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KDFN's Lands Act Comes Into Force

Tuesday, 20 October 2020 12:58

The modern Act gives Kwanlin Dün the authority to manage, protect and enforce laws on settlement land and allows KDFN to make land available to meet the residential and other lands needs of Beneficiaries and Citizens on settlement lands.

Kwanlin Dün First Nation brought the First Nation’s new, modern Lands Act, into force on October 15.

The modern Act gives Kwanlin Dün the authority to manage, protect and enforce laws on settlement land and allows KDFN to make land available to meet the residential and other lands needs of Beneficiaries and Citizens on settlement lands.

Under the Act, the government will be able to make land available for traditional use, like hunting and fishing, provide land to build homes, cabins and camps, and protect settlement land for future generations.

As the government begins implementing the Act, the Heritage, Lands and Resources Department’s priority is to work with Beneficiaries and Citizens to meet their residential and other lands needs and honour historical submissions.

Historical submissions are existing land submissions by KDFN Beneficiaries and Citizens for residential or traditional use of settlement land. They might also be known as land set aside, band council resolutions or site-specific selections.

KDFN has over 350 historical submissions recorded, which will be processed in chronological order based on when the submission was first made. The Heritage, Lands and Resources department is currently reviewing all recorded historical submissions and would like anyone with an existing interest in settlement land to contact them at 867-633-7800 ext. 128 or email lands@kdfn.net .

Kwanlin Dün Chief Doris Bill said in a statement, “We’ve been laying the groundwork for our modern Act over the past six years. We did it on our terms and our own timeline. Today, we take an important step on our path to self-determination.

Over the years, Kwanlin Dün Beneficiaries and Citizens have asked us to protect our Traditional Land. With this Act , we now have the authority to manage, protect, and enforce laws on settlement land.“

Kwanlin Dün owns 264 parcels of settlement land. In total, there are 1,042 km2 of settlement land. 84 parcels of settlement land are within the City of Whitehorse, which is approximately 24 km2.

Kwanlin Dün made history in 2018, by registering a parcel of settlement land in the Yukon Land Titles Office, receiving the first Certificate of Title for Category A Settlement Land in the Yukon. This makes it possible for individuals or businesses to purchase a leasehold interest on settlement land and register it in the Yukon Land Titles Office.

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