Aligning the Truth and Reconciliation call to actions with our work

Signed proclamation (476 KB)

This September, Mayor Ken Sim issued a proclamation on behalf of the City of Vancouver, affirming the City's dedication to working towards genuine reconciliation.

The City acknowledges that while progress has been made, including signing of the new protocol agreement with Sḵwx̱wú7mesh , discussions of similar agreements with səl̓ilwətaɁɬ and xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm, furthering the MMIWG2S report (1.7 MB) implementation plan, and developing the City’s United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) 5-year action plan for the implementation of the 79 recommendations, significant work is still needed to bring about meaningful change.

In June 2024, we commemorated 10 years as a City of Reconciliation. The City acknowledges that our Reconciliation efforts should have begun earlier, and that there is still much work to do.

In June 2021, the federal government voted to recognize National Day for Truth and Reconciliation as a statutory holiday, as a direct response to Call to Action 80 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

The City will be closed on September 30. Staff may take time to deepen their understanding of the intergenerational trauma caused by Residential Schools and how they can advance Reconciliation in their communities.

A day of remembrance

To honour the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in 2022, Mayor Kennedy Stewart issued a proclamation (509 KB) on behalf of the City of Vancouver, declaring September 30 as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

The 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action final report (299 KB) listed 94 recommendations to “redress the legacy of residential schools and advance the process of Canadian reconciliation.” Of those, 27 have been identified as actionable areas for the City. Review these 27 calls to action here (204 KB).

For a comprehensive look at our most recent Reconciliation actions, review our Reconciliation report (528 KB).

Aligning our work

The calls to action that align with our work can be summarized under the following three themes:

Healthy communities and wellness
- Our Healthy City Strategy includes goals to promote safety, inclusion, and connections between communities and individuals with reconciliation as an integral focus
- We support early learning and care, including child care, related grants, and support programs
- Our Social Policy Capital Grants are awarded to Indigenous organizations for improved service delivery and on a range of issues, including cultural competency training, healing and wellness, and youth programming
- Our sports partnerships and grants will be available to support Indigenous sporting events in Vancouver
Achieving Indigenous human rights and recognition
- City of Vancouver – First Nations Council to Council, government relationship
- Recognition of Vancouver’s situation on unceded Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh traditional territory
- Stated support for the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
- City Council’s advocacy for Indigenous inclusion and rights recognition
Advancing awareness, knowledge, and capacity
- We are providing cultural competency and capacity training for City staff, including mandatory Indigenous cultural competency training for all Vancouver Police Department staff
- Our Vancouver Public Library branches are offering diverse and accessible collections on residential schools, treaties, and historical and contemporary Indigenous matters
- We launched First Peoples: Guide for Newcomers (5 MB), which covers the history of Indigenous peoples, a local First Nation overview, and contemporary urban issues
- The Canada 150th anniversary celebration was used as a time for Indigenous recognition and celebration with all Vancouverites
- We provide funding and support for BC Sports Hall of Fame to provide stories on Indigenous athletes in history
- We provide support for Indigenous training and employment through our mentorship programs and partnerships with Indigenous employment agencies
- We recognize September 30 as Orange Shirt Day to honour residential school survivors

Aligning the Truth and Reconciliation call to actions with our work

A day of remembrance

Aligning our work

Healthy communities and wellness

Achieving Indigenous human rights and recognition

Advancing awareness, knowledge, and capacity

Contact information, partner agencies, and website policies