Latest news with #NQuatqua
CTV News
26-05-2025
- CTV News
Joffre Lakes Park facing temporary closures over the summer
B.C.'s Joffre Lakes Park is facing another two rounds of closures in June and August to allow for local First Nations to reconnect to their land and culture in private, according to the Lil'wat Nation. The park, also known as Pipi7íyekw, will be closed between June 13 and 27 and between August 22 and Oct. 23 to allow for spiritual and cultural activities such as hunting, fishing, harvesting medicines, a statement from the nation said. It comes after an initial closure that spanned the first three weeks of May. During which, Environment Minister Tamara Davidson was invited to the park to witness firsthand the benefits the break of visitors had on both the community and the land. According to the nation, Davidson and her team met with Lil'wat and N'Quatqua leadership at the park on May 16, where they hiked to the first lake and 'engaged in meaningful discussions about the future stewardship of the area.' 'Since 2023 Lil'wat and N'Quatqua Nations have established reconnection periods for Pipi7iyekw, during which the park is not open to the public, to allow time for their community members to practice Nt̓ákmen (meaning 'our way'),' the statement said. 'This means providing dedicated periods of time for their community members to reconnect to their land and culture, while also providing time for the land to rest from human impacts.' The nation said community members are getting to utilize areas where they were previously removed or denied access, and the reconnection is integral to the well-being of the two Nations' community members as they look for traditional methods to help cope with grief, addictions, suicide and mental health. A spokesperson from B.C.'s Ministry of Environment and Parks said no firm dates for future temporary closures of the park have yet been agreed upon. The spokesperson said, however, that 'all agree it is important for people to have continued, predictable access' to the park and it is also important 'to give time and space for the land to rest, while ensuring the nations can use this space as they always have.' 'Maintaining a healthy park and supporting First Nations cultural practices are two sides of the same coin,' the spokesperson said. 'We have built a strong relationship with the Lil'wat and N'Quatqua to make sure the natural and cultural values of the park are protected. We continue to work with the Nations to ensure opportunities exist for people to access the park in a responsible and sustainable way.' The ministry said it will notify the public once an agreed schedule is confirmed.
National Post
22-05-2025
- Politics
- National Post
FIRST READING: Non-Indigenous visitors being turned away from B.C. public parks
Article content First Reading is a Canadian politics newsletter curated by the National Post's own Tristin Hopper. To get an early version sent directly to your inbox, sign up here. Article content Article content TOP STORY Article content In what critics say is a template of things to come, B.C. has begun closing public parks to non-Indigenous residents citing 'cultural concerns.' Article content This week, the B.C. government announced that Botanical Beach — a popular spot along the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail — would be closed for 24 hours over the May 24 weekend 'to provide time, space and privacy for members of the Pacheedaht First Nation to harvest marine resources and reconnect with an important part of their territory.' Article content Article content This follows on a series of similar closure of Joffre Lakes Provincial Park, one of the busiest recreational spots in the province. Article content Article content From April 25 until May 16, non-Indigenous usage of the park is banned, and 'more temporary closures are anticipated' reads an April 25 bulletin by B.C.'s Ministry of the Environment and Parks. Article content The closures are to 'provide time and space for members of the Líl̓wat Nation and N͛Quatqua to reconnect with the land and carry out cultural and spiritual practices,' it reads. Article content The first, in 2023, occurred when the nearby Líl̓wat and N'Quatqua First Nations unilaterally barred public access to the park for more than five weeks. Article content 'In this time of reconciliation, Lil'wat Nation and N'Quatqua First Nation are asserting our Title and Rights to our shared unceded territory to take this time to harvest and gather our resources within our territories,' read a statement telling the B.C. public they would be barred access to the park from Aug. 23 'until National Truth and Reconciliation Day' (Sept. 30). Article content Article content When the Joffre Lakes closure was given official government sanction in 2024, B.C. Environment Minister George Heyman notably stressed that the action would not be a template for future closures of parks to non-Indigenous users. Article content Article content 'There is no universal policy,' Heyman said at the time, adding that Joffre Lakes was only being closed because of a 'distinction-based approach.' Article content In a statement to National Post, the B.C. Ministry of Environment and Parks said 'these temporary closures represent a critical step forward on the path of reconciliation and an important building block for future conversations on shared stewardship, park management and access.' Article content In addition to the Botanical Beach and Joffre Lakes shutdowns, B.C. has also seen a series of federally run recreation areas closed to public usage, with authorities also citing cultural concerns.
