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Lower Kootenay Band members to vote on land agreement with Regional District of Central Kootenay

Approval in 2015 would give Lower Kootenay Band Kootenay Lake waterfront property, extend life of Creston landfill...
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Lower Kootenay Band members will vote in 2015 on an agreement that will give them Kootenay Lake waterfront property and allow the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) to extend the life of its landfill site.

An incremental treaty agreement (ITA) between the province and Ktunaxa Nation council proposes the transfer of 176 hectares of Crown land in two parcels to the LKB. One parcel is about three hectares of land known as Burden’s Cut, located on the south arm of Kootenay Lake about 45 kilometres north of Creston. The other parcel is adjacent to the first, and is about 173 hectares.

In return, the LKB would sell nine hectares adjacent to the Mallory Road landfill site to the RDCK.

“Through the co-operation of the province, RDCK, Ktunaxa Nation council, LKB and the federal government, our local Aboriginal community will have the long awaited homecoming to Kootenay Lake,” said Chief Jason Louie. “This is a very monumental moment in our history.”

Transfer of the waterfront property is seen as being of significant cultural importance to the LKB, whose direct connection to Kootenay Lake was severed in the late 1800s with the establishment of First Nations reserves.

Negotiating the agreement was one of the last items on his political “bucket list”, RDCK chair John Kettle said before announcing he would not run in Saturday’s election.

“On behalf of the Regional District of Central Kootenay I wish to congratulate all parties for making this effort a reality,” he said. “The working relationship forged with the federal, provincial, Ktunaxa Nation and local government is a testament to the new paradigms of this century. It is incumbent on us all to ensure for future generations that the opportunity for economic and social growth for the Ktunaxa Nation parallels those of the rest of society, ensuring equal benefits for all partieswhile recognizing the diversity of all of our citizens. This is a great day for us all.”

In announcing the agreement, Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation Minister John Rustad said he had witnessed firsthand the importance of the land transfer.

“I visited Ktunaxa territory in May and learned firsthand about the long and deep connection they have to Kootenay Lake,” he said. “This incremental treaty agreement provides an opportunity for the Lower Kootenay Band to reconnect to land on the shores of the lake, and we support their efforts as we move forward in this partnership.”

The province introduced incremental treaty agreements to provide First Nations in the treaty process with earlier access to treaty benefits, in advance of a final agreement. The incremental agreements are intended build trust among the parties, facilitate immediate development opportunities, advance treaty negotiations and provide increased certainty over land and resources.

“This agreement presents a tremendous opportunity not just for Ktunaxa, but for other governments and businesses to work together to foster a positive economic environment that benefits all residents in the Ktunaxa territory,” said Ktunaxa Nation council chair Kathryn Teneese. “I’d like to commend all parties who worked very hard to ensure that this agreement reflected the strong cultural, social and environmental commitments we hold as Ktunaxa people.”