BC NDP government's First Nations land transfer commitments span 12 Vancouvers | Daily Hive

BC NDP government's newly disclosed First Nations land transfer commitments cover area nearly 12 times the size of Vancouver

David Eby. (Government of BC)

More than 334,600 acres (135,425 hectares; 1,354 sq. km.) of provincial Crown land are currently committed to First Nations through a series of modern treaty and incremental treaty agreements across British Columbia, according to a financial document released today by the Government of B.C.

The land commitments are detailed in the BC NDP-led provincial government’s annual audited financial statements, the Public Accounts for the 2025/2026 fiscal year.

How significant is this land area?

These commitments to First Nations are nearly 335 times larger than Vancouver’s Stanley Park (1,000 acres; 405 hectares; 4.05 sq. km.), 12 times the overall size of the City of Vancouver (28,420 acres; 11,500 hectares; 115 sq. km.), or nearly half of the overall land area of the entire Metro Vancouver region (711,416 acres; 28,790 hectares; 2,879 sq. km.).

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Under the document’s section on treaty negotiations, the provincial government identifies 20 First Nations or First Nations groups with current Crown land commitments.

By far the two largest individual commitments are for Kitsumkalum, at approximately 113,150 acres (45,789 hectares; 458 sq. km.), and Kitselas, at about 87,200 acres (35,290 hectares; 353 sq. km.). Together, those two commitments account for nearly 60 per cent of the Crown land included in the provincial government’s list.

Other major commitments include approximately 34,460 acres (13,946 hectares; 139 sq. km.) for Wuikinuxv, 23,410 acres (9,474 hectares; 95 sq. km.) for In-SHUCK-ch — involving Skatin and Samahquam — and 14,730 acres (5,960 hectares; 60 sq. km.) for Yekooche.

Lax Kw’alaams First Nation is listed at approximately 10,650 acres (4,309 hectares; 43 sq. km.), followed by Ditidaht at 8,815 acres (3,567 hectares; 35.67 sq. km.), Lheidli T’enneh at 8,440 acres (3,416 hectares; 34.16 sq. km.), NStQ at 7,650 acres (3,095 hectares; 30.95 sq. km.) and K’omoks at 7,510 acres (3,040 hectares; 30.4 sq. km.).

The remaining commitments are approximately 4,735 acres (1,916.7 hectares; 19 sq. km.) for Te’mexw, representing Malahat, Scia’new, Snaw-naw-as, Songhees and T’Sou-ke; 3,155 acres (1,276 hectares; 13 sq. km.) for Wei Wai Kum; 3,005 acres (1,216 hectares; 12 sq. km.) for Pacheedaht; 1,745 acres (707 hectares; seven sq. km.) for Homalco; 1,675 acres (677 hectares; seven sq. km.) for Kaska Dena Council; 1,510 acres (612 hectares; six sq. km.) for Wei Wai Kai; 1,230 acres (497.6 hectares; five sq. km.) for Lake Babine Nation; 1,035 acres (418 hectares; five sq. km.) for Ktunaxa Nation Council; 425 acres (172 hectares; 1.7 sq. km.) for Nazko; and 116 acres (47 hectares; 0.5 sq. km.) for Tla-o-qui-aht.

Most of this committed land is concentrated in northwestern B.C. Other significant areas are located on the Central Coast, in the Lower Lillooet River area, and in northcentral area of the province near Fort St. James. Some of these areas are rich in natural resources.

There is an additional Crown land commitment associated with the long-standing Final Agreement with Yale First Nation, which was ratified by Yale in 2011, the B.C. government later that year, and Parliament in 2013. However, an effective date for the treaty has still not been agreed upon.

Under that agreement, the B.C. government is to provide Yale First Nation with approximately 2,913 acres (1,179 hectares; 12 sq. km) of provincial Crown land, along with $2.5 million as a cash payment and $1.1 million in economic development funding.

