Land Claims Agreements Coalition

Modern Treaties

Comprehensive land claims agreements—also called modern treaties—are generally entered into where Aboriginal land and resource rights have not been addressed by previous treaties or any other legal means.

Modern treaties represent nation-to-nation and government-to-government relationships between an Aboriginal signatory, the Government of Canada and in some cases, a province or territory. They are intended to further define and recognize the Aboriginal land and resource rights of the Aboriginal signatory, and to meaningfully improve the social, cultural, politi¬cal and economic well-being of the Aboriginal people concerned. At the same time, these agreements provide all signatories with a mutual foundation for the beneficial and sustainable development and use of Aboriginal peoples’ traditional lands and resources.

Modern treaties address such matters as:

• Ownership and use of lands, waters and natural resources, including the subsurface;
• Management of land, waters, and natural resources, including fish and wildlife;
• Harvesting of fish and wildlife;
• Environmental protection and assessment;
• Economic development;
• Employment;
• Government contracting;
• Capital transfers;
• Royalties from resource development;
• Impact benefit agreements;
• Parks and conservation areas;
• Social and cultural enhancement;
• The continuing application of ordinary Aboriginal and other general programming and funds; and
• Self-government and public government arrangements.

When modern treaties are ratified, the treaty rights they contain are constitutionally recognized and protected, and the terms of these agreements take precedence over other laws and policies in Canada.

Schedule of Modern Land Claims Agreements

Name of Agreement	Year
James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement	November 1975
Northeastern Quebec Agreement	January 1978
Inuvialuit Final Agreement	June 1984
Gwich’in Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement	December 1992
Nunavut Land Claims Agreement	May 1993
Yukon First Nations Final Agreements:
Champagne and Aishihik First Nations First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun Teslin Tlingit Council Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation Little Salmon/Carmacks First Nation Selkirk First Nation Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation Ta’an Kwäch’än Council Kluane First Nation Kwanlin Dün First Nation Carcross/Tagish First Nation	May 1993 May 1993 May 1993 May 1993 July 1997 July 1997 July 1998 January 2002 October 2003 February 2005 October 2005
Sahtu Dene and Metis Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement	September 1993
Nisga’a Final Agreement	May 2000
Tlicho Land Claims and Self Government Agreement	August 2003
Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement	December 2005
Nunavik Inuit Land Claims Agreement	July 2008
Tsawwassen First Nation Final Agreement	March 2009
Eeyou Marine Region Land Claims Agreement	July 2010
Maa-nulth Final Agreement	April 2011