Squamish Nation signs protocol agreement with City of Vancouver

In this time of reconciliation, First Nations in British Columbia are reclaiming power and that is changing the way cities, the province and the federal government must interact with them.

On Tuesday, the Squamish Nation and the City of Vancouver entered into a protocol agreement that outlines how the relationship between the two governments will move forward.

"There's so many opportunities that come from working together,” said Khelsilem, elected chairperson of the Squamish Nation. “And the Squamish Nation has been so proud of our relationship with the City of Vancouver."

The document says the two governments will “establish a formal process that leads to substantive agreements which support the full enjoyment of Squamish title, rights and jurisdiction within its territory.”

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim signed on behalf of the city.

“Vancouver is a city of reconciliation and this is a great next step towards true and meaningful reconciliation,” he said.

The signing ceremony took place at the Museum of Vancouver in Kits Point where there was once a thriving pre-contact First Nations village known as Senakw.

After B.C. joined confederation, most of Kits Point was set aside as an Indian Reserve – but over time the federal government expropriated portions of it for use by railways.

Then in 1913, settlers forced the remaining Squamish residents onto barges and pushed them into English Bay before burning their homes to make way for other development.

Most of the area is now part of the City of Vancouver and is home to multimillion dollar single-family homes and prime parks including Kits Beach and Vanier Park – although First Nations have never ceded their rights and title to any of it.

Through a lengthy court process, the Squamish Nation has been able to reclaim 11.7 acres of reserve land in an odd-shaped parcel adjacent to the Burrard Bridge.

That is where construction has begun on a new neighbourhood – also known as Senakw – which will eventually be home to 6,000 rental homes in 11 towers.

It will be one of the densest communities anywhere on earth.

“We’re going through a lot of nation-building right now. We’re trying to reclaim jurisdiction, reclaim our ability to pass laws and enforce laws within our communities and territory and so we see opportunities to work with other municipal governments,” Khelsilem said.

Marc Miller, the federal minister responsible for Crown-Indigenous relations has hinted that other First Nations could also see parcels of land returned to them.

“How do we best express the compensation that we owe for past harm?” Miller said in an interview with CTV News. “In some cases, it’s land theft – which can’t simply be replaced by cash. Land is central to the identity of Indigenous peoples and their way of life.”

The Squamish Nation has already announced plans to develop other large parcels of land it owns on the North Shore, Sunshine Coast and in Squamish – with details on the proposed developments coming in 2024.