Nice article. Continuing on your point with the Squamish lands, one of my hypotheses is that the Indigenous people could actually end up being the solution to this mess over the ultra-long term.
Like, because the Indigenous people can develop what they want (other than potential restrictions around hooking up utilities), they have a competitive advantage when it comes to developing Vancouver real estate. That advantage should allow them to get outsized profits relative to other developers.
Those profits should allow them to buy land, integrate it with their other land, and continue development. Effectively, they have a flywheel that over the course of a century or two, should let them re-acquire massive swaths of Vancouver.
It's pretty unlikely to happen because there are going to be many people involved in making the decisions about what to do with the profits, and it would be difficult implement a long term plan for prosperity when most people would rather just buy toys today. But it amuses me that it theoretically *could* happen.
I'm sorry you didn't get elected. You're the closest person I've ever seen to being my doppleganger. (Similar style of writing, similar jobs, similar interests, similar perspectives on most issues, same somewhat unusual CS/math degree from UBC + CS master's degree, similar focus on analytics, similar decision to be involved in politics.) So, I think it's unfortunate that you weren't elected.
So the MST nations (Musqueam, Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh) are definitely major developers in Vancouver, but it's not the case that all of their projects will be free from municipal zoning restrictions. Senakw isn't subject to those restrictions because it's on Squamish reserve land - that is, it's the jurisdiction of the land that's important, not the fact that the developers are Indigenous.
Frances Bula checked this with the city of Vancouver: "The three projects you had asked about (Jericho lands, Heather lands, Liquor Distribution branch site at Broadway/Renfrew) which are being led by MST Development Corporation on behalf of the MST partnership, are owned by corporations and are not on federal or reserve lands. As such, the development of those lands will be subject to all municipal laws and by-laws in respect of use and development of land. For developments of this scale, the normal process would be a high level policy statement, rezoning and then the development permit and building permit process. There will be extensive public engagement in this process and public hearings in front of Vancouver City Council for the rezonings. This is unlike the proposed Senakw project which is on Squamish Nation reserve land and as such Squamish Nation’s land use planning jurisdiction applies and not the City of Vancouver’s."
It's funny that we have such similar backgrounds. Let me know if you'd like to meet up!
But, maybe that isn't a great option either, because the Federal Government legally owns reserves. So, they'd be spending private money to increase the amount of crown land. And just because the Government would have a hard time stealing that land today doesn't mean that the same would be true 20 years from today.
Too bad. That seemed like a fun solution.
Sure, it would be fun to meet up. I'm within walking distance of you--a couple blocks west of King Edward Skytrain Station. Why don't you send me an email to my spam account, rbgibbons@yahoo.com, and we can figure out a time to meet at a coffee shop?
Nice article. Continuing on your point with the Squamish lands, one of my hypotheses is that the Indigenous people could actually end up being the solution to this mess over the ultra-long term.
Like, because the Indigenous people can develop what they want (other than potential restrictions around hooking up utilities), they have a competitive advantage when it comes to developing Vancouver real estate. That advantage should allow them to get outsized profits relative to other developers.
Those profits should allow them to buy land, integrate it with their other land, and continue development. Effectively, they have a flywheel that over the course of a century or two, should let them re-acquire massive swaths of Vancouver.
It's pretty unlikely to happen because there are going to be many people involved in making the decisions about what to do with the profits, and it would be difficult implement a long term plan for prosperity when most people would rather just buy toys today. But it amuses me that it theoretically *could* happen.
I'm sorry you didn't get elected. You're the closest person I've ever seen to being my doppleganger. (Similar style of writing, similar jobs, similar interests, similar perspectives on most issues, same somewhat unusual CS/math degree from UBC + CS master's degree, similar focus on analytics, similar decision to be involved in politics.) So, I think it's unfortunate that you weren't elected.
So the MST nations (Musqueam, Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh) are definitely major developers in Vancouver, but it's not the case that all of their projects will be free from municipal zoning restrictions. Senakw isn't subject to those restrictions because it's on Squamish reserve land - that is, it's the jurisdiction of the land that's important, not the fact that the developers are Indigenous.
Frances Bula checked this with the city of Vancouver: "The three projects you had asked about (Jericho lands, Heather lands, Liquor Distribution branch site at Broadway/Renfrew) which are being led by MST Development Corporation on behalf of the MST partnership, are owned by corporations and are not on federal or reserve lands. As such, the development of those lands will be subject to all municipal laws and by-laws in respect of use and development of land. For developments of this scale, the normal process would be a high level policy statement, rezoning and then the development permit and building permit process. There will be extensive public engagement in this process and public hearings in front of Vancouver City Council for the rezonings. This is unlike the proposed Senakw project which is on Squamish Nation reserve land and as such Squamish Nation’s land use planning jurisdiction applies and not the City of Vancouver’s."
It's funny that we have such similar backgrounds. Let me know if you'd like to meet up!
That's unfortunate. This article implies that it's possible to buy land and then apply to the federal government to get it added to a reserve:
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/first-nations-urban-reserves-land-back-1.6326851
But, maybe that isn't a great option either, because the Federal Government legally owns reserves. So, they'd be spending private money to increase the amount of crown land. And just because the Government would have a hard time stealing that land today doesn't mean that the same would be true 20 years from today.
Too bad. That seemed like a fun solution.
Sure, it would be fun to meet up. I'm within walking distance of you--a couple blocks west of King Edward Skytrain Station. Why don't you send me an email to my spam account, rbgibbons@yahoo.com, and we can figure out a time to meet at a coffee shop?
This is a great article!
Thank you!