City of Vancouver, First Nations unveil 5-year UNDRIP action plan

First Nations and the City of Vancouver have released a five-year plan to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) on a local level.

The United Nations adopted UNDRIP in September 2007, providing a framework for reconciliation, including actions to respect, acknowledge and protect the rights of Indigenous people worldwide.

While Canada initially opposed the declaration, the federal and provincial governments have since passed legislation to implement UNDRIP.

The City of Vancouver created a task force in 2021 to examine how UNDRIP could be implemented on a municipal level, and the following year, it released its UNDRIP strategy.

On Monday, the city released its report, which includes 18 goals for the city, xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam Indian Band), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish Nation), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation), to work toward over the next five years.

Engaging with urban-Indigenous residents is near the top of the list in terms of goals for the city and First Nations over the next five years and calls on the city to develop an engagement process and understand the priorities of Indigenous residents.

Providing affordable housing for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous residents is also among the 18 goals, as is training city staff to ensure an understanding of Indigenous rights and the city's responsibilities to uphold those rights.

The plan asks the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) to adopt the UNDRIP Strategy Plan and engage with urban-Indigenous community members. It suggests that the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations work to help align VPD strategies and procedures with UNDRIP and the Police Reform Act.

"Every single member in that chamber at city council is 100 per cent behind this," Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim said Monday morning during a ceremony to unveil the plan.

The city says the task force consulted urban Indigenous residents on the plan.

Squamish Nation spokesperson and task force co-chair Khelsilem said in a statement that the plan's changes are "long overdue."

"By upholding and honouring Indigenous cultures, ways of life and ancestral connections to the land and waters, Vancouver is set to become a city where the rights of all people are truly recognized and respected," Khelsilem said.

Indigenous drummers during the City of Vancouver UNDRIP Action Plan unveiling in Vancouver on Friday. (Ben Nelms/CBC)

Musqueam Chief Wayne Sparrow said the Musqueam, Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh and the City of Vancouver are "making history" with the new five-year plan.

"If the goals of the plan are achieved, including the commitments we made in the October 2022 recommendations, it could result in our communities finally witnessing the long overdue advancement of our inherent Indigenous rights within our territories."

Although the report and plan were unveiled on Monday, the UNDRIP Action Plan will officially be presented to city council on June 25. Implementation will begin once all involved have approved the plan.