Elevated in every sense of the word

Locally known simply as "The Highlands," this is the neighbourhood Squamish residents aspire to. Perched on the eastern hillside above the valley floor, homes here enjoy sweeping views of the ocean, the Squamish Valley, and the surrounding mountain ranges — and streets lined with old-growth trees that make every drive feel like you're entering a national park.

The lifestyle is quiet and community-minded, with limited through-traffic keeping the streets genuinely safe for kids and dogs. Trail access is immediate and world-class — the Highlands trail network is a mountain biker's dream, and hikers can disappear into the forest in minutes. Garibaldi Provincial Park borders the area, adding an almost absurdly beautiful natural backdrop to everyday life.

Everything nearby — nothing in the way

The Highlands sits just up the hill from Garibaldi Village Centre, putting shops, restaurants, and services within a five-minute drive. Downtown Squamish adds another five minutes. Whistler is 40 minutes north; Vancouver is an hour south.

The buyer who wants the full package

Two things to factor in

Convenience and community in equal measure

Known locally as "The Estates," this established neighbourhood sits at the foot of Garibaldi Highlands, bordered by the Mamquam River to the south and the Squamish River to the east. It's Squamish at its most functional — walkable to the main shopping hub, close to schools and parks, and with trail access starting right at the back of many properties.

The housing mix is genuinely diverse: everything from affordable condos and mobile homes in Timbertown to well-established family ranchers, townhomes, and larger custom homes. This range is exactly what makes The Estates so appealing — it's one of the few neighbourhoods that works for first-time buyers, growing families, and downsizers at the same time. The Squamish Valley Golf Club adds an unexpected touch of green space and serenity right along the southern boundary.

Squamish's best-stocked neighbourhood

Garibaldi Village Centre — anchored by London Drugs, Canadian Tire, and a cinema — sits at the heart of the neighbourhood. Add a walk-in clinic, sushi, Indian, Mexican, cafés, and a BC Liquor Store, and daily life in The Estates is genuinely well served.

The neighbourhood that works for everyone

Two things worth understanding

Designed for the discerning, built for the outdoors

University Highlands — centred around the award-winning University Heights development by Holborn, designed by internationally acclaimed architect Frits de Vries — is Squamish's most architecturally refined neighbourhood. Situated at the highest elevation in the city, it offers panoramic views of the Stawamus Chief, the Tantalus Range, and the valley below that genuinely rival anything in the corridor.

The neighbourhood has a serene, almost private feel — quiet cul-de-sacs, thoughtfully spaced homes, and a community amenity space with a pump track, playground, and dog park. It sits adjacent to Quest University and Coast Mountain Academy, making it a natural draw for faculty, executives, and anyone who wants a luxury lifestyle without sacrificing trail access or community feel.

Elevated but never isolated

University Highlands is perched high on the hill but remains a five-minute drive to Garibaldi Village Centre for daily shopping, and ten minutes to downtown Squamish. Whistler is 40 minutes north; Vancouver is an hour south.

Squamish's luxury buyer demographic

Two things to understand first

Squamish at its most authentic

Tucked at the southern end of Squamish between the iconic Stawamus Chief, the Smoke Bluffs, and the Stawamus River, Valleycliffe is where Squamish's original outdoor culture lives. This is a neighbourhood of longtime residents, rock climbers, mountain bikers, and families who chose Squamish for the lifestyle — not the commute. It has the unpretentious, community-first energy that defines what makes small mountain towns special.

Flat, accessible lots with quiet streets make it genuinely liveable. The trail network here is world-class — the Smoke Bluffs are a short hike with spectacular views over Howe Sound, and the Valleycliffe trail system is legendary among mountain bikers. New developments like SEAandSKY by Bosa are bringing modern townhome options with Chief views and a future waterfront clubhouse, adding a fresh dimension to the neighbourhood's character.

Local feel, downtown close

Valleycliffe has its own local shopping strip — general store, coffee, pub, hair salon — and sits just five minutes from downtown Squamish. Vancouver is 40–45 minutes south; Whistler is about 50 minutes north.

Value, lifestyle, and authenticity

Two things worth knowing

Where the forest meets the living room

Crumpit Woods sits above Valleycliffe on the Plateau — one of Squamish's newest and most sought-after residential areas. It's a neighbourhood purpose-built for people who don't want to drive to the trailhead, because the trailhead is the neighbourhood. The Valleycliffe trail system — world-class mountain biking and hiking, including sections of the legendary Test of Metal race route — starts at the edge of the street.

The architecture sets this area apart from anywhere else in Squamish. Custom builds dominate: West Coast contemporary homes with expansive windows, soaring ceilings, and outdoor living spaces designed to frame the Chief, Howe Sound, and the Tantalus Range. The neighbourhood is still growing, which means buyers can find vacant lots for a true custom build alongside finished homes in an already-established setting.

Secluded feel, short drive to everything

Crumpit Woods feels private and immersed in nature, but it's a 10-minute drive to downtown Squamish and a short bike ride down the hill to Valleycliffe's local shops. You can reach Vancouver in under an hour and Whistler in 45 minutes.

Squamish's outdoor luxury buyer

Two things to plan around

Small-town walkability, big mountain backdrop

Downtown Squamish is the neighbourhood for people who want to leave the car at home. Cleveland Avenue is the commercial spine — independent cafés, restaurants, gear shops, yoga studios, and local breweries like A-Frame and Backcountry Brewing anchor a genuinely walkable urban experience set against an absurdly dramatic natural backdrop.

The estuary trails begin at the edge of downtown, connecting to the Squamish River and Howe Sound. The waterfront and marina are walkable. The Saturday Farmers Market draws the whole community. And an enormous new waterfront development — Oceanfront Squamish — is transforming the formerly industrial south end of downtown into what analysts are comparing to a Sea-to-Sky version of Coal Harbour. It's the most dynamic neighbourhood in Squamish for development watchers and urban lifestyle seekers alike.

