Snuneymuxw First Nation has joined in on a partnership to develop three properties in Nanaimo’s Fifth Street Corridor. 

The nation announced in December that it has joined in on a deal with B.C. Housing, The City of Nanaimo and Nanaimo-Ladysmith Public Schools that was initially announced in 2018. 

The development has now been named Te’tuxwtun Project after the traditional name for what’s now widely known as Mount Benson. 

“Reconciliation is about upholding Indigenous rights and connecting and strengthening our 

relationships,” said Doug Routley, the MLA for Nanaimo-North Cowichan, in a statement. 

“Indigenous peoples must be part of decision-making that affects them, their families and their territories.” 

Plans for the three developments on Fifth Street and Howard Ave include affordable rental housing, a new location for a Learning Alternatives school district program and parks and recreation services. 

The planning process is still continuing, but there will be more community services to come including health services or child care, according to a press release. 

B.C. Housing’s website says the process will be guided by Snuneymuxw and there will also be a cultural element included in the development. 

The result will be “a village grounded in ancestral knowledge,” according to the vision statement. 

“The Te’tuxwtun Project, built on the teachings of the land, will provide the foundation to both protect and improve the quality of life for all present and future community members,” the statement says. 

The development is currently in its preliminary stages. More information is available at www.bchousing.org.