The Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh are all family, and this partnership reflects our long tradition of working together to benefit our people. We want to make sure the next generation of our people will benefit from jobs and economic activity within our traditional territories.
About the Musqueam Indian Band
The Musqueam people are descendants of the Coast Salish. Our traditional territory occupies what is now Vancouver and surrounding areas and our people moved throughout our traditional territory using the resources the land provided for fishing, hunting, trapping and gathering, to maintain their livelihood. Today, the Musqueam people still use these resources for economical and traditional purposes.
Although a metropolitan city has developed in the heart of Musqueam territory, our community maintains strong cultural and traditional beliefs. Our community historians and educators teach and pass on our history to our people, which has always been the way of our people, to keep our culture and traditions strong.
The Musqueam Indian Band have a proven track record of successful economic development projects throughout our traditional lands. In 2012, the Musqueam Capital Corporation was established to manage Musqueam business activities including development or redevelopment properties, new businesses and managing a number of successful developments. Developments include a mixed-use marina, an ongoing property development in the University Endowment Lands, as well as established housing developments and two golf courses.
About the Squamish Nation
The Squamish Nation is comprised of descendants of the Coast Salish Aboriginal peoples who lived in the present day Squamish Valley and Greater Vancouver area. Our historical links to these lands and waters are numerous and Squamish place names exist throughout the territory. In many instances, a location has particular meaning to our people because of the existence of oral traditions that served to explain that place in the Squamish universe and in our relationship to the land. In addition, the land bears witness to the settlements, resource sites, and spiritual and ritual places of our ancestors, including villages, hunting camps, cedar bark gathering areas, rock quarries, clam processing camps, pictographs and cemeteries.
The Squamish Nation has become a business incubator, ramping up and entrepreneurial dynamism that has the potential to add to the economic landscape of this city, the region and the province. We want to make sure the next generation will benefit from jobs and economic activity in the Squamish Nation.
About the Tsleil-Waututh Nation
The Tsleil-Waututh Nations, “People of the Inlet” is one of many groups of Coast Salish peoples who populate the Pacific Northwest. We have a sacred trust, a responsibility to care for our traditional territory, and to restore it to its former state. This stewardship of the land, air, and water is so deeply ingrained in our culture because we understand that the health of our people is interconnected with the environment we inhabit.
Our aim now is to once again put the Tsleil-Waututh face on our traditional territory, to be active participants in all social, economic, cultural, and political activities that take place on our lands by building strong relationships based on trust and mutual respect.
The Tsleil-Waututh Nation owns and operates several businesses that range from recreational facilities, real estate endeavors, to a forestry company, and a cultural tourism operation. These businesses strengthen our community through capacity building, revenue generation and employment opportunities. We believe in thinking big and acting decisively to care for our lands and waters. Only through this approach can we sustain and enhance our own culture, and contribute the wealth of knowledge we have to the broader community.