Financial Benefits of Modern Treaties in British Columbia: Deloitte 2025

Press Release

November 21, 2025

Xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səl ̓ilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) VANCOUVER – The BC Treaty Commission is pleased to share its updated report Financial Benefits of Modern Treaties in British Columbia (2025 Deloitte Report).

The financial analysis is clear, modern treaties are transformative drivers of economic reconciliation for First Nations, BC, and Canada, and will generate significant net economic benefits between $1.17 billion to $2 billion over the next decade. These settlements provide new sources of revenue, enable sustainable community investments, and create a foundation for long-term economic growth that will benefit First Nations, British Columbians, and all Canadians. These are the quantifiable benefits of modern treaties. The lands and governance components of modern treaties exponentially increase these economic benefits by several more billion.

The model builds on six previous reports and focuses exclusively on modern treaties and two primary fiscal inputs, the cash and financial components and resource revenue sharing over a fixed period. It is important to note that it does not contemplate the lands due to the complexities measuring land values across varying land uses, geography, and First Nations’ diverse range of community activities and plans enabled under modern treaties. These additions would significantly increase the overall results; however, it was necessary to focus on inputs that could be consistently modelled.

“Modern treaties are national interest priorities that benefit Canada as a whole—fostering nation-to-nation partnerships, increased stability and certainty of land and resources rights for sustainable development, economic growth and lasting reconciliation, said Chief Commissioner Celeste Haldane. The 2025 Deloitte Report exemplifies that when governments reconcile with First Nations, fiscal benefits of treaties leverage and compound in the billions, benefiting everyone, and foster healthier, more resilient communities and contribute to closing long-standing equity gaps.”

Critically, the pace of settlement (i.e., the number of treaties settled over a given timeframe) directly influences the scale of benefits achieved. Given the model assumptions (i.e., settling six treaties over 10 years), the sooner treaties can be negotiated and implemented the faster the benefits will materialize, delivering positive economic benefits earlier for all parties.

The 2025 Deloitte Report also showcases a remarkable case study on Tsawwassen First Nation and how it continues to thrive and generate shared economic prosperity for the region, province and Canada. Notably, Tsawwassen First Nation is a growing, vibrant Nation with a population of approximately 532 members, yet it has created over $485 million in annual employment income in the region, including 11,000 permanent retail and warehouse jobs.

Beyond direct financial benefits, modern treaties advance reconciliation by supporting Indigenous self-government, affirming rights to land and resources, and enabling First Nations to pursue their own community development and wealth generation priorities. The removal of barriers such as negotiation debt and the preservation of tax exemptions further empower Nations to retain and reinvest locally generated revenues towards community infrastructure, housing, education, cultural revitalization, and much more.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 21, 2025

There are eight Modern Treaty Nations implementing modern treaties with Canada and the Province, in British Columbia for the last 25 years. This year three modern treaties were successfully ratified by three First Nations growing the potential of sustainable shared prosperity for everyone.

Quick Facts:

⦁ There are eight self-governing Modern Treaty Nations in BC: Nisga’a Nation, Tsawwassen First Nation, Huu-ay-aht First Nations, Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’/Che:k’tles7et’h’ First Nations, Toquaht Nation, Uchucklesaht Tribe, Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ (Ucluelet) First Nation, and Tla’amin Nation.

⦁ In 2025, the Kitselas, Kitsumkalum and K’omoks First Nations all successfully ratified their modern treaties. British Columbia and Canada ratifications are the next steps.

⦁ In 2016, Deloitte completed the Socio-economic Benefits of Modern Treaties in BC report.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION

Mark Smith | Director of Process and General Counsel | msmith@bctreaty.ca

Sashia Leung | Director of International Relations and Communications |

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