On July 15, 2024, PHARA wrote to the government asking whether the Sechelt area land use planning process was expected to result in legally binding outcomes.
Eleven months later, Deputy Minister of Land, Water and Resource Stewardship Lori Halls finally replied. She stated that upon finalization, the plan “would be legalized to formalize direction to regulatory authorities to align their management directions with the plan.” She added, “With respect to the Land Act, that may take the form of establishing direction using sections of the Land Act…”
So, while the government’s 2024 efforts to give the shíshálh Nation express statutory decision-making authority through amendments to the Land Act failed, they are now instead allowing the shíshálh to co-lead the development of a land use plan that will constrain regulatory decision-makers under the Land Act.
Here is what the government and the shíshálh Nation have said about this land use planning process:
shíshálh Nation and the Province of BC are co-developing a Land Use Plan (LUP) as one way of implementing the transformative change that has been committed to by both parties in the shíshálh–BC Foundation Agreement.
The joint land use planning process will allow shíshálh Nation and the BC government to make progress on their Foundation Agreement goals of:
- Shared environmental stewardship of the swiya
- Creating economic prosperity for shíshálh people and those choosing to live, work, and play within the swiya
- Protecting cultural sites
- Revitalizing shíshálh culture and language
- Strengthening shíshálh self-governance…
Full recognition and implementation of the shíshálh’s section 35(1) Title and Rights requires deep transformation.
Should you be worried?
You decide