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Landmark Forestry Agreement will Support Increased First Nations Participation in a Stronger Vancouver Island Economy and Vision For the Future

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The Tlowitsis, We Wai Kai, Wei Wai Kum and K’ómoks First Nations and Western Forest Products Inc. have reached an agreement for the four Nations to acquire a 34% interest from Western in a newly formed Limited Partnership for $35.9 million. The Province of British Columbia helped to facilitate the Partnership through Incremental Treaty Agreements with the Nations. Tlowitsis, We Wai Kai, Wei Wai Kum, and K’ómoks have been stewards of their forests for millennia. Nanwakolas Council assisted the four Nations in concluding the Agreement. “This is a good day for everyone on Vancouver Island and the central coast,” says Nanwakolas Council President Dallas Smith. “For far too long, the very people who are the reason there were healthy, abundant forests here prior to colonization were excluded from participation in their continued sustainable management and any ability to benefit from them. Today we celebrate a significant step forward on the pathway to sustainable, effective resource management of our forests for the benefit of future generations. I applaud the Nations for taking this step. I acknowledge Western for stepping up into the Partnership and thank BC for helping make this happen.”

 

Read more about this historic agreement in this News Release.

2023-10-20 – Firefly – final news release from WFP 24.10.2023