Member Frequently Asked Questions
The Nation receives inquiries from Members about its projects, programs, services, and initiatives in many ways, including via email, social media, or in-person conversations. These questions are responded to directly which means other Members who may have the same question do not get a chance to see the answer.
As part of Nexwsxwníw̓ntm ta Úxwumixw (Council)’s commitment to transparency, frequently asked questions will be posted to this page so all Members can read the answers. The page will be updated regularly with the top questions.
If you have a question you would like answered, please fill out the form below. You can also call 604-980-4553.
Please note this form is for Nation Members only. The general public can contact the Nation through the form at www.squamish.net/contact-us.
Health
If you have questions about COVID-19 or the vaccine, reach out to a health professional, physician or a nurse for more information. Contact Yúustway (Health & Wellness) at 604-982-0332 and Kal’numet Primary Care at 604-985-2052 to be connected to the information you need.
If you need to get vaccinated, visit the Government of BC website to make an appointment. Dates of community clinics will be communicated to Members via the Nation’s social media channels and the website.
If you or anyone in your family feels sick, stay home. For more information about where to get a COVID-19 test, please visit the BC CDC website.
Members can call Ts’ixwts’ixwnítway (Member Services) to receive emergency assistance and care if you test positive: 604-982-7610 during office hours or 604-505-3776 after hours.
The FNHA Health Benefits Isolation Support team can also help you with accommodation, travel, and meals if you need to self-isolate. To see if you are eligible or to find out more, please call 1-888-305-1505. To speak with a doctor, you can call the First Nations Virtual Doctor the Day phone line at 1-855-344-3800.
COVID-19 restrictions can change quickly. Find the most up to date information here.
There are many mental health and spiritual resources available through Yúustway (Health & Wellness), Ayás Mén̓men (Child & Family Services), Ta na wa Ns7éyx̱nitm ta Snew̓íyelh (Language & Cultural Affairs), and Ts’ixwts’ixwnítway (Member Services).
Please reach out if you feel that you need support.
Contact Yúustway: Mackenzie Gomez, Community Health & Wellness
Phone: 604-360-3911 or 604-982-0332
Email: wellness@squamish.net
Contact Ayás Mén̓men: Hannah Rushton, Wellness Services: 778-233-4869 or 604-985-4111
Contact Ts’ixwts’ixwnítway: 604-982-7610 (604-505-3776 after hours) or memberservices@squamish.net
Contact Ta na wa Ns7éyx̱nitm ta Snew̓íyelh: 604-980-4553 or language_culture@squamish.net
Kaľnúmet Primary Care Clinic
Contact details: 604-985-2052 or kpc_medicalclinic@squamish.net
Team Members
- KPC Division Manager
- Family Physicians (three General Practitioners – sharing coverage five days per week)
- Naturopathic Doctor (four days per week)
- Medical Office Assistants (two MOAs – each at five days per week)
- VCH Nurse Practitioner (two and half days per week)
- Public Health Nurses (three PHNs in both locations – Squamish Valley & the North Shore)
- Traditional Elder Healer (part time one day per week)
Physicians and Nurse Practitioners provide general medical care, assessments, physical examinations, diagnoses, treatment plans, prescribing, referral, health information, education, and advice. They can refer to traditional healers, massage therapists, reiki, and other alternative services.
Medical Office Assistants are able to book appointments and answer any non-clinical or non-medical queries including accessing information to pharmacy, dental and optometry supports.
Public Health Nurses (PHN) provide community-based health services and information. Providing preventative care for all Members on- and off-reserve, the role of the PHN is to provide education, assessments, and referrals and to liaise with other health care and service providers, advocate on behalf of our Members, and provide health promotion activities across the lifespan. The primary focus of the PHNs is on Public Health nursing care for ages 0-6 years, including the parents/guardians/families of children, but the role encompasses all ages as time permits.
Other supports and programs PHNs provide are:
- Prenatal and postnatal education/referral/liaison
- Child health clinics
- Pandemic planning including COVID-19 clinics
- COVID-19 consultation for Members and staff
- Immunization clinics and flu clinics (communicable disease control)
- Health promotion and education
- Referrals to Yúustway service providers for wrap around services
- Advocacy and collaboration with Yúustway service providers and staff
- Harm reduction strategies and education
- Youth education on health practices
Our Traditional Elder Healer provides cultural supports to patients and our staff members in the form of one-to-one talks with anyone seeking support in areas such as grief and loss, domestic concerns and spiritual guidance. Cultural supports offered are candle, cedar and sage brushings, crafts, and group talking circles.
