Amid broiling political tension over reconciliation policies, elected leaders from the three First Nations bands residing in Vancouver spoke to their ongoing multi-billion-dollar land development projects with the city’s business community Friday, May 1.

At the sixth annual Reconciliation in Action conference hosted by the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, board CEO Bridgitte Anderson held a discussion with Musqueum Indian Band Chief Wayne Sparrow, Squamish Nation council chairperson Wilson Williams and Tsleil-Waututh Nation councillor Curtis Thomas.

Together, their nations control MST Development Corp., which holds six parcels of land valued at more than $3 billion, including the Jericho Lands and Heather Lands, which are planned to be developed into thousands of condo units.

Anderson commenced the discussion acknowledging political “tension” following two 2025 court rulings that concern land and consultation rights.

The first was the Cowichan Tribes case, which granted the nation rights to a portion of east Richmond that is mostly privately owned. The B.C. Supreme Court decision directed the government to negotiate with Cowichan for compensation in lieu of the private properties.

The second was the Gitxaala case where the B.C. Court of Appeal affirmed the provincial government failed to consult the Gitxaala nation on mineral rights claims while determining the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA) is legally enforceable.

The cases have galvanized opposition to the BC NDP government, with BC Conservative party leadership hopefuls all vowing to repeal DRIPA, which compels consultation with First Nations bands on resource development projects in what may be deemed traditional territories.

“It’s upsetting that narrative of nervousness is out there,” Williams said.

Sparrow said a lack of information and disinformation on the Cowichan case has scared some members of the public.

“We aren’t going after third-party land,” he said of Cowichan and his own nation’s recent agreement with the federal government, which largely entails fishing rights.

“Premier [David] Eby was thrown under the bus,” and some politicians are using “divide and conquer politics,” Sparrow said.

Instead, the leaders spoke of how their three nations have worked to negotiate the control of underutilized government lands in the absence of historical treaties, as they exist elsewhere in Canada.

The biggest economic driver for the group is what Thomas called the “MST machine,” or MST Development Corp.

Sparrow said the Heather Lands are “getting momentum” despite acknowledging the overall economy is slowing down. That’s partly due to a $476 million provincial government subsidy to build 2,940 discounted fee simple homes.

Sparrow said development of the Jericho Lands is “years away.”

Another big project being built exclusively by Squamish, via a $1.4 billion federal loan, is the Sen̓áḵw condo development in Kitsilano—which is built on a narrow strip land near the Burrard Bridge that was once a Squamish village.

Williams said residency at the Sen̓áḵw condo development in Kitsilano starts June 1 with a 12,000-person wait list.

Thomas said affordable housing projects for members is a key focus of his, citing the recent completion of a 100-unit BC Housing project.

Thomas said his nation is focusing on building and renovating “safe and healthy” homes on reserve land, including energy efficiency measures and EV chargers. Construction is being undertaken by Indigenous workers, said Thomas.

“Our communities are still healing and that’s a reality,” said Thomas, who said he is guide by his three Ps: “People, planet and profit.”

“There’s a huge need for our kids to get into the trades [while] building the next generation of leaders and role models,” Thomas said.

Sparrow also spoke to the partnership with Snuneymuxw First Nation to purchase the River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond.

Musqueum already owned the land, noted Sparrow, who said while the nation has made several economic gains it still lacks enough reserve land to build housing for enough members seeking it.

“We need to bring our members home but we don’t have any land to house them,” Sparrow said.

“People say: ‘Oh the nations are getting this, the nations are getting that’ … but let’s look at the reality. We have 400 people waiting for a home in Musqueam,” located on the north arm of the Fraser River in south Vancouver.

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