Land Claims
2016 Sts’ailes Letter Explained
What It Says — and What It Does Not Do
In September 2016, Harrison Hot Springs Council received a letter dated August 15, 2016 from Sts’ailes First Nation. That letter has been repeatedly cited, often inaccurately, as evidence that private land titles in Harrison Hot Springs are invalid or at risk.
This page explains exactly what the letter says, what it means in law, and what it does not do, using the original source documents.
The Source Documents
The letter appears in the Village of Harrison Hot Springs Regular Council Meeting Agenda Package dated September 19, 2016:
Page 23 – Background and purpose of the civil claim
Page 24 – Aboriginal Title, private land, and governance language
Page 25 – Map of the claim area (Harrison–Chehalis terminal fishery)
(Scans of these pages are provided below this explanation.)
Page 23 — What the Letter Is About
On page 23, Sts’ailes states that it is commencing a civil claim in BC Supreme Court.
Key points:
The claim is against Canada and the Province of British Columbia, not residents and not the Village.
The trigger for the claim was federal fisheries enforcement actions, not municipal land use.
The claim is focused on the Harrison–Chehalis terminal fishery, not a blanket claim over all land.
The letter is a notice of legal action, not a declaration of authority.
Plain English:
This is a notification that Sts’ailes is going to court over unresolved Aboriginal Title and Rights issues related to fisheries and waters.
Page 24 — The Language That Raises Concern
Page 24 contains the sentence most often quoted without context:
“Sts’ailes seeks confirmation that our Aboriginal Title was not extinguished over private lands held in fee simple within the Claim Area.”
What this actually means
This is a legal position, not a legal outcome.
It means Sts’ailes is saying the Crown may never have lawfully extinguished Aboriginal Title historically.
It does not invalidate BC land titles.
It does not cancel fee-simple ownership.
It does not dispossess homeowners.
The letter explicitly states:
“Sts’ailes does not seek to dispossess any private land owners or local residents within the Claim Area.”
What they are actually seeking
Damages and compensation from Canada and British Columbia
A court order requiring governments to negotiate in good faith
Reconciliation between Crown actions and existing private land interests
Plain English:
They are saying: “If the Crown got this wrong historically, the Crown should deal with it.”
They are not saying: “Your house or land title is invalid.”
“Governance Within the Claim Area”
The letter also refers to governance and responsibilities.
Important context:
Governance language in these letters is aspirational and protective, not enforceable.
Governance over private land and non-members requires:
a treaty
legislation
or a final court judgment
None of those existed in 2016. None exist today.
Plain English:
This language preserves legal arguments. It does not create authority over residents, landowners, or the Village.
Page 25 — The Map
Page 25 shows a claim map, not a jurisdictional map.
What the map shows:
Chehalis Lake
Chehalis River
Harrison River
Lower Harrison Lake watershed
What the map does not do:
It does not change municipal boundaries
It does not override BC Land Titles
It does not transfer authority
It does not function like zoning or title registration
Plain English:
The map shows where a claim is being made, not what is owned or controlled.
What This Letter Does Not Do
This letter does not:
cancel BC land titles
void mortgages
change zoning or bylaws
remove municipal authority
give Sts’ailes enforcement power over residents
Those outcomes can only occur through:
legislation
treaty
or a final court judgment- None of those occurred here.
Why This Still Matters
While the letter does not threaten private land ownership, it does matter because:
It confirms unresolved legal disputes between First Nations and the Crown
It signals potential future negotiations
It should have been clearly explained to the public when received in 2016
Failure to explain the limits of the letter allowed fear and misinformation to grow.
Bottom Line
This was a notice of a legal claim against governments, not a seizure notice.
It preserved legal rights against the Crown, not authority over residents.
Original Documents
Below are the original, unedited pages from the September 19, 2016 Council Agenda Package:
Page 23 – Sts’ailes letter (background)
Page 24 – Aboriginal Title, private land, governance
Page 25 – Claim area map
(Posted for transparency and verification.)
Source:
Village of Harrison Hot Springs — Regular Council Meeting Agenda Package, September 19, 2016, pages 23–25
Timeline — What Changed / What Didn’t
2012
• Fisheries enforcement actions on the Harrison River.
Changed: Legal conflict triggered with the Crown.
Didn’t: No impact on land titles or municipal authority.
June 2016
• Criminal fisheries trial proceeds in BC Provincial Court.
Changed: Litigation strategy escalates.
Didn’t: Private land ownership unchanged.
Aug 15, 2016
• Sts’ailes issues open letter announcing a civil claim.
Changed: Residents formally notified of a claim against governments.
Didn’t: No authority created over private land or residents.
Sept 19, 2016
• Letter received by Council (agenda pp. 23–25).
Changed: Document enters the public record.
Didn’t: No legal effect on titles, zoning, taxes, or bylaws.
2016–2023
• No final court judgment, treaty, or legislation.
Changed: Ongoing discussions and legal positioning.
Didn’t: Fee-simple titles remain valid.
2024
• Cowichan court decision on Crown liability.
Changed: Clarifies historical Crown obligations.
Didn’t: Does not void private land titles or municipal powers.
Today
• No settlement altering private ownership.
Changed: Public awareness has increased.
Didn’t: Ownership, mortgages, zoning, and governance remain the same.
Land Title Questions: What We’ve Asked the Village to Clarify
There’s been growing public interest about whether any land-title claims or jurisdiction discussions involve Harrison Hot Springs. Rather than let rumours spread, we’ve asked the Village for straight answers.
These are simple, no-cost, factual questions that the Village can answer without FOIs, lawyers, or delays
What We Asked Council and Staff
We have formally requested that the Village confirm:
Whether they have received any notice from the Province, FVRD, or any First Nation regarding land-title reviews or potential claims.
Whether staff or Council have had any briefings, meetings, or communications on land status, co-management, or jurisdictional matters affecting Harrison.
Whether any Village-owned land is part of discussions or review processes.
If any communication exists, that the Village provide a public summary so residents aren’t left guessing.
If no such communication exists, to confirm that clearly so people can stop speculating.
Why This Matters
Land-title questions can create unnecessary fear when information is unclear.
A straightforward public answer from the Village prevents rumours, builds trust, and keeps the community grounded in facts.
What This Isn’t
This is not an accusation, not an FOI request, and not a political statement.
It’s simply a request for clarity — something every resident is entitled to.
Our Goal
Respect, transparency, and calm discussion.
We’ll post updates here as soon as the Village provides a response.
Update - Jan 05, 2026: What the Public Record Shows
On September 19, 2016, Council received and agenda-listed correspondence from Sts’ailes regarding an Aboriginal Title and Rights civil claim.
The letter did not claim ownership of all lands, did not challenge BC land titles, and explicitly stated no intent to dispossess private landowners.
Village staff have declined to confirm whether receipt of this letter constitutes “documented contact,” stating that confirmation would require a FOIPPA request.
The Village has stated it has not been formally advised of any changes to land titles.
Status
Clarification requested.
Confirmation pending or declined outside FOIPPA.
Update - Jan 5, 2026
The Village has confirmed that the August 15, 2016 Sts’ailes letter was received and included in a regular, open public Council meeting agenda. The document is publicly available and does not require a FOIPPA request. Letter is on page 23, 24 & 25 of agenda.