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A group of kʷikʷəƛ̓əm members and staff taught environmental planning students from Simon Fraser University (SFU) about the importance of working with First Nation peoples.

Councillors George Chaffee and John Peters and Cultural Coordinator Nancy Joe spoke to about 25 SFU students on the banks of the Coquitlam River earlier this month, outlining the Nation’s efforts to protect its ancestral waters and lands from the impacts of colonization over the past 150 years.

In that time, the Nation has seen most of its unceded territory—that stretches from what is now referred to as Surrey to north of Coquitlam Lake—developed for industrial, residential, and other commercial purposes. The most significant development was the creation of the Coquitlam Dam in the early 1900s, which dramatically reduced the number of salmon in the Coquitlam River and Coquitlam Lake.
  
“What you’re doing is true reconciliation because you are learning,” Chaffee said of the students.

The walk was arranged between the Nation and SFU to educate future decision makers about water use planning from an Indigenous perspective. It also aimed to get students in the field and teach them how to maintain and create a relationship with kʷikʷəƛ̓əm or any other First Nation.

Peters and Joe highlighted that it was the Creator who made the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm peoples, gifting them the land to steward and protect for future generations. And that the Nation often collaborated with other Nations to gather and protect one another.

Craig Orr, a long-time consultant with the Nation, and the Referrals Department also shared their perspective on water use planning.

As part of the walk, Philip Bradshaw, a PhD candidate at SFU and instructor of the environmental planning class, asked his students to complete a reflection of the day.

The assignment had students share how meeting kʷikʷəƛ̓əm leadership and staff influenced their role as a planner, and understanding of someone living in Metro Vancouver. It also suggested identifying anything from the visit that they might carry forward in their professional career.

A group of SFU students gave consent to share their responses with the Nation. Many of the reflections expressed gratitude to the Nation, calling the day an eye-opening experience and one that would shape their career path.

You can see excerpts from a few selected reflections below:

• “The field trip helped me realize that we must move beyond extractive models and instead act as guardians of the land, protecting its integrity while considering the needs of future generations,” wrote one student.

• “What struck me first was the warm and sincere welcome we received—an invitation to treat their land with the same respect we would treat our own homes. This immediately reframed my understanding of place: it’s not just about the physical environment but the spirit, stories, and stewardship embedded within it,” wrote another student.

• “I went from K-9 through Metro Vancouver’s School District 43 in Coquitlam without learning of the mistreatment that has been consistent on this land,” wrote another student who preferred to remain anonymous. “I can honestly say that I am shocked at the level of information I was missing, and this was vital information, about the management of the watershed in ways I had not considered.”

• “The importance of mutual respect has been re-emphasized to me during this experience. Despite cultural differences and priorities, mutual respect is needed in order for all respective parties to engage in meaningful collaboration to find the best possible solution,” wrote a student. “From this experience, I want to carry forward the advice from Kwikwetlem First Nation into my future career as an Environmental Professional. The collaborative watershed planning that has been done for the Coquitlam Watershed is admirable, but many more watersheds across Canada will require unique strategies and collaboration with various local Nations.”