British Columbia government to transfer downtown Victoria land to Indigenous groups

The British Columbia NDP government is finalising a treaty with the Te'Mexw Treaty Association that would convey two provincially owned properties in downtown Victoria to the Songhees First Nation. The parcels, located beside the Legislature and on Wharf Street across from Bastion Square, are valued at about $47 million. Premier David Eby has described the move as correcting historic injustices, while critics warn it could restrict public access, reduce democratic oversight and enable unregulated development in the city’s historic core.

The agreement is part of a broader set of land transfers to five Indigenous groups on Vancouver Island, including a $48 million federal site at Hatley Park, as the province seeks to settle outstanding treaty claims.