Under the ʔaʔǰɩnxʷegəs (The Tla’amin Treaty), Tla’amin Nation and BC may enter into agreements addressing Protected Area planning, management, economic opportunities, and other matters, and any such agreement must include Desolation Sound Marine Park.
Under the Treaty, Canada and BC must consult with Tla’amin before establishing new National Parks, Marine Protected Areas, or similar designations in the territory, and no new Protected Area can include Tla’amin Lands without Tla’amin’s consent. The Treaty also addresses public access on Tla’amin Lands directly, including an agreement with the Powell River Parks and Wilderness Society for the ongoing management and maintenance of the portion of the Sunshine Coast Trail that crosses Tla’amin Lands.
qʷaqʷtɛm Ɂɛmɛm (Dinner Rock)
Through the Tla’amin treaty, the Nation repatriated a small part of its territory at qʷaqʷtɛm Ɂɛmɛm. The former rec site at Dinner Rock is closed due to certain abuses of the land by the public including illegal dumping and risky fires.
The Nation is currently completing a comprehensive land use plan which will outline future interests and priorities for qʷaqʷtɛm Ɂɛmɛm. We look forward to sharing updates with our community and the broader region as they become available.
BC Parks
Under the ʔaʔǰɩnxʷegəs (Treaty), Tla’amin Nation and BC have the ability to enter into collaborative management of provincial parks within Tla’amin territory. Where that agreement exists, it must include Desolation Sound.
Through the yiχmɛtštəm ʔəms gɩǰɛ (we are taking care of the land) MOU signed earlier this year, Tla’amin and BC have formalized a collaborative management agreement for the Desolation Sound Parks — made up of Desolation Sound Marine Park, Copeland Islands Marine Park, toχʷnač Park (Okeover), Malaspina Park, and Roscoe Bay Park. Additional parks within Tla’amin territory may be added in the future.
The MOU sets out a shared vision: BC and Tla’amin collaborate in the management of parks and protected areas within the Tla’amin Area. Tla’amin’s ʔəms taʔow are integrated into all aspects of park management, and BC Parks works with Tla’amin to respect and uphold the importance of Cultural Heritage Resources — including harvesting and other culturally significant practices.
In practice, this means the Parks component of the MOU will create space for Tla’amin members to enjoy the parks in peace, with reasonable opportunity to harvest and exercise cultural practices within them. The Parks department will be reaching out to the community for engagement sessions and park tours to make sure the community’s vision and needs shape how this work unfolds.
This collaboration is expected to advance key elements of the Comprehensive Nation Plan, including strengthening Tla’amin’s presence and role in decision-making throughout parks in Tla’amin territory.