Vancouver leads Canada with first formal urban Indigenous engagement process

THE City of Vancouver is now the first municipality in Canada to adopt a formal process to engage with urban Indigenous community members—who include First Nations, Inuit and Métis from across North America—marking a significant step forward in its Reconciliation journey.

The Urban Indigenous Engagement Framework provides clear, culturally relevant and trauma‑informed guidance for City staff on how to engage with the diverse urban Indigenous communities who live, work and contribute to life in Vancouver. It ensures that Indigenous peoples’ lived experiences, perspectives and priorities meaningfully inform City planning and decision-making.

“This framework is leading the way for municipalities across Canada,” said Rachel Wuttunee, Senior Manager of Urban Indigenous Relations at the City of Vancouver, on Tuesday. “It creates safer spaces for Indigenous voices and leadership while building trust by providing clear, respectful and reciprocal approaches to engagement. This is another meaningful step forward in our long-term commitments to Reconciliation.”

The City’s framework establishes a consistent, more accessible process for engagement and supports the City’s commitment to ongoing relationship-building grounded in respect and cultural safety. Urban Indigenous people will have improved and more equitable opportunities to influence decisions that affect their lives.

The framework provides clear, actionable guidance for City staff before, during and after engagement processes by:

• Embedding Indigenous protocols that support dialogue and responsibility.
• Applying culturally relevant and trauma-informed practices to engagement processes.
• Introducing reporting mechanisms and evaluation tools.

Co‑developed with guidance from the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam Indian Band), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation), səlilwətaɬ  (Tsleil‑Waututh Nation), the Vancouver Urban Indigenous Peoples Advisory Committee (UIPAC), the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit (MMIWG2S) Advisory Committee, the City’s Reconciliation Planners and Indigenous Relations team, and the knowledge shared by more than 200 urban Indigenous participants through engagement sessions held across 2023–2024.

Implementation of the framework is a key action directly supporting the City’s commitments outlined in its 2024–2028 UNDRIP Strategy and Action Plan. It equips City staff with actionable tools and guidance to advance Reconciliation in their daily work and strengthens the City’s ability to design policies, programs and services that reflect the needs, rights and priorities of Indigenous peoples.

The City says its Reconciliation efforts are grounded in its long-term commitment to work towards Reconciliation with xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw, səlilwətaɬ and urban Indigenous communities. This milestone reflects its continued efforts to uphold the rights of Indigenous Peoples and to advance meaningful, long-term Reconciliation.

yəχʷyaχʷələq, Chief Wayne Sparrow, xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam Indian Band) said: “Musqueam applauds the City of Vancouver for its continued leadership in reconciliation, and we are pleased to see the Urban Indigenous Engagement Framework come to fruition as a result of the UNDRIP Action Plan. This framework is built on a foundation of xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, and səlilwətaɬ values and we are deeply honoured to have been a part of the work to establish it.”

Sxwíxwtn Wilson Williams, Chairperson, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) said: “We have lived on these lands for thousands of years, and our Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) culture and ways of being are inseparable from the place now known as Vancouver. This framework is an overdue recognition that our Indigenous voices belong not just to the past but must also shape every conversation about this city’s future.”

Chief Justin George, səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil‑Waututh Nation) said: “Many Indigenous peoples from across Turtle Island call this area home, in our shared xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw, and səlilwətaɬ territory. We are pleased to collaborate on this new framework and to see the good work by the City of Vancouver continue towards providing culturally-informed guidance for City staff as they engage with diverse urban Indigenous communities. The path to reconciliation is smoother when Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples walk together, honouring each other with mutual kindness and respect.”

Read the full report.