The Kwikwetlem First Nation is opposing a Port Coquitlam townhouse development next to reserve lands because members believe the area could have archeological value.
In a letter to staff, Kwikwetlem Chief Ron Giesbrecht said the community would require funding from the city to conduct its own archeological impact assessment. If anything is found, he said, a management plan would need to be put in place for the area.
"We are opposed to the issuance of a development permit for this site at this time," he said in the letter. "We anticipate there will be archeological values, and potentially significant values, present in the area that will be affected by the proposed development."
Giesbrecht's letter outlined several other outstanding issues between the city and the Kwikwetlem First Nation.
He writes that the band has been planning a development of its own on reserve land for its members located next to PoCo's proposed Shaughnessy Street townhouse site. The two developments, he said, are not complementary and would not be appropriate.
Drainage issues associated with development on city land that abuts the east side of the reserve land also concern Giesbrecht.
"We have had numerous discussions with the city, regarding access to our... reserve lands to support developments there," he said. "Unfortunately, there has been no progress on this matter to date. In our view, this has been entirely due to the city's lack of co-operation in these discussions."
Laura Lee Richard, PoCo's director of development services, said she has been in contact with the Kwikwetlem regarding the townhouse development. She said that the archeology branch of the Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts is aware of the area and does not believe there are any archeological sites on the property.
But if something significant were found during construction, under provincial law, the developer would have to halt the work and alert authorities, who would investigate the matter.
Coun. Brad West, who chairs the smart growth committee, said that the townhouse proposal for the Shaughnessy Street property is in the early stages and there will be plenty of time for input from the community. Any development, he added, would be complementary to housing developed on the adjacent reserve land sites.
"Obviously, this is just in the early stage of this development," West said. "At each step of the process, proper consideration is going to be given to the Kwikwetlem First Nation."
