šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm Street signs unveiled today at community celebration
Street name gifted by Musqueam in 2022 replaces former Trutch Street
Today, xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam Indian Band) and the City of Vancouver proudly unveiled the street signs for šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm Street. Each street corner will display two street signs: the legal name šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm Street and its English translation Musqueamview. This is the first street sign in Vancouver featuring Musqueam’s traditional language, hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓.
The street, formally known as Trutch Street, is a residential north-south street in Vancouver’s Kitsilano neighbourhood. The street was previously named after Joseph Trutch, B.C.’s first Lieutenant Governor, who is recognized for his deeply racist views and policies that caused lasting harm to First Nations communities in British Columbia.
Renaming Trutch Street is an important act of reconciliation that acknowledges our painful past and moves us toward a more inclusive future. The City worked closely with Musqueam to ensure this work was done with respect, collaboration, and care.
“Musqueam is working hard to revitalize hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓. Our language is an inherent part of who we are and it was systematically and violently removed from us in an effort to abolish our identities,” said Musqueam Chief Wayne Sparrow. “Renaming Trutch Street to šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm Street is a major milestone for our community and another way that Musqueam is reclaiming our language and asserting our long history on these lands. We are grateful for the City’s dedication and patience as we collaborated on this project, and we are thrilled to celebrate together today after so much hard work.”
“As a City of Reconciliation, we know that words alone are not enough. Reconciliation must be reflected in our actions, and that includes the symbols and names we choose to honour in our public spaces,” said Mayor Ken Sim. “We are grateful to be gifted this new name by Musqueam, proud to carry it forward and humbled to be part of revitalizing hən̓q̓əmin̓əm to be seen and spoken in these lands once again.”
Signage and transit
In addition to street signs, residents and visitors to šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm Street will now also see the new street name displayed at the bus shelter on 16th Avenue at šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm Street. Starting June 23, 2025, TransLink buses on routes 2 (Macdonald) and 33 (29th Avenue Station) will begin announcing the legal street name, šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm Street, as part of onboard stop announcements. The stop will be visually displayed onboard as Musqueamview Street.
As a next step, an audio box and interpretive sign will be installed near šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm Street at West Point Grey Road and a series of storytelling signs will be installed along the 16-block street.
Supporting hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ revitalization
Language is an essential part of culture and identity, and it connects people to land and place. šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm Street is Vancouver’s first street named in hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓, Musqueam’s traditional language. With no fluent speakers left, this street name is a landmark moment for hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ revitalization.
Supporting hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ to be heard and seen throughout Musqueam territory is a powerful tool for reconciliation and rights recognition. Weaving the language further into the public fabric of city life and removing the memorializing of Joseph Trutch is one more step the City is taking in its ongoing commitment to truth and reconciliation.
šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm Street’s legal hən̓q̓əmin̓əm name will be used in official City records, maps, and some government databases. The English translation will be used where the legal name cannot currently be displayed. Trutch Street and Musqueamview Street can be also referenced when calling emergency services.
While many technology systems already reflect the new street name, some may take additional time to reflect the changes and multilingual characters.
To type in the hən̓q̓əmin̓em̓ language on your devices, you can download the free FirstVoices Keyboards External website, opens in new tab. For your computer, you can download First Nations Unicode External website, opens in new tab, a free font developed by UBC, to display the characters in your new street address.
The racist legacy of Joseph Trutch
Trutch Street has existed since at least the incorporation of Vancouver in 1886. The street is named after Joseph Trutch, an early colonial politician and B.C.’s first Lieutenant Governor. He directly shaped Indigenous relations and policy in BC for over 25 years, beginning before B.C. joined Confederation in 1871.
Joseph Trutch denied the existence of Indigenous rights, barred First Nations from laying claim to land, and significantly reduced the size of reserve lands. The negative effects of his discriminatory beliefs and policies are still felt today.
Gift of a name
Because of Joseph Trutch’s racist legacy, Musqueam had long called on the City to rename the street. In 2021, City Council passed a motion to rename Trutch Street and asked Musqueam to choose the new name.
On September 30, 2022, Musqueam gifted the City of Vancouver with the new name, šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm Street, at a renaming ceremony, held according to traditional Musqueam customs and law.
Following the renaming ceremony, considerable work remained before the City could officially rename the street.
After significant collaboration with Musqueam, Trutch Street was officially renamed šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm Street on June 17, 2025, following a unanimous amendment to Street Name By-law No. 4054 PDF file (1.2 MB) by City Council. The English translation is Musqueamview Street.
About xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam Indian Band)
hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓-speaking xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) External website, opens in new tab people have lived in the Fraser River estuary since time immemorial. A proud and culturally resilient First Nation of over 1,300 members, about half its members live in a small portion of the Nation's territory known as Musqueam Reserve, located south of Marine Drive in Vancouver. Many of the remaining members live throughout Musqueam’s territory, now called Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, Delta, North Vancouver, West Vancouver and New Westminster. These lands and waters continue to support Musqueam’s cultural and economic practices, while serving as a source of knowledge and memory, encoded with its teachings and laws.
To learn more and listen to the pronunciation of šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm Street, visit vancouver.ca/musqueamview.