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Planet Money

The skyscrapers that NIMBYs and zoning couldn't stop

March 28, 2026 • 22m

Summary

⏱️ 8 min read

Overview

This Planet Money episode explores how the Squamish Nation reclaimed ancestral land in Vancouver and built massive residential towers without typical zoning restrictions. The project represents both an economic opportunity for the indigenous nation and a case study in what's possible when traditional urban planning rules don't apply, addressing Vancouver's housing crisis while providing generational wealth for the Squamish people.

The Forced Displacement and Return of Sinnak

The episode begins with the story of Sinnak, a Squamish village that was forcibly taken by British Columbia in 1913. The government expelled residents, burned their belongings, and destroyed the village to make way for Vancouver's development. After decades of legal battles starting in 1977, the Squamish Nation finally reclaimed 10.5 acres of this prime real estate in 2003, creating an unprecedented economic opportunity for the nation.

  • Sinnak was one of the most bountiful areas on the coast with abundant wildlife and fish before colonization
  • In 1913, British Columbia forced Squamish people onto barges and burned the entire village and their belongings
  • The Squamish Nation sued the Canadian government in 1977 and finally reclaimed 10.5 acres in 2003
  • The reclaimed land sits in prime location right next to downtown Vancouver, one of the world's most expensive cities
" Then the white people came. Government officials from British Columbia in 1913 came and took the land. They forced the Squamish to leave and destroyed the village. They didn't even give them time to go and take their belongings. They put our people on a barge. And when they were going out there, they turned around and they'd set this whole place ablaze. They burned everything. "
" This place, we never doubted it, belonged to our people. "

The Initial Development Plan and the Seven Generations Principle

Chief Gibby initially proposed building modest mid-rise apartment buildings as an 'ATM' to generate steady income for the Squamish Nation. However, younger members like Wilson Williams questioned whether this plan honored the indigenous principle of planning for seven generations. The debate centered on whether the proposal was ambitious enough to truly transform the nation's economic future and whether it appropriately reflected Squamish identity and values.

  • Chief Gibby wanted to build rental apartments as a dependable money-making machine, calling it an 'ATM' for monthly income
  • The initial plan proposed a few dozen-story mid-rise buildings with around 1,500 units total
  • Wilson Williams invoked the Squamish teaching to 'plan seven generations ahead' to ensure future prosperity
  • Critics felt the mid-rise proposal lacked Squamish identity and wasn't ambitious enough given their unique position
  • The initial plans never moved forward and the land sat vacant for years
" I thought, I want to do an ATM. That's what I call these. Plug the card in every end of the month. The money comes out. Pay the bills. "
" We got to start planning seven generations ahead. Plan for seven generations. "
" I was like, OK, this is it. How is it going to give us generations of wealth? And that wasn't justified enough to me, even as a young person. "

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