Forestry has traditionally been the main industry in the area, and the town's largest employer was the pulp mill operated by Western Forest Products.

In recent years, Squamish has become popular with Vancouver and Whistler residents escaping the increased cost of living in those places, both less than one hour away by highway.

St’á7mes is a community located near the south entrance to the town of Squamish, which lies below the Stawamus Chief, which gets its name from that village.

Attractions include the Stawamus Chief, a huge cliff-faced granite massif favoured by rock climbers.

Predictable wind on warm sunny days makes the Squamish Spit a top kiteboarding location in western Canada.

Solo runners and relay teams run on many of the same trails as the Test of Metal, and pass through Alice Lake Provincial Park and the campus of Quest University.

"The Double" is an award offered annually to the participant with the fastest combined time for both the Test of Metal and Arc'teryx Squamish 50.

[15] Other tourist attractions in Squamish include Shannon Falls waterfall; river-rafting on the Elaho and Squamish rivers; snowmobiling on nearby Brohm Ridge; and bald eagle viewing in the community of Brackendale, which has one of North America's largest populations of bald eagles.

Previous mayors have included Karen Elliot (2018-2022) Patricia Heintzman (2014-2018); Rob Kirkham (2011-2014); Greg Gardner (2008-2011); Ian Sutherland (2002–2008) among others.

Current council members are Lauren Greenlaw, Eric Andersen, John French, Andrew Hamilton, Chris Pettingill, and Jenna Stoner.

There are eleven churches and religious organizations, including several Christian denominations, as well as the Baháʼí Faith, and a Sikh temple.

[24] Usually taking place in August, the event has hosted artists such as Eminem, Bruno Mars, Macklemore, and Arcade Fire.

Examples include the films Free Willy 3: The Rescue (1997), Insomnia (2002), Before I Fall (2015), Walking Tall (2004), Chaos Theory (2008), The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011), The 12 Disasters of Christmas (2012), Star Trek Beyond (2016), Woody Woodpecker (2018), the television series Men in Trees, The Guard, A&E's U.S. adaptation of The Returned, the Hallmark Channel's Aurora Teagarden mysteries, and Netflix's Lost in Space reboot.

Squamish is one of the wettest inhabited locations in Canada, with over 2,200 millimetres (87 in) of rainfall per year, often falling in long stretches through the winter.

Carbon Engineering, a company focusing on the commercialization of direct air capture technology, is headquartered in Squamish.

[44] Public transportation is provided by the Squamish Transit System; this service is free over the summer to students at school age (elementary and secondary).