Province, First Nations pursue economic development

Press Release

Many First Nations in B.C. are seeking new and innovative business opportunities on their traditional territories and options for lasting reconciliation. The Province helps facilitate economic activity, job creation and enhanced social well-being by negotiating agreements with First Nations aimed at increasing opportunities for Aboriginal people, and providing certainty for investors, industry, and communities.

The B.C. government is committed to working with First Nations on agreements that address mutual priorities. Recognizing that there are different solutions for different priorities, nations can choose what is right for them. Treaties, incremental treaty agreements, revenue-sharing agreements, land base decision-making and consultation agreements, forestry agreements and clean-energy project development funding are among the tools currently used in B.C. to reconcile First Nations interests.

The Province and First Nations have more than 440 such agreements in place, more than 200 of them achieved in the past five years.

Treaties

Treaties are the most comprehensive agreement because they clearly settle Aboriginal rights and title and provide legal and economic certainty on Crown land. Treaties also remove First Nations from the federal Indian Act and provide the authority to deliver self-government to its citizens. Treaties are cost-shared with the federal government. The following B.C. First Nations have finalized treaties:

Tsawwassen First Nation
Maa-nulth First Nations (includes five nations)
- Huu-ay-aht First Nations
- Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’/Che:k’tles7et’h First Nations
- Toquaht Nation
- Uchucklesaht Tribe
- Ucluelet First Nation
Nisga’a Nation
Yale First Nation
Tla’amin/Sliammon First Nation

Incremental Treaty Agreements

These agreements provide treaty benefits before a final agreement by transferring provincial Crown land to a First Nation community early to support economic and community development opportunities.

Incremental treaty agreements build trust, create incentives to reach further treaty milestones and offer increased certainty over land and resources. B.C. has 18 ITAs with 20 First Nations, transferring approximately 5,366 ha of provincial Crown land to First Nations: www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/topic.page?id=21099B139A554865A42119D551BF046B

Reconciliation Framework Agreements

Reconciliation framework agreements are another wide-ranging, comprehensive tool that can combine decision-making, revenue-sharing, economic development and community-based social development tools into one agreement, creating the opportunity for lasting resolution of First Nations and Provincial interests: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/topic.page?id=496EFFA5F6C14CB6B9186F4C9A959A50

Strategic Engagement Agreements

Consultation with First Nations is an important part of land and resource decision-making. Strategic engagement agreements encourage a positive and respectful government-to-government relationship, establish procedures for consultation, and strengthen B.C.’s investment climate: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/topic.page?id=00C8FEF3481D4028B1EF0FD67B1695C4

Revenue Sharing

B.C. is the first province in Canada to share revenue from mining, forestry and other resources with First Nations. Revenue-sharing is a path to partnership that flows a percentage of what the Province receives from resource development on First Nation’s traditional territories directly back into the communities to use where it is needed most. Through revenue-sharing, government is working with First Nations to stimulate investment, create jobs and close the socio economic gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal British Columbians.

Mining Revenue: Economic and Community Development Agreements

More than $22 million in direct mineral tax revenues from mining has been shared with First Nations as a result of economic and community development agreements. B.C. has signed 22 such agreements with 38 First Nations: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/topic.page?id=00D9B39C169B4E95BAAB740A9B52D54A

Forestry Revenue: Forest Consultation and Revenue Sharing Agreements

In 2010, B.C. introduced forest consultation and revenue sharing agreements to share economic benefits with First Nations based on harvest activities in their traditional territories. B.C. has more than 200 of these agreements with First Nations. Since 2003, the Province has shared more than $350 million with participating First Nations through FCRSAs and other forestry revenue sharing agreements. In 2014-15, First Nations shared nearly $32 million in forestry revenues: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/topic.page?id=5633DE296BAC46098E130A382AAF9D03

First Nations Clean Energy Business Fund

B.C. has invested more than $6.5 million to support clean energy opportunities in more than 90 Aboriginal communities. The First Nations Clean Energy Business Fund helps First Nation communities invest in clean-energy infrastructure. B.C. has 39 clean energy revenue sharing agreements with 31 First Nations: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/topic.page?id=7A6C9163513C4CCE80766BB3D2057D2A

B.C. has invested $3.1 million (of the $6.5 million) to facilitate First Nations equity in 10 clean-energy projects.

‘Namgis First Nation – Kokish Creek Hydro Project
Beecher Bay Band – Ocean thermal project – Spirit Bay
shíshálh Nation (Sechelt First Nation) – Narrows Inlet Hydro Project
Sts′ailes First Nation (Chehalis First Nation) – Bremmer Trio Independent Power Project
Osoyoos Indian Band – Senkulmen Business Park District Energy Project
Hartley Bay First Nation (Gitga′at First Nation) – Hartley Bay Hydro Project
St. Mary’s Indian Band – St. Mary’s District Bioenergy System
Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation – Haa-ak-suuk Creek Hydro Project
Tahltan Nation – Volcano Creek Hydro Project
Saulteau First Nation – Twin Sisters Native Plant Nursery

Pipeline Benefits Agreements

An emerging liquefied natural gas sector in B.C. has presented new opportunities for the provincial government and First Nations to work together. Pipeline benefits agreements offer nations economic benefits from pipeline development and go hand-in-hand with skills training and environmental stewardship opportunities. To date, 62 agreements with 29 First Nations have been reached for proposed natural gas pipeline projects in British Columbia: www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/topic.page?id=A81A6F172BE94B798B0F8C540ED26D04

ILR5