Colonial & Indigenous Water Governance in Unceded Indigenous Territories in British Columbia
Leila Harris and Rosie Simms, University of British Columbia
The goal of this research was to better understand the complex interactions between First Nations and colonial water governance in British Columbia, including: how colonial water governance frameworks have impacted different First Nations; barriers and opportunities for First Nations in the existing system; and the potential implications of a shift towards collaborative watershed governance. This focus is particularly relevant in light of recent legal and governance changes in BC, with the new Water Sustainability Act and a growing emphasis on pursuing collaborative watershed governance approaches. Further, the Supreme Court of Canada has clearly established that disregarding Aboriginal rights is no longer acceptable; First Nations thus need to have a meaningful role in water governance moving forward.
