Tsawwassen

Tsawwassen (49˚01'00" 123˚05'00" N portion of Point Roberts peninsula, W side of Boundary Bay, S of Delta and Vancouver), Tsawwassen Beach (49˚00'00" 123˚05'00" W side of Point Roberts peninsula, between BC-US border and BC Ferries causeway). This Halkomelem (Central Coast Salish) word is the name of the First Nation that traditionally occupied this area. It means “facing the sea,” according to anthropologist Wilson Duff. Dozens of different spellings have been recorded over the years, including Sewathen, Cheahwassen, Pswwassan and Tshe-wass-an. The correct pronunciation of the name is sa- WOSS-en. The area is now a residential suburb, part of the municipality of Delta, and home to the huge Tsawwassen ferry terminal, which serves Vancouver I and the Gulf Is. In 2007, Tsawwassen First Nation members signed BC’s first modern-day urban treaty. E

Tsawwassen, home to a major BC Ferries terminal. Peter Vassilopoulos photo