The Ktunaxa Treaty Council is in the advanced stages of negotiating a treaty that will define the rights, responsibilities, and relationships between the Ktunaxa people and the federal and provincial governments.
The territory of the Ktunaxa Nation covers roughly 70,000 square kilometers within the Kootenays, and the people have occupied lands adjacent to the Kootenay and Columbia Rivers and the Arrow Lakes for over 10,000 years.
A public meeting was held in Fernie last week to give residents an update on the treaty process. Negotiations began in 1993 and following a land offer that was conditionally accepted last February, the three parties are getting close to forming a final agreement.
Public meetings have been held throughout the affected regions and members of the public will continue to receive updates as the negotiations progress.