Chilliwack mural honoring Indigenous women to be restored following vandalism

A downtown Chilliwack, B.C., mural honoring Indigenous women and raising awareness about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) will soon be restored after it was vandalized, as community members, local leaders and businesses rally together in support of the project.

Organizers from the Chilliwack Mural Festival announced that Montreal-based artist Kevin Ledo will return to Chilliwack from May 13–21 to begin repairing the mural, which depicts Inez, a respected member of the community described by supporters as “a mother, a sister, a daughter, a cousin, an auntie” who is deeply loved.

The restored mural will also be sealed and later celebrated through a community gathering featuring culture, reflection, discussion, dance and music. The event is scheduled for the evening of May 20 in downtown Chilliwack.

Organizers said the gathering will serve as a time to reflect on the lives of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and the collective responsibility to remember and take action.

“This work matters. Inez matters. Indigenous women matter,” organizers said in a public statement on social media thanking residents for their support.

Chief Darcy Paul of Skowkale emphasized the importance of unity in moments of hardship.

“When incidents like this happen, we come together,” Paul said in a respsonse to social media. “We put our strengths together, we support those who are affected and vulnerable, and we come out together and stronger.”

The restoration effort follows the vandalism of the mural, an act community members say carried a deeper impact beyond physical damage.

“This mural is more than a portrait or mural to look at,” organizers said. “It is a representation of Stó:lō and Indigenous women in our community. The act of vandalizing it was not just damage to paint on a wall, it is a hurtful statement directed at Indigenous women.”

The organization shared news of the vandalism on the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, noting that while the motivations behind the damage remain unclear, the emotional impact on the community was significant.

“We don’t know the full story behind the damage — sometimes it comes from anger, sometimes from a desire to be heard, to make a political statement,” organizers said. “We hold space for that, even as we grieve what was lost.”

A fundraising campaign was launched to help bring Ledo back to Chilliwack to restore the mural, with organizers also seeking donated Aeroplan points and travel assistance for the artist.

Community leaders pledged transparency regarding the use of donated funds and said a full financial breakdown will be released after restoration work is complete.

Organizers also credited numerous individuals, businesses and organizations for helping make the restoration possible, including Carrielynn Victor, Chief Darcy Paul, Amber Price, the City of Chilliwack, the Chilliwack Chamber of Commerce, FortisBC, Downtown Chilliwack BIA, Cooper Lifts, Nature’s Fare Market, Stormy’s, Omega Environmental Waste Services and several private donors.

“This would not have been possible without the incredible people and organizations who stepped up in a big way,” organizers said.