SQUAMISH, British Columbia, is located halfway between the 2010 Olympic host cities of Vancouver and Whistler, on a stunning ocean-view drive known as the Sea to Sky highway.  A thriving well-established community, Squamish has been positioned as the “Outdoor Recreation Capital of Canada,” poised between two major international tourism destination areas in North America – Vancouver and Whistler.  

With undeveloped Oceanfront lands and a new major, all-seasons ski resort development on the horizon, and a 45 minute commute to Vancouver, Squamish will grow substantially in the years to come, however today it remains somewhat of a hidden gem.    

This valley of 16,000 has the long Pacific inlet of Howe Sound at its southernmost edge and is wrapped in every other direction by peerless mountains. To the east is the marbled wall of the Stawamus Chief, claimed to be the "second largest granite monolith in the world," and to the north and northeast are Mount Garibaldi and the  Diamond Head glacier lording over the region.  To the west is the spectacular Tantalus Mountain range, with glaciers and jaw-dropping jagged summits.

The foremost legacy for Squamish from Vancouver 2010 is the $600 million upgrades made to the Sea to Sky highway (also known as Highway 99) which connects Squamish to Vancouver and Whistler.  It is now only a stunning, scenic, 45 minute drive from downtown Vancouver.  This is one of the key attractions to new home buyers in Squamish.  People see a shorter commute than they would have from the Fraser Valley, and they get to live in a smaller rural location close to the trails, the skiing, the ocean, the city and the many Outdoor Recreation opportunities that exist here.  It is a lifestyle choice many are making.

A century ago, Squamish was grounded in forestry and some of this history still endures, but in recent years it has developed a strong foundation for adventure and tourism by  reinventing itself as Canada’s Outdoor Recreation Capital with an abundance of mountain biking, rock climbing, hiking, wind/kite surfing, yachting, and many other outdoor sports.  

Now, with two major oceanfront developments and a major ski resort development proposed on Brohm Ridge – only 13 km from downtown, already approved or in the final stages of the approvals process, Squamish is poised for major growth. 

Squamish is halfway between Whistler and West Vancouver, two of the highest priced real estate markets in Canada.  It has a stunning setting.  With all that is going on here, it certainly is one of the locations where, as that potential is realized, investors can expect to see a good, if not great return.  There is also a lot of variety available in Squamish – everything from large oceanfront development lots ready to go, to small downtown condos at Studio SQ, or ready to build single family homes in Crumpit Woods.  

The Garibaldi At Squamish all-seasons resort development, and Waterfront Landing are two anchors that will define Squamish as truly ‘Sea to Sky.’  It will be one of the most spectacular destinations on the West Coast of North America, if not the world, for tourists, residents or investors. “