Ditidaht First Nation View Regional Map

Ditidaht First Nation

Background

Negotiating status
: Negotiating a comprehensive treaty settlement within the British Columbia Treaty Commission six-stage treaty process.

Negotiating affiliation
: Negotiating with Canada and British Columbia at a common treaty table with the Pacheedaht First Nation. The Ditadaht are also part of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, but chose not to participate in the tribal council's treaty negotiations.

Location
: North end of Nitinaht (Nitinat) Lake, about 50 km south of Port Alberni, on southwest Vancouver Island. Main community is on Malachan Indian Reserve #11, on the east shore of Nitinaht Lake. (17 reserves on 725.3 hectares)

Number of Band Members: 683 (Source: Registered Indian Population by Sex and Residence December 2006, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada)

Negotiations

The Ditidaht First Nation entered the B.C. treaty process independently in December 1993. The Ditidaht were joined at a common treaty table by the Pacheedaht in 1997. The Ditidaht and Pacheedaht are now at Stage 4 of the six-stage process, negotiating an agreement in principle.

The table is currently focusing on parks and protected areas, wildlife, migratory birds and fish.

Other Activities

Since early 2003, the Ditidaht have been involved in various forestry and economic development initiatives.

In January 2003, the Ditidaht and Pacheedaht signed an agreement which invited them to apply for a timber sale licence of 300,000 cubic metres over 10 years to take timber from Tree Farm Licence 46 on southern Vancouver Island.

In February 2003, the Ditidaht and Pacheedaht received over $250,000 to establish a forest training program and pursue economic opportunities for a timber sale licence. In February 2005, the Ditidaht signed a forestry agreement with the province providing the First Nation with 173,500 cubic metres of timber and $1.6 million in revenue sharing over five years from Tree Farm Licences #44 and #46 on southwest Vancouver Island.

Planned Meetings

As dates are established for open public meetings, they will be publicized through the local media and on the B.C. Treaty Commission website Negotiations Calendar.