Summary

• Qualico Properties, Station Lands, and Boyle Street Community Services hosted a community gathering ahead of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
• The gathering brought together government representatives, community leaders, and downtown residents for a day of learning, reflection, and cultural celebration.
• Programming included Elders and Knowledge Keepers, an artist market, cultural performances, traditional foods, traditional medicines teachings, and a smudging station.

Edmonton, AB – A community gathering at Station Lands brought people together for a day of learning, reflection, and cultural celebration ahead of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Hosted by Qualico Properties, Station Lands, and Boyle Street Community Services, the gathering welcomed community leaders, business stakeholders, and downtown residents to take part in programming that acknowledged the truths of Canada’s history while celebrating the resilience, cultures, achievements, and living traditions of Indigenous Peoples.

Station Lands was chosen as an accessible gathering point, giving people who live, work, and connect in downtown Edmonton a space to pause, learn, and participate in an event rooted in relationship-building.

Mike Saunders, Senior Vice-President, Qualico Properties, said the gathering was intended to create a respectful setting for the community to engage with Indigenous perspectives and reflect on the significance of the day.

“This gathering was created to bring community members together to learn and reflect on our shared history,” said Mike. “We approached it with humility and a willingness to listen and deepen our understanding.”

Boyle Street Community Services helped shape educational programming, inviting Elders and Knowledge Keepers to share teachings and provide historical and cultural context. Attendees could learn more about National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Treaty 6 history, and access resources to build upon that learning after the event.

For Qualico Properties, the event was a way to contribute as a supporter and partner, guided by Indigenous voices and community expertise.

“We are grateful to celebrate Indigenous cultures and recognize the lasting contributions Indigenous Peoples have made, and continue to make, in our communities,” added Mike.

Celebrating Indigenous culture

The event placed cultural celebration at the centre of the day, with music, dance, storytelling, art, and shared experiences helping build connection and understanding.

The Dancing Cree performed dance, drumming, and singing, adding energy and cultural expression to the gathering. Indigenous artists and vendors also took part in a market organized with support from Boyle Street Community Services, where attendees could connect with local Indigenous creatives and entrepreneurs and explore their paintings, beadwork, moccasins, dream catchers, ribbon skirts, and other handcrafted pieces.

Guests also enjoyed Indigenous catering and learned through community activations, including teachings on traditional medicines found in and around Treaty Territory 6. A smudging station offered space for people to learn about the practice and, for those who wished, could participate in a smudge.

“One of the most impactful aspects of the event was learning about traditional medicines, including sage, sweetgrass, cedar, muskeg, ratroot, and fungi,” said Mia Heinsen, an event participant. “Hearing these teachings firsthand gave me a deeper appreciation for the importance of traditional practices and the vital role they continue to play within Indigenous communities.”

The tone of the day was intentionally uplifting. While Truth and Reconciliation requires an honest understanding of residential schools and their ongoing impacts, the gathering also honoured Indigenous cultures, traditions, and contemporary contributions.

Boyle Street Community Services’ involvement helped ensure the event was grounded in community knowledge and Indigenous-led programming.

“It was an exceptional experience working alongside our long-standing partners at Qualico Properties to create a meaningful and accessible Truth and Reconciliation event,” said Elliott Tanti, Director of External Relations, Boyle Street Community Services.

“This work serves to demonstrate the dedication Qualico places on tackling challenging conversations in thoughtful and sensitive ways. We always look forward to working with Qualico Properties and continuing to grow this important relationship for both our organizations.”

Continuing the work beyond one day

The gathering built on Qualico Properties’ broader efforts to strengthen relationships with Indigenous organizations and community partners in Edmonton.

In 2022, Qualico Properties, together with the Ledcor Group of Companies, donated $1 million to Boyle Street Community Services through its Station Lands partnership in support of okimaw peyesew kamik, the King Thunderbird Centre. The facility is now open and provides health, cultural, and social services designed to help address the root causes of chronic homelessness in Edmonton.

Qualico Properties has also supported Indigenous representation in commercial real estate as a founding partner of Creating Career Pathways in Commercial Real Estate, an Indigenous-led and designed internship program that provides paid opportunities in building operations and property management, along with mentorship, cultural learning, and career development.

These initiatives reflect a long-term approach to reconciliation based on learning, partnership, and action. The gathering was one expression of that work, creating space for people to come together, deepen understanding, and continue building relationships within the downtown community.