Naturopathic doctors are highly trained diagnosticians that rely on the least invasive and least toxic therapies to address the underlying causes of health issues —not just the condition itself. By going to the root of the problem, naturopathic remedies support the body’s own ability to prevent and combat disease, inflammation and deterioration.
Naturopathic doctors also specialize in preventative care. Preventative medicine means establishing habits now that help ward off health issues later. Naturopathic doctors are increasingly being sought out to effectively help their patients develop and stick to healthier practices that will improve their overall long-term health and well-being.
For those with chronic conditions, naturopathic doctors aim to provide relief by offering holistic perspectives and treatment options. They are able to address a broad range of chronic health issues such as diabetes, asthma, heart disease, allergies, chronic pain, digestive issues, respiratory conditions, fertility issues, menopause and chronic fatigue syndrome.
Naturopathic medicine guided by six underlying principles:
- First, Do No Harm: Use the most natural, least invasive and least toxic therapies.
- The Healing Power of Nature: Trust in the body’s inherent wisdom to heal itself.
- Identify and Treat the Causes: Look beyond the symptoms to the underlying cause.
- Doctor as Teacher: Educate patients about the steps to achieving and maintaining health.
- Treat the Whole Person: View the body as an integrated whole in all its physical and spiritual dimensions.
- Prevention: Focus on overall health, wellness and disease prevention.
Council
Agenda requests can be made online through this form here.
If you have any questions about the process, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Ta na wa Chen̓tm (Council Advisory & Support) staff at 604-980-4553.
Nexwsxwníw̓ntm ta Úxwumixw (Council) is pleased to invite Members to a People’s Assembly on Saturday, March 26, 2022. Members are welcome to attend in person or online.
This meeting will be held according to Chapter 6 of the Squamish Nation Election & Referendum Law regarding People’s Assemblies. Squamish Nation Members can submit resolutions to be included in the Draft Agenda.
For more information, please visit www.squamish.net/peoples-assembly or contact Governance Officer, Sara Brown at sara_brown@squamish.net.
Programs, Services, and Initiatives
Members Support Services (MSS) provides support in emergency situations, which can include fleeing violent conditions. After Members fill out an intake, the department can then help with emergency shelter or food assistance for the first month. These funds are available to Members without having to pay out of pocket first, eliminating the need for reimbursements. We can also assist Members with referrals to external resources if necessary.
Members can contact MSS at 604-505-3776 or mss@squamish.net.
Yes, this is a continuation of the work that was previously completed. The Ta na wa Shéway I7x̱w ta Úxwumixw (Planning & Capital Projects) team has also been engaging with other First Nations as well as the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) to expand these plans and best serve our Elders. The team expects to begin engaging with the community this year and welcomes all thoughts and ideas from Membership. More information on how to get involved will be shared when it is available.
The website is currently under phase 1 development. Once completed, the website will contain more information about the various projects, programs, services, and initiatives. Please continue to visit the website as it is updated. You can also call 604-980-4553 to be directed to the department, program, or service you are looking for.
There is some information from our Residential School survivors as well as documentation in our archives that the Nation is in the process of compiling. This will be shared with the community once the work is completed. The Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw is the lead community for the sacred work of investigating the former St. Paul’s Indian Residential School site. We are working closely with səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations.
When the investigation on the site starts, our community as well as our neighbours, will be invited to participate in ceremony and cultural practices. The project, called Yúusnew̓as, will be governed and conducted through Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw cultural protocols. Find out more about the project here.
Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw has advocated for the implementation of all the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, which include calls for an investigation of all residential schools across Canada. The federal government has also announced funding for First Nations interested in pursuing these types of investigations.
A number of projects and studies are underway right now with regards to the water in Chi’yakmesh. One study is considering whether the current system should be upgraded or whether the Nation should investigate extending the District of Squamish’s water system in order to provide water to the reserve. A report is being reviewed so that Nexwsxwníw̓ntm ta Úxwumixw (Council) can consider the proposed recommendation to upgrade the water system.
