On April 16, 2024, the Canadian Government released the 2024 federal budget, including details on the much-anticipated federal Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program (ILG Program). First announced in the government's 2023 Fall...more
On March 28, 2024, British Columbia and the Council of the Haida Nation released the draft Gaayhllxid • Gíihlagalgang “Rising Tide” Haida Title Lands Agreement (“Draft Agreement”) which would recognize Haida Nation’s...more
Le 26 février 2024, la Cour d’appel de la Colombie-Britannique (la « Cour d’appel ») a rendu sa décision dans l’affaire Thomas and Saik’uz First Nation v. Rio Tinto Alcan Inc., confirmant le rejet par la Cour suprême de la...more
On February 26, 2024, the British Columbia Court of Appeal (Court) issued its decision in Thomas and Saik’uz First Nation v. Rio Tinto Alcan Inc., upholding the B.C. Supreme Court’s dismissal of nuisance claims brought by two...more
The B.C. government is consulting the public on reforms to the Land Act to facilitate shared decision-making under the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA). The Land Act deals with how public land is...more
On November 8, 2023, substantial changes to B.C.'s emergency preparedness legislation took effect. Bill 31-2023, the Emergency and Disaster Management Act, (EDMA) replaced the Emergency Program Act, RSBC 1996, c 111 (the...more
Dans le cadre de l’affaire Gitxaala v. British Columbia, la Cour suprême de la Colombie-Britannique (la « Cour ») a statué que la délivrance de claims miniers en Colombie-Britannique entraîne l’obligation, pour la Couronne,...more
In Gitxaala v. British Columbia, the British Columbia Supreme Court ruled that the issuance of mineral claims in British Columbia triggers the Crown’s duty to consult Indigenous nations. The Court suspended its declaration...more
I'd like to begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the land known as Australia. I would also like to pay my respects to Elders past and present. This is what is known as an Acknowledgement of Country in Australia,...more
On January 18, 2023, the Province of British Columbia (Province) and the Blueberry River First Nation (BRFN) signed the Blueberry River First Nation Implementation Agreement (Implementation Agreement)....more
On June 6, 2022, a coalition made up of more than 25 Indigenous organizations from across Canada released a National Indigenous Economic Strategy designed exclusively by Indigenous leaders, institutions and organizations. The...more
Le régime relatif aux droits et aux intérêts des peuples autochtones au Canada continue d’évoluer au fil des nouvelles décisions judiciaires, politiques gouvernementales et mesures législatives. Il est important que les...more
The law on Indigenous rights and interests in Canada continues to evolve based on court decisions and government policies and legislation. It’s important that businesses are aware of new developments and their implications,...more
On March 18, 2022, the Supreme Court of Canada issued a decision in Anderson v Alberta [Beaver Lake Cree] that elaborates on the test for awarding advance costs to offset the expenses of public interest litigants. The...more
On December 16, 2021, the Prime Minister released the much-anticipated mandate letters outlining executive priorities and providing direction to cabinet ministers for the upcoming term. While customized for each of the 38...more
On January 7, 2022, more than a decade after the claim was first filed, the B.C. Supreme Court (BCSC) released its decision in Thomas and Saik'uz First Nation v Rio Tinto Alcan Inc. The decision considers the Saik'uz First...more
In its January 7, 2022 decision in Thomas and Saik’uz First Nation v. Rio Tinto Alcan Inc., the British Columbia Supreme Court (Court) affirmed the plaintiffs’ Aboriginal right to fish but denied their claim for relief...more
On October 7, 2021, the Blueberry River First Nation (BRFN) and the Province of British Columbia (Province) reached an initial agreement in response to the recent court decision in Yahey v British Columbia [Yahey]. The...more
Three important decisions relating to Indigenous peoples across Canada have been issued recently: Yahey v British Columbia, Southwind v Canada and Ermineskin Cree Nation v Canada (Environment and Climate Change). The three...more
Le 29 juin 2021, la Cour suprême de la Colombie-Britannique (la « Cour ») a rendu publique sa décision attendue depuis longtemps dans l’affaire Yahey v. British Columbia (l’« affaire Yahey »). Après un procès de 160 jours,...more
On June 29, 2021, the British Columbia (B.C.) Supreme Court (Court) released its long-awaited decision in Yahey v. British Columbia (Yahey). After 160 days of trial and thousands of pages of evidence, the Court determined...more
Le 23 avril 2021, la Cour suprême du Canada (la « CSC ») a confirmé qu’un résident des États-Unis peut posséder des droits ancestraux au Canada. Elle a déterminé que les droits autochtones protégés par l’article 35 de la Loi...more
On April 23, 2021, the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) released its decision in R. v. Desautel, 2021 SCC 17, which upheld the lower court decisions to acquit Richard Desautel of charges under the Wildlife Act. The SCC confirmed...more
On April 23, 2021, the Supreme Court of Canada confirmed that residents of the United States of America can hold Aboriginal rights in this country. The Court concluded that the Aboriginal rights protected by section 35 of the...more
On March 19, 2021, the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) launched the Indigenous Community Infrastructure Initiative (ICII), which aims to invest $1 billion to encourage infrastructure investment in Indigenous communities. The...more