Squamish mountain biking scene generates $8 million annually

The mountain biking scene in Squamish, B.C., pulls in a lot of money for the community, about $8 million by one estimate.

A new economic impact study completed by the Squamish Off-Road Cycling Association (SORCA) has pegged the money funnelled into the community by the bike trails in the area at $8 million in 2013.

SORCA interviewed 451 riders throughout Labour Day weekend in 2013 and counted 1,339 riders on some of the major trails. They found that 75 per cent of riders did not live in Squamish. Those who were not from town spent an average of 2.5 nights in town that weekend and spent $250 each, 37 per cent of that was for accommodations. From these, and other numbers compiled, SORCA came to their $8 million estimate. They used a 26-weekend season to estimate 24,965 riders has visited the town to use the trails in 2013.

The study also found almost half of riders surveyed rode in Squamish five or more times each year. Seventy-four per cent of riders were from B.C. and more than half from the lower mainland. SORCA says the ridership has quadrupled since 2006, based on a similar economic impact study done by the Moutain Bike Touring Association that year.

“Because it has always been there, I don’t think people realize how much of a contributor it is,” SORCA president Jeff Cooke told local newspaper The Chief. “The mountain biking industry is exploding and we are in the perfect position to take advantage of that.”

Major events in the area that attract spectators and high traffic were not considered in the estimate numbers, meaning money brought in from the sport could be higher still.

SORCA plans to use their economic impact study to support a 2014 municipal grant application. The grant, which they also received in 2013, is worth $60,000 and would be used to hire a spring crew to clear and maintain trails. In 2013, it allowed the organization to hire three workers for 16 weeks.