Governance
The CRD Board, made up of representatives from the region's 13 municipalities and 3 Electoral Areas, has acknowledged that the lack of First Nations representation on the Board is a significant gap in regional governance. In an effort to "make the region whole", the Capital Regional District (CRD) Board, has approved a number of bylaw changes to provide for the inclusion of First Nations elected representatives on CRD standing committees. “This is truly a significant and important change to CRD governance,” said CRD Board Chair Colin Plant. “I am so proud that we are taking this step in bringing together First Nations’ elected representatives and CRD directors to support more collaborative decision-making as part of our commitment to reconciliation.” Read more >>
Reconciliation
The CRD Board understands that building strong relationships with First Nations begins with reconciliation. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) has identified 94 'calls to action" actions, of which 5 specifically focus on actions local government can do to contribute to this national imperative. A Board Motion (February 2016) has directed staff to make recommendations to the Board for how the CRD can act on those recommendations locally. Read more >>
Indigenous Employment
Building on prior recommendations, the CRD retained a consultant in 2022 to learn how First Nations and Indigenous organizations in the capital region would like to be engaged on employment initiatives, assess CRD readiness to collaborate on employment partnerships and initiatives with Indigenous partners, and research and report on wise practices related to Indigenous employment and workplace cultural safety.
These three reports are the outcome of this project and contain recommendations for how the CRD can become a more desirable workplace for prospective Indigenous employees.
This report provides a high-level summary of findings and recommendations.
This report contains the full findings, including wise practices for Indigenous employment in the context of the CRD.
This is a stand-alone report that has been made available as a resource for Indigenous communities and employers in the region.
Memorandum of Understanding
The CRD and paaʔčiidʔatx̣ (Pacheedaht) First Nation signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) formalizing their government-to-government relationship.
Cultural Training
The CRD Board has asked the Special Task Force to deliver Board training in aboriginal culture and specifically Coast Salish and Nuu-chah-nulth traditions and protocols. On June 11, 2016 at the First Peoples House at UVic, a Forum of Councils was held with a special focus on Indigenous Cultural Acumen Training. Directors and staff are exploring cultural awareness training as opportunities arise.
Service Delivery
The CRD provides a diverse range of over 200 services to member municipalities and First Nations governments. Types of service agreements the CRD has with First Nations range from water provision, wastewater treatment, fire protection, building inspection and animal control. The CRD seeks to ensure that any services contracted to First Nations are accountable, equitable and consistently delivered.
Stewardship of Parks
The CRD park system, made up of 13,000 hectares across 33 regional parks, is an important resource for local First Nations, for gathering food and medicines as well cultural and spiritual activities. Although the Douglas Treaty, of which most of the local Nations are signatories, ensures aboriginal peoples the right to 'hunt and fish as formally' on unoccupied lands, many of the gathering places were rendered off limits as a result of the extensive land transfer granted to Dunsmuir in exchange for building the E&N Railway in the 1880s. With very limited Crown land available to First Nations to exercise their Douglas Treaty rights, the CRD is working with First Nations to facilitate cultural and traditional use access agreements in Regional parks and the Leech Drinking Watershed lands.