An agreement between the Province and Lake Babine Nation will help to guide collaboration on natural resource management and economic development opportunities across the First Nation’s traditional territory.

Under the Reconciliation Framework Agreement, the Province will provide $550,000 for Lake Babine Nation to implement the agreement over the next two years. This funding will help Lake Babine Nation to fully and efficiently engage with natural resource sector proponents and increase economic opportunity.

The framework agreement supports reconciliation between the Province and Lake Babine Nation through a partnership based on mutual respect. It sets out a framework to guide negotiation of a reconciliation agreement, and commitments to engage in collaborative work to seek new forestry tenure opportunities for Lake Babine. The agreement also provides joint recommendations for the establishment of resource conservation measures within Lake Babine’s traditional territory in central British Columbia.

The agreement also establishes a senior officials’ forum on natural resource stewardship measures and an engagement office to enhance Lake Babine Nation’s ability to engage in the consultation process regarding proposed activities on their traditional territory.

A final reconciliation agreement would seek to include provisions for collaborative decision-making on land and resource use within Lake Babine traditional territory; resource protection and stewardship measures; a comprehensive forestry relationship; and initiatives including potential transfers of Crown land to Lake Babine Nation to support economic development and protection of cultural values for all of their communities.

Lake Babine Nation also signed a two-year Interim Forestry Agreement with the Province. This revenue-sharing agreement will provide Lake Babine Nation with approximately $2.6 million in the first year of the agreement.

Learn More:

Lake Babine Nation agreements: http://bit.ly/1Ul1B1D

Reconciliation and other Aboriginal agreements: http://bit.ly/1ZpgYFx

First Nations economic development factsheet: https://news.gov.bc.ca/08736