Central City Foundation

Starting with the Land: An Indigenous-Led Approach to Housing and Community Development in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside

This past fall, Central City Foundation was honoured to host a unique series of Indigenous-led workshops that explored how incorporating Indigenous knowledge into development can restore stories of place and foster healing through deeper connection to land, culture and community.

These invite-only workshops were a rare opportunity to learn directly from xwməθkwəy̓əm, Skw̱x̱wú7mesh, and səlilwətaɬ Knowledge Keepers, artists, and planners. They extended our understanding of the practical and ancient histories, as well as the connection to the land, and offered insights into how Indigenous teachings can inform the way we design, plan, and develop a community, not just a building.

Workshop dates:

All sessions were held in-person in downtown Vancouver. 

October 15,  10 am-3 pm – Art & Reconciliation hosted by Cory Douglas

Knowledge Keeper Workshop hosted by Elder Shane Point, Chief Ian Campbell  and Knowledge Keeper Charlene Aleck

October 22, 1 pm-3 pm – UNDRIP in Planning, hosted by Ginger Gosnell-Myers 

November 5, 9 am-12 pm – Synthesis & Report Back: Toward a Vision for Community, hosted by Jennifer                  Johnstone

Why is this important?

  • The Downtown Eastside is at a crossroads, facing ongoing crises in housing, health and public safety, which are compounding to new breaking points.
  • Proposed city policy changes will likely lead to land value increases and a clear shifting in the fabric and makeup of the area. We need to ensure that redevelopment in the DTES is led by the community, not displacing it. 
  • True reconciliation demands real action. It is no longer optional for cities to apply TRC calls to action and UNDRIP to urban planning initiatives. 
  • Embedding the voices of experienced xwməθkwəy̓əm, Skw̱x̱wú7mesh, and səlilwətaɬ leaders ensures that development is rooted in the true history of this land. 
  • The community is ready for change. From grassroots advocates to local businesses, there is a growing momentum for a new model of “revitalization” rooted in equity, connection and belonging.

What participants walked away with:

Participants gained a deeper understanding of Coast Salish history and place-based knowledge, as well as practical tools for applying the UNDRIP to their own planning work. We experienced firsthand how Indigenous art, architecture and cultural protocols can shape inclusive, community-rooted development.

Workshop themes included:

  • An immersive journey through Coast Salish history, culture, and place-based knowledge.
  • A hands-on introduction to Coast Salish and Northwest Coast Formline art and architecture.
  • Insight into how the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) can be applied to urban and community planning.
  • Exploring how Indigenous teachings can shape future spaces, using Central City Foundation’s potential redevelopment projects as examples.

What is a design charette?

A design charette is a collaborative planning session where experts come together to generate ideas and shape the direction of a project. It brings community members, designers and decision-makers into the same room to listen, sketch, discuss and co-create in a focused and hands-on environment.

As part of this process, Central City Foundation hosted a small, focused design charette exploring one of CCF’s DTES properties. While participation in the charette was limited, we will share key highlights that will inform the broader community vision.

This Indigenous-led workshop series and design charette is one of the ways CCF is actioning and deepening our ongoing work towards truth, justice and reconciliation. CCF is committed to finding ways to do our work that do not reinforce the harms of colonialism that continue to impact the lives of people in our inner city community. Because history does matter, we understand that we need to learn the full history of our country and our community and then use that knowledge to interrogate our own practices.

Using the knowledge shared at each workshop, Central City Foundations team will create, envision and design a building and surrounding spaces that include the history of these lands, the realities of the needs today and with a vision for the future rooted in community, connection and belonging.

Meet the facilitation team:

Elder Shane Pointe – Cultural educator and respected knowledge holder from xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam).

Chief Ian Campbell – Hereditary Chief of the Skw̱x̱wú7mesh (Squamish) Nation and experienced leader in Indigenous governance and land use planning.

Knowledge Keeper Charlene Aleck – a former elected Councillor for səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) and a spokeswoman for the nation’s Sacred Trust Initiative.

Ginger Gosnell -Myers – Indigenous planner, policy expert, and advocate for Indigenous knowledge in urban design and planning.

Cory Douglas – Coast Salish artist and designer integrating traditional art and architecture into modern designs. 

Jennifer Johnstone – President & CEO of Central City Foundation, bringing almost 20 years of leadership at CCF,  and 119 years of CCF history into the conversation.

Derek Lee – Principal at PWL Partnership, with deep experience in landscape architecture and community-led design. 

 

We hope this learning series inspires you to incorporate these teachings into your own work and planning processes. If you are interested in participating in this program, please inquire via email at development@centralcityfoundation.ca