Sliammon First Nation

Background

Negotiating status

Negotiating affiliation

Location

Total band members

Negotiations

The Sliammon First Nation entered the treaty process in May 1994 and is now in Stage 5 of the B.C. treaty process, negotiating a final agreement.

Sliammon is taking a thorough and analytical approach to final agreement negotiations to ensure community understanding of and support for the treaty. With concurrence on key issues by all parties, the table hopes to soon conclude a final agreement.

Agreement-in-principle

In November 2001, an Agreement-in-Principle (AIP) was narrowly defeated by the Sliammon First Nation membership. Sliammon confirmed their commitment to treaty negotiations in a band council resolution on December 18, 2001. In June 2003, chief negotiators for Sliammon, British Columbia and Canada recommended approval of a re-negotiated AIP to their principals.

On October 4, 2003, Sliammon First Nations members voted 62 percent in favour of ratifying the AIP. After approval from Canada and the B.C. Cabinet, the AIP was signed by the three principles for the parties at a special ceremony at Sliammon on December 6, 2003

The AIP includes approximately 6,000 hectares of provincial Crown land, $26 million and a commitment to negotiate revenue sharing.

AIP-related documents are as follows:

• Sliammon Agreement One Step Closer To Treaty and Backgrounder
• Sliammon agreement builds momentum in treaty process
• Tripartite Summary of the Sliammon First Nation Agreement-in-Principle (PDF - 158KB)
• Sliammon First Nation Agreement-in-Principle (PDF - 4.62MB)
• BC Heartlands Economic Strategy - Treaty Negotiations - Sliammon Agreement-in-Principle - Brochure (PDF - 282KB)
• BC Heartlands Economic Strategy - Treaty Negotiations - Sliammon Agreement-in-Principle - Treaty Information - Factsheet (PDF - 220KB)
• BC Heartlands Economic Strategy - Treaty Negotiations - Sliammon Agreement-in-Principle - Intergov Relations - Factsheet (PDF - 136KB)
• BC Heartlands Economic Strategy - Treaty Negotiations - Sliammon Agreement-in-Principle - Parks - Factsheet (PDF - 137KB)

Other Activities

In May of 2003, Sliammon First Nation and the District of Powell River signed a community accord of cooperation. The accord states that the two governments will form working groups to explore and initiate activities to facilitate economic diversification, protect cultural and heritage resources, promote community growth, increase investment, and generate employment. In June of 2004, the two parties further committed to carrying out this vision through a protocol agreement on culture, heritage and economic development.

In January of 2004, Sliammon Treaty Society received $40,000 to conduct a tourism market study that identified the region's potential as a marine and back country destination and supports the formation of Tourism Sliammon to oversee the development of the region's tourism potential.

In April of 2004, the province announced funding of $595,900 for a Sliammon First Nation cultural centre feasibility study and a number of treaty-related measures for studies on land use and governance.

In August of 2005, the province announced the completion of the Malaspina Okeover Coastal Plan. The plan includes plans for sustainable growth of aqua culture and tourism for First Nation and community residents through identification of areas that have the highest likelihood for success in the tenure application process. The plan area is located north of Powell River and includes Malaspina, Okeover and Theodosia Inlets. The province signed an agreement with Sliammon First Nation for its participation in the plan.

In June of 2005, an aboriginal enhancement agreement for Powell River school district was signed. The agreement allows the Sliammon First Nation culture to be reflected in public schools by accepting Aboriginal involvement in the design of programs, services and curriculum delivery.

In December 2007, the Province issued a five-year probationary community forestry agreement with the Tla’Amin Timber Products Ltd., controlled by the Sliammon First Nation, granting the right to annually harvest 28,000 of timber on public forest lands in the Sunshine Coast Forest District.

Currently, The Powell River Model Community Project for Persons with Disabilities is spearheading a BC150 project which consists of the delivery of 15 one-hour radio broadcasts profiling, among other things, the Sliammon First Nation, on whose ancestral lands Powell River is located.