Squamish

Squamish sits between the mountains and the sea on the Sea-to-Sky Highway, a former logging and rail town now shaped by climbers, mountain bikers, and remote workers drawn to its scenery, which has pushed housing costs sharply upward even as the town keeps a tight-knit, outdoorsy feel. Average household income here runs around $110,000, but that figure masks how unevenly it's spread, and low-wage service and seasonal workers are often one bad month away from losing housing. The 2023 Metro Vancouver homeless count, which includes Squamish in its regional tally, found over 4,800 people experiencing homelessness across the region, and local outreach workers note the number in Squamish itself has been steadily climbing as people get priced out of Vancouver and Whistler alike. The Squamish Helping Hands Society runs a shelter and resource support that's often the first stop for people new to the street here. Squamish Food Bank Society can help fill the gaps when money runs short, and Sea to Sky Community Services offers broader support including counseling and housing help. Winters are wet and cold rather than brutally frozen, but exposure still kills, so layering and staying dry matters as much as staying warm. You are not invisible here, and there are people in this town who want to see you make it through the week, then the month, then whatever comes next.