The Kwantlen, Katzie and Semiahmoo Nations with traditional, unceded lands in the area now called Surrey are calling for the territory to be returned to the three nations.
"The land is rightfully ours," Chief Grace George of the Katzie First Nation explained at the announcement on Wednesday morning (June 26).
Traditionally named k’ʷeq’ənəq (Kwek-en-nek), the lands now known as Campbell Heights North in Surrey is 300 acres of federally owned industrial-zoned land that is largely used for farming by the Heppell family. Growing vegetables for more than 50 years, the farming family has been attempting to preserve the land under the province's Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) to prevent it from being developed.
"We occupied and once thrived in this territory for thousands of years," George said, adding that the parcel of land was used to trade and travel between the three nations.
"But with the arrival of settlers and establishing of the Indian Act, Katzie, Kwantlen and Semiahmoo were confined to small, separated reserves defined by Canada and less and less access to the breadth of our traditional territories and resources."
In February 2023, the three First Nations declared their disapproval with bringing the piece of land into the ALR, noting that the possible change was not in the jurisdiction of the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) and the legal right to the land belongs to the Katzie, Kwantlen and Semiahmoo.
On Wednesday, Chief Harley Chappell of the Semiahmoo First Nation said he was told that the ALC will not be attempting to move the land into the ALR any longer.
"This is not a conversation on food security and farming; this is a conversation between these Crown lands and three First Nations," Chappell added.
"There are multiple interests in these lands. Obviously there's residential on one side, we see the industrial on one end, we don't know. How do we meet the needs of stakeholders that call this little area home, too, how do we engage in that? That will be down the road."
The chief shared that what exactly will be done on the lands has not yet been determined, as negotiations over land ownership continue.
While Canada and B.C. have both introduced legislation to adopt the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), the nations state that little has been done since.
"Look around at our beautiful land ... it was ours and we shared it, we are respectful, so we shared it. Now, we are saying it is ours, and now the government of Canada has to do the right thing," Kwantlen First Nation Chief Marilyn Gabriel said.
"It's time for it to come back to us."
Indigenous lands have been taken from nations "often without consent or understanding," George said, adding that the injustices First Nations people have experienced in what we now call Canada have much to do with lands being taken away from nations.
"It's not time to talk anymore, it's time for our land to be returned to us."
The three nations would like more independence and the opportunity for better ways of life that k'weq'aneq could provide for the Indigenous groups, ones currently living and those to come in the future, Chappell said.
"We have the opportunity to put some action into reconciliation. We aspire to be much more than stakeholders, but right-holders right here in our backyard.
"If we want to speak of reconciliation, we must speak of land. We must."
The Semiahmoo Chief added that what will be done on the lands will benefit all people who reside on it.
The Campbell Heights land is the remaining Crown land of significance that the three nations are still able to negotiate with the government over, the groups state.
"Everyone's making rules for us... We're asking all of you to stand with our people because it's the right thing to do and it's time," Gabriel said.
