The Kitsumkalum and Kitselas First Nations in B.C.'s Northwest have signed "incremental treaty agreements" (ITAs) with the B.C. government, the province has announced.
Under the agreement, the two First Nations will own the lands in question in fee simple. The lands will remain under the jurisdiction of municipal government until a final treaty is reached with each First Nation. Following a treaty, the lands will become treaty settlement lands.
Kitsumkalum Chief Donald Roberts welcomed the signing of the ITA as a "crucial moment" for the First Nation.
"The signing of the Incremental Treaty Agreement will support Kitsumkalum in immediately regaining some of our lands that we've striven to retrieve for decades," he said.
"Our negotiators will continue to work towards achieving what our community strives for – a push forward in positive development, economic growth and social progress."
According to the province, the ITAs were signed after the initialing of treaty agreements-in-principle (AIPs) by the two First Nations, B.C. and Canada. The AIPs lay the framework for final negotiations toward legally binding treaties.
The two First Nations will now vote on whether to proceed with the AIPs. The ITA lands will be transferred once the AIPs have been successfully ratified by each community.
