Public Land Use Society

08/20/2026

Do you think Provincial Parks are "surplus lands"?

As Ron Sam, Songhees Chief and Chief Negotiator for Te’mexw Treaty Association explains in an opinion piece for CHEK News, governments have determined that lands pending transfer in the forthcoming treaty are indeed "surplus", including both Sooke Mountain and Discovery Island Provincial Parks. The Province has therefore identified these "surplus lands" as appropriate for transfer in modern treaties, shifting them from public to private ownership and from provincial to band jurisdiction. The Songhees band will be the recipient of all 457 acres of Discovery Island Marine Provincial Park, should the treaty be ratified.

In an opinion piece for the National Post, legal expert Geoffrey Moyse, KC, questions how it is that the government arrived at the conclusion that these lands are "surplus", as no government has ever sought a mandate in an election to to transfer ownership of Provincial Parks to bands. In fact, the only mandate previously given by the public on this matter was in a provincial referendum, which found 94.5% support for maintaining parks and protected areas for the use and benefit of all British Columbians.

These two Provincial Parks may be the first to go, but perhaps not the last.

In these same treaty negotiations, the Province has "pre-approved" two portions of East Sooke Regional Park, including Secretary Island, for transfer to the T'Sou-ke band on a "willing seller, willing buyer" basis. The band is slated to receive all 1102 acres of Sooke Mountain Provincial Park if the current modern treaty goes through.

Are you a "willing seller" of public parks for private ownership by bands?

08/16/2026

How much control will the province retain over what are currently Provincial Parks, once they are transferred in fee simple to bands?

What about the grounds of Hatley Castle and Royal Roads?

Can we be certain that public access to these spaces will be maintained?

Legal expert Geoffrey Moyse, KC, dove into these questions with Jill Bennett on 980 CKNW Global News Radio.

Listen to the full interview to learn more about the pending land transfers under the Te’mexw treaty.

08/14/2026

In treaty negotiations nearing their final stages on Vancouver Island, the province is planning to transfer all the land in two provincial parks to the T'Sou-ke and Songhees bands.

As Laurisa Dohm writes in Sitka Media, the province is choosing to compensate claims which have already been settled through treaty for nearly 200 years, offering up land that has been protected for the public to enjoy and turning it into private fee simple holdings for bands.

In addition to Sooke Mountain and Discovery Island Provincial Parks, two more portions from East Sooke Regional Park are pre-approved for transfer in the future.

In the 2002 referendum, 94.5% of respondents said parks and protected areas should be maintained for the use and benefit of all.

Do you think it's okay for the province to privatize provincial parks as part of settling land claims? Or do you think they should stay owned by the public and under the province's jurisdiction?

🔗 Link to full article in the comments.

08/12/2026

Why is the province entering into treaties that will turn about 1500 acres of provincial park into private holdings for two bands on Vancouver Island?

As legal expert Geoffrey Moyse, KC explains on Global BC, it is a political choice.

This area is one of the only parts of B.C. covered by historic treaties, but the government has chosen to voluntarily tack on additional modern treaties in order to give the bands more land.

The terms of the deal have been known to band members for some time, but are still withheld from the public. We cannot know for certain what protections, if any, would be in place to ensure unimpeded public access to Discovery Island and Sooke Mountain Provincial Parks in the future.

Once the parks are private lands, it's the bands who make the rules.

Do you think Provincial Parks should be transferred to bands for the sake of reconciliation?

Spencer Chandra Herbert

08/10/2026

As Caroline Elliott explains on CHEK News, modern treaties being negotiated by the provincial government do not appear to contain any guarantees that public access to historic public spaces, such as Hatley Park (Royal Roads) and waterfront lots in Victoria's Inner Harbour, will be maintained.

In addition, the province is planning to transfer land from both Discovery Island and Sooke Provincial Parks to bands, turning areas that are currently protected for public enjoyment into fee simple private property for select bands instead.

Why is the province choosing to give these lands away in one of the only areas in B.C. already covered by treaties?

Will there be new Provincial Parks established to make up for the public's loss of access when these lands are transferred?

08/07/2026

If First Nations have lived near places like Joffre Lakes for thousands of years, why should giving them private closure days be seen as harmful or alarming?

PLUS joined Nuanced with Aaron Pete to discuss.

Joffre Lakes will be closed to the public for 31 days this year, including most of September, to provide exclusive access for local bands.

Do you think that closures like these are reasonable and required to facilitate cultural practices, or that maintaining access for all members of the public should be prioritized?

Link to the full interview in the comments.

08/02/2026

07/30/2026

Who is in control of BC's public lands?

PLUS Executive Director Warren Mirko joined Chief Aaron Pete to discuss how governance over public lands and resources is being reshaped in BC. The episode dives into DRIPA, Provincial Park closures, Aboriginal title, and the path forward for reconciliation in the province.

Watch the full interview on Youtube, link in the comments.

Thank you Aaron for a great discussion, it was a pleasure to be on your show.

07/30/2026

Who is in control of BC's public lands?

PLUS Executive Director Warren Mirko joined Chief Aaron Pete to discuss how governance over public lands and resources is being reshaped in BC. The episode dives into DRIPA, Provincial Park closures, Aboriginal title, and the path forward for reconciliation in the province.

Watch the full interview below, or on Youtube. Link in the comments.

Thank you Aaron for a great discussion, it was a pleasure to be on your show.