Esketemc First Nation View Regional Map

Esketemc First Nation

Background

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

Negotiating affiliation
: Negotiating independently with Canada and British Columbia. Not affiliated with a tribal council or treaty group.

Location
: Approximately 50 km south of Williams Lake, in the B.C. Interior. Main community is on Alkali Indian Reserve #1. (19 reserves on 3,931.8 hectares.)

Number of Band Members: 735 (Source: Registered Indian Population by Sex and Residence December 2006, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada)

Negotiations

The Esketemc First Nation entered the treaty process in December 1993, and is now in Stage 4 of the six-stage process, negotiating an agreement in principle.

The treaty table is meeting to draft chapter language for an agreement in principle. The parties are also discussing the possibility of obtaining funding for a land use plan and inventory treaty related measure.

Current Activities

In 2003, the Province announced that the Esketemc First Nation would receive $339,400 in economic development funding for a three-year land use and economic development planning project. The project incorporates traditional land-use information in forestry operational planning, and provides ways to address the impacts of economic development on traditional activities or cultural-heritage resources early in the forestry planning process. The project enhances the Esketemc's forest-management expertise in current and future community forest pilot agreements, woodlot licences and other potential forestry opportunities. In April 2004, the Esketemc and the Province announced a forestry accommodation agreement that will ensure the First Nation shares in forestry revenues of $1.7 million over five years and has access 191,315 cubic metres of timber within its asserted traditional territory.

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.