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Manitoba Aboriginal and Northern Affairs


Agreements

Hydro-related Settlement Agreements

Agreements that will, collectively and individually, resolve land and other issues that relate to the effects of hydroelectric development on communities and their residents.

1977 Northern Flood Agreement (NFA)

Settlement Agreements under the NFA

These agreements include provisions for financial compensation, land and cooperative natural resources management.

http://www.hydro.mb.ca/community/agreements/nfa/t_of_c.htm

http://www.hydro.mb.ca/community/aboriginal_relations/implementation_agreements.shtml

 

Grand Rapids Forebay Agreements (The Community or First Nation, Manitoba, Manitoba Hydro)

http://www.hydro.mb.ca/community/aboriginal_relations/settlement_agreements.shtml

These agreements include provisions for financial compensation, land and cooperative natural resources management.

 

Other Agreements

Manitoba Northern Flood Agreement Arbitrator

 

Resource Management Boards

Agreements Management is actively involved in natural resource co-management as a result of the department’s role in the negotiation and implementation of settlement agreements relating to hydroelectric developments. A frequent component of settlement agreements involves provisions for co-management of natural resources and the establishment of Resource Management Boards (RMBs).

There are currently nine integrated Resource Management Boards (RMBs) which have been usually established as a result of flood related settlement agreements:

  • Split Lake (Tataskweyak Cree Nation), 1992;
  • Nelson House (Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation), 1996;
  • York Factory (York Factory First Nation),1997;
  • Norway House (Norway House Cree Nation), 1998;
  • Cormorant Community, 1998;
  • Cedar Lake (Chemawawin First Nation and Easterville Community), 2004;
  • Fox Lake (Fox Lake Cree Nation), 2005;
  • Moose Lake (Mosakahiken Cree Nation and Moose Lake Community), 2008; and
  • Cross Lake Community, 2010.

A Resource Management Area is a mutually agreed geographical area, usually the Registered Trapline District, that includes both Crown and/or Reserve and/or community lands. In the Resource Management Areas, RMBs make recommendations on land and resource uses to Manitoba on Provincial Crown land and to the First Nation or community on Reserve or community lands.

Objectives of the Boards include land use and natural resource management planning and the facilitation of consultation, communication and the exchange of information through the joint review of provincial natural resource allocations and dispositions.

[ View the Resource Management Area map in .pdf format (602 KB) ]

Treaty Land Entitlement (TLE)

Manitoba is Constitutionally obligated under the Paragraph 11 of the Manitoba Natural Resource Transfer Agreement (MNRTA) to set aside unoccupied Crown land so that Canada can fulfill its outstanding Treaty Land Entitlement to First Nations.

To date, under all TLE agreements in Manitoba, Manitoba has transferred, or committed to transfer to Canada 565,934 acres.

Aboriginal and Northern Affairs is the lead department responsible for the coordination and implementation of the various TLE agreements in Manitoba (nine at present, covering 29 EFNs) for a total of 1.423 million acres of land (Crown and acquisition).

As the lead Provincial department, Aboriginal and Northern Affairs, along with other departments involved, have increased efforts to work jointly and cooperatively with the other Parties to the Framework Agreement to remove and resolve the barriers and obstacles to transferring land to Canada for Canada to create reserve.

Under the 1997 Manitoba Framework Agreement (MFA), 21 EFNs are to receive 985,949 acres of Crown land. To date, First Nations with signed Treaty Entitlement Agreements (TEAs) have selected 751,710 acres of Crown land. In addition to Crown land selections, 8,827 acres have been purchased (acquired) by First Nations under the MFA.

Under the MFA, there are 751,710 acres of total Crown land selected by the EFNs with signed TEAs as of March 31, 2011. Of that amount, Manitoba has either made available, issued Exclusive Use Permits or transferred to Canada approximately 587,731 acres or 78% of the total acres selected.

Manitoba’s commitments are interdependent with the efforts of the other Parties (EFN, Canada and TLEC) and are highly dependent upon the ongoing commitment and cooperation of all the Parties to the agreement.

[ View the 2011 TLE brochure in .pdf format (10 pages, 364 kb) ]

Resources

TLE Agreements

Self Government Agreements

Sioux Valley Dakota Nation (SVDN)

The Sioux Valley Governance Agreement, which is close to completion sets out SVDN government arrangements and provides for a government-to-government relationship between Canada and SVDN.

The Agreement:

  • removes SVDN from The Indian Act and would co-exist with current federal and provincial law;
  • coordinates SVDN laws, codes and standards with the provincial government;
  • provides for arrangements over resource management, gaming, taxation and child welfare;
  • recognizes SVDN as having legal status including right to hold property, enter into contracts, institute or defend legal actions.

For more information on hydroelectric development, treaty land entitlement and other land and natural resources related settlement agreements, please contact Agreements Management at (204) 945-2510.