| Band Name: | Squamish Nation |
| Band Number: | 555 |
| Endonym: | Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw |
| Map: | Squamish-Territory-Wiki-Map.svg |
| People: | Squamish people |
| Province: | British Columbia |
| Area: | 21.19 km2 (8¼ sq. mi.) |
| Total Pop: | 4288 |
The Squamish Nation is a First Nations government of the Squamish people.[1] The Squamish Nation government includes an elected council and an administrative body based primarily in West Vancouver, North Vancouver, and Squamish, BC. [2]
The Squamish Nation is responsible for the management of 26 First Nations reserves located around the Capilano River, Mosquito Creek, and Seymour River on the north shore of Burrard Inlet in North Vancouver, British Columbia, and along the Squamish River, and in Gibsons and Port Mellon in the Howe Sound. [3] They also jointly own private land holdings with neighbouring First Nations like the Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh, and Lil’wat. [4]
The Squamish Nation is responsible for managing assets and revenues generated by the Squamish Nation, providing several programs and services to the Squamish People, and representing the Squamish People in intergovernmental relations with other Canadian governments and industries that operate within its territory.
The Squamish Nation government comprises an elected council, which includes the Council Chairperson, seven elected Councillors, and an elected Band Manager. The Council hires, oversees and provides direction to the Chief Administrative Officer who oversees the administrative arm of the Squamish Nation. [2]
The Squamish Nation was formed in July 1923[5] when several separate First Nations (at the time called Indian Bands) were amalgamated under Section 17 of the Indian Act.[6] All of the First Nations that amalgamated were communities largely considered and identified as Squamish People but resided on different First Nation reserve lands throughout the Squamish Valley, Burrard Inlet, and False Creek of Vancouver. Two years of community meetings with held, with eventually a super-majority of eligible voters for the various First Nations voting to petition the Federal Department responsible for Indians to amalgamate the several First Nations into a single entity they called the Squamish Nation. Their petition called for a Council to represent the newly created Squamish Nation, all lands joined as Squamish Nation lands, and all trust accounts to be put into a single trust account. Approximately $167,740 was consolidated into a single trust account for the newly formed Squamish Nation (which is estimated to be $2,914,252.09 in 2022 dollars).[5]
Prior to British Columbia's hosting of the 2010 Olympic Games, the Squamish Nation engaged in negotiations with the Provincial Government of British Columbia and Lil'wat First Nation. Numerous agreements were signed prior to and following the announcement of the host city for the Games, regarding issues such as Squamish land to be used for hosting the Games. Issues regarding the leasing of land, Nation-owned or operated businesses and other ventures currently account for much of the Squamish Nation's band council government business. The Squamish Nation recently announced the purchase of a Tree Farm License (License 38), which covers the Elaho Valley near Squamish, British Columbia.
The Squamish Nation has close ties with Tsleil-Waututh Nation, who reside further east on Burrard Inlet and to the Musqueam who reside on the southern edge of the city of Vancouver.[7]
The elected councillors make up the executive political body of this government. They operate on a four-year term with elections occurring around in December. They also elect a band manager. The most recent Council was elected September 26, 2021.[8]
The elected Band Manager is Bianca "Tsiyaliya" Cameron.
Indian reserves under the administration of the Squamish Nation are:[9]
| Kitsilano Indian Reserve No. 6 | '''Sen̓áḵw''' | In the City of Vancouver, near English Bay, on the south side of the mouth of False Creek | 4.4 ha | 49.2739°N -123.1422°W | [10] | |
| '''Slhá7an̓''' | North shore of Burrard Inlet on Wagg and Mosquito Creeks, bounded on the north and east by the City of North Vancouver | 59.6 ha | 49.3167°N -123.1°W | [11] | ||
| Seymour Creek Indian Reserve No. 2 | '''Ch'ich'éx̱wí7ḵw''' | North shore of Burrard Inlet, on right bank of Seymour Creek, near the mouth of Second Narrows | 45.5 ha | 49.3°N -123.0333°W | [12] | |
| Capilano Indian Reserve No. 5 | '''Xwmelch'stn''' | North shore of Burrard Inlet at First Narrows, north end of Lions Gate Bridge | 155.6 ha | 49.3167°N -123.1333°W | [13] | |
| Skowishin Indian Reserve No. 7 | '''Skawshn''' | Left bank of the Squamish River | 29.6 ha | 49.9333°N -123.3°W | [14] | |
| Skowishin Graveyard Indian Reserve No. 10 | Left bank of the Squamish River near the mouth of Ashlu Creek | 0.40 ha | 49.909°N -123.2932°W | [15] | ||
| Chukchuk Indian Reserve No. 8 | '''Ch’eḵ’ch’eḵ’ts''' | 0.1 ha | 49.9736°N -123.3057°W | [16] | ||
| Poyam Indian Reserve No. 9 | Left bank of the Squamish River | 0.3 ha | 49.9899°N -123.3246°W | [17] | ||
| '''Xwakw’áyak’in''' | At and to the north of the junction of the Squamish and Cheakamus Rivers | 1639.4 ha | 49.8°N -123.1833°W | [18] | ||
