Ottawa Pushing On-reserve Commercial Real Estate
Thursday, December 10, 2009 at 14:58
Legislation has been introduced in the House of Commons today that the government says will enable First Nations across Canada to develop commercial real estate on reserve land.
The First Nations Certainty of Land Title Act was introduced by Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl.
The legislation would permit the registration of on-reserve commercial real estate developments in a system that replicates the provincial land titles or registry system.
The government says this would help make the value of on-reserve properties, including housing, stores, offices, and other buildings, comparable to equivalent properties off reserve land.
Strahl says on-reserve commercial real estate projects have been hampered by differences in property rights on and off reserves.
He says this bill will remove those barriers.
The First Nations Certainty of Land Title Act is available to First Nations across Canada, but is optional.
In order for this legislation to be applied, a First Nations group would need to have a commercial or industrial proponent and a province willing to participate.
Saskatchewan’s Carry the Kettle First Nation is one of five bands that the government consulted in developing the Act’s precursor: the First Nations Commercial and Industrial Development Act, which took effect in 2006.