A First Nation has been granted a title over 210 square kilometres of territory off the west coast of Vancouver Island—a landmark decision that represents the first time in Canadian history a nation has won full Aboriginal title over its entire claim. B.C. Supreme Court judge had previously granted the Nuchatlaht Nation title over an 11-kilometre sliver of land on Nootka Island in 2024. The latest ruling, handed down by a three-judge Court of Appeal panel Thursday, massively expands that territory to cover more than 40 per cent of the island. “They’re jubilant,” said lead lawyer Jack Woodward. “I mean they’ve got their land back, the ancient territory that their ancestors owned.” The appeal court found the trial judge had erred when he drew an “arbitrary boundary” to delineate the Nuchatlaht territory and restrict Aboriginal title to areas of “site-specific use.”

Additional coverage in Black Press by Mark Page: Nuchatlaht win appeal against B.C., granted title over 210 sq. km of Nootka Island