Doig River First Nation to host land-use plan event in Fort St. John

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A wooden sign that reads "Doig River First Nation." — Doig River First Nation sign. (Tre Lopushinsky)

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — A northeast B.C. First Nation will hold a public engagement session next week concerning its land-use plan and further developments around its K’ih Tsaaʔdze Tribal Park.

Doig River First Nation (DRFN) is scheduled to host a Lunch and Learn on Tuesday, February 24th in Fort St. John at the Ramada Northern Grand Hotel and Conference Centre.

The event will be co-hosted by the Fort St. John and District Chamber of Commerce.

The event follows presentations DRFN has made during various civic meetings, including with the Peace River Regional District and the District of Taylor over the past month.

The land-use plan, which is being done in conjunction with the province, is the second step of a four-part process, with the first draft of the plan projected to be available by 2027.

The joint land-use plan has been previously described as a guide to “restoration and protection of important lands, while supporting responsible resource activity across northeast B.C.”

It stems from the 2021 Supreme Court case which determined cumulative effects of industrial development constituted a treaty infringement in the northeast of British Columbia, which led to the Consensus Document between the government and Treaty 8 First Nations.

A Facebook post highlighting the event says it hopes the meeting will give attendees: the vision and objectives of the Joint Land Use Plan, the role of K’ih Tsaaʔdze Tribal Park within the broader planning framework, information on how planning decisions may relate to local businesses and industry and opportunities to provide input and stay informed as the process moves forward.

“This is an opportunity to hear directly from representatives involved in the planning work, ask questions, and better understand how land-use planning can support environmental stewardship, cultural resilience, and long-term economic opportunity,” the post concludes.

Registration for the event is full. It will take place on Tuesday, February 24th, from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. More information is available on the event’s Facebook page.