Rob Shaw: Local politicians grapple with fallout of Cowichan Nation title case – CHEK News
September 26, 2025
B.C. municipal leaders grappled with the enormity of the Cowichan Nation Indigenous title court ruling on Thursday, including the uncertainty it has created for private property rights.
Local mayors and councillors heard from a panel of legal experts at the Union of BC Municipalities convention in Victoria, who attempted to guide decision-makers through the precedent-setting 3,700 paragraph BC Supreme Court ruling, which landed in August.
The court recognized Aboriginal title for the Cowichan Nation on more than 323 hectares in Richmond, which used to be a traditional summer village. The area now includes land owned by the city, federal port authority, private businesses and individuals.
