How are we working together?
Modern Treaty Nations, working collectively as the Alliance of BC Modern Treaty Nations, continue to work with the Province to advance Action 4.49 and the Shared Priorities Framework through dedicated government-to-government tables. The parties continue to co-develop new fiscal policy for consideration by their respective decision makers.
The parties are also continuing work on the lands and resource management funding model adopted in 2024; specifically, to co-develop criteria and an evaluation framework for an incremental funding component in cases where Modern Treaty Nations can demonstrate expenditure need beyond the core funding that is currently provided.
Are there challenges?
The Province and Modern Treaty Nations continue to make progress towards this action in an effort to produce principled and tangible outcomes for modern treaty citizens and all British Columbians. A challenge lies in ensuring a shared understanding of modern treaty rights and shared priorities across all ministries and agencies of the provincial government. This work requires a significant investment of time by all parties to ensure everyone is brought along in the process.
Highlights
The Province and Modern Treaty Nations are working to renew the Province’s mechanism for transferring funding under modern treaties to further reflect the jurisdiction and autonomy of Modern Treaty Nations. Together, progress has also been made towards the development of an overarching Modern Treaty Collaborative Fiscal Policy, which is intended to lay out principles, methodologies and other provisions to guide fiscal relationships between the Province and Modern Treaty Nations.
Previous years’ progress
Highlights
In 2024, the Province and Modern Treaty Nations negotiated amendments to Fiscal Financing Agreements, based on a co-developed new model for funding core lands and resource management. The new core funding will support Modern Treaty Nations in exercising their responsibilities as governments, and in partnering with the Province on lands and resource management. The amendments also commit the parties to collaboratively develop criteria, and an evaluation framework for an incremental funding component in cases where Modern Treaty Nations can demonstrate expenditure need beyond the core funding.
The Province and Modern Treaty Nations continue to collaboratively explore options to renew the Province’s mechanism for transferring funding under modern treaties, to better reflect their jurisdiction and autonomy. Together, progress has also been made towards the development of an overarching Modern Treaty collaborative fiscal policy, which is intended to lay out principles, methodologies and provisions to guide modern treaty fiscal relationships between the Province and Modern Treaty Nations.
How are we working together?
To advance work on Action 4.49 and the Shared Priorities Framework, the Province and the Alliance of BC Modern Treaty Nations have set up dedicated government-to-government fiscal policy tables. Together, the parties are collaboratively developing new fiscal policy for consideration by decision makers. Input and guidance from Modern Treaty Nations is directly reflected in the policy design process.
Are there challenges?
The Province and Modern Treaty Nations continue to make important progress to advance this action. A potential risk is the complexity of the fiscal policy topics that are being explored, which requires significant investment of time and capacity by all parties. Working together, the Province and Modern Treaty Nations will need to ensure the work is being managed in a way that maintains the current momentum and continues to produce principled and tangible outcomes.
As Modern Treaty Nations take on an enhanced role in land and resource management, the Province must ensure all ministries take a consistent approach to working with them in a way that supports modern treaty rights, shared priorities and outcomes. This requires change management, including information sharing, to ensure a common understanding of the purpose of the new funding and how it can support improved outcomes on the land base.