REVEALED: Vancouver allocated $33,500 for meetings with Musqueam about šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm St. rebrand

It has been revealed that the City of Vancouver paid the Musqueam Indian Band $33,500 to attend meetings related to their decision to rename Trutch St. šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm St.Money was set aside for pronunciation videos, sign design, and event planning, among other things..According to leaked documents obtained by OneBC leader Dallas Brodie, the bulk of the funds were set to be spent in 2023. A budget of $10,000 was set for "prior staff time dedicated to planning and executing the September 30th, 2022 event," where the Musqueam "gifted" the city with Trutch St.'s new name.A further $6,000 was allocated for up to 10 meetings with the city and $10,000 to plan the renaming ceremony, which eventually took place in June 2025.The city also set aside $7,500 for "collaborative work" on street sign design, external communications, interpretive signage, a "lunch and learn" event for staff, and a pronunciation video.How much Vancouver actually spent has not been made public, but Brodie nonetheless expressed her frustration."Residents had no say and nobody except woke, white consultants can read the new name, but who cares?" she lamented. "That’s the price of progress!".On June 20, a large crowd gathered under a street sign at the corner of West 11th Ave. and what was, until just hours earlier, Trutch St. to take part in the unveiling of its new name.WATCH: Vancouver's Trutch St. officially becomes šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm."This is more than just about a new address," Sim told residents. "It's about participating in reconciliation in a very tangible way, and a visible way. šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm is now a permanent part of Vancouver's landscape, and reflects a broader commitment to acknowledge the truth, honour indigenous knowledge and history, and to build a more inclusive future.".A number of Musqueam people were on scene to assist with the pronunciation of the new name.