Legislative Amendment Exposes and Removes Historic Barrier

First Nations Now Able to Register Title to Land in British Columbia

Abstract

Since the colonial era, First Nations in British Columbia have been prohibited by law and policy from acquiring and holding real property.  This [research note] briefly traces the history of that prohibition in light of the recent enactment of Bill 13 - The Land Title and Property Law Amendment Act, 2024.  The new Act removes historic barriers to the registration of title to land by First Nations, demonstrating the special purpose and power of History and Legal History as discliplines in the advancement of human rights and the process of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples in Canada.