A controversy is brewing in Vancouver after it was revealed that more than $33,000 in taxpayer funds were spent to rename a city street in honor of an Indigenous group — a move critics argue caters to “woke” demands.
MLA Dallas Brodie said city officials spent $33,500 over the past three years changing the name of Trutch Street — once named for British Columbia’s first lieutenant governor, Joseph Trutch — to šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm Street. The new name translates to “Musqueamview,” recognizing the Musqueam people whose land was taken during Trutch’s era.
“Residents had no say, and the only people who can even read the new name are the woke consultants hired for this project. Who cares?” Brodie posted on X, sharing what she said were official documents outlining the costs.
According to the breakdown, $10,000 went toward reimbursements for expenses, $6,000 was used for meetings, $7,500 for “collaborative work,” and another $10,000 to fund a renaming ceremony in the summer.
The City of Vancouver defended the move at the time, saying: “Renaming Trutch Street is an important act of reconciliation that acknowledges our painful past and moves us toward a more inclusive future.”
Brodie, however, said taxpayers deserve transparency about how their money is being spent. She also published emails showing city officials asked her to delete the records, accusing her of a “privacy breach” and claiming she could endanger Musqueam people by making the information public.
“I told them to pound sand,” Brodie wrote. “If you pay the taxes, you should know where they go.”
The renaming was initiated in July 2021 after a request from the Musqueam Nation and officially completed in June 2025.
Brodie has faced controversy before. Earlier this year, she was expelled from the BC Conservative Party caucus after being accused of mocking survivors of abuse at the Kamloops Indian Residential School site.
City officials have not responded to media requests for comment on the matter.