SLIAMMON/TEESHOHSUM (NEAR POWELL RIVER) - A new forestry agreement and pre-treaty funding will support social and economic programs for the Tla'amin (Sliammon) Nation and restore valuable river habitat, announced Mary Polak, Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation, who visited the Tla'amin community and Powell River today.

Polak, Tla'amin Chief Clint Williams and Tla'amin members celebrated the signing of a new three-year forestry agreement which will provide the Tla'amin Nation with approximately $450,000 each year in revenue sharing. The new agreement, known as a Forest Consultation and Revenue Sharing Agreement (FCRSA), also provides a consultation process for operational decisions related to forestry and a commitment from Tla'amin to work with B.C. to increase stability for the forest sector.

As well, as part of a pre-treaty commitment, the minister presented $100,000 to Tla'amin to help the First Nation continue mitigation work on the Theodosia River to restore flows and revitalize fish habitat following a landslide in the 1990s.

Quick Facts:

• The Tla'amin Nation represents about 1,000 members. The main Tla'amin community, known to the Tla'amin as Teeshohsum, is located near Powell River on the Sunshine Coast.
• On June 9, 2010, the Tla'amin Nation and the provincial and federal governments concluded a Final Agreement under the B.C. Treaty Commission process. The next step in the treaty process is the initialling of the Final Agreement, followed by Tla'amin community ratification.
• The Theodosia watershed is an area of great importance to the Tla'amin people. The area used to be home to a Tla'amin village.
• Since September 2002, the provincial government has signed agreements with 168 First Nations providing access to over 59.6 million cubic metres of timber and $287 million in revenue sharing.

Learn More:

To learn more about the provincial government's efforts to build a new relationship with Aboriginal people through treaty negotiations and other lasting agreements, go to: www.gov.bc.ca/arr

To review a copy of the Tla'amin FCRSA, visit: http://www.newrelationship.gov.bc.ca/agreements_and_leg/forestry.html

Media Contacts:

Karen Williams
Communications
Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation
250 387-1460
250 360-6222 (cell)

Grace Adams
Negotiations Manager
Tla'amin Nation
1 604 483-4427