xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations are the original inhabitants of the unceded land that is now known as the city of Vancouver. Unceded means that the land was never legally ceded, or given up, to the Crown through a treaty or other agreement.
For the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation, Truth and Reconciliation is more than a ceremonial acknowledgement of these territories.
It’s an opportunity to:
- Learn the true history of Vancouver and acknowledge the unjust treatment of the people whose lands we occupy
- Build better relationships with the sovereign Nations of these lands and Indigenous peoples who call Vancouver home
- Create parks that put non-Indigenous and Indigenous peoples in better relations with each other
The challenges
Important places rich in archeological, cultural, and ecological significance for the 3 Nations have been intentionally diminished by settlers.
First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and other Urban Indigenous peoples living in Vancouver find few places to connect with and practice their culture, even though this city is home to the third largest Urban Indigenous population in Canada.
Our role
Vancouver's parks are venues to foster connections between all people and these unceded lands.
The Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation cares for much of the last of Vancouver’s relatively undeveloped land.
This puts us in a unique position to partner with the Host Nations in preserving spiritually and archaeologically significant places, and stewarding park ecosystems for generations to come.
