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BC NDP’s Land Use Plan on Vancouver island Sparks Reconciliation Debate and Conservative Criticism
The British Columbia provincial government is moving forward with a meaningful land use plan on northern Vancouver Island, aiming to balance environmental protection, Indigenous reconciliation, and forestry jobs. However, the decision has ignited a fierce debate, with the Conservative Party of B.C. alleging a lack of transparency and raising concerns about the future of Crown land control.
The BC NDP government last week signed four ministerial orders to advance the Gwa’ni Land Use Planning Project, a collaborative effort developed with the Namgis First Nation. The plan encompasses over 166,000 hectares (1,660 sq. km.) of Crown land in the Nimpkish Valley, near Alert Bay and Port McNeill – an area exceeding 11 times the size of the City of Vancouver and representing roughly five percent of Vancouver Island’s total landmass.
According to the provincial government, the gwa’ni project is designed to establish clear guidelines for the lasting use of land, rivers, forests, and watersheds within the Nimpkish Valley. The area is rich in natural resources,including old-growth forests,vital wildlife habitat,and all five species of Pacific wild salmon. The plan seeks to determine wich areas should be preserved, where forestry can continue, and how to balance cultural, environmental, and economic priorities.
“It’s critically important to have long-lasting, forward-looking plans to manage the environment and natural resources in a way that benefits everyone – and that’s exactly what we’re doing in the Nimpkish Valley,” stated Randene Neill, B.C. Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship. “This planning project is a wonderful example of how, when we all work together transparently and openly to determine our values for the future of our province, we create certainty and predictability for everyone who lives in this beautiful area.”
The Namgis First Nation celebrated the agreement as a crucial step towards self-determination and stewardship of their customary territory. Chief Councillor Dallas Hunt stated, “This is a historic moment for our Nation. It recognizes our inherent rights and responsibilities to care for our lands and resources for generations to come.” The Nation emphasized that the plan reflects years of collaborative work and incorporates their traditional knowledge and values.
Though, the B.C. Conservatives have sharply criticized the process and the potential implications of the agreement. Conservative critic for Indigenous relations, Scott McInnis, contends that the public previously rejected similar changes. “This is Land Act reform by stealth,” mcinnis asserted, referencing the BC NDP’s cancelled proposed legislation in 2024 that would have granted First Nations greater influence over Crown land use – a proposal some critics labeled as granting a veto power.
McInnis questioned the timing of the current move, given the Premier’s admission that the 2019-approved Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA) – based on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) – is causing concern across the province. He accused the government of avoiding scrutiny, alleging that agreements are being “pushed through quietly, announced late on weekends, and wrapped in carefully worded news releases.”
Another Conservative critic, Donegal Wilson, emphasized the importance of public trust and warned that the current approach is eroding it. “Public lands belong to all British Columbians,” Wilson stated. “They should not be governed through a growing patchwork of individual agreements negotiated quietly and announced after the fact.” Wilson further cautioned that the resulting uncertainty discourages investment.
The Conservatives are calling for a halt to all new land-use agreements until issues surrounding DRIPA are addressed. “You cannot say one thing and do another,” McInnis insisted. “Fix DRIPA first. Bring these decisions into the open. And stop rewriting land governance by stealth. public lands must stay public.”
This controversy unfolds against a broader backdrop of growing apprehension in B.C.regarding the potential economic and investment ramifications of provincial reconciliation policies and court rulings, especially those concerning Aboriginal title land claims. Recent court decisions asserting that all provincial laws should be interpreted through the lens of DRIPA prompted Premier Eby to commit to amending DRIPA to ensure the provincial government, rather than the courts, retains authority over reconciliation implementation. The B.C. Conservatives, however, are advocating for a full repeal of DRIPA. Furthermore, DRIPA-layered amendments to the Heritage conservation Act were paused yesterday following significant public backlash.
As the provincial government continues to pursue land-use agreements, environmental protections, and Indigenous partnerships, critics argue these efforts are colliding with broader concerns about legal certainty, private investment, and the delicate balance of power between the legislature
