Lands

Land Regimes

Since 1994 the Whitefish River First Nation has operated under Section 53/60 Delegated Authority Level. The First Nation has the responsibility of its day- to day operations of our lands. Chief and Council has the authority to negotiate and sign agreement on behalf of INAC officials and register directly with the Indian Land Registry System of all land transaction such as:

• Leasing and permit agreements.
• Land Allotments,
• Land transfers
• Health & Welfare field bed and septic system
• Administration Estates-only land transfers.

Additions to the delegated authority, the Whitefish River First Nation Lands Department manages under the Reserve Lands Environment Management Program (RLEMP). This regimes is designed to build land management capacity and provide land managers with the tools, skills and knowledge required to perform advanced land management functions on First Nation reserves.

Objectives are:

• Strengthen the First Nation governance and to improve its accountability
• Deliver integrated training that includes skills and development and provides institutional support
• Increase the First Nation involvement in the full scope of land and environmental management activities on reserve
• Provide opportunities with more advanced initiatives such as First Nations Lands Management initiatives, treaty process and Self Government negoiations.
• Link funding to the scope of activities and the results in a financially sustainable manner
• Increase the involvement of First Nations in the core functions of community land-use planning and environment and compliance management.

Functions include:

• Community Land Use Planning
• Management of Reserve land and Resources
• Environmental Management
• Compliance with Policy and legislative Framework