LEADING THROUGH INNOVATION

BEECHER BAY FIRST NATION - DISTRICT OF METCHOSIN - CITY OF LANGFORD

Pathways to Collaboration

PROJECT OVERVIEWThe three project partners worked together to arrange a complex and unprecedented land swap in 2017. The agreement was undertaken to facilitate the creation of a business park, protected park space, and land for community facilities and housing. Three Crown-owned parcels of land in Metchosin were offered to Beecher Bay First Nation as part of their treaty settlement process. The parcels have high environmental and cultural values and are currently used by the community as greenspace. For more than 20 years, Metchosin’s Official Community Plan has noted the acquisition of these lands from the Crown as a municipal priority.

Beecher Bay transferred 250 acres of land it received through treaty negotiations with the Province to Metchosin. In order to protect this 250 acres as greenspace, as well as an additional 112 acres of privately-owned lands near Metchosin Creek, Metchosin proposed a boundary adjustment with Langford. The boundary changes placed more than 350 acres of Metchosin lands within Langford, including all the land for a business park to allow access to sewer services. This land will be protected as green space and a buffer between Metchosin and the business park.

PATHWAY OVERVIEW Located west of Victoria on Vancouver Island, the communities of the District of Metchosin, the City of Langford, and Beecher Bay (Sc’ianew) First Nation collaborated on a historic partnership and land swap in 2017 to enable development of a business park that will create jobs and protect valuable greenspace. The pathbreaking collaboration saw the Provincial Government, a regional district, an urban municipality, a rural municipality, and a First Nations community come together with a shared vision for job growth, environmental stewardship, and First Nations prosperity, which resulted in a successful agreement that received strong community support.

PATHWAY ACTIVITIESThe collaboration pathway activities undertaken in the land swap include the following.

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Land Use Planning and Development

Servicing Agreements and Infrastructure

Joint Economic Development Initiatives

Through this agreement, all three communities will receive tax revenue from the business park. The business park will be located in Langford and developed by a private development corporation. Business park operations will be conducted by a joint venture, Centre Mountain Business Park Ltd., created by Beecher Bay, Metchosin and Langford.

The business park is expected to create between 3,000 and 4,000 permanent jobs for the region. Sewer and water services that were previously unavailable will now be accessible to the business park as a component of the agreement. The District of Metchosin held a referendum for its residents to ensure community support for the plan. The referendum passed by a considerable margin, with 76% in favour of the land swap agreement.

The land swap was enacted through a Reconciliation Agreement and signed on February 10, 2017, between the three governments. This is the first tripartite agreement of it’s kind in British Columbia between a First Nation, an urban municipality, and a rural municipality involving land and municipal boundary adjustments. The agreement and the land swap will provide long-term preservation of parks and sustained economic growth for the entire region.

OUTCOMES In its simplest form, the boundary adjustment protects over 400 acres of valuable greenspace and increases the City of Langford municipal area by 354 acres to allow for a business park development. Beecher Bay First Nation will transfer its treaty settlement lands in Metchosin for a one-third share of the new business park. All three jurisdictions, Langford, Metchosin and the Beecher Bay First Nation, have entered into a tax sharing agreement over the business park development.

Each partner realized specific benefits from the land swap, boundary changes, and the creation of the business park. For Beecher Bay, the change supported economic independence and preserved valued lands, for Metchosin it supported

FIGURE: Land Swap lands

PHOTO: Aerial photograph of land swap area. Used with permission from the Capital Regional District.

rural preservation, and for Langford it created household-sustaining jobs to support Langford’s increasing population.

The multi-step process saw Beecher Bay transfer 250 acres of lands that were otherwise designated for treaty settlement lands to Metchosin. The former treaty settlement lands within Metchosin were preserved as greenspace in perpetuity. Another 155 acres of private land became protected greenspace helping preserve Metchosin’s valued rural environment and buffering the community from the business park and more urban development in Langford. Metchosin land area shrank by 354 acres to allow for the creation of the business park, greenspace, and a residential community in Langford while also securing 405 acres of land as protected greenspace.

The Langford municipal boundary expanded by 354 acres to accommodate the creation of the South Langford Business Park and additional residential lots. Beecher Bay secured one-third ownership in the business park, while ensuring lands with high environmental and cultural value are protected. In addition, the three neighbouring governments will share in the tax revenues from the business park.

Numerous approvals required for this boundary adjustment included Beecher Bay First Nation, the District of Metchosin, and the City of Langford. In addition, approvals were also required from the Capital Regional District and the Province of British Columbia.

LESSONS LEARNED AND KEYS TO SUCCESS

All of the regional leaders emphasized the importance of the results of the community consultation in this process. In the months before the arrangement was finalized, all three communities received overwhelming support from residents and Beecher Bay members for the initiative. Other lessons learned include:

✗ Think outside the box. The land swap was a creative and complex undertaking that nevertheless resulted in significant and enduring benefits for the three collaborators.

✗ Engage and educate the community. Metchosin and Beecher Bay council members participated in town hall meetings to answer questions from the public and Beecher Bay members on the project.

“This is a historic agreement between the District of

Metchosin, the City of Langford and Beecher Bay First Nation

that will create meaningful and long-term jobs on the Westshore.

Having high paying jobs in the community where you live is important to the residents of

Langford, Metchosin and the First Nations community.”

Langford Mayor Stewart Young

“This announcement marks a major milestone in a unique and cooperative partnership that we

believe will provide economic and conservation opportunities for

Beecher Bay and our neighbours. This is another step in our journey

towards reconciliation.”Chief Russ Chips, Beecher Bay First Nation

PATHWAYS TO COLLABORATION Pathways to Collaboration is a joint initiative of the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM), the Province of British Columbia, and the First Nations Summit with funding from the Indigenous Business & Investment Council (IBIC). The project aims to showcase the growing number of successful economic development collaborations and partnerships between First Nations and local governments, while highlighting lessons learned and key steps to success.

The pathways to collaboration communities take are unique, reflecting the context of the communities involved, and involve different activities. Common pathway activities include protocol and communications agreements; servicing agreements and shared infrastructure projects; collaborative land use planning and development projects; joint economic development initiatives; and shared tourism projects. Like signposts along a pathway, these pathway activities are identified in the case study series.

For more information on the project, please contact the communities profiled, or visit www.ubcm.ca.

Aboriginal Business andInvestment CouncilSharing Success

Indigenous Business andInvestment CouncilSharing Success

“This is proof that governments can work together to advance a common goal. The vision of the boundary adjustment proposal was achieved through hard work and dedication by all levels of government staff and politicians.” Metchosin Mayor John Ranns