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Tsleil-Waututh Nation applies to expand land reserve in Maplewood

The Tsleil-Waututh Nation is looking to expand their reserve lands by picking up 45 acres in north Maplewood, according to a release from the band.
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The Tsleil-Waututh Nation is looking to expand their reserve lands by picking up 45 acres in north Maplewood, according to a release from the band.

The Addition to Reserve application, filed with the federal government, is intended to move the community toward “self-sufficiency and sovereignty,” according to Chief Leah George Wilson.

“We strive to preserve the Tsleil-Waututh values in our land and business development activities,” Wilson stated in the release. “The feedback we receive from Tsleil-Waututh community members and the greater community will continue to be reflected in the community planning process.”

The release also stated the return of this ancestral land ”will help the nation move toward economic prosperity for present and future generations.”

Canada’s Addition to Reserve policy dates back to 1972.

In evaluating the application, government policy is to assess environmental concerns, the qualms of municipal and provincial governments, public access, and the cost-effectiveness of the proposal.

The Tsleil-Waututh Nation previously partnered with local development company Darwin on the deferred Maplewood Innovation District, a tech-centric town centre.

“Our future generations are the reason why we are investing in this project,” explained Tsleil-Waututh Nation development manager Dennis Thomas in 2018. “Enabling our youth to work, learn and live successfully in our community is what we are striving for.”

After initially proposing 900 units of housing and 1.4-million square feet of business space on the former gravel quarry site, Darwin advanced a more modest development this year, pitching a combined 424,713 square feet of light industrial and office space as well as 250 to 275 rental housing units.

In a split vote in May, district council deferred voting on the proposal until 2020, following a review of the official community plan.