Port Coquitlam ‘vigorously defending’ Aboriginal claim, but no private land in play

PORT COQUITLAM — The City of Port Coquitlam says it is “vigorously defending” public ownership of municipal lands against a nine-year-old claim bought by a local First Nation.

But the city says the land claim by the Kwikwetlem First Nation does not involve private property, and the case is currently suspended “as a provincially led process takes place.”

It says the 2016 land claim involves land owned by the province, the Metro Vancouver Regional District, and the city.

The city issued a statement on Wednesday in response to public concern about a landmark land title case involving the Cowichan Tribes and the City of Richmond.

The Aug. 7 Cowichan ruling has sparked concerns it could undermine fee-simple land ownership across B.C., because it says sections of the Land Title Act that establish the most common form of land title as “indefeasible” do not apply to Aboriginal title.

Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West says in a separate statement that one of the city properties in question is Gates Park and the others are a series of smaller, undeveloped parcels referred to as South Shaughnessy.

“We have, and will continue to, vigorously defend public ownership of these lands, along with private property rights in our jurisdiction as the provincial government leads a process in relation to all of this,” his statement says.

The city says that “there are no civil claims initiated by any First Nations involving private property within the City of Port Coquitlam.”

“While the city recognizes public concern resulting from recent media coverage of the Cowichan/Richmond case, it is important to note that no private lands within Port Coquitlam are currently the subject of litigation.”

The Cowichan ruling says the tribes have Aboriginal title over about 300 hectares of land on the Fraser River, that Crown and city titles on the land are defective and invalid, and the granting of private titles by the government unjustifiably infringed on Cowichan title.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 20, 2025.

The Canadian Press