Vancouver unveils new šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm Street sign
On a cloudy Vancouver morning, history was made, just off West 10th Avenue.
Dozens gathered at St. James Community Square on Friday morning to witness the official unveiling of new street signage for šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm Street, the first street in Vancouver to carry a name in the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ language of the Musqueam people.
Bhagyashree Chatterjee/Daily Hive
The energy was powerful.
Drumming opened the ceremony as Musqueam Chief Wayne Sparrow, Elder Larry Grant, and Mayor Ken Sim stood together at the front of the crowd.
Bhagyashree Chatterjee/Daily Hive
Speakers from both Musqueam and the City of Vancouver shared reflections on the years of advocacy, partnership, and ceremony that led to this moment.
“This day has been coming for over 10 years,” said Chief Sparrow.
“Renaming Trutch Street to šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm Street is a major milestone for our community and another way that Musqueam is reclaiming our language.”
Bhagyashree Chatterjee/Daily Hive
After Chief Sparrow and Mayor Sim pulled the cover off the new street sign, revealing the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ name in bold white letters, the crowd erupted in applause.
Bhagyashree Chatterjee/Daily Hive
To close the ceremony, Musqueam dancers performed a traditional battle dance, honouring the ancestors and marking the significance of the moment with movement and song.
Bhagyashree Chatterjee/Daily Hive
The new name replaces Trutch Street, originally named after Joseph Trutch, B.C.’s first lieutenant-governor, whose racist policies severely impacted First Nations peoples and land rights in the province.
Following a name-gifting ceremony in 2022, Vancouver officially passed the bylaw amendment on June 17, 2025, renaming the street šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm (with Musqueamview as its English translation).
Bhagyashree Chatterjee/Daily Hive
Mayor Ken Sim also took a moment to acknowledge the cross-party cooperation that made the renaming possible.
“While we may not agree on almost everything,” he said, addressing former mayor Kennedy Stewart, “the love and care you have for this city is clear. I want Musqueam to know — on issues like this, we’re all united.”
“We’re fighting for this not because it’s the trendy thing to do, but because it’s the right thing to do.”
Sim emphasized that no matter who holds office, the commitment to reconciliation must remain consistent.
What’s next for šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm Street?
Bhagyashree Chatterjee/Daily Hive
Beginning June 23, TransLink buses on routes 2 (Macdonald) and 33 (29th Avenue Station) will begin announcing the new legal name onboard.
Bus signs will display the English translation, Musqueamview Street.
Over time, the street itself will become a storytelling space.
An audio box and interpretive sign are planned for West Point Grey Road, along with story panels running the full 16-block stretch.
As Chief Sparrow reminded the crowd, the language now seen on street signs was once silenced in classrooms and homes.
Bhagyashree Chatterjee/Daily Hive
“Our ancestors were forced to speak English,” he said.
“And if we’re walking reconciliation, we walk together, and we all have a part to learn our language.”
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