How are we working together?
Co-development of policies and approaches to negotiations require ongoing engagement with Indigenous governing bodies. Ongoing engagement during implementation ensures agreements continue to be relevant and responsive in achieving the minimum standards of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UN Declaration).
Are there challenges?
Co-developing agreements using a distinctions-based approach requires rigorous engagement with Indigenous governing bodies. Ongoing engagement can be impacted by challenges in capacity across all levels of government and First Nations partners. As new agreements demonstrate change and positive steps towards reconciliation, there will be increased demand on capacity.
This is an ongoing activity with no measurable end point. As negotiations and implementation of agreements continue to evolve, the Province will be responsive to ensuring the minimum standards of the UN Declaration are achieved.
Highlights
In May 2024, Haida Nation Recognition Amendment Act, 2024, received Royal Assent, confirming the Gaayhllxid • Gíihlagalgang “Rising Tide” Haida Title Lands Agreement. It’s a first-of-its-kind reconciliation agreement between the Haida Nation and B.C. that recognizes Haida Aboriginal title to the lands of Haida Gwaii. The Agreement embodies the spirit and intent of the UN Declaration and is a major step toward the ongoing recognition and empowerment of the Haida Nation. The federal government similarly recognized Haida Aboriginal title to the lands of Haida Gwaii in December 2024 with a celebration held in February 2025.
In recent years, there have been foundational shifts in policy and approach to treaty negotiations process in B.C., including the Recognition and Reconciliation of Rights Policy for Treaty Negotiations in B.C. in 2019, which includes commitments for rights recognition, non-extinguishment and ensuring modern treaties are living agreements. These positive shifts reflect new approaches to negotiations consistent with the UN Declaration, including provisions in the treaties initialed with K’ómoks, Kitselas and Kitsumkalum First Nations explicitly stating that their interpretation and implementation will be informed by the UN Declaration.
On March 8, 2025, K’ómoks community members ratified their treaty.
In June 2024, the Tŝilhqot’in Nation, and federal and provincial governments signed a five-year renewal of the Gwets’en Nilt’i Pathway Agreement. The agreement was initially signed in August 2019 and commits the parties to bring “transformative change” to the lives of the Tŝilhqot’in people and to their relationship with government. Through the Gwets’en Nilt’i Pathway Agreement, the Tŝilhqot’in Nation has made significant strides in Nation building and is continually working to improve all aspects of life for Tŝilhqot’in communities, including governance initiatives, all of which support implementation of the standards set out in the UN Declaration.