Photo: The Canadian Press
British Columbia Premier David Ibe speaks in Vancouver on Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022. British Columbia’s First Nation and the provincial government have signed what is being called a historic agreement to co-manage land, water and resource development. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyke
A B.C. First Nation and the province have signed what the government is calling a historic agreement to jointly manage land, water and resource development.
The agreement, signed Tuesday with the Blueberry River First Nations in northeastern British Columbia, includes a $200 million recovery fund and timelines for developing watershed management plans and oil and gas activities in parts of the First Nations’ claim area, which covers four percent of the province.
The deal comes after a 2021 BC Supreme Court ruling found the provincial government breached its obligations under Treaty 8, signed in 1899, by allowing development such as forestry and mining of natural gas without community approval.
The court heard that more than 84 per cent of Blueberry River First Nations territory is within 500 meters of industrial disturbance.
Under the new agreement, the two countries will spend the next three years creating four watershed management plans for all natural resource sector activities in areas deemed most important to the nation.
The plans will set levels of old-growth forests, reserves and “promote sustainable economies and resilient communities”, the government says.
In the next 18 months, they will also come up with three plans to develop oil and gas in the area.
Meanwhile, the two countries have agreed on a logging schedule outside the core areas and are limiting new land disturbances caused by oil and gas development to 750 hectares per year.
“This agreement provides a clear path to begin the hard work of healing and restoring the land and to begin collaborative planning with strict criteria to protect ecosystems, wildlife habitat and old-growth forests,” said Chief Judy Desjarlais of the Blueberry River First Nations in statement.
“With the knowledge and guidance of our elders, this new arrangement will ensure that there will be healthy land and resources for current and future generations to continue the way of life of our people.”
The agreement establishes the Blueberry River-BC Restoration Fund with joint oversight by both the Blueberry River First Nations and the provincial government.
The province has agreed to provide $200 million to the fund until June 2025, although some of that money could come from industry or Ottawa.
“This historic agreement between British Columbia and the Blueberry River First Nations not only brings more predictability to the region and the local economy, but helps ensure we work on the land in partnership to ensure sustainability for future generations,” said Premier David Eby in statement.
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