The Nisg̱a’a Nation and the governments of Canada and BC are commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Nisg̱a’a Final Agreement, a landmark treaty that made history as the first in B.C. to recognize an Indigenous Nation’s constitutional right to self-government.
Signed in 2000 after more than a century of advocacy, the treaty returned over 2,000 square kilometres of land to the Nisg̱a’a people and secured rights to manage their own natural resources, as well as to hunt and fish in the Nass area. The agreement has led to major strides in governance and economic independence.
Over the past two decades, the Nisg̱a’a Nation has launched tourism initiatives, built modern governance institutions, and created Canada’s first Indigenous-owned mining royalty company. These innovations have generated employment, attracted investment, and driven sustainable development across northwest B.C.
In recognition of the treaty’s success, the Nisg̱a’a flag was raised in the Hall of Honour at the B.C. Legislature. The Nation’s citizens are primarily located in the four Nisg̱a’a Villages — Ging̱olx, Lax̱g̱alts’ap, Gitwinksihlkw, and Gitlax̱t’aamiks — with others living in nearby cities and the Lower Mainland.
The Nisg̱a’a Treaty remains a global example of reconciliation in action.
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