Squamish Nation signs deal with Vancouver for Sen̓áḵw development

The Squamish Nation has signed a deal with Vancouver which will see construction of one of the largest residential developments the city has ever seen.

The development will be built on 10.5 acres of the Nation’s ancestral land, in Kitsilano near the south end of the Burrard Street Bridge.

“Something that all people of Vancouver can celebrate through the advancement of the Sen̓áḵw project is that Squamish people will be coming home,” said Khelsilem, a spokesperson for the Squamish Nation, Wednesday.

The Sen̓áḵw plan will see 6,000 new rental homes — around 250 of which will be designated as affordable housing reserved for Squamish Nation members — and 1,200 new affordable homes built in the city. It will also bring in billions of dollars in revenue for the Nation.

However, Khelsilem says not all members have plans to move to Vancouver.

“A lot of the revenue that would come from this would be able to enable us to build new infrastructure, like new affordable housing units, more on the North Shore and partner with senior levels of government on the funding of some of those projects as well,” Khelsilem said.

What’s proposed so far is 11 residential, mostly rental, towers, the tallest of which could be 56 storeys. Retail and other amenities are also in the plans.

The project will connect the development to the city’s water and sewer services, and will also upgrade transportation infrastructure.

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“It shows that both the Nation and the City of Vancouver are committed to working together to make the project a reality and reaffirms the city’s commitment to advance reconciliation with us,” said Wilson Williams, a spokesperson and general councillor with the Nation.

Sen̓áḵw can be interpreted as “the place inside the head of False Creek.” The part of unceded Squamish Nation territory where the development will be built used to be a seasonal fishing village, which later became a permanent village.

The Squamish Nation says the area was annexed by the government throughout the 20th century. And only after winning a decades-long court battle was 10.5 acres of their land returned to the Nation in 2003.

“The fact that we’re coming home is a type of joy that is hard to describe,” said Khelsilem.

While the Sen̓áḵw development is supposed to break ground this summer, spokespersons for Squamish Nation and the City of Vancouver were unable give details Wednesday on the financing for the project or a more accurate date for the start of construction.

Because it is on reserve land, the Squamish Nation can do what it wants. It doesn’t have to get the typical city approvals or get engagement from the community. However, the Nation does want input.

“I think our intention is to be able to share more details, to be able to gather that feedback. The challenge we have is that there are a number of moving pieces in terms of the design aspects of the overall project that are still being finalized,” explained Khelsilem. “We don’t want to come out with information that isn’t going to finally be what we can actually engage on.”

Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart says there are many steps in this process.

“We’re all learning as we’re going. I am very pleased with our progress to date, but I know that we’ll help in any way we can to make this a great success,” he said.