Doig River is one of many First Nations in BC to sign onto the Framework Agreement on First Nations Land Management. Once we ratify an agreement, the authority and management of reserve lands will be transferred from the Federal government to DRFN, effectively removing our Band from 44 sections of the Indian Act.
We have hired a Land Code Coordinator (Jasmine Pouce-Coupe), Land Use Planner (Owen Bloor), and set up a Lands Advisory Committee. The next steps for the Lands Department and Lands Advisory Committee are to:
- Engage the membership about what they would like to see in a Land Code
- Create DRFN’s own Land Code
- Prepare an Individual Transfer Agreement with Canada
- Draft a community ratification process
- Conduct a membership vote on both the Land Code and the Individual Agreement with Canada
The Doig River Land Code Advisory Committee has just begun to meet to discuss development of the Code. We anticipate having a code for DRFN members to consider and vote on in 2022. The final decision on the contents of the Land Code is up to the Doig River Frist Nation members, not Chief and Council. Nothing will be finalized without membership approval. All members 18 and older are eligible to vote.