Ta na wa Shéway I7x̱w ta Úxwumixw has also been spending a lot of time and effort into monitoring the water system and how it is operating. A number of control panels have been upgraded. Based on information from the system now, we have a better understanding of how the pumps are operating and how they could be optimized.
Water is regularly tested for safety and has been determined to be healthy for drinking. The Nation offers bottled water to any Members who would prefer it.
Please contact pcprojects@squamish.net if you have any further questions about current capital projects happening in the Nation.
Housing and Community Upkeep
Nexwsp’áyaḵen ta Úxuwmixw (Community Operations) is responsible for maintaining all Nation-owned buildings, roads and general areas. The department works to ensure all Nation-owned buildings are a safe place for the Nation’s employees and Members.
Contact for North Vancouver: 604-980-8655 or communityoperations@squamish.net
Emergency contact (after hours): 604-690-0729
Contact for Squamish Valley: 604-848-2200 or svcommopsworkorders@squamish.net
Emergency contact (after hours): 604-815-7116
Yes, all Squamish Nation homes are covered under an insurance policy. Unfortunately, we cannot provide a cost per home for two reasons:
Firstly, the Nation has a policy that covers a number of different items (for example, home insurance, public liability, and cybersecurity) and these various elements are not quoted separately.
Secondly, if we did have a split of the home insurance there is a wide variety of age, size, location, etc. meaning that the cost per home could vary widely.
The insurance team can be contacted directly at insurance@squamish.net.
Please report the sighting to the B.C. Ministry of Environment’s Report All Polluters & Poachers (RAPP) Hotline at 1-877-952-7277.
More information on what to do if you spot dangerous wildlife is available here.
You can contact the Nation’s Animal Control Officer at 604-889-3271 or via e-mail at communityoperations@squamish.net.
If you feel in danger, you should call the Police in your area at 911 with as much detail as possible on the situation and person(s) involved, including: activity taking place, location, time, clothing worn, concern for the personal safety of themselves or others.
If there is no perceived danger, you can call a Police non-emergency line during business hours at:
Squamish RCMP Non-Emergency:604-892-6100
West Van PD Non-Emergency: 604-925-7300
North Van RCMP Non-Emergency: 604-985-1311
In the event of a building emergency, such as a leak or property damage, during regular business hours (Monday to Friday, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm) call Russell Joseph at 236-688-7665. Explain the situation and we will assist you on resolving the issue. When you make this call, please be prepared to provide your unit number, name, and phone number. You may be requested to email the report to the Building Manager or Property Manager along with pictures of the issue, if reasonable.
If you experience a building emergency after hours, please call 604-439-8848 and you will be connected to a representative from the Atira Emergency Services.
Please also report all emergencies, resident disturbances, or building incidents to the Property Manager, Lety Lopez, via email at Lety_Lopez@atira.ca.
Economic Development
Nch’ḵay̓ Development Corporation (Nch’ḵay̓) was established in 2018 as the economic development arm of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw. Its mandate is to develop, manage, and own the active businesses of the Nation, and was created to allow for the separation of business and politics within the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw. The name Nch’ḵay̓ was chosen as a reference to the Great Flood – the flood that forced our ancestors to tie their canoes to the highest mountain in the territory, Mount Garibaldi, to survive.
Nch’ḵay̓ has put up a temporary website at nchkay.com with a more robust website currently under development. Nch’ḵay̓ has been providing updates to Membership through email, the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw newsletters, and mail outs to Members on- and off-reserve.
To date, many of the expenses in Nch’ḵay̓ are one-time costs of setup, the largest of which is the work done around the corporate restructure of the operating entities under the Nch’ḵay̓ umbrella. The Nch’ḵay̓ Board of Directors are currently working on a five-year Strategic Plan as well as capital and operating budgets. Once accepted by Nexwsxwníw̓ntm ta Úxwumixw (Council), these plans will be shared with Membership.
Nch’ḵay̓ has been updating Members on the Sen̓áḵw project via a separate website. The website is updated as frequently as information becomes available.
When available, progress updates and key milestones are also shared through the Nation’s social media channels and website.
