The Musqueam people lived in the region of Canada that is now Vancouver for thousands of years before European colonists arrived on the West Coast. As is often the case across Canada, there is a complicated relationship between the original Indigenous inhabitants of the land and the people who have come from away to establish their own lives here. But it seems that the Vancouver International Airport, known better as YVR, is trying to set a standard for how that should be done.
The airport and the Musqueam have long been neighbors on at the mouth of the Fraser River. YVR are entering into a revenue sharing agreement with the Musqueam people. That means part of the ground lease revenues from YVR will be shared with the Musqueam Nation. This is a huge leap forward when it comes to Indigenous peoples sharing in tourism revenues taking place on their own lands that often bypass them. This is in addition to a previous agreement signed in in 2017.
On a functional level, this will likely lead to few, if any, changes that will be impact travelers. All of this is happening behind the scenes and will not alter how the airport operates on a day-to-day basis. But the growing partnership between YVR and the Musqueam could open the door to stronger Indigenous representation in the airport itself. That may mean new artwork, exhibits, and cultural activities. All of this would give visitors a better sense of the region they are visiting.
The economic benefits for the Musqueam Nation can not be understated, as well, and could prove to also be important to relations with Indigenous peoples around the world. This agreement may set the standard for future relationships between such groups and institutions like airports. The potential here may help address numerous issues that have presented themselves over the years.