Federal legislation to unlock up to $7 billion in development on Capilano reserve
The federal government on Thursday introduced legislation with the potential to kick start $7 billion worth of real estate development on the Squamish First Nations’ Capilano Reserve.
Called the First Nations Certainty of Land Title Act, the bill would harmonize provincial property regulations on federally administrated reserve lands where a first nation wants to develop a specific project.
It applies to federally administered reserve land across the country, but would have an immediate impact for the Squamish, who are working on a proposal to build three or four highrise, leasehold residential towers adjacent to the Park Royal mall.
“This is an important first step to allow us to use our land to the highest and best use to support ourselves,” Squamish Chief Gibby Jacob said.
Chuck Strahl, the federal legislation is designed to help make on-reserve developments equally as valuable as off-reserve development and unlock economic opportunities for urban first nation communities.
“On-reserve commercial real estate has the potential to generate significant revenue for some first nations,” Strahl said in unveiling the legislation in Ottawa, “but such projects have been hampered by differences in property rights on and off reserve.”
For the Squamish, Chief Bill Williams said the legislation “is a very big development.”
“The opportunity that exists before the Squamish now, once the legislation is passed, will be very fundamental for creating wealth,” Williams added, including employment for band members as well as other economic opportunities.
A presentation delivered by the Squamish in support of the legislation estimated the initial residential development could draw $472 million in investment to the community and more than 6,000 jobs.
However, Williams said, after consultation with band members, Phase 2 could see development on another 140 acres of reserve land over the next 20 years with potential for $7 billion in investment and more than 15,000 jobs.
Premier Gordon Campbell, on Thursday, voiced his support for the federal legislation, though the Squamish are looking for the province to take additional steps to make the legislation workable.
“There are always going to be negotiations back and forth, but we want to see first nations and non- first nations work together,” Campbell said in a media scrum, and the federal legislation is one tool to accomplish that goal.
“I think the way to close economic gaps, education gaps and social gaps is to form these partnerships.”
Campbell spoke on the issue following his own announcement Thursday on an agreement to conduct shared decision making for land use on the north coast of the province.
However, Jacob added that the Squamish still need provincial cooperation on using the provincial land-title system, strata-property regulations that don’t apply on reserve land.
The Squamish also want the ability to levy property transfer taxes on the subject projects on reserve lands to raise the money the first nation would need to administer the new responsibilities.
“The Indian Act was never designed to support residential development,” Jason Calla, a Squamish band member and consultant to the first nation said in an interview.
“We just want to make so that if you’re going to buy these places, [you] get the same rights as people at West Royal Towers. That’s the general idea.”
“[The Squamish want] to give investors the same comfort, the same transaction procedures, the same certainty you get from the [provincial land registry].”
George Abbott, the provincial Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation, said the province has had “extensive discussions” with Strahl and his staff about whether or not the province can support extending those items to reserve land, “and I believe that we can.”
The legislation, Abbott added, “provides another route for first nations to realize some economic development on their land, and we think that’s hugely important.”
West Vancouver Mayor, Pamela Goldsmith Jones, echoed the provincial politicians’ support of the legislation, which “enables [the Squamish] to become significant contributors to our regional economy.”
“I think it’s an important step forward for all first nations in the country really, because it allows them to get out from under the Indian Act,” Goldsmith Jones added.
The legislation will not require that the Squamish follow zoning rules of the adjacent municipality, but Goldsmith Jones said she is confident all North Shore municipalities will be able to work with the first nation to make sure development is complimentary.
“On the North Shore, things will be very different over this next several decades,” she said.
The Squamish community’s planning documents talk of “harmonizing the Squamish developments with neighbouring municipalities.”
Williams added that the Squamish do plan to work as “good neighbours” with the municipalities.
Please note: This news story was reproduced from: Vancouver Sun.
To see the whole picture, the requirement to receive this consideration is usually clouded with compromise not favoring Aboriginal people, but favoring a Society that has benefited immensely from assimilation tactics or plain greed and control.