That seems to be a nice development and with interesting timing.
Looking at the Tahltan web site it looks like they are pro mining despite being against the coal project. Looks like their jobs training programs are centered on mining and resources. I believe the coal project rubbed them wrong from the start for a variety of reasons. www.tahltan.org/
The government has a few of these agreements in place. They and the First Nations have found that it is more immediate and cost effective to simply negotiate these agreements vrs full, long drawn out formal treaties. The treaty negotiations can still go on but where they mututally agree on stuff they work it out into an agreement like these.
The 'one window' policy will help to streamline project development and that is a great step for Schaft and other projects. The revenue sharing happens betwee the province and the First Nation (i.e. Schaft operators won't have to kick back more levies). The gov/FN agree on the value of the resources and the government offers them a share of the tax/royalty revenue and provides a basis for industry to operate with some certainty. All of this seems great:
The shared decision-making agreement will continue to foster a positive relationship between the Tahltan Nation and the Province through several key steps:
- Creating a government-to-government forum that provides a "one-window" approach to natural resource management topics.
- Facilitating economic development initiatives, including the Northwest Transmission Line and its planned extension, major mines and clean energy projects by enabling future revenue-sharing agreements.
- Focusing on strategic issues of importance to the Tahltan, such as mineral exploration and fish and wildlife.
- Providing consultation process certainty to ensure more efficient and effective engagement regarding potential future natural resource developments.
