Coun. Michelle Friesen has put Whitehorse city council on notice that she intends to bring forward a notice of motion to rename the streets in the McIntyre subdivision.

Friesen put forward the notice of motion at council’s meeting on Monday.

The city has committed to moving forward in the spirit of reconciliation and to strengthening its relationship with both the Kwanlin Dun First Nation and the Ta’an Kwach’an Council, Friesen told her colleagues on council.

She said the strategic priorities adopted by council states “this council understands that there are ongoing opportunities to ensure that all citizens feel understood, included, accepted and respected in their connections to the community.”

The subdivision of McIntyre and its streets are currently named after Yukon politicians, she noted. The area was developed in the mid-1980s as a replacement for decrepit housing – long since demolished – in the industrial area.

The city, Friesen said, rests on the traditional territories of the Kwanlin Dun and Ta’an Kwach’an.

The two First Nations have had, and continue to have, a spiritual, cultural and economic connection to the area, she added.

We also acknowledge that the two governments and their citizens contribute significantly to the city’s social, cultural, spiritual and economic prosperity, she said.

“Therefore, be it resolved that the City of Whitehorse work with Kwanlin Dun First Nation to rename the subdivision, McIntyre, and the streets within and;

“That this initiative will be led by Kwanlin Dun First Nation and the City of Whitehorse will support the financial and administrative needs as necessary, such as providing policy and bylaw information pertaining to street renaming and securing and installing new signage.”

The motion also says the initiative should be proposed as an agenda item for discussion at the next intergovernmental meeting with Kwanlin Dun.

Friesen told her colleagues she will be introducing the motion at Tuesday’s council meeting