Vancouver council announces Komagata Maru street name to address historic wrongs

Vancouvercouncillors have approved the honorary street name of Komagata Maru Place for an iconic landmark in a move to redress a case of systemic discrimination that took place more than a century ago.

The city says Canada Place near Waterfront in the city's downtown will get the second name to acknowledge historical discrimination against South Asian communities.

The Komagata Maru also called the Guru Nanak Jahaaz docked near the current location of Canada Place in 1914 with 340 Sikh, 27 Muslim and 12 Hindu passengers on board, most of whom were denied entry into Canada despite having valid travel documents.

The ship sat in the harbour for two months. It was ultimately forced to return to India and was met by British soldiers. Twenty passengers were killed and others jailed following an ensuing riot.

The city says in a news release that the refusal marked a "significant historical incident of systemic discrimination."

Mayor Ken Sim says in the statement that the naming is a "meaningful step" toward building a more inclusive city.

The city says it will seek public input for the design of the road sign and public education materials for Komagata Maru Place, with an unveiling ceremony planned for later this year.

It says it also hopes to enhance the existingKomagata Maru Monument at Harbour Park.

WATCH | Descendants of Komagata Maru immigrants hail move to name street:

Canada Place Way gets Komagata Maru Way as a second name

1 year ago

Duration 1:50

Canada Place Road will now also be known as Komagata Maru Way to commemorate the 1914 event that saw 376 British subjects from India denied entry to a Vancouver port. The descendants of those on the ship say it represents a significant milestone.

Raj Singh Toor, the vice-president of theDescendants of the Komagata Maru Society, said the second name of a prominent city location would help educate community members and remind them of B.C.'s diverse history.

"We are all richer when we remember how special it is to have so many different ethnic communities living together," he said in a statement."I hope that it will help to connect Canadians, British Columbians and Vancouverites with their past to build a more peaceful and tolerant tomorrow."

City council also plans to recognize the cultural and historical significance of the Second Avenue Gurdwara site in the city's Kitsilano neighbourhood as part of its efforts to redress historical wrongs.

"This is a historically significant location in relation to the Komagata Maru incident, as this was the site where the local South Asian community mobilized to support the passengers," the statement says, drawing from a staff report. "Future initiatives will further explore other areas of historical and cultural significance to the South Asian Canadian communities in Vancouver."

The city officially apologized for its role in the Komagata Maru incident in 2021, and the federal government issued an apology in 2016.