Please watch this page for updates as we make progress on this important work.
Reconciliation is a broad term for work that seeks to develop mutually respectful relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in Canada.
For local government, Reconciliation activities may include:
Since 2022, the City has identified reconciliation as both a strategic goal and key priority in its Corporate Business Plan, which guides all activities and work across the organization. By doing this, the City has committed to taking concrete steps to enhance its positive relationship with the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm and other First Nations.
As one part of its reconciliation work, Coquitlam has adopted the following territorial acknowledgement:
We acknowledge with gratitude and respect that the name Coquitlam was derived from the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ word kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (kwee-kwuh-tlum) meaning “Red Fish Up the River”. The City is honoured to be located on the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem) traditional and ancestral lands, including those parts that were historically shared with the sq̓əc̓iy̓aɁɬ təməxʷ (Katzie), and other Coast Salish Peoples.
For First Nations, acknowledging traditional territory is a long-standing practice and regular aspect of governance relationships and ceremony. Acknowledgements have become common across Canada at formal meetings, conferences and events as a sign of respect and reconciliation.
Coquitlam’s territorial acknowledgement honours and recognizes the original inhabitants of the land on which the city sits today. It will be incorporated in a variety of locations including City email signatures, corporate print and online documents, the City website and introductions for formal meetings and events.
The City of Coquitlam participates in or promotes in a variety of events and observances throughout the year that raise awareness about Canada’s Indigenous history.
For more events, visit Canadian Heritage’s Celebrate Canada List of Events (includes interactive map for Metro Vancouver activities).
The kʷikʷəƛ̓əm people have lived in their ancestral territory, referred today as the Coquitlam Watershed, since before remembered time. Today, kʷikʷəƛ̓əm First Nation has one reserve that shares jurisdictional borders with the City of Coquitlam. It is governed by an elected Chief and Council who serve a four-year term of office.
Learn more about the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm:
The traditional language of the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm people is hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ (HUN-kuh-MEE-num), which is the Downriver dialect of the broader language Halkomelem, one of the Coast Salish or Salish family of languages.
Read the language guide for information about spelling and pronunciation and to hear audio clips.
Learning about Indigenous people’s history and culture is a step each of us can take on the path to reconciliation. Coquitlam shares the following links and activities: