What We Heard (2023)

Fort Langley National Historic Site

Preliminary feedback for the development of the draft management plan for Fort Langley National Historic Site.

Introduction

Parks Canada is preparing the next management plan for Fort Langley National Historic Site, which is due to be tabled in Parliament in 2024.

A management plan, prepared in consultation with Indigenous Peoples and Canadians, is the main public accountability document for national historic sites, national parks and park reserves, and national marine conservation areas and reserves. A management plan identifies the vision and long-term strategic direction for the heritage place and describes how that vision and direction will be achieved, how natural and cultural resources will be protected, how public understanding and appreciation will be addressed, and how meaningful visitor experiences will be facilitated.

This updated management plan will replace the 2013 Fort Langley National Historic Site Management Plan.

Parks Canada places a high priority on building effective relationships with local communities. Fort Langley National Historic Site is located on the unceded territory of the q̓ʷɑ:n̓ƛ̓ən̓ (Kwantlen), Máthxwi (Matsqui), se’mya’me (Semiahmoo), and q̓ic̓əy̓ (Katzie) First Nations. The current location of the site was chosen in 1839 as a Hudson's Bay Company trading post. It was strategically located on the south bank of the Fraser River directly across Bedford Channel from McMillan Island, which is located to the north of the site. The island’s shores were once bordered by the longhouses and canoes of the Kwantlen People, a major trading partner at the fort and intermediaries in trading with other Indigenous communities. McMillan Island remains the home of the Kwantlen community today.

Métis people played a significant role during the fur trade and developed valuable relationships with First Nations and European traders. Due to their unique position in the industry, Métis people developed formalized relationships with fur trade businesses including the Hudson’s Bay Company.

Acknowledging the impacts of colonialism on Indigenous Peoples is a critical part of healing and an important step toward reconciliation. Parks Canada’s priority is to support Indigenous Peoples in sharing their connections to ancestral lands and waters, and to provide opportunities for them to share their stories and experiences.

Consultation process

Public involvement is the cornerstone of Parks Canada’s management plans and ensures the views and vision of Canadians help shape the future of protected places. To facilitate meaningful opportunities to contribute to management planning for Fort Langley National Historic Site, a two-phase engagement process is underway. This report summarizes the results from the first phase of consultation.

In August 2023, Parks Canada conducted the first phase of consultation to prepare the updated draft management plan. This was done by sending letters of notification and invitations to participate to First Nations, Métis Nation British Columbia, and other partners and stakeholder groups.

The purpose of this consultation was threefold:

to introduce the planning program;
to identify opportunities to be involved in shaping the management plan; and
to begin discussing topics of mutual interest that might help shape the draft plan.

We used a variety of methods to obtain feedback, including an online platform and survey as well as virtual and on-site engagement sessions.

As we develop the draft plan, we are considering all comments gathered during Phase 1 consultation, which concluded in early October 2023.

Who we heard from

The engagement sessions hosted participants representing organisations that serve Black people, Indigenous people, people of colour, people with autism, people with disabilities and people from various cultures, ethnic origins, and speakers of different languages. In addition, Kwantlen community members and representatives from local businesses also participated.

During Phase I consultation, representatives from the following Indigenous, partner, and stakeholder groups participated in virtual meetings and discussions:

Métis Nation British Columbia
Metro Vancouver Regional Parks
Canucks Autism Network
Spinal Cord Injury BC
Rick Hansen Foundation
Chew On This Tasty Tours
BC Centre for Ability
City of Richmond
Colour the Trails
Hālau Hula Ka’Uhane O Ka Pakipika / Spirit of the Pacific Cultural Society
Fort Langley Legacy Foundation

Parks Canada developed an interactive online consultation and engagement platform to collect feedback on the proposed vision and other elements, using the following engagement tools: a survey for participants to rate the proposed vision, a place to share personal stories, and a place to share ideas for the future. The online platform also aimed to build awareness of the planning process and included links to key resources.

The online platform was open for input from August 5 to September 30, 2023. Most responses came from the Metro Vancouver region, with a moderate response from across British Columbia and the rest of Canada.

