On January 11, 2023, Gitxsan Simgigyat, Gitxsan Laxyip Management Office and the Province of British Columbia signed a Gitxsan Watershed Strategic Engagement Agreement to strengthen the government-to-government partnership between the Parties by:

On January 11, 2023, Gitxsan Simgigyat, Gitxsan Laxyip Management Office and the Province of British Columbia signed a Gitxsan Watershed Strategic Engagement Agreement to strengthen the government-to-government partnership between the Parties by:

  1. enabling meaningful, effective, and efficient engagement processes
  2. establishing strong intergovernmental relations for collaborative dialogue on proposed activities and strategic topics 
  3. working collaboratively on (a) economic opportunities including resource revenue sharing, forestry tenure opportunities, and forestry business opportunities, (b) collaborative land management and environmental stewardship, and (c) human resource capacity development to support governance and economic initiatives   

The Parties are entering into the Agreement as an interim bridging step, including towards comprehensive reconciliation, which builds upon individual watershed Laxyip strategic engagement agreements, FCRSAs, and strategic forestry initiative agreements between Gitxsan and the Province. 

Kennedy A. Bear Robe, partner at Gowling WLG, advised the Gitxsan Laxyip Management Office on this agreement. Kennedy is honoured to have acted for the Gitxsan LMO in this matter.