June 30, 2022 — Zagimē Anishinabēk, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada and the Government of Saskatchewan

Today, Chief Lynn Acoose of Zagimē Anishinabēk; the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations; and the Honourable Don McMorris, Minister Responsible for First Nation, Métis and Northern Affairs; have announced that Zagimē Anishinabēk, the Government of Canada and the Province of Saskatchewan have negotiated a tripartite settlement agreement regarding the Zagimē Anishinabēk Treaty Land Entitlement Claim.

Treaty Land Entitlement claims address land shortfalls where First Nations received insufficient reserve land promised to them under Treaty. Zagimē Anishinabēk signed Treaty 4 in 1874, provided that the Crown set aside 128 acres per person. Zagimē received 31,829 acres of land as reserve for the Nation, which represented enough land for approximately 248 individuals. It was determined that Zagimē Anishinabēk’s population at the time of entering Treaty 4 was 271, resulting in a Treaty Land Entitlement shortfall of 2,859 acres.

This settlement will provide Zagimē Anishinabēk with compensation of $20.5 million; Canada has agreed to pay $14.5 million of this amount and Saskatchewan will pay the remaining $5.8 million. The settlement agreement will support Zagimē Anishinabēk in adding up to 18,620.42 acres of land to reserve. Canada and Saskatchewan further agree to set aside a total of $3.1 million as compensation to rural municipalities and school divisions once taxable land is set apart as reserve.

Honouring Canada’s legal obligations to Indigenous Peoples and working collaboratively to resolve historical grievances is fundamental to advancing reconciliation in Canada.