The British Columbia government is taking an Indigenous rights and title decision back to court, stating its plan to appeal the ruling. The decision, made last week, granted the Cowichan Nation fishing rights and title to a parcel of land on Lulu Island in Richmond.
Attorney General Niki Sharma disagreed with the decision, saying it could lead to “significant unintended consequences” for private property rights across the province.
“We’re able to make reconciliation agreements while addressing uncertainty in relation to private landowners’ interests or any other interests on that land, while fulfilling our constitutional commitments,” Sharma said.
She emphasized the government’s preference for resolving such matters through negotiations with First Nation partners. “My colleagues in government will be reaching out to Cowichan leadership. We have examples of crafting agreements of how we can address underlying disputes and claims, all while respecting rights,” she added.
The Supreme Court’s decision had stated that any land titles issued by the federal and provincial governments over the 7.4-square-kilometer area were “flawed and invalid” because they violated the Cowichan Nation’s Aboriginal title.
BC Conservative leader John Rustad also supported the appeal, arguing that the decision creates “dangerous economic uncertainty” for families, municipalities, and businesses.
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