First Nations Leverage Sovereign Land to Build High-Density Housing Near Vancouver
The Squamish Nation and other Indigenous groups are constructing large-scale residential projects on land exempt from municipal zoning, creating thousands of new units around Vancouver.
In Vancouver, First Nations are using reclaimed sovereign lands to address the housing crisis by erecting high-density residential complexes free from municipal zoning constraints. The Squamish Nation’s 10-acre former rail yard, returned after a 2002 court decision, will host Senakw, a 6,000-unit tower that began welcoming tenants in May. Local homeowners opposed the project, labeling it a “revenge plot,” but their objections held no legal weight because the land is under Indigenous jurisdiction.
Across the metro area, the Musqueam Indian Band, Squamish Nation and Tsleil-Waututh Nation, via MST Development Corporation, are developing six additional projects on 160 acres. These developments blend social-housing goals, minimal parking, and private investment, illustrating a deregulated model that appeals to a range of political perspectives while continuing to face NIMBY resistance.
Why it matters
Indigenous-controlled, zoning-free housing could reshape Vancouver's affordability crisis and set a precedent for land-use policy.
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