Draft:Tripartite Framework Agreement on Nature Conservation

The Tripartite Framework Agreement on Nature Conservation is a 2023 agreement between the Government of Canada, the Government of British Columbia, and the First Nations Leadership Council (which itself consists of the executives of the First Nations Summit, BC Assembly of First Nations, and Union of BC Indian Chiefs) to conserve lands and waters in British Columbia. It recognizes Aboriginal title over vast areas of British Columbia while conserving them from development in line with Canada's stated goal of protecting 30% of the country's lands and waters by 2023. The agreement commits the federal government to spend $50 million to identity and secure title to "up to 13,000 square kilometres (5,000 sq mi)" of old-growth forest.

The signing ceremony was attended by Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada, who called the agreement "historic", Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, who called the agreement "a model", David Eby, Premier of British Columbia, who spoke of a agreement as a "paradigm shift", Nathan Cullen, British Columbia's Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, Terry Teegee, BC Assembly of First Nations Regional Chief, Robert Phillips, of the First Nations Summit's Political Executive, Chief Clarence Louie, Syilx Okanagan Nation, George Heyman, British Columbia's Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, Tori Ball, Terrestrial Conservation Manager, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (BC), Linda Coady, President & CEO, BC Council of Forest Industries, Chief Angie Bailey, Aitchelitz First Nation / S'ólh Téméxw Stewardship Alliance Political Spokesperson.