Vancouver votes to move ahead with Indigenous-led Olympic bid

Vancouver has voted to move ahead and continue to help four local First Nations win the bid for the 2030 Olympic Winter Games.

In a 10 to 2 decision, city council voted Wednesday afternoon despite concerns from staff regarding finances and the apparent tight timeline to submit the bid to the International Olympic Committee by next February.

Chiefs and Nation members from xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), and Lil̓wat7úl (Líl̓wat) Nations appeared before the committee meeting, saying supporting the Indigenous-led bid is an opportunity to act on government commitments of reconciliation.

Chief Jen Thomas with the Tsleil-Waututh Nation says the collaborative process has been fortified by their collective strength.

“We just have to keep supporting each other on the way,” said Thomas. “It was a little bit emotional just sitting there because like I shared with city council, we started off this journey together.”

“We didn’t want for the bid to stop today, or the feasibility to just stop today. We want to keep moving forward together.”

Thomas says that the process has had its hurdles, but it’s made their relationships stronger.

“Before I left City Hall it was like a hiccup for us. I think it just only united us a little bit stronger with the Vancouver City Council.”

Related Articles:

• Concept unveiled: Indigenous-led bid for 2030 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Whistler

• Canadian Olympic Committee sees ‘ample time’ for 2030 bid as BC cities discuss doubts

Number 91 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action says, “We call upon the officials and host countries of international sporting events such as the Olympics, Pan Am, and Commonwealth games to ensure that Indigenous peoples’ territorial protocols are respected, and local Indigenous communities are engaged in all aspects of planning and participating in such events.”

Such a bid would be the first Indigenous-led bid in the history of the global games.

More to come.

– With files from The Canadian Press