The B.C. government has signed new restoration agreements with seven Treaty 8 First Nations, committing $283 million over the next 10 years to environmental restoration projects across northeastern British Columbia.
The province says the agreements aim to restore damaged ecosystems while supporting local economies and upholding Treaty 8 rights.
Projects will be led by individual First Nations and tailored to each community’s priorities, with coordination and oversight shared with the province.
According to the Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions, the funding will support a wide range of restoration work, including habitat recovery for species at risk, post-wildfire restoration, wetland and fish habitat improvements, cultural burn planning, and the reclamation of historic industrial sites where no legal obligations exist. Climate change mitigation efforts are also included.
The agreements also provide funding for cultural and community initiatives, including language revitalization, cultural education programs, community events and the revival of traditional land-management practices.
Energy and Climate Solutions Minister Adrian Dix says the agreements reflect a First Nations led approach to land and resource management.
“This work is guided by the belief that healing the land and healing the people are inseparable,” Dix said in a statement, adding that the partnerships are intended to support environmental restoration while maintaining economic stability in the region.
The province says the restoration work is also expected to create employment and business opportunities in northeast B.C., with Treaty 8 First Nations partnering with local workers and qualified businesses to carry out projects.
One example highlighted by the province includes Fort Nelson First Nation, which is working with local educational partners, including Chalo School, to develop culturally relevant curriculum focused on land stewardship and restoration.
Mentorship programs are also being developed to connect youth with restoration practitioners.
Several provincial ministers issued statements supporting the agreements, describing them as part of the government’s broader reconciliation efforts and its response to the 2021 Yahey v. B.C. court decision, which found the province failed to adequately account for the cumulative effects of industrial development on Treaty 8 lands.
The province says a ‘Treaty 8 B.C. Stewardship Forum’ has been established to support planning, collaboration and tracking of restoration work as the projects move forward.