Our Story

Who We Are

SUILC is a coalition of organizations that have come together to advocate for the more than 13,000 Indigenous people living in Surrey.

Our membership includes all of the Indigenous organizations operating in Surrey, such as Métis Family Services, Fraser Region Aboriginal Friendship Centre Association and Kekinow Native Housing Society. Other non-Indigenous organizations that have a significant connection to the Indigenous population, such as as Fraser Health, Surrey Libraries and the Surrey School District are also committee members. 

All of the land-based First Nation governments with a historic and current connection to what is now the City of Surrey have a standing invitation to participate in all meetings of SUILC. We are a diverse group. We believe it is one of our strengths.

How We Formed

We formed in 2015 as a project committee to develop an urban Indigenous social innovation strategy for Surrey. In 2017 we released the All Our Relations: An Urban Indigenous Social Innovation Strategy. Adopted by consensus in the spring of 2017, the All Our Relations report is our road map for creating the city we want to live in. The strategy coalesced SUILC and set us on the path to making Surrey a great place for Indigenous people.

Our Mandate 

The All Our Relations report set out our collective vision and mission. It also describes our five strategic objectives. They are to: 

  1. Create and strengthen partnerships that will benefit urban Indigenous people in Surrey. 
  2. Expand the urban Indigenous leadership capacity in Surrey. 
  3. Improve and grow programs and services for urban Indigenous people in Surrey. 
  4. Increase education and understanding about the urban Indigenous community in Surrey. 
  5. Increase funding for urban Indigenous programs and services in Surrey. 

All Our Relations: Honouring the Host Nations

Surrey Urban Indigenous Leadership Committee's work takes place on the traditional territories of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the Katize, Kwantlen, and Semiahmoo First Nations. We recognize their connection to this land and acknowledge that we are newcomers to Surrey like everyone else. Our group, the Surrey Urban Indigenous Leadership Committee does not represent these land-based First Nations and we are careful not to speak on their behalf. Instead, we represent urban Indigenous people that have moved here from all over BC and Canada to make Surrey their home. Our focus is making Surrey a great place for Indigenous people living in the city — regardless of where they come from, their legal status, or their particular culture heritage. As we do this, we endeavour to live in a good way with the land-based First Nations that have called this land their home since time immemorial.