Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas - Not yet regulated by current land designations provincially or federally in Canada. Today, IPCA’s are Indigenous-led stewardship initiatives that seek to protect lands and waters primarily though Indigenous governance, laws, and ways of knowing. Read more about IPCA’s at the IPCA Knowledge Basket and via the Province of BC - IPCA Factsheet.

• Conservation planning is underway to develop recommendations for approximately 70,000 hectares of long-term conservation and stewardship within Qat’muk.

• The proposed planning area would connect the Bugaboo and Purcell Mountain protected areas and help maintain important ecological, cultural, recreational and tourism values.

• No final decisions have been made, and planning is ongoing.

• Qat’muk is a place of profound cultural and spiritual significance to the Ktunaxa Nation and is also important to the Shuswap Band.

• The landscape supports important wildlife habitat, headwaters, cultural values, backcountry recreation, tourism and wild mountain ecosystems. People are drawn to Qat’muk because of what it already is: beautiful, ecologically important, culturally significant and deeply valued.

• No.

• This announcement represents the beginning of a planning process. Recommendations for long-term conservation, stewardship, governance and management will be developed through collaboration with governments, Indigenous Nations, partners, local communities, recreation users, tourism operators and interested members of the public.

• No. This announcement does not immediately create a new provincial park or finalize a new protected-area designation.

• It starts a collaborative planning process to develop recommendations for long-term conservation and stewardship. The final form of protection, governance and management will be determined through planning and engagement.

• This is not a closure announcement.

• Responsible recreation is a recognized value in Qat’muk and will be directly considered through planning. The process will look at how recreation can continue while ensuring sensitive ecological and cultural values are protected over the long term.

• Some management approaches may evolve over time, particularly where there are cumulative impacts, sensitive habitats or species at risk, but no final decisions have been made.

• Tourism and outdoor recreation are important contributors to the local economy and are being considered as such.

• One objective of conservation planning is to provide greater clarity for tourism operators, visitors and communities while ensuring that the natural and cultural values that attract people to Qat’muk are maintained.

• Existing legal interests will be identified and considered through the planning process.

• The intent is to understand current uses, reduce uncertainty where possible, and develop recommendations that support long-term stewardship of the landscape.

• Yes.

• Engagement with local communities, recreation groups, businesses, governments, and partners will occur throughout the planning process. Input and local knowledge will help inform recommendations.

• Local knowledge will be important to the process.

• Recreation users, tourism operators, local governments, community members and stewardship organizations can help identify important access routes, seasonal use patterns, safety considerations, ecological concerns and areas of cultural or recreational importance.

• No.

• Private property rights are protected under existing law.

• This planning process focuses on Crown lands and does not change ownership of private lands.

• Aboriginal rights are constitutionally protected under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.

• The planning process recognizes that Indigenous Nations have longstanding relationships with these lands and waters and that Indigenous knowledge and governance are important components of future stewardship.

• The establishment of a protected area does not extinguish Aboriginal rights.

• An interim measure preventing new mineral tenures has been established to maintain the current condition of the landscape while planning occurs.

• This approach helps ensure that important ecological, cultural and recreational values are not compromised before long-term recommendations are developed.

• The interim measure does not, by itself, finalize a protected area. It supports the planning process by preventing new mineral conflicts from being added while long-term recommendations are being considered.

• Conservation planning is being advanced collaboratively with:

  • Ktunaxa Nation Council and its member First Nations;

  • Province of British Columbia;

  • Shuswap Band;

  • Environment and Climate Change Canada;

  • Conservation and stewardship organizations;

  • Local governments;

  • Recreation organizations;

  • Tourism operators;

  • Community members and interested stakeholders.

The next phase will include continued work among governments and partners, followed by engagement opportunities with local communities, recreation groups, tourism operators, businesses and interested members of the public.

Input gathered through the process will help inform recommendations for long-term conservation, stewardship and management.