Environmental remediation at LadysmithB次元官网网址檚 harbour is one of the issues intended to be addressed with a new reconciliation agreement between the areaB次元官网网址檚 StzB次元官网网址檜minus First Nation and the B.C. government.

StzB次元官网网址檜minus and the province announced the signing earlier this week. As part of the agreement, the province will provide $10 million over five years for StzB次元官网网址檜minus-led work on Crown land in harbour, with the intention of supporting land acquisition and management plans in the area, stated a B.C. government press release.

In addition, the deal is expected to lead to B次元官网网址渃ommitments to work together on community priorities and future land transfersB次元官网网址� and support for economic development.

The agreement is part of efforts to identify B次元官网网址減otential provincial Crown land for transfer and a commitment to land-transfer agreements as much as $28.5 million,B次元官网网址� said the press release.

The agreement will offer StzB次元官网网址檜minus $3 million in immediate financial benefits, which will support economic development initiatives.

While the deal will be an immense venture that will take a number of years, the partnership between StzB次元官网网址檜minus and province is B次元官网网址渁 win-win situation,B次元官网网址� the press release noted.

In the release, Murray Rankin, B.C. minister of Indigenous relations and reconciliation, said the province always seeks ways to partner with First Nations toward reconciliation.

B次元官网网址淏y working collaboratively with StzB次元官网网址檜minus, we have come up with an agreement that includes a framework for future discussions related to revenue sharing, self-government, increasing StzB次元官网网址檜minusB次元官网网址� participation in the forestry sector, cultural, economic and social supports, something that is deeply important to both the nation and the province,B次元官网网址� Rankin said.

Doug Routley, Nanaimo-North Cowichan MLA, echoed RankinB次元官网网址檚 sentiments, saying heB次元官网网址檚 proud of investments in housing and language restoration and putting the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples into legislation.

B次元官网网址淣othing compares to seeing this work happen on a local level and I am so happy to see this agreement signed between the StzB次元官网网址檜minus First Nation and our government,B次元官网网址� he said in the release.

StzB次元官网网址檜minus Chief Roxanne Harris expressed optimism.

B次元官网网址淭here has been a lot of hard work that has gone into the negotiation of this agreement,B次元官网网址� she said in the release. B次元官网网址淪tzB次元官网网址檜minus looks forward to next steps in the implementation.B次元官网网址�

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