| Yookwitz Indian Reserve No. 12 | '''Yewk’ts''' | Right bank of the Squamish River, opposite mouth of the Cheakamus River | 9.3 ha | 49.7833°N -123.2°W | [19] | |
| Poquiosin & Skamain Indian Reserve No. 13 | '''Pukway̓úsm-Skemín''' | Left bank of the Squamish River at the mouth of the Cheakamus River | 45.2 ha | 49.7833°N -123.1667°W | [20] | |
| Waiwakum Indian Reserve No. 14 | '''Wiwḵ’m''' | Left bank of the Squamish River 2 miles below the mouth of the Cheakamus River | 15.0 ha | 49.7667°N -123.1667°W | [21] | |
| Aikwucks Indian Reserve No. 15 | Left bank of the Squamish River | 11.1 ha | 49.7667°N -123.1667°W | [22] | ||
| Seaichem Indian Reserve No. 16 | '''Siyích’m''' | East bank of Kowtain Slough of the Squamish River, 3 miles below the mouth of the Cheakamus River | 27.5 ha | 49.75°N -123.1333°W | [23] | |
| Kowtain Indian Reserve No. 17 | '''Kaw̓tín''' | Left bank of Kowtain Slough of the Squamish River, 4 miles from the river mouth on Howe Sound | 20.8 ha | 49.7333°N -123.1333°W | [24] | |
| Yekwaupsum Indian Reserve No. 18 | '''Yekw’ápsm''' | Near left bank of the Squamish River, 3 miles from its mouth on Howe Sound | 2 ha | 49.7167°N -123.15°W | [25] | |
| Yekwaupsum Indian Reserve No. 19 | '''Pn’p’áni''' | Right bank of the Squamish River, 3 miles north of its mouth on Howe Sound | 1 ha | 49.7333°N -123.15°W | [26] | |
| Stawamus Indian Reserve No. 24 | '''St’á7mes''' | At the mouth of the Stawamus River at the head of Howe Sound, 1 mile southeast of downtown Squamish | 22.1 ha | 49.6833°N -123.15°W | [27] | |
| Kaikalahun Indian Reserve No. 25 | '''Ḵ’iḵ’élx̱n''' | West shore of Howe Sound south of Port Mellon | 11.5 ha | 49.5167°N -123.4833°W | [28] | |
| Chekwelp Indian Reserve No. 26 | '''Ch’ḵw’elhp''' | West shore of Howe Sound, to the west of Keats Island | 11.3 ha | 49.4167°N -123.5°W | [29] | |
| West shore of Howe Sound northwest of Keats Island | 0.2 ha | 49.4167°N -123.4833°W | [30] | |||
| Schaltuuch Indian Reserve No. 27 | '''Ch’ḵw’elhp''' | On a small island north of Shelter Island in Shoal Channel of Howe Sound, west of Keats Island | 5 ha | 49.4°N -123.4833°W | [31] | |
| Defence Island Indian Reserve No. 28 | '''Nínich Ḵw’émḵw’em''' | In Howe Sound, northeast from Anvil Island (Hat Island), the easterly of two islands called Defence Islands | 1.7 ha | 49.5833°N -123.2667°W | [32] | |
| Kwum Kwum Indian Reserve | '''Ḵw’émḵw’em''' | The westerly of the two Defence Islands northeast of Anvil Island | 6.20 ha | 49.5833°N -123.2833°W | [33] |
The Squamish Nation is currently in stage 3 of the BC Treaty Process but negotiations have not proceeded further in recent years.
The Squamish Nation owns land in the Lower Mainland in areas that have some of the highest real estate values in the province. Some of these lands and properties are leased out with rents returning to the Squamish Nation. Additional revenues are earned through businesses owned by the Squamish Nation, such as marinas, a driving range and a gas bar.[34] In a recently concluded business arrangement, digital billboards were erected on Squamish Nation lands in North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Vancouver and Squamish, including at the approaches to Vancouver's Burrard Street Bridge, Lions Gate Bridge and Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing.[35] That contract has been projected to bring approximately $60 million in revenue to the Squamish Nation over three decades.
The Squamish Nation also recently completed an agreement that will see a large gaming facility built on the highway leading into Squamish.
The Squamish Nation, the Lil’wat Nation, Bell Canada and the Province of BC joined in the development of the Aboriginal Cultural Centre and Museum in Whistler BC.
The purchase of a Tree Farm Licence by the Nation generated public protest.[36]
In recent years the Squamish Nation has been involved in energy development, including the development of private hydro power projects on public rivers, including the Furry Creek and Ashlu hydro projects. It takes a share of the private revenue scheme developed by the BC Liberal Government under Gordon Campbell in a closed-door policy called the BC Energy Plan.[37]
The Squamish Nation joined with the Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh, and Lil'wat through the Four Host First Nations Society to coordinate with the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC), representing their interests in preparation for the 2010 Winter Olympics.[38] These 'Four Host First Nations' shared in hosting the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver. Fourteen of the 20 Olympic and Paralympic events took place in the Nation's shared territories, primarily in and around Whistler, BC.
In July 2008, the Squamish Nation partnered with their neighbours the Lil'wat First Nation to open the multimillion-dollar Squamish Lilwat Cultural Centre in Whistler. The two nations, whose territories traditionally overlapped around the Whistler area, had signed a Protocol Agreement in 2001 to work together on such opportunities. The centre features traditional art, cultural and historical displays, wood carvings, an 80-seat theatre, longhouse, pit-house, outdoor forest walk, cafe and gift shop.