The land provided to the K’ómoks First Nation is made up of provincial land, some private land purchased by the province, and existing reserve lands
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The K’ómoks First Nation will receive ownership of more than 34 square kilometres of land on Vancouver Island, self-government over those lands, and $56 million, in the fifth modern treaty to be reached in B.C.
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It has been more than 30 years since negotiations started, but a milestone was reached Tuesday when the B.C. government introduced legislation to implement the treaty.
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The K’ómoks voted last year in favour of the treaty, and the federal government is expected to start the ratification process this fall.
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The treaty, which will provide the First Nation’s 351 members sweeping powers over their lands, could become effective by 2028.
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It’s the first treaty to reach the finish line in B.C. in more than 10 years.
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“Today is not the end of the journey. It’s a meaningful step forward and an important step in implementation toward a future where our nation can fully realize its potential,” K’ómoks Chief Nicole Rempel said during a short ceremony with Premier David Eby just before the legislation was tabled.
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Eby said the work carried out to reach the treaty reflects a choice between conflict and refusal to recognize rights, and co-operating and finding a path forward with First Nations.
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“There are those that would have us walk away from trying to find this path of co-operation, but we will continue as a government to prioritize that work with our Indigenous partners across the province, because when we do this work, we know that there are so many benefits for First Nations communities,” said Eby.
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The B.C. government will introduce legislation Wednesday to implement another treaty, with the Kitselas First Nation in the Terrace areas.
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Eby has come under criticism for his handling of First Nations issues, including how the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples has been implemented in B.C.
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Recently, Eby promised to suspend key sections of B.C.’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act for three years to address legal uncertainty, which has angered First Nations leaders.
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The near completion of the K’ómoks treaty also comes as there has been an increase in public anxiety about reconciliation and legal uncertainty over Aboriginal land title following a 2025 B.C. Supreme Court decision that found the Cowichan Tribes held Aboriginal title to land in the City of Richmond, including privately held homes, farms and commercial lands. It was the first time a court had included private land as a remedy.
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The land provided to the K’ómoks First Nation is made up of provincial land, some private land purchased by the province, and existing First Nation reserve lands.
