Executive Summary

This report, Transforming Landscapes: Advancing Understanding and Collaboration with Indigenous Partners in BC Real Estate, is designed to support developers, planners, and real estate professionals across British Columbia in building stronger, informed, collaborative, long-term and respectful relationships with Indigenous communities, partners and organisations. As Indigenous-led development continues to grow and reshape the landscape of real estate in BC, there is a clear desire for greater understanding, open dialogue, and meaningful collaboration from both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. This report, research and collection of interviews offers insights, case studies, and guidance that will support real estate professionals to ask informed questions, access relevant information, and approach partnerships with cultural awareness and understanding.

Our intention is to create a platform that honours Indigenous voices, shares their leadership stories, and encourages others in the industry to listen, learn, and build relationships rooted in trust and shared values. This work is part of a broader movement toward reconciliation, acknowledging the past, being present in the conversation, and working together toward an inclusive future that honours Indigenous self-determination. We believe that collaboration is not only possible, but essential.

There are already many thoughtful, well-researched resources that map and explain Indigenous territories and designations. Rather than recreate them, we aim to amplify those existing works. Throughout this report, you’ll find links to trusted sources for deeper exploration and learning.

This report is a first step in what we hope will be a long-term, evolving dialogue. It is not a conclusion, but a place to start and an opportunity to transform how we think about land, leadership, and what it means to build together.