The province has bought Thetis Cove for $13 million to support reconciliation with the Esquimalt and Songhees First Nations.
The 3.4-hectare undeveloped private property is next to the E & N rail corridor and adjacent to the Esquimalt reserve.
“The return of our land will be a significant step in reconciliation and provides an opportunity to work constructively with other levels of government to create a healthy and prosperous future for our community,” Esquimalt Nation Chief Robert Thomas said Monday.
Murray Rankin, B.C.’s minister of Indigenous relations and reconciliation, said the Thetis Cove property presented a unique opportunity for the province to advance reconciliation with the Esquimalt Nation and support treaty discussions with the Songhees Nation.
“While we are at the beginning of our discussions with Esquimalt Nation and the broader community about the land, we see its significant potential for supporting Esquimalt Nation to thrive and prosper, which benefits everyone who lives in the region,” Rankin said.
The land, listed at $15.5 million and assessed at $10.57 million, was purchased in October from a private owner.
“Land is central to reconciliation,” Rankin said. “The fact that this property was right up against the existing community made it an obvious candidate for acquistion.”
Like many other First Nations in B.C., the Esquimalt Nation is bursting at the seams and needs more property for housing and, perhaps, commercial development. There has been a growth in the birth rate and a lot of people simply leave the community because there’s no place to live, said the minister.
Normally, reconciliation agreements or treaties are reached with Crown land, but there is very little Crown land is available in the capital region, Rankin said. When the property came up for sale, it presented a rare chance to include lands with housing and commercial development opportunities.
“We ended up getting a really good deal on the property relative to the asking price. It’s a wonderful opportunity. The Esquimalt Nation is thrilled,” Rankin said.
The province will hold the property until an agreement is negotiated and the land transfer process can be completed. This is expected to take three to five years.
The province is also trying to get land for the Songhees Nation and there has been talk about a number of federal properties, Rankin said.
Buying land from a private owner is relatively unusual, but not unprecedented, said Rankin, citing the Woodwynn Farms development in Central Saanich. The province transferred the 78-hectare property on West Saanich Road property to the Tsartlip First Nation, which bought the land from B.C. Housing with a $7.77-million grant from the province.
“When the stars align, it’s a great thing,” Rankin said.
Although the Thetis Cove purchase had to be “hush-hush,” there will be all sorts of opportunity for a full-fledged consultation with the communities involved, including View Royal and the Songhees Nation, he said.
“The Esquimalt Nation will clearly be in the driver’s seat,” he said. “I think it has huge potential.”