What we heard

Participants in the first phase of consultation provided a wide range of feedback. The following themes emerged:

The importance of Indigenous people sharing their own stories.
Visitors learning about Indigenous peoples’ connections to Fort Langley National Historic Site.
The importance of sharing a diversity of perspectives and allowing people to share their stories in their own voices.
Visitors learning about the impacts of colonialism.
Maintaining or improving the historic character of the site.
Maintaining or improving the condition of the site’s built assets.
Improving access and connection to the Fraser River and the riverfront property.

Responses to the questions helped identify priority issues and gaps in storytelling to inform the proposed vision and key considerations for the draft management plan.

Vision

The management planning team drafted the following proposed vision for the site:

Fort Langley National Historic Site is seen as a place that:

Is known as a community gathering space where everyone feels welcome.
Holistically reflects nature, culture, and history.
Tells stories in collaboration with Indigenous Peoples and diverse communities.
Invites people to explore through various lenses the ramifications and impacts of colonialism.
Facilitates learning and reflection on historical events and ways of life of Indigenous people and diverse communities, through interactive and interpretive spaces that build memories.
Preserves and protects cultural resources, by providing world-class stewardship, curation, visitor experiences, and assets that are accessible, inclusive, clean, safe, beautiful, functional, and sustainable now and into the future.

Feedback received during Phase I consultation validated the proposed vision by highlighting the importance of these common themes:

Growing Indigenous relations: While Parks Canada has a strong relationship with members of the Kwantlen First Nation and Métis Nation British Columbia, there is a desire to grow relationships with other Indigenous communities in the region. Parks Canada acknowledges that the impacts of colonial history and the process of designating Fort Langley as a site of national significance excluded Indigenous Peoples. We received suggestions on ways to create opportunities for sharing histories, stories, language, and interactive experiences in collaboration with local Indigenous Peoples.

Increased community engagement: Feedback suggests Parks Canada would benefit from increasing community engagement by enhancing the volunteer program and engaging community groups through onsite events. Responses stressed the importance of recruiting, training, and retaining volunteers from a diversity of backgrounds.

A space that welcomes and reflects Canada’s diversity: Feedback shows that Parks Canada can do more to reflect Canada’s diversity at Fort Langley National Historic Site by sharing stories and histories beyond the commemorative intent of the site. Responses noted that the content of some of the site’s current exhibits, programming, and website omits stories of diverse communities who resided in the area through history. Sharing these histories provides people the opportunity to see echoes of their own cultural histories reflected, making the site more relevant and increasing a sense of connection. By acknowledging the difficult parts of Fort Langley’s past, Parks Canada can also take steps toward welcoming racialized communities who were excluded during the site’s commemoration process.

Asset and cultural resource sustainability: Feedback noted that maintaining or improving built asset resources is needed. Ensuring long-term sustainability of cultural heritage assets is a priority for Parks Canada, as is providing for inclusivity and accessibility.

Climate Change: Parks Canada will determine how to mitigate impacts of climate change, which are a concern at Fort Langley National Historic Site. The impact of cumulative effects on assets and cultural resources such as damage to infrastructure leading to higher maintenance costs or loss of cultural resources will require resilience measures.

Improving access and connection to the Fraser River and riverfront property: Parks Canada heard from many people who were interested in further exploring improved access and use of the riverfront property at Fort Langley National Historic Site. First Nation communities expressed interest in harvesting and planting culturally significant plants on the property. Currently there is interest in the role the riverfront property might play in the community in the future, as it is now underutilized and difficult to access.

What’s next?

The planning team is currently developing the draft management plan for Fort Langley National Historic Site, which we expect to release to the public for review and feedback in summer 2024. We look forward to getting additional feedback during the next phase of public consultation.

Stay informed

For updates on the management planning process, check the Parks Canada website.

Appendix A

Consultation and Engagement Questions - Management Planning for Fort Langley National Historic Site

Discussions with individuals, partner representatives, and stakeholder groups captured various recommendations and topics, such as visitor engagement, management opportunities and challenges, personal reasons for volunteering, collaboration opportunities, and connections with communities with an interest in the site.

In addition, the following questions were asked to generate discussion during in-person engagement sessions, virtual engagement sessions, and as questions in an online survey.

Re: proposed Vision:

How do you feel about these proposed vision elements?
Is there anything you feel is missing?
Does anything stand out to you as being especially important?

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