Description
Vancouver City Council takes further steps in commitment to becoming a City of Reconciliation, with Council approving to move forward on 41 actions outlined by the federal Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The Vancouver Park Board approved 28 actions.

Potential Significance
The City of Vancouver has adopted the long-term goals of strengthening local First Nations and urban aboriginal relations, promoting aboriginal peoples arts, culture, awareness, and understanding and incorporating the perspectives of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations, and the urban aboriginal community in development and deliver of City services.
Background
City Council agreed to provide funding for two aboriginal healing and wellness centres, provide cultural competency training for senior City managers and more than 350 staff, create a new Manager of Aboriginal Relations in the City Manager’s office, integrates the theme of reconciliation into the City’s celebration of Canada 150, and collaborates with a federal agency Reconciliation Canada on developing indicators to measure progress on reconciliation.
The 41 actions fall within three key themes at the City: healthy communities and wellness, achieving indigenous and human rights recognition and advancing awareness, and knowledge and capacity.
The Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation identifies 28 actions in support of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action (pdf). In doing so, they agree to take a 360-degree approach to programming, including in the areas of culture, health, public dialogue, physical activity, and sport. Other Vancouver Park Board actions include:
- Review donation of monuments, memorials and public art processes and policies to ensure integration of Indigenous history, heritage values and memory practice
- Review partner and business contracts, relationships and procurement policies for alignment with Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action; and,
- Review event permitting and sports hosting opportunities to ensure that Indigenous peoples’ territorial protocols are respected and that, if appropriate to the scale of the event, that local Indigenous communities are engaged.
Previous Actions
- July 8, 2014: The City of Vancouver is designated a City of Reconciliation.
- June 25, 2014:City Council declares that Vancouver is on the unceded traditional territory of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Wauluth First Nations.
- June 21, 2014: A Year of Reconciliation in Vancouver begins.
- February 26, 2013: City Council endorses the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (pdf).
Sources
- CBC News. Making truth and reconciliation a reality in Vancouver. Nov. 13, 2016. Retrieved from http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/making-truth-and-reconciliation-a-reality-in-vancouver-1.3845796.
- City of Vancouver. City appoints new Aboriginal relations manager. March 18, 2016. Retrieved from http://vancouver.ca/news-calendar/city-appoints-new-aboriginal-relations-manager.aspx.
- City of Vancouver. City of Reconciliation. Jan. 19, 2016. Vancouver takes next steps on Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report. Retrieved from http://vancouver.ca/news-calendar/vancouver-takes-next-steps-on-truth-and-reconciliation-commission-report.aspx.
- City of Vancouver. City of Reconciliation 2014-2016 staff report. January 2016. Retrieved from http://council.vancouver.ca/20160119/documents/rr1b.pdf.
- Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation. Board endorses 28 actions. Jan. 11, 2016. Retrieved from http://parkboardmeetings.vancouver.ca/2016/20160111/MOTION-TRCCallstoAction-20160111.pdf.
- Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation. Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action: Opportunities to Respond. Jan. 11, 2016. Retrieved from http://parkboardmeetings.vancouver.ca/2016/20160111/PRESENTATION-TRCCallsToAction-20160111.pdf.
- Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation. Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action. January 2016. Retrieved from: http://parkboardmeetings.vancouver.ca/2016/20160111/REPORT-TRCCallsToAction-20160111.pdf.
- City of Vancouver. Framework for City of Reconciliation. October 28, 2014. Retrieved from http://council.vancouver.ca/20141028/documents/rr1.pdf.
- Reconciliation Canada. Retrieved from http://reconciliationcanada.ca.
- City of Vancouver. Year of Reconciliation: June, 2013 – June, 2014. Retrieved from http://vancouver.ca/people-programs/year-of-reconciliation.aspx.
- Truth and Reconciliatiion Commission of Canada. Retrieved from http://www.trc.ca/websites/trcinstitution/index.php?p=3.