Lands

K’ómoks ratified its Land Code in September of 2016 and operates under First Nations Land Management. As a signatory to the First Nations Land Management Act, K’ómoks has opted to take over the management and control of their land and resources, including the protection and management of Reserve land management, thereby removing the land and resource sections of the Indian Act.

The Lands Department is responsible for Land Use Planning and administering the Land Code and related policies, laws and procedures, to regulate the land use of our Reserve Lands.

“As stewards of our lands, resources and the environment around us, we will honor our ancestors by adhering to our cultural laws and values, passed down generation to generation. We will move forward responsibly using accountability, transparency, environmental responsibility and K’ómoks cultures as the cornerstones of our land management practices. With the guidance of the Creator and our membership represented in our Lands Advisory Committee, we will protect our homelands to ensure environmental sustainability and integrity while building sustainable economic development on our lands.”

– Our Lands Mission

Lands Department Resources

Click on the tab on the left to find any Lands related resources you may need.
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Please contact archpermits@komoks.ca.

K’ómoks First Nation Reserve Lands & Maps

Land Code

Land Code Summary

Archive

These were the KFN bylaws that governed our nation before the Land Code passed in 2016.

K’ómoks Laws & Policies

“We have the inherent right to make laws, including the exercise of authority provided under a treaty or the exercise of any authorities provided to K’ómoks under the federal or provincial law.”

– Building a K’ómoks First Nation Constitution booklet

The KFN Cultural Heritage Policy

In October of 2020, KFN ratified the K’ómoks First Nation Cultural Heritage Policy (KFN CHP), as an expression of our Indigenous laws protecting archaeological sites, artifacts, ancestral remains, and other cultural heritage across KFN territory.

The KFN CHP specifies KFN expectations for managing impacts to archaeological sites across the territory, so that developers can plan their projects to conform to these expectations. Avoidance of impacts to cultural heritage is always KFN’s preferred option.

When do you need a Cultural Heritage Investigation Permit (CHIP)?

Please refer to the map appendix within the KFN CHP below to determine whether or not your development project is within an area requiring a permit.

Which type of CHIP do you need?

The KFN Cultural Heritage Investigation Permit (CHIP) application specifies the required archaeological fieldwork for each type of project depending on the scale, and stage of development.

Small project CHIP – $400
Project affects less than 100 meters in maximum dimension, or less than one hectare in area

Large project CHIP – $600
Project affects more than 100 meters in maximum dimension, or more than one hectare in area

Large and complex cultural heritage investigations may require additional project management fees to be negotiated with KFN. In most cases, it is expected that the developer will contract a qualified archaeologist to apply for the KFN CHIP. KFN will review CHIP applications and either approve them or ask for revisions. The developer/proponent will ALSO BE responsible for covering any additional costs associated with further archeological investigation and services, as well as Indigenous cultural monitoring.

**Please note: CHIP applications (depending on their complexity) may take up to 60 days to process for Small project CHIPs; and 90 days for Large project CHIPs.**

Scale of archaeological investigation required

The scale of archaeological investigation specified by KFN could range from a simple walk through, surface inspection and letter report, to a multi-stage archaeological impact assessment, including substantial excavation and analysis, with an extensive report. Any and all such archaeological investigations must be undertaken by a qualified archaeologist, along with a KFN representative. From KFN’s perspective, adhering to the KFN CHP is a fundamental part of the consultation process and allows KFN to make informed decisions about irreversible impacts to KFN cultural heritage.

KFN Cultural Heritage Policy – Document

Comprehensive Community Plan

We support the community by listening and representing our nation.

The new Comprehensive Community Plan (also called CCP or Plan) provides an agreed-upon statement of how the air, lands, and water within our territory will be cared for, protected, and developed into the future. The CCP will also be used by adjacent regional districts, nearby municipalities, the province, and the federal government, and private groups such as forestry companies, tourism operators, or other businesses to understand the land use directions of the K’ómoks First Nation. In summary, the Comprehensive Community Plan:

  • Assists Chief, Council and our members in evaluating proposed developments to ensure that they are consistent with the vision and objectives of our members as expressed in this plan;
  • Provides direction on growth over the next 10 to 15 years;
  • Is a tool to help guide our decisions now and in the future, to develop and protect our lands in a way that reflects our environmental, spiritual, social, and economic values.
  • Reflects our decisions about what types of uses we want to allow on our lands and where we want to allow them.
  • Covers a broad spectrum of topics: the use of resource lands, protection of culturally significant areas, identification of economic development zones, and plans for housing.
  • Takes a short-to mid-range view (five to 15 years) on land development, land protection, and growth and change in our community.
  • Sets out an Implementation Strategy to