Beyond 2010 - Creating a sustainable legacy

The 2010 Winter Olympics are still years away, but many are already thinking about the benefits that the Games will bring. The governments of B.C. and Canada, the Canadian Olympic Committee and a range of other partners are making sure the Games leave lasting legacies for all British Columbians, including First Nations.

With the 2010 Olympics, First Nations are an integral part of the event – and have been since long before Vancouver was awarded the Games.

"The Vancouver bid could not have moved forward as successfully as it did without the direct involvement of Aboriginal partners, from volunteers to senior decision-makers," says Ian Tait, who served as director of community relations for the 2010 Olympic bid.

"We wanted to make sure that First Nations people were included from the outset to lend their support. And we were guided by three words: inclusion, representation and participation."

Those same themes continue to guide the collaborative approach to preparing for the Games and their legacies in areas such as youth sport development, education, culture and economic development.

For example, the Squamish and Lil'wat First Nations, with the support of the governments of Canada and B.C., are developing a permanent cultural centre in Whistler to showcase their heritage, provide an added draw for tourists and create needed jobs for their communities. Other First Nations are pursuing similar types of projects.

One legacy agreement will create 50 movable homes. During the Games, they will be part of the Olympic village. After the Games, they will become the property of First Nations and can be moved to where they're most needed.

Another agreement will bolster winter-sport development among Aboriginal youth across Canada. This funding will act as seed money for First Nations to develop sport programming and training for physical education instructors.

A similar agreement would provide funding for Aboriginal skills and training development. The Bid Corporation has also guaranteed that First Nations will have opportunities for contract work in a number of different areas, as the various venue plans are developed.

Lyle Leo, director of business development for the Lil'wat First Nation, wants to see an Aboriginal business summit next year to further support First Nations involvement in the Games and their downstream benefits.

"We want to develop Aboriginal business and contractual opportunities," he says. "We want First Nations to develop human resource capacity and career choices in trades," which will enrich communities long after the Games are over.

Planning for the Games, and Games legacies, will continue for the next few years. But it's clear that the 2010 Olympics are providing opportunities for First Nations to develop new business, create jobs, build their capacity and strengthen their relationships with non-native communities – helping to build a stronger economy and society for all British Columbians.

Olympic events are taking place on First Nations traditional territories. Learn more by viewing this map.