Cultas Lake – The UFVRD RCMP Indigenous Policing Services (IPS) recently partnered with local school districts to bring students from different communities together for a day of paddling, learning, and relationship-building at Cultus Lake, British Columbia.
On October 2, 2026, the UFVRD IPS and Urban Indigenous Liaison Team partnered with the Chilliwack and Fraser-Cascade School Districts to welcome students from Two Rivers Education Centre (TREC) and Vedder Middle School to Cultus Lake for a day of connection, teamwork, and outdoor learning.
The event brought youth together to experience canoeing, develop new skills, and build positive relationships with one another and with police officers. Several canoes were launched on the lake, including the “Reconciliation Queen,” with many students experiencing paddling in a traditional canoe for the first time.
Knowledge Keepers were present throughout the day, sharing teachings, songs, and drumming while students worked together on the water and gained confidence through a shared experience in a supportive environment.
“Creating opportunities for youth to come together, learn new skills, and build meaningful connections is an important part of what we do,” said Sgt. Jaden Courtney, of IPS. “These experiences help strengthen relationships, advance reconciliation, and create positive interactions between youth, community partners, and police.”
The day concluded with students helping brush down the canoes with cedar boughs before they were stored for the winter, demonstrating respect and stewardship for the equipment that makes these experiences possible.
IPS regularly utilizes specialized equipment, including a fleet of traditional canoes that were gifted names by master canoe builder and former Chief Mark Point of Skowkale First Nation. Chief Point also handcrafted the paddles used by the Team, further strengthening the connection between IPS and the Indigenous communities it serves. More than equipment, these canoes and paddles symbolize partnership, mentorship, and shared learning, creating meaningful opportunities for youth engagement while supporting ongoing reconciliation efforts throughout the Upper Fraser Valley.
Through partnerships such as this, IPS continues to create opportunities for young people to learn healthy life skills, connect with others, and build stronger communities.
