The City of Vancouver and the Squamish Nation have signed an agreement pledging to cooperate in several areas of mutual interest and work toward establishing a more formal relationship between the two governments.

Mayor Gregor Robertson and Chief Gibby Jacob signed the memorandum of understanding and protocol agreement today (May 17) in a ceremony at City Hall.

“The Squamish Nation Chiefs and Council are very proud to celebrate the signing of our Memorandum of Understanding and Protocol Agreement with the City of Vancouver,” Jacob said in a press release. “The city is part of our history, villages, mythology, culture, language and resources that have sustained our peoples since time immemorial.”

The agreement states that the city and the First Nation aim to “establish a cooperative government-to-government relationship for the purpose of sharing information, improving communications, addressing specific concerns, setting a solid foundation for future planning and raising awareness and understanding of Squamish Nation title, rights and responsibilities and the rights of the City under the Vancouver Charter”.

Under the agreement, the city and band councils will meet together at least once a year.

A steering committee, made up of two elected or staff representatives from each government, will be formed within 60 days to implement the agreement.

The governments agreed to cooperate in the areas of governance, intergovernmental relations, economic development, cultural and heritage protection, tourism, environmental protection, land use planning and management, zoning processes, capacity building, shared/reciprocal service delivery, transportation initiatives, and sustainable healthy communities.

The agreement will take effect upon the passage of resolutions by each council.

It may be terminated by either party with 60 days’ notice.

Much of Vancouver lies in the traditional territory of the Squamish Nation.

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