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THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026
S Q U A M I S H C H I E F. C O M
HOUSING CRUNCH STILL CAUSING LOCAL STAFFING WOES
‘Housing affordability and cost of living are the biggest drivers of staffing shortages overall, but for a meaningful subset of businesses’: Chamber of Commerce WILL JOHNSON For The Squamish Chief
PHOTO BY JENNIFER THUNCHER/THE SQUAMISH CHIEF
A lack of affordable housing in town is one of the main factors employers say they struggle with in finding quality, long-term employees.
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survey conducted of its members in February, the findings were dire. “Fifty six per cent of respondents said they’d faced recruitment or retention difficulties in the past year. When we asked why, the two most common answers were a shortage of skilled, experienced applicants and the cost of living—with a lack of affordable housing, both to rent and to buy, close behind,” she told The
36 - 40632 Government Road
Squamish Chief. “Several members told us these issues are connected: without affordable places for workers to live, and without reliable transit to get them there, local employers, especially in food, accommodation and other front-line service roles, are struggling to fill positions.” She said consumers will see this reflected in reduced hours, limited service and higher
1214 Granite Drive
TEMPORARY FOREIGN WORKER CHANGES AFFECTING EMPLOYMENT NUMBERS The staffing problem in Squamish is compounded by issues surrounding the HOUSING: Continued on 2
301-41328 Skyridge Plac ce
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prices.
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o affordable housing equals no qualified staff. That’s one of the mathematical equations at play in Squamish, where business owners are scrambling to find suitable candidates for the myriad of jobs on offer. As the housing crisis intensifies, this trend seems poised to continue, unless something meaningful is done to attract and retain talent to the Sea to Sky Corridor. It’s not an easy issue to address. According to Anne MacKenzie, executive director of the Squamish Chamber of Commerce, the problem is multi-faceted. In a
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