A Vancouver company has converted a cruise ship into a floating work accommodation that will be used by workers at the Woodfibre LNG project, but it is still waiting for permit approval from the District of Squamish before it can start operating

The “Floatel” looks like a cruise ship sitting in Burrard inlet. But inside, the ship has been converted into luxury worker accommodations and fitted with sustainable energy and waste systems.

The company that converted the ship says it will house more than 600 workers who will be working on the project in Squamish.

Workers get their own bedrooms and bathrooms, complete with the opulent decorations from the cruise ship’s past.

And when they’re not in their rooms, they can work out in an on-site gym, get their laundry done by staff, eat a catered meal, or kick back in the games room with some pool tables and arcade games.

But it’s unclear when the ship will drop anchor near Squamish, since the District of Squamish voted down the LNG company’s permit application last month over potential impacts of the project on the community.

“From the beginning, this company has been committed to minimizing impacts on the community of Squamish,” said Woodfibre LNG president Christine Kennedy.

“We heard loud and clear over years of engagement that the top concerns from the community were impacts on housing, traffic, impacts on community services, and the safety of community members, including impacts on Indigenous women and girls.”

The Mayor of Squamish says he recognizes the work that has been done so far to reduce these impacts, but says the company has a high bar to clear when it comes back to the table.

“We’re a town of 25,000 people, roughly, with a 0.5 per cent vacancy rate in a housing crisis,” said Mayor Armand Hurley.

“We do not have room in our community for the workforce. These measures are, at best, 50-50 to mitigate their risk to achieve their project, while mitigating the risk to the community on the number of things they’re concerned about.”

That said, the Floatel does have approval from provincial, federal, and Squamish First Nation governments.

Kennedy maintains that the workforce won’t deplete housing in Squamish, and non-local workers will have limited access to the community.