Vision
Since time immemorial, kʷikʷəƛ̓əm First Nation has occupied and stewarded the Coquitlam Watershed, including the area known as səmiq̓ʷəʔelə (formerly known as Riverview). kʷikʷəƛ̓əm people hold a deep spiritual connection to the area.
In 2021, kʷikʷəƛ̓əm First NationD and the Province signed a Partnership Agreement. It affirmed a reconciliation-based approach to working together. kʷikʷəƛ̓əm’s historical and cultural ties are at the forefront of the Partnership and working together, we will shape the process and outcomes of future land-use decisions.
Since 2015, extensive engagement took place. This included tenants, those with specialized knowledge in the project’s themes, interested and impacted groups, those with lived experience with mental illness, and the public.
Since 2021, kʷikʷəƛ̓əm have been gathering feedback from their m̀əlstéyəxw (community) and leadership regarding the Nation’s goals and vision for the future of the lands.
Currently kʷikʷəƛ̓əm First Nation and BC Housing are taking time to further define their reconciliation-based partnership. As the process progresses, our partnership continues to evolve. The səmiq̓ʷəʔelə master planning schedule will be elongated to accommodate these critical conversations. This is complex, sensitive work that takes time.
These conversations will also consider what the master planning and engagement process will look like moving forward; one that includes kʷikʷəƛ̓əm m̀əlstéyəxw and the public. Once we have a better sense of what the process will look like and opportunities for further public engagement, we will share them here.
What is a master plan?
A master plan sets a development plan for the site’s future, it may include the following components;
- An explanation of the overall design and development approach.
- Recommended land uses for the site (example: housing, commercial, education, healthcare services, etc.).
- An identification and mix of housing options (example: market leasehold, non-profit, co-op, affordable housing, mental health supportive housing, etc.)
- A landscape and open-space-use strategy (example: parks, cemetery, walking paths, trails, community gardens, protected wildlife areas, etc.).
- A heritage strategy for archaeological sites, spiritual areas and the built environment.
- A financial strategy to address capital costs.
- Design guidelines about density, streetscape designs, building footprints and architectural styles.
- A proposed transportation strategy (example: cycling, pedestrian, transit, vehicular connections, etc.).
- Proposed utility and power systems for building heat, water, electrical, sewer, gas and drainage.
- A plan for how sustainability, including resiliency to climate change, is prioritized.
- A plan for site amenities (example: recreational facilities, artwork, cultural spaces, etc.).
səmiq̓ʷəʔelə Planning Process
