This page provides information about the MCRC community engagement activities that happened in 2021.

For the most current update to community, please see the main project page.

MCRC Project Update 2021

In early October 2021, the project team released a new information booklet that provides an overview of the MCRC project, site and buildings information, design concepts and the progress to date. The booklet was mailed out to households off reserve and delivered to households on reserve. This section of the website includes the same update as the information booklet, and some additional details that we couldn’t fit into the booklet.

Click here to read the fall 2021 information booklet (PDF)

Community Meetings 2021

In October 2021, the MCRC housing project entered phase three of community engagement. This phase focused on an overall update on the project, including sharing building details and design concepts. Feedback was received through two information sessions with presentations and a short survey, one hosted in-person and one online. Following the presentations, there was time for questions and comments from community members.

INFO SESSION #1 – Tuesday, October 12, 2021 In-person (Musqueam Gym)
Attendance: 11 band members
Council, MIB staff, and MCC staff were in attendance.

INFO SESSION #2 – Wednesday, October 13, 2021 Online (Zoom)
Attendance: 23 band members
Council, MIB staff, and MCC staff were in attendance.

Click here to read presentation boards about the design approach (PDF)

Click here to read presentation boards about the daycare facility (PDF)

After the information sessions, a 3-question survey was distributed to receive feedback about the presentation and project. Between the two sessions, 30 completed surveys were received.

Did you learn something new about the MCRC project tonight?
90% (27 people) answered YES
10% (3 people) answered NO

Were your questions answered about the MCRC?
83% (25 people) answered YES
17% (5 people) answered NO

Do you support the MCRC?
93% (28 people) answered YES
7% (2 people) answered NO

The MCRC team was directed by Musqueam Council to meet with the neighbours of Lot 95 for their feedback and to express their respective interests, concerns, and ask questions regarding this housing initiative. From December 2020–August 2021, members in households neighbouring Lot 95 met with the MCRC team via email, phone, and in-person on four occasions in small groups at a time.

The feedback and needs of neighbours directly contributed to the current project design, including the height and location of the apartment, parking locations, installing fencing, trees, and hedges for privacy, and building the project to flood level elevation.

The outcomes of the community and neighbour meetings can be summarized as follows:

• There is a great need for housing that is beyond what this project can supply.
• Feedback at both engagement sessions was overwhelmingly supportive of the MCRC project, with divergent opinions representing only one or two attendees at each session.
• A large majority of members, living both on and off-Reserve, support the project.
• There is an interest in renting at MCRC.
• Majority of neighbours whose back yards encroach on Lot 95 no longer oppose the project and accept the proposed design.
• A few community members continue to oppose the project including site selection, density, and even questioning authority of the Council and validity of the Land Use Plan.

MCRC Design Advisory Group

A call went out in fall 2020 for Musqueam members to join a design advisory group that would provide advice and insight to inspire a Musqueamized design for all three buildings.

Four band members representing a cross section of our community were selected to take part in the panel. The project team thanks Kevin Wilson, Mackenzie Gomez-Sparrow, Santana Palmer Thomas and Abigail Speck for providing thoughtful input about the design of the apartment building, townhomes and daycare facility.

In November 2020 and August 2021, the MCRC Design Advisory Group met with the project team to have focused discussions about the MCRC design. The project architects, Urban Arts Architecture, directly integrated the advisory group’s feedback into proposed designs.

See the Project Design page for the most up to date details and pictures.