Skway I.R.#5—where we live—is a small wedge of land comprised of 670 acres located adjacent to the City of Chilliwack and located within Stó:lō and Ts’elxwéyeqw Traditional Territory. With the vision of more of our people living on reserve, we strive to care for and use our lands, and resources to help lift our people. We aim to provide opportunities for our people to cultivate a deep connection to the spiritual and traditional features on the landscape.
We live surrounded by water that can cause flooding and affect our water supply. We work and partner with other government bodies to protect our homes, lands, and people from flooding though mitigation projects.
Negotiated $52M agreement to fund river dike and help protect our community from future flooding. Funding was awarded to Shxwh:ay Skwah and we worked with the City in an historic effort to do more together. "We're the first line of defense for the region.
Community Garden has a foundation with integrated irrigation. There is great potential for this land and anyone interested in spearheading this project should reach out to council.
Shxwhá:y Village Land Code
The Land Code is the basic land law of Shxwhá:y Village and will replace the land management provisions of the Indian Act. Approximately two-thirds of the provisions of the Indian Act, which do not deal with land matters, continue to apply to the Village that has a Land Code. For example, the sections dealing with elections and governance continue to apply to Shxwhá:y.
