Blueberry River First Nations and the BC government have reached a historic agreement that will guide them forward in a partnership approach to land, water, and resource stewardship.

Both sides say the deal ensures Blueberry River members can meaningfully exercise their Treaty 8 rights and provide stability and predictability for industry in the region.

Chief Judy Desjarlais says the agreement provides a clear pathway to get the hard work started on healing and restoring the land and start on the joint planning with strong criteria to protect ecosystems, wildlife habitat and old forests.

The agreement is in response to a 2021 court decision that ruled British Columbia violated the First Nations' treaty rights because it allowed development without community involvement.