From floor to ceiling, artworks from Tsawwassen First Nation people are on display to the thousands of shoppers visiting the newly-opened megamall.

When the doors at Tsawwassen Mills swung open in early October, it marked the end of four years of planning, site preparation and construction. The destination mall sits on land acquired when the nation signed BC’s first urban treaty in 2009. Next year, on nearby lands, a big-box-store complex will open for business.

Chief Bryce Williams said the project – a partnership with company Ivanhoe Cambridge – has built his nation’s pride.

“The opening of Tsawwassen Mills represents the end of one journey and the beginning of a new one,” he said. “This is reconciliation in action, and we invite everyone to come and
witness.”

The massive centre is divided into five themed ‘neighbourhoods’ including one that is Coast Salish. The other four neighbourhoods are themed fashion, nature, city and sports.

The Coast Salish neighbourhood features artwork from seven of the nation’s artists. Some pieces of art are on display and others are incorporated into the mall structure itself.

Jeff Brown, Ivanhoe Cambridge’s director of development, said artists either created pieces themselves or worked with designers who fabricated larger structures.

“A lot of it was just too big to be done by local artists, so we had two or three companies that got involved with fabrications,” Brown explained.

Those include a Coast Salish bench that was designed by Chief Williams, and a central ‘hearth’ that stretches from floor to ceiling and features faux flames that turn into salmon, designed by Karl Williams.

Tsawwassen First Nation artwork is even part of the floors and light fixtures. “The artists had a really good time doing more non-traditional kinds of things,” Brown said.

However there are also traditional pieces, such as a large blanket woven by Loretta Williams. Her weavings are also incorporated into the ceiling elements.

The mall’s food court is another prominent feature, as it is designed to look like a longhouse. It features carvings by Jody Wilson, Cliff Gurniak and Frank Campbell. There are also cedar boxes on display that were made by Holly Campbell.

New mall ‘a symbol’

The Vancouver Sun newspaper had an editorial in its Oct. 12 edition entitled ‘Tsawwassen Mills mall symbolizes First Nation’s independence’. It ended with these words: “Tsawwassen Mills is not just a shopping mall. It is a symbol of First Nations independence and growing economic strength. Given the significance of the project, opening just weeks after the Business Council of B.C. and the B.C.

Assembly of First Nations signed a formal agreement to help lift indigenous communities out of poverty and build the province’s economy, the complaints seem almost petty.”

Bursting at the seams

Almost 300,000 shoppers came through the doors at Tsawwassen Mills in its first six days of operations in early October.

The Mills said in a statement: “The opening was a huge success, attracting approximately 284,000 shoppers over the six day period including more than 201,000 visitors in the first four days.”

Heavy traffic volumes on those first days have calmed down with new signs indicating best routes for drives. And a 42-passenger shuttle service provides free round-trip transportation from the nearby BC Ferries terminal for walk-on ferry travellers.

Yes, there are taxes

First Nations shoppers at Tsawwassen Mills will not have the usual tax exemptions for those who carry status cards when shopping on reserve lands.

When Tsawwassen First Nation signed its treaty in 2009, it was no longer a reserve and the nation stopped following Indian Act regulations.

Nation members were allowed, under treaty, to make an application for tax exemption in order to become familiar with changes.

But all those exemptions for income and property taxes for members will end in 2021.