Surrey's urban Indigenous population rises to highest in B.C. as families grapple with soaring costs

Advocates are calling for more support for the growing Indigenous population in Surrey, B.C., as demand for housing rises and resources are stretched thin.

According to Skookum Lab's Housing Roadmap report in 2022, more than 16,300 Indigenous people call Surrey home — the largest urban Indigenous population of any municipality in British Columbia.

That population is expected to rise to more than 20,000 by 2026, according to the report. 

Urban Indigenous refers to First Nation, Inuit and Métis people who live outside of their reserves in urban areas.

Led by the Surrey Urban Indigenous Leadership Committee, Skookum Lab is Indigenous led and focuses on social and housing solutions for urban Indigenous youth and families in Surrey.

While Surrey used to be affordable, at least compared to neighbouring Vancouver, some Indigenous residents are struggling as the cost of living soars.

Crystal Wilson is a mother of three who moved to Surrey from her hometown of Kitimat on B.C.'s North Coast eight years ago.

She says her children's health was the main reason she moved.

"I find that there's more resources for kids down here. My son specifically had some support needs, so we decided to move down here where he could receive that support sooner," she said. "He was set up with a pediatrician and mental-health support."

Wilson said stable, affordable housing was also a major factor at the time. 

"Back then we had like a pretty decent four-bedroom home and I think we paid $1,300 for it. So it was definitely at the most affordable time," she said. "Now it's much higher than that and we're in a place where we've lived for probably three years and I can't even think of moving."

Housing security, affordability 

Kyla Painter is the executive director of the Fraser Region Aboriginal Friendship Centre Association. 

She said Surrey used to be affordable and also provided education and employment opportunities that were a major draw for some members of the Indigenous community. 

"We know a lot of rural communities are having challenges with opportunities, transit and water access. Young families are having children and wanting to have opportunities," said Painter.

"Previously we saw a lot of people coming to Surrey for affordability. That's not the case anymore. Affordability was there, job opportunities were there, child care was there," Painter said. "Unfortunately that's changed quite a bit now with the growth in Surrey, access to those things is not the same as it used to be."

Living in cars

Painter says families grappling with poverty and homelessness turn to the friendship centre for support, but it's impossible help to everyone in need. 

"We are offering community connections, access to culture, access to vital supports that are needed, but there are a lot of things that we are seeing as gaps right now that we're trying to fill," she said. "We are seeing still a lot of homelessness and that looks like families … with children sleeping in cars."

According to the City of Surrey's community services department, the city partners with provincial and federal governments to create subsidized housing, but Surrey is falling far behind  Vancouver.

"The City of Surrey's 2022 Housing Needs Report highlighted that while the City of Surrey's Indigenous population is comparable to that of Vancouver, Surrey has 270 Indigenous non-market housing units as compared to 1,471 units in Vancouver."

Wilson says her family has made deep personal and cultural relationships in Surrey and she hopes her family will continue to thrive there . 

"It's a good place to connect with other people, to make friends and connect with the community," she said.

"My hope would be for housing stability. I would love to be able to just move if I wanted to. But I feel like if we do it, it would probably be a really difficult situation in its own. I would either have to move out of Surrey," Wilson said.

"It's almost impossible to find affordability for housing right now. So that's a big challenge and I really hope things do stabilize."