/4253212.

[11] Chapman Turner, Nancy, and Marcus A. Bell. 1971. “The Ethnobotany of the Coast Salish Indians of Vancouver Island.” Economic Botany 25, no. 1 (January): 92. https://www.jstor.org/stable/4253212.

[12] McLane, Kevin. n.d. “History of Squamish.” Squamish Historical Society. Accessed May 29, 2023. https://www.squamishhistory.ca/historyofsquamish.

[13] Wikipedia. n.d. “Woodfibre, British Columbia.” Wikipedia. Accessed May 29, 2023. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodfibre,_British_Columbia.

[14] McLane, Kevin. n.d. “History of Squamish.” Squamish Historical Society. Accessed May 29, 2023. https://www.squamishhistory.ca/historyofsquamish.

[15] Wikipedia. n.d. “BC Rail.” Wikipedia. Accessed May 29, 2023. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BC_Rail.

[16] Wikipedia. n.d. “British Columbia Highway 99.” Wikipedia. Accessed May 29, 2023. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Columbia_Highway_99.

[17] Manzl, Helmut, and Alex Ratson. 2021. “Here’s a bit of history about Squamish’s dikes.” Squamish Chief, December 23, 2021. https://www.squamishchief.com/opinion/opinion-squamish-diking-history-contributed-to-todays-development-boom-4894638.

[18] Ministry of Environment. 2009. Nexen: Former Chlor-Alkali Plant, Squamish, BC. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/air-land-water/site-remediation/docs/remediation-project-profiles/nexen.pdf.

[19] Ministry of Environment. 2009. Nexen: Former Chlor-Alkali Plant, Squamish, BC. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/air-land-water/site-remediation/docs/remediation-project-profiles/nexen.pdf.

[20] Ministry of Environment. 2009. Nexen: Former Chlor-Alkali Plant, Squamish, BC. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/air-land-water/site-remediation/docs/remediation-project-profiles/nexen.pdf.

[21] Government of British Columbia. n.d. “Skwelwil’em Squamish Estuary Wildlife Management Area – Province of British Columbia.” Gov.bc.ca. Accessed May 29, 2023. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/plants-animals-ecosystems/wildlife/wildlife-habitats/conservation-lands/wma/wmas-list/skwelwil-em-squamish-estuary.

[22] Squamish Environmental Society. n.d. Estuary 101. http://cloud.squamishenvironment.ca:1080/products/files/doceditor.aspx?fileid=158&doc=Wlo2cFEyck5VbUkvMWpCM2pVenBNZ3NyaG9ORkhNTkJlQU9KS1pUYUFYMD0_IjE1OCI1#.

[23] “History.” n.d. Restore The Shore. Accessed May 29, 2023. https://www.restoretheshore.ca/history.

[24] Squamish River Watershed Society. n.d. “SRWS) – Updates.” Squamish River Watershed Society. Accessed May 29, 2023. https://www.squamishwatershed.com/updates#/.

[25] District of Squamish. n.d. “Mamquam Blind Channel (MBC) Long-Term Maintenance and Dredging Strategy.” District of Squamish. Accessed May 29, 2023. https://squamish.ca/yourgovernment/projects-and-initiatives/mamquam-blind-channel-long-term-maintenance-and-dredging-strategy/.

[26] District of Squamish. n.d. “Waterfront Landing Park.” District of Squamish. Accessed May 29, 2023. https://squamish.ca/yourgovernment/projects-and-initiatives/waterfront-landing-park/.

[27] District of Squamish. n.d. “Future Garibaldi Springs Park.” District of Squamish. Accessed May 29, 2023. https://squamish.ca/yourgovernment/projects-and-initiatives/proposed-garibaldi-springs-park/.

[28] Government of Canada. 2022. “Tenderfoot Creek Hatchery.” Fisheries and Oceans Canada. https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/sep-pmvs/hatcheries-ecloseries/tenderfoot-eng.html.

[29] Government of Canada. 2022. “Tenderfoot Creek Hatchery.” Fisheries and Oceans Canada. https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/sep-pmvs/hatcheries-ecloseries/tenderfoot-eng.html.

[30] Squamish Climate Action Network. n.d. “Community Gardens.” Squamish CAN. Accessed May 29, 2023. https://www.squamishcan.net/community-gardens.

[31] Squamish Climate Access Network. n.d. “Seed Library & Seedy Sunday.” Squamish CAN. Accessed May 29, 2023. https://www.squamishcan.net/seeds.

[32] Weber, Sarah, Adrian Litz, and Jeffq Fischer. 2022. Management Plan #1 Squamish Community Forest Community Forest Agreement K5Y. https://squamishcommunityforest.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/SQCF-Management-Plan-February-2022_signed.pdf.

[33] District of Squamish. 2023. “Organics Collection.” District of Squamish. https://squamish.ca/our-services/garbage-and-waste-diversion/curbside-collection/organics/.

[34] Sea to Sky Soils. n.d. Sea to Sky Soils. Accessed May 29, 2023. https://www.seatoskysoils.com/.

[35] District of Squamish. n.d. “Environmental Protection & Bylaws.” District of Squamish. Accessed May 29, 2023. https://squamish.ca/our-services/environment-and-sustainability/environmental-protection-and-bylaws/.

[36] Government of British Columbia. n.d. “Skwelwil’em Squamish Estuary Wildlife Management Area – Province of British Columbia.” Gov.bc.ca. Accessed May 29, 2023. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/plants-animals-ecosystems/wildlife/wildlife-habitats/conservation-lands/wma/wmas-list/skwelwil-em-squamish-estuary.

[37] Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks. n.d. Extinct and Extirpated Species. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/plants-animals-and-ecosystems/species-ecosystems-at-risk/brochures/extinct_extirpated_species.pdf.

[38] District of Squamish. n.d. “Invasive Species.” District of Squamish. Accessed May 29, 2023. https://squamish.ca/our-services/environment-and-sustainability/invasive-species/.