Port Moody invites residents to a Blanket Exercise on the history and impacts of colonization

The City of Port Moody is inviting community members to a free Blanket Exercise on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026. The interactive learning session will explore the history of colonization and its ongoing impacts on Indigenous Peoples in Canada, and is being offered in recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Mayor Meghan Lahti said the event honours residential school Survivors, their families and communities, and children who never returned home. She said it offers participants a chance to deepen their understanding, reflect on shared history and consider their role in the continuing journey toward reconciliation.

Elder Sam George of Tsleil-Waututh Nation will guide participants, who will take on the roles of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples while moving through historical moments from before European contact through treaty-making, colonization, residential schools, Indigenous resistance, resilience and reconciliation. Blankets symbolize Indigenous lands and change during the exercise to represent the effects of colonization on Indigenous communities, cultures and ways of life.

The session runs from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Old Mill Boathouse, 2715 Esplanade Avenue, Port Moody. Registration is required through portmoody.ca/signmeup; space is limited and early registration is encouraged. The event is open to people aged 14 and older, and participants under 18 must provide a parent or guardian’s signature.

Participants should wear comfortable clothing, be prepared to remove their shoes and arrive on time for the full session. Materials will be provided; attendees should not bring blankets or other items for the exercise. Late entry cannot be accommodated, and photography, video and audio recording are prohibited.

The city said the exercise may evoke strong emotions as it addresses difficult and often painful chapters of Canadian history. A facilitated closing talking circle will give participants an opportunity to reflect, ask questions and share perspectives in a respectful, supportive setting.

Vehicle parking in the area is limited. Paid parking applies at Rocky Point Park parking lots and on Esplanade Avenue between Rocky Point Park and Murray Street. The city encourages attendees to walk, cycle, scoot or take transit; information on its shared e-scooter and e-bike program is available at portmoody.ca, while transit routes and schedules are available through TransLink’s Trip Planner.