Yes, the amount of money and land seems smalls compared to some First Nations. However, the reality is that the fiscal mandate that both Canada and British Columbia have is primarily based on a per capita formula. In other words, the land and cash values of any treaty will be similar, with the difference being in population and the type of land.
For example, in the Tsawwassen treaty, they received a relatively small amount of land, but it is of high value and they were able to quickly develop it, creating numerous economic opportunities. In the case of Tsawwassen (just over 400 members), they negotiated and received approximately 724 hectares of treaty settlement land. This includes approximately 290 hectares of former reserves and 372 hectares of former provincial Crown land. The Tsawwassen First Nation will also own in fee simple an additional 62 hectares of other land comprised of the Boundary Bay and Fraser River parcels, but this land will remain under the jurisdiction of Delta.
The Nisga’a received a much larger amount of land because of their population and location, but they have not been able to develop the same economic opportunities as Tsawwassen. The Nisga’a Treaty Team negotiated and received approximately 200,000 hectares of land for their 5,500 Nisga'a members.
We are still waiting for our final land and cash offer. Both the land and cash amount will increase significantly from what is in the AIP, but we do not know what that will be exactly. In any event, the real asset value in the K’ómoks treaty will be in the location of the land and what can be done on that land.