Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) is one step closer to reaching their ambitious development goals for the North Shore and Squamish areas following the approval of a wide-sweeping plan for Nation lands.
The Squamish Nation council recently approved the first phase of its Land Development Strategies plan, putting the focus on two sites on the North Shore and one in Squamish.
Each site will honour the Nation’s history while also offering housing, economic development and community amenities, said Squamish Nation council member Sxwíxwtn (Wilson Williams), adding that the plan aims to create 600 homes over the next 25 years.
The Land Development Strategies aim to align both current and future Squamish Nation needs while reflecting cultural and ancestral significance, a press release reads. Details released by the nation give a blueprint for the plans for each of the three sites.
Xwmélch’sten IR 5 (Capilano)
This site lies on Marine Drive alongside the Capilano Reserve near Lions Gate Bridge in West Vancouver and North Van, and will have mixed-use market residential developments, Nation housing and a new administrative and community services centre with green spaces throughout.
Williams said Xwmélch’sten will be a community and services hub for the Squamish Nation, something that they have been envisioning for a long time.
Xwmélch’sten has historically been a place of strength and cultural resilience for the Squamish Nation, known for being “The Place of Rolling at the Mouth” for its large salmon population.
Williams said Xwmélch’sten is the biggest reserve within the Squamish Nation, reaching almost 1,200 people, and the development plans will help focus the Nation's services in one area.
Many of the Squamish Nation’s offices are currently spread across the North Shore, posing challenges for people needing access to services, he said.
“It gets confusing on where [people need] to go,” Williams said. “So having a one place kind of spot for all of these services is very important for this initiative.”
Ch’ich’élx̱wí7ḵw IR 2 (Seymour)
Ch’ich’élx̱wí7ḵw, the second site, will be a significant economic driver for the Nation, according to the Squamish Nation’s website, with market residential, Nation housing, commercial uses and dedicated communal and spiritual spaces.
It stretches along Mount Seymour Parkway and Highway 1 near Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing and the Phibbs Exchange transit hub. The location makes it a key place for housing, especially for students and young families, Williams said.
Affordable housing is a huge need across the North Shore, including the Squamish Nation, and providing housing on these sites will help begin to address shortages, said Williams.
“We’ve been in a housing crisis since the late '70s, where we kind of had a big growth boom within our nation, but then there wasn’t enough housing,” Williams said. “To come where we’re at today – being kind of in the driver’s seat, in control of what we see for our people, not someone else telling us what’s best for us – that’s very comforting.”
St’á7mes IR 24 (Squamish)
The Squamish site, St’á7mes, is proposed south of the District of Squamish right beside the Sea-to-Sky Highway. This site will focus on community uses and explore Nation housing opportunities.
It will feature amenities like an "Elders Village" that embraces inter-generational living practices. The site also aims to focus on protecting and enhancing spiritual areas and creating new Nation service spaces, their website states.
Development sites will help bring Squamish Nation members closer to home, councillor says
The plans are still in the early stages, Williams said. Squamish Nation council extended a temporary halt on third-party proposals for the three priority sites until April 1, ensuring the planning process continues under the Nation.
Squamish Nation council, alongside Nch’ḵay̓ Development Corporation, an economic development arm of the Nation, and non-profit Hiy̓ám̓ Housing, have been engaging with more than 500 Nation members since early 2023.
"We want to make sure we're walking with our people in regards to the planning, so our people will have a voice and a say on what they see in these areas as well," Williams said.
Around half of the Nation's members live away from the reserve, Williams said. The Nation hopes to change that with the new development plans.
“With the growth of our community, people will be able to connect who they are and where they come from,” he said.
It’s hard for Williams not to get emotional when he thinks about his three daughters in connection with the future development plans, and says having them stay in the community is reassuring.
Development concepts would only proceed with the expressed support of the Squamish people through a land designation vote, and continued engagement with the community will be a priority as the initiative moves into its second phase.
The second phase for the Land Development Strategies will include more details of Marine Drive at Xwmélch’sten (Capilano) and upper Stá7mes. The Squamish Nation will also share more information on related building initiatives soon, according to their website.
“I’m looking forward to the proposals that come forward, and the options and opportunity, because we’re changing the landscape of our Nation,” Williams said. “We’re setting ourselves up for a strong future, but also for strong future leaders.”
Abby Luciano is the Indigenous and civic affairs reporter for the North Shore News. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