Everything within walking distance

Downtown is uniquely self-sufficient within Squamish. You can shop, eat, exercise, and access trails without a car. Major retail (Walmart, Canadian Tire) is a short drive north; Whistler and Vancouver are both under an hour.

The urban-outdoor hybrid buyer

Two things to factor in

The neighbourhood in transition — in the best way

Northyards sits at the confluence of the Squamish and Mamquam Rivers, positioned centrally between downtown and Garibaldi Village. It's a neighbourhood that blends long-established residential streets with newer condo and townhome developments, creating a diverse community of young families, working professionals, and longtime Squamish residents.

Recent years have brought a wave of well-designed townhome and condo developments that have elevated the neighbourhood's appeal without eliminating its authentic character. The Railway Heritage Park, climbing centres, breweries, yoga studios, and bakeries are all within easy reach. The Spit — Squamish's legendary kiteboarding and windsurfing destination — is a short ride away, and the estuary trail network connects the neighbourhood to downtown and beyond.

A five-minute drive from everything

Northyards' central position means no part of Squamish is far. Downtown and Garibaldi Village are each about five minutes in opposite directions, covering everything from boutique coffee to big-box retail.

Value, centrality, and community

Two things to be aware of

A private oasis, not a neighbourhood

Paradise Valley — aptly named — lies in the Upper Squamish area, 20 minutes north of town along a quiet road that leads away from the highway into a valley of rivers, forests, glaciers, and mountains. It is one of the most beautiful rural living environments in British Columbia, and it is resolutely non-urban in character.

Properties here are acreage-based — valley-bottom lots ranging from a couple of acres to large farmland parcels, some cleared and farmed, some thick with coastal rainforest. The Cheakamus River runs through or borders many properties, providing world-class fishing, kayaking, and the daily meditative presence of moving water. Some properties are leasehold (leased from the Provincial Government) rather than freehold, which is a critically important distinction buyers must understand before proceeding.

Self-sufficient by design

Paradise Valley buyers accept a trade-off: extraordinary natural surroundings in exchange for driving to amenities. Squamish's full services are 20 minutes away on Highway 99, and many residents plan their town trips accordingly. This is not a neighbourhood for buyers who need daily convenience.

A very specific buyer — who will love it completely

Critical considerations for rural buyers

One of BC's most characterful small communities

Britannia Beach is unlike anywhere else on the Sea-to-Sky. Once home to one of Canada's largest copper mines — operating from 1904 to 1974 — the village has evolved into an artisan community of rare charm, perched on a hillside overlooking the deep, dramatic waters of Howe Sound. The Britannia Mine Museum anchors the community's heritage, but the living experience is anything but museum-like.

Residents here are a mix of longtime locals, creative types, and families who made a deliberate choice to slow down. The pace is genuinely different — beachside picnics, community gatherings, walks along the shore. A growing new-build section of the community is bringing modern family homes while maintaining the village's heritage character. With major development plans in the works, buyers who get in before that change are positioned particularly well.

A village by design, not by default

Britannia Beach is genuinely small — that's its appeal. A general store and the Mine Museum are the primary local anchors. Squamish, 10 minutes north, covers everything else. For Vancouver commuters, the location actually shaves 10 minutes off the trip compared to north Squamish.

A deliberate choice for deliberate people

Two important considerations

Modern living,
mountain backdrop

Tantalus sits just north of Garibaldi Estates along Tantalus Road, named for the range that dominates the skyline from most streets. Skyridge, the neighbourhood's marquee development, is Squamish's largest Built Green certified project — contemporary townhomes and condos with wide-plank oak floors, rooftop decks, and panoramic views of the Chief, Shannon Falls, Skypilot, and Howe Sound.

Highline by Polygon, built on the former Garibaldi Springs golf course, adds 310 ground-oriented homes — cottages, duplexes, and townhomes set among protected green space and trail networks. The Executive Suites Hotel and Resort rounds out the area with on-site restaurant, pool, and spa. Tantalus feels finished in the way newer Squamish developments rarely do — considered, well-built, and consistently popular with buyers who want modern finishes and trail access in the same postcode.

Well positioned
in every direction

Tantalus Road runs north toward Brackendale and the backcountry, south connecting to the highway and Garibaldi Village. Self-contained for daily life without being isolated from the rest of Squamish.

The buyer who wants
new, and means it

Tantalus is for buyers who want engineered hardwood, heat pumps, SmartHome integration, and a rooftop deck with an unobstructed view of the Chief — not character homes and mature trees.

Two things to
understand first

A growing town with
limited commercial land

Squamish's commercial and industrial market operates under a fundamental constraint: land supply is genuinely tight. The rezoning of former industrial sites — Loggers Lane, the Oceanfront peninsula, estuary parcels — has reduced available employment land inventory significantly. For buyers and tenants this means lower vacancy, more competitive terms, and a stronger case for acting when the right property appears.

The market is anchored by Highway 99, which carries 10,000–16,000 vehicles per day through Squamish. Four distinct areas make up the commercial landscape: Downtown Squamish, the Squamish Business Park, the Garibaldi Highlands commercial node, and the emerging Squamish Oceanfront.

Four areas.
Four different businesses.

What's available
and what to expect

The Oceanfront.
Squamish's next chapter.

The Squamish Oceanfront is the most significant commercial development in Squamish's history — 100 acres on the former industrial peninsula at the south tip of Downtown, being developed by Matthews West over a 20-year build-out. The masterplan includes The Works (light industrial, R&D office), The Campus (education and innovation), The Yards (mixed-use commercial), and The Village (retail, maritime character).

Three things that
matter most here