Summary:

• An agreement made under Section 7 of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act to advance reconciliation and support predictable, sustainable forestry operations on the north Island
• ‘Na̲mg̲is First Nation and B.C. will use the agreement to jointly establish Forest Landscape Plans and approve associated Forest Operations Plans within the area of Tree Farm Licence 37 that overlaps ‘Na̲mg̲is territory

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‘Na̲mg̲is First Nation and the Province have signed a joint decision-making agreement that advances reconciliation by supporting predictable harvesting and sustainable forestry operations on the north Island.

“This agreement is a first of its kind, and it brings stability, certainty and jobs to the north Island,” said Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests. “This is what coming together looks like. First Nations, industry, workers and communities at the same table, getting big things done. This agreement will move fibre, create more jobs, and give industry the stability and predictability it needs, while ensuring the ‘Na̲mg̲is have a meaningful role in stewarding their lands as we build a working forest together.”

‘Na̲mg̲is First Nation and the Province have approved a Section 7 joint decision-making agreement under the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (Declaration Act) and Forest Range and Practices Act. This work affirms that ‘Na̲mg̲is First Nation are partners in forestry decisions that directly affect their territory, community and future.

Supporting north Island communities

The agreement will enable the joint establishment of forest landscape plans (FLPs) and approval of associated Forest Operations Plans (FOPs) within the area of Tree Farm Licence (TFL) 37 that overlaps ‘Na̲mg̲is territory, located near Woss and Port McNeill on northern Vancouver Island.

“The shared decision-making agreement recognizes our right to make forestry management decisions in our Territory, an important incremental recognition of our jurisdiction that fosters reconciliation” said Chief Victor Isaac, ‘Na̲mg̲is First Nation. “The agreement implements the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples by ensuring processes for obtaining our free, prior and informed consent for FLPs and FOPs. Our consent will ensure that ‘Na̲mg̲is forest values will be central to stewardship.”

Forest landscape planning is a new approach to how the Province manages forests in B.C., providing direction about where, when and how harvesting can occur within an area. The TFL 37 FLP will support sustainable forest management and economic opportunities for people in the region.

Driving reconciliation and collaboration forward

• Making Section 7 agreements with Indigenous governing bodies is part of the Province’s commitment to reconciliation. The agreements recognize and implement Indigenous jurisdiction as part of B.C.’s decision-making process
• The agreement will help ensure transparency, stability and predictability for the forestry sector through consensus about where and how harvest activities will occur.
• The Province announced on Oct. 3, 2025, the draft agreement was completed.
• Neighbouring First Nations, industry, local governments, stakeholders and the public were invited to provide input from Oct. 3 until Nov. 2, 2025.
• The Province and ‘Na̲mg̲is finalized the agreement after public engagement concluded.

Ensuring FLP completion

• TFL 37 is held by Western Forest Products, which has been actively collaborating with ‘Na̲mg̲is First Nation on the development of a forest landscape plan since 2021.
• A draft of the FLP was shared for public review and input in spring 2024.
• After addressing the feedback received, an updated draft was submitted to government in 2025.
• The Section 7 joint decision-making agreement is a critical next step to jointly establish the FLP and approve associated FOP.

“Completing this agreement marks a major step forward in building a modern, collaborative planning approach for northern Vancouver Island firmly rooted in partnership with ‘Na̲mg̲is,” said Steven Hofer, president and CEO of Western Forest Products Inc. “Guided by transparency and ongoing engagement, this agreement enables timely approval and implementation of the Forest Landscape Plan and Forest Operations Plan for TFL 37 and moves toward what our sector needs to support reduced costs, strengthen economic resilience and deliver lasting benefits for communities as we navigate challenging times.”

The agreement between ‘Na̲mg̲is and the Province will enable long-term forest-management strategies to be implemented within the TFL that support First Nations and local community values.

Government is committed to ensuring diverse voices help shape the future of B.C.’s forests through the forest landscape planning process so B.C. forests are effectively managed for many values, such as old growth, biodiversity, climate resilience, watershed health, wildfire risk and economic opportunities.

Quotes:

Spencer Chandra Herbert, Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation –

“Building and strengthening partnerships with First Nations moves us all forward to a brighter tomorrow. Through this agreement, the Province and ‘Na̲mg̲is First Nation will partner together on decisions about forestry stewardship and economic sustainability and create more strength and stability in the community and throughout the region.”

James Furney, mayor of Port McNeill –

“I compliment the ‘Na̲mg̲is Nation and the B.C. Ministry of Forests for reaching this historic agreement. All the communities of the north Island will benefit from the certainty and stability that comes from joint decision-making. This is not only an important step in reconciliation, but in developing a process for prioritizing forests, and not merely a fibre supply.”

Peter Lister, executive director, Truck Loggers Association (TLA) –

"The TLA congratulates the ‘Na̲mg̲is First Nation on successfully concluding a Section 7 agreement with the B.C. government. This agreement concludes years of hard work and negotiations between the ‘Na̲mg̲is First Nation, Western Forest Products and the B.C. government on the TFL 37 forest land plan. It is an important and necessary step toward creating stability and certainty for the land base, which supports harvesting contractors, good jobs and economic resilience in north Island communities.”

Learn More:

• More information about the agreement is provided here: https://planninginpartnership.ca/p/669ea43a8e30fb003991ae6d/project-details
• For information about Section 7 agreements, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/indigenous-people/new-relationship/united-nations-declaration-on-the-rights-of-indigenous-peoples/making-decisions-together

A backgrounder follows.