I live in Burnaby Mountain, a low forested mountainous area in Vancouver, Canada. The area accommodates Simon Fraser University, a school that is near the area where I live. I discovered on Wikipedia that in November 1995, Simon Fraser University and British Columbia had an agreement that saw 330 hectares of land under the University dedicated to Burnaby City to aid its inclusion in the Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area[1].

From a resource guide detailing the history of the Burnaby area, I learned that before its existence, the lands were populated by the ancestors of several indigenous Central Coast Salish Nations. Prior to matters on lineage, contact, or family, the matter that took the highest priority with the Sḵwxw̱ú7mesh and hənqə̓ minə ̓ m people’s identity is the determining factor they had concerning the types of knowledge people could inherit, where they could fish and hunt, and any privileges that could have been inherited including the permission to perform dance and song[2]. The size of the ancestral villages varied from some being populated with individuals from the dozen to the hundreds number and other villagers totaling as many as 1,000 individuals[2]. Villagers were typically welcomed, but they would always be informed about where to hunt, gather, and fish. They also knew well not to trespass on places that had been coined as lineage property and understood that for the permit they were given, they would also have to be hosts to the gracious individuals at some point in their lives. Villagers were typically welcomed, but they would always be informed about where to hunt, gather, and fish. They also knew well not to trespass on places that had been coined as lineage property and understood that for the permit they were given, they would also have to be hosts to the gracious individuals at some point in their lives.

According to the Burnaby Resource Guide, the settler’s arrival from 1858-1880 significantly changed the Indigenous people’s lives. Early fur traders and explorers brought new diseases that devastated the indigenous people, including measles, cholera, smallpox, and typhus[2]. The coming of the British government saw the introduction of colonialism and the seizing of various resources like gold deposits on the Fraser River. Engineers from the royal family service set up roads for easy access to ancestral lands, with the colonial government intentionally excluding the indigenous individuals from the process of pre-emption. In 1871, after BC joined Canada, the government federation instituted the Indian Act, which actively barred indigenous individuals from assimilating into the settler culture[2]. In Burnaby’s southern area, much logging went on during the 1870s and 1880s, and within a short time, the access of the Sḵwxw̱ú7mesh and hənq̓ə̓minə̓m to their traditional territories had been banned.

Further evaluation of the Burnaby resource guide reveals that Burnaby was shaped owing to the small neighborhood network that developed along transportation routes. The Burnaby municipality was established in 1891, and during the year, New Westminster and Vancouver business people began constructing an interurban tram occurring between their states. They decided to levy their passenger train fees but also took ownership of properties along the route, which they aimed to sell at a higher price than they had bought. By the start of the 1900s, approximately 500 people populated Burnaby, with many operating small but productive farms[2]. The Indigenous families always returned to the Central Valley area in Burnaby, where they would hunt game birds and gather cranberries and fish for salmon and trout. The area soon took the shape of small networks in the neighborhood, most of which were particularly routes for transportation. The economic industry started to boom from 1900-1913, with real estate in the suburbs bringing an estimated 14,000 residents to Burnaby[2].

From a local news site called Burnaby Now, I found out that the early boom by Burnaby came to a standstill during the First World War. With many men enlisted to fight on foreign grounds, the population went down by 2000, which put a great slump in the local economy. Burnaby tried to struggle back into prosperity during the 1920s, but it was hit hard by the Great Depression during the 1930s, and it crumbled. Many workers lost their livelihoods during this period and could not afford to keep their homes or pay taxes[3]. According to the Burnaby Resource Guide, the economy recovered in the late 1930s following the entry of Canada into World War Two. Increased industrial production created high employment levels in the Burnaby area. Despite the crisis ongoing in Europe, there was a new wave of optimism. Many men went off to war, and the women took up the positions left vacant, helping to purchase government bonds and ensuring that donations were raised through growing victory gardens that brought down the demand for food supply on a national level, hosting dances and card tournaments. Holding down the country, the women’s efforts made it possible for the Barnaby and Canadian soldiers to go back home to a prosperous economy[2].

According to my Wikipedia source, despite the residential development exhibited on the Western slope and increased deforestation due to the SFU’s condominium construction, the mountain still maintains wildlife, including raccoons, deer, and coyotes roaming the local streets[1]. Some black bears, sometimes with cubs and their mothers, pay visits to the Westridge resident’s backyards and forest trails. Some common wild birds include northern flickers, barred owls, woodpeckers, great horned owls, and barred owls.

In retrospect, despite the dark period that my area went through during the early 1800s, it has come a long way in the development and accommodation of individuals. I’m very happy for our wildlife and the overall outlook of the area, feeling grateful for all the development that has taken place over the years. The economic development and sustainability of the area, coupled with the maintenance of wildlife, are among some of the inspirational aspects of the area that makes me a proud resident.

Bibliography:

[1] Wikipedia. “Burnaby Mountain.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, September 14, 2022. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burnaby_Mountain.

[2]Barnaby Village Museum. “History of Burnaby Resource Guide – Burnaby Village Museum.” Burnaby Village Museum, 2018.      https://www.burnabyvillagemuseum.ca/assets/Resources/History%20of%20Burnaby%20Resource%20Guide.pdf.

[3]G0dfrey, Dustin. “Jammed Gears: A History of Creeping Developments on Burnaby Mountain.” Burnaby Now, 2021. https://www.burnabynow.com/local-news/jammed-gears-a-history-of-creeping-developments-on-burnaby-mountain-3520576#:~:text=Once%20called%20Snake%20Hill%2C%20Burnaby,a%20provincial%20park%20in%201942.