The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority and Musqueam Indian Band have signed an agreement, creating a framework for a long-term relationship as neighbours and partners.
Musqueam people have lived in the Fraser River estuary since time immemorial. It is a culturally-resilient First Nation of over 1,300 members half of whom live in a small portion known as Musqueam Reserve, located south of Marine Drive in Vancouver.
On Friday, 5 November, the Chief of Musqueam Wayne Sparrow and the president and CEO of Vancouver Fraser Port Authority Robin Silvester signed the agreement that is expected to advance “a strong, shared future marked by mutual respect and reconciliation.”
“This relationship agreement recognises Musqueam’s ongoing stewardship of our territory,” stated Sparrow. “It is another fundamental step towards long-term reconciliation through acknowledgement of Indigenous rights to our lands and waters.”
“We are excited to work collaboratively with the port authority to advance our shared goals for a sustainable future, while also providing training and employment opportunities for our people,” he pointed out.
Through this long-term agreement, Musqueam Indian Band and the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority reframe fundamentally their working relationship to better deliver on joint commitments.
“Through this agreement, the parties will work together to uphold the rights of Musqueam and move towards a more productive and collaborative shared future,” noted the Authority of the Canadian Port.