Adding the Yale lands to the other Crown land commitments disclosed in the Public Accounts brings the combined figure to approximately 337,557 acres (136,604 hectares; 1,366 sq. km). The Yale commitment is presented separately from the provincial government’s list of 20 transfers.

Modern treaty negotiations between the B.C. government, the federal government, and First Nations under the current process began in 1994. As of March 31, 2026, the provincial government reported 37 First Nations groups in active or completed negotiations, collectively representing 61 current or former Indian Act bands.

The Public Accounts state that when final treaty agreements are ratified by all parties, the provincial government’s costs are recorded based on the specific terms of each agreement. The federal government is expected to provide the capital transfer component of treaty agreements in most cases, while provincial Crown land represents another major part of the settlements.

The ultimate cost to B.C. remains uncertain.

The financial statements also acknowledge that not all First Nations are pursuing their claims through the formal B.C. Treaty Commission process. Some have instead gone to court over Aboriginal rights and title, commercial rights, the adequacy of government consultation and accommodation, and compensation for alleged infringements.

Beyond the direct financial implications, such agreements will reduce the provincial government’s authority and control over large areas of Crown land, potentially limiting its ability to approve development, generate tax revenues, and use those lands to support economic growth and fund public services such as healthcare, education, social programs, and infrastructure. Critics also argue that transferring significant decision-making authority over public land without broader public involvement raises concerns about transparency and democratic accountability.

B.C. Conservatives warn of actual First Nations land transfer the size of Portugal or South Korea

The newly released figures quickly drew criticism from the Conservative Party of B.C., which argued the Public Accounts provide only a partial picture of the amount of public Crown land that could ultimately be affected by agreements with First Nations.

In a statement issued Monday afternoon, the BC Conservatives pointed to the 334,643 acres identified in the Public Accounts, while also raising concerns about separate negotiations and agreements by Premier David Eby and his BC NDP-led provincial government that are not included in that total.

The BC Conservatives claimed that, when other potential arrangements are considered, as much as 24 million acres (9.6 million hectares; 96,000 sq. km.) of Crown land could eventually be involved.

That is equivalent to more than 10 per cent of all of the land area in British Columbia, comparable to the size of the entire area of Portugal or South Korea.

Much of the party’s criticism focused on negotiations involving the Tahltan Nation in northwestern B.C. The BC Conservatives cited previous media reporting about an area of up to 23.7 million acres (9.591 million hectares; 95,910 sq. km) and questioned why the potential arrangement does not appear among the Crown land obligations disclosed in the Public Accounts.

The party also cited an estimated $1.28 trillion worth of mineral resources within this broader area under the Tahltan Nation.

“This is only the beginning… There will be nothing left of B.C. by the time they are finished”

BC Conservatives leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay called on the BC NDP-led provincial government to immediately stop further land transfers and recall the legislature to repeal B.C.’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA).

“Handing over public assets at this vast scale in secret deals is a direct betrayal of our democracy that treats British Columbians, who own this province, as non-existent,” said Findlay.

“And what is worse, this is only the beginning. There are still over 150 Indigenous bands in B.C. still to be dealt with. There will be nothing left of B.C. by the time they are finished. The NDP must immediately halt all land transfers, recall the Legislature to repeal DRIPA, repeal these unfounded agreements, and start the process over this time with full transparency instead of these backroom handovers.”

The BC Conservatives also pointed to the Te’mexw Treaty Association agreement, under which the province is transferring 30 Crown land parcels. According to the party, those properties include prime waterfront land in Victoria Inner Harbour as well as lands associated with Hatley Castle national historic site (Royal Roads University), Sooke Mountain, and Discovery Island provincial parks.

“The NDP is bypassing the public and eroding democratic oversight to hand over B.C.’s land,” said Steve Kooner, the BC Conservative MLA for Richmond-Queensborough.

“This is a massive amount of land based on unsettled territorial claims with virtually no public consultation. The NDP accepted the Tahltan’s territorial claims without any pushback, even though they were not legally settled. And the Te’mexw Treaty Association is under no legal obligation to continue to allow public access to their newly acquired parks.”

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