Land Back Task Force in Squamish, B.C., sparks interest after landmark court ruling

Downtown Squamish, B.C., on Thursday, June 26, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Recent court rulings involving Aboriginal title have raised interest in a new committee that is exploring how public lands in Squamish, B.C., can be returned or co-managed with the Squamish First Nation, the district mayor said Tuesday.

Armand Hurford said the Land Back Task Force was created last July as part of reconciliation efforts, a few weeks before the landmark Cowichan Tribes ruling that confirmed Aboriginal title over about 300 hectares of land near Vancouver’s airport.

The mayor said the court decision has “heightened interest” and concerns the work of the task force could affect private property, but that’s not the case.

Rather, a page dedicated to the task force on the Squamish district website says its work is focused on “restoring (Squamish) Nation governance, stewardship and cultural connections to lands currently under public jurisdiction.”

The scope of the work “does not involve privately owned property, and residents with private land holdings will not be impacted,” it says.

The page describes the task force as a “reconciliation-driven initiative” that responds to the historical alienation of Squamish people from their lands.

Still, Hurford said “there is some fear around private property that likely comes from, I would argue, some of the discussion points around (the ruling).”

It’s important to consider the concern, he said, adding “that will undoubtedly be part of what we need to speak to, as we work our way through these issues.”

Wilson Williams, chair of the Squamish Nation Council, welcomed the task force.

“The establishment of this task force represents a meaningful and collaborative step forward in intergovernmental relations,” he said in a statement, adding Squamish people have lived in the area for thousands of years.

“(Our) work alongside the District of Squamish to shape the future of public lands in this region will only deepen our shared commitment to responsible stewardship — for the benefit of all, who call this place home,” Wilson said.

Hurford said the memorandum of understanding limits the committee’s term to three years, and final decisions about recommendations rest with both councils.

“So, I would say that each council ultimately has a veto, just by the nature of the systems we operate in,” the mayor said.

A diagram describing the flow of decision-making shows any recommendations by the task force would be based on consensus among its six members, with representation split equally between the district and the nation.

The intent of the task force is not to privatize public lands, the district web page says, but to explore how they may be returned to the nation or co-managed in ways that uphold Indigenous rights and benefit the broader community.

Potential outcomes include the co-managing of parks and protected areas, the granting of exclusive access to cultural sites, restoring original place names and facilitating access to traditional harvesting sites, among others, it says.

Hurford said the district has received a “wide spectrum of feedback” and discussing the issues with the community and in the media is “really important.”

“I think there is some fear out there, and when there is change, most change comes with some fear attached.”

This report by Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press, was first published April 7, 2026.