The B.C. government and Tla’amin Nation signed a memorandum of understanding on April 2 to improve land and resource stewardship.
The MOU, named the yiχmɛtštəm ʔəms gɩǰɛ Territorial Stewardship Action Plan, focuses on advancing key treaty commitments through a shared stewardship structure.
yiχmɛtštəm ʔəms gɩǰɛ means “together we are taking care of the land” in the Tla’amin language.
According to the province, the MOU sets out how B.C. and Tla’amin Nation will work together to care for land and water, heritage resources and Tla’amin wildlife harvesting rights.
“With the signing of this memorandum of understanding, the province and Tla’amin Nation have taken a significant step forward to implement key commitments of the Tla’amin Treaty,” said Randene Neill, minister of water, land and resource stewardship. “This work will happen in the years ahead, continuing our collaborative work on reconciliation and environmental stewardship that benefits ecosystems and the region’s communities — both now and in the future.”
The province said the MOU upholds commitments it made when the Tla’amin Treaty came into effect on April 5, 2016.
“This MOU moves treaty commitments forward in some of the most important parts of our territory,” said Hegus John Hackett. “The treaty is a living document. Through this MOU, we’re taking an honest look at what climate change, industry and human pressure have done to these lands and, working in partnership, we will ensure these places remain healthy for everyone in the region to enjoy now and into the future.”
According to a news release from the province, the MOU outlines five priority areas that the province and Tla’amin Nation are committed to working on:
- a shared decision-making agreement for the toqʷanən (Theodosia) watershed
- a negotiated Tla’amin maloχᶗhom (groundwater) allocation
- a renewed reasonable opportunity agreement to support wildlife harvesting rights
- collaborative management of parks and protected areas
- a co-ordinated approach to protecting Tla’amin cultural heritage resources
Neill said the MOU will not have any impact on privately owned land in the area covered by the agreement.
“Nothing changes. Private property will not be affected by this treaty at all,” said Neill. “Access to some of the beautiful areas that people in Powell River and qathet love to go to will not be impacted either.”
“I think that when we work together and we have certainty and predictability about the land and the land base, that benefits everybody.”
