Engagement Results Released On Proposed Legislative Amendments To First Nations Land Ownership

The Province is releasing a “what we heard” report detailing feedback from discussions about proposed changes to the ways First Nations can own and register private land in B.C.

Currently, unless enabled by specific legislation, such as through treaties or other federal legislation, the majority of First Nations in B.C. are unable to acquire, hold and dispose of land interests in their own names.

To buy or hold land, most First Nations must undertake the additional administrative processes of setting up a corporation or use alternative arrangements, such as proxies, federal trusts, societies, and individual members, to do something that other levels of government and British Columbians often take for granted.

First Nations in B.C. have long called to all levels of government to remove this discriminatory barrier to land ownership and enable them to directly own land, rather than through proxies such as corporations, societies, and individual members.

The province says it will introduce legislation this spring to allow for the changes.

The government says the proposal addresses the long-standing calls for change and aligns with B.C.’s commitments to reconciliation, including supporting the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

To learn more, visit Government of British Columbia.