Community Description
Shxwhá:y Village is a band government of the Stó:lō people living in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia, Canada near the city of Chilliwack. Long before Western European contact, our ancestors lived in the beautiful Ts’elxweyeqw (Chilliwack River Valley). Our ancestral homelands were at Sxotsaqel, a village at the head of Chilliwack Lake. Sxotsaqel means ‘sacred lake’ in Halq’eméylem language. We have a long history of moving down river and eventually settling at the mouth of the Old Chilliwack River (Skway I.R.#5).
Treaty or Tribal Association
Stó:lo Nation
Summary of Economic Development Agreements, Community Businesses and Joint Ventures
Gravel extraction, agricultural cash crops, and demolition, land clearing and construction (DLC) have been an on-going source of revenue for Shxwhá:y Village. The community is also looking to develop a Tissue Manufacturing Plant and a Waste-to-Energy project.
Economic Development Background
Shxwhá:y people are resourceful with a keen sense of independence that is focused on sustainable use of resources to generate economic activity and revenues. Shxwhá:y people will thrive economically, socially, politically and culturally through their unwavering commitment to being the best that they can be.