Claims Claims based on aboriginal title and rights are currently being developed by the majority of First Nations communities in BC, whether involved in the BC Treaty process or not. The Delgamuuk'w decision clarified that such claims should be developed and put forward on a nation rather than individual community basis. Virtually all communities and nations in BC have so-called comprehensive claims, as no treaties with the federal Crown have ever been concluded.
Specific claims tend to be tied to the reserve land base.
Most bands in BC have at least several specific claims at various stages of development or processing by the federal government's Specific Claims Branch. Many communities and nations in BC are engaged in so-called traditional use studies. These studies involve interviewing current community members about how they have used the land during their lifetimes. The results are represented on maps which together provide graphic representation of the territory currently in use. The information can be extremely helpful for advancing aboriginal title and rights.