Two Indigenous Groups Close Joffre Lakes Park

Joffre Lakes Provincial Park is one of BC’s most popular provincial parks | Photo Credit: Pique Newsmagazine

In late August 2023, the Lil'wat and N'Quatqua First Nations groups closed Joffre Lakes Park to conduct Indigenous ceremonies and traditions. Immediately after the park closed, the provincial government immediately sought an agreement with the two groups regarding land sharing. The two First Nations groups announced that they were utilizing their rights to the shared unceded territory. They were taking time to harvest, hunt, gather resources in the park, and engage in cultural activities — which they had not being able to do so for a while due to a lack of communication from the provincial government.

Joffre Lakes Park, whose Indigenous name is Pipi7iekw, is located near Pemberton, British Columbia. It is a well-known tourist attraction with camping sites, as well as hiking and mountaineering locations. According to the BC Parks website, it was established as a recreation area in 1988 and became a Class A park in 1996. BC Parks defines Class A parks as lands dedicated to the preservation of their natural environments for public use and enjoyment. 

According to CBC, Joffre Lake has become more well-known over the past decade. In 2019, more than 196,000 people visited the park — three times the number of people who visited in 2010. Due to the extreme increase in visitors, the park has repeatedly been left in poor condition, preventing members of the Lil’wat and N’Quatqua Nations from spending time on the site.

As tourist and visitor rates skyrocketed, the two First Nations groups sought meetings with the Parks Board, but the board never fully made efforts to work with them, the chief of the Lil’wat First Nation, Dean Nelson, commented to CTV News. The groups were still making requests in August. After they received no response from the Board, the two groups announced the park’s closure, giving less than a day's notice.“We need to be heard. Now we have their attention,” Nelson said.

An agreement to reopen the park came about on Sept. 19. The park was later closed on Sept. 30 for National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. Environment Minister George Heyman told CBC that the government wants to work with the First Nations groups to make sure they have a place to conduct their cultural activities, while also giving the public access in a responsible and sustainable manner.

In late August and early September, the Parks Board notified people with camping bookings and day passes to cancel their plans. Following the closure, the ministry issued a statement apologizing for the inconvenience.

CTV also reports that the province claimed to be “formally engaging” with the First Nations groups since December 2018 regarding park and visitor-use management. 

BC Green Party MLA Adam Olsen spoke to the Indigenous Watchdog on the negative consequences for First Nations groups regarding the closure. “The result of government not responding to meeting requests is [unexpected park closures]. Then the public gets frustrated with First Nations. Really, I think that the frustration is with a governing body that’s not responsive.” He further added that the actions by the Indigenous groups also demonstrate the lack of communication between the government and the First Nations.

Hugh Braker, a lawyer and member of the First Nations Summit, told Indigenous Watchdog that treaties are crucial to accommodating Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples in British Columbia. However, it is unclear whether treaties regarding park access will be made with the two First Nations groups.

Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Murray Rankin explained in a provincial statement that “the [p]rovince is working hard to negotiate new forms of decision making and partnership with First Nations, whether through the treaty process, through reconciliation agreements or by means of other constructive arrangements.” The statement also shared that the nations and the province are to continue working on plans for the park in terms of access, management, and cultural protection before the camping season starts next year.