About Us

Our Land

Introduction

We, the people of the Squamish Nation, by this document, assert our aboriginal title to those lands and waters that constitute our traditional territory, our rights to the resources of our traditional lands and waters, and our inherent right to self-determination. In so doing, we seek to provide a framework for negotiations with the Federal government and the government of the Province of British Columbia in order to resolve the long-standing aboriginal title dispute between us.

It is our objective in entering this process to reach an agreement on the constitutional protection afforded to Squamish aboriginal title, and to provide certainty and definition in regard to Squamish rights to our lands, waters and resources. We seek to clarify the nature, meaning and extent of our rights and the relationship of our government to other governments with whom we interact.

Thus, in accordance with the provisions of Section 35 of the Constitution Act of 1982, which recognizes and affirms aboriginal and treaty rights, and the stated objective of the Federal and Provincial governments to resolve the aboriginal title question in British Columbia, we submit this claim to the British Columbia Treaty Commission.

The Squamish Nation

The Squamish Nation has existed and prospered within our traditional territory since time immemorial. We are Coast Salish people. Our language is the Squamish language. Our society is, and always has been, organized and sophisticated, with complex laws and rules governing all forms of social relations, economic rights and relations with other First Nations. We have never ceded or surrendered title to our lands, rights to our resources or the power to make decisions within our territory.

Our traditional territory is located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. Prior to and following the arrival of the Europeans in the late 1700’s, the lands and waters we used and occupied either exclusively, or jointly with our First Nation neighbours, were as follows: from Point Grey on the south to Roberts Creek on the west; then north along the height of land to the Elaho River headwaters including all of the islands in Howe Sound and the entire Squamish valley and Howe Sound drainages; then southeast to the confluence of the Soo and Green Rivers north from Whistler; then south along the height of land to the Port Moody area including the entire Mamquam River and Indian Arm drainages; then west along the height of land to Point Grey.

This territory includes some of the present day cities of Vancouver, Burnaby and New Westminster, all of the cities of North Vancouver and West Vancouver, Port Moody and all of the District of Squamish and the Municipality of Whistler. These boundaries embrace all of Howe Sound, Burrard Inlet and English Bay as well as the rivers and creeks that flow into these bodies of water. In addition, we used and occupied the various islands located in Howe Sound.

Our historical links to these lands and waters are numerous. 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. Some of these village sites date back 3000 years.

Xay Temixw (Sacred Land) Land Use Plan

Read about the Xay Temixw (Sacred Land) Land Use Plan.