Reconciliation with Siksika Nation on Castle Mountain settlement complete – Rocky Mountain Outlook
Feb 09, 2017
A land claim settlement between the Siksika Nation and the Government of Canada resolving a longstanding dispute over lands near Castle Mountain in Banff National Park have officially been concluded.
While details of the settlement have been reported before, it was this month that representatives from the Siksika Nation and officials with Parks Canada and Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada signed a settlement after each side accepted its terms.
In March, Siksika Nation voted to ratify the settlement agreement for a specific claim regarding Castle Mountain and in August officials in Ottawa ratified it. The settlement includes $123 million in financial compensation and an option for the Siksika to purchase on the open market up to 17,941 acres of land outside the boundaries of the national park and apply to have the lands added to its reserve. It also provides economic opportunities inside Banff National Park and ongoing access for cultural, traditional and educational purposes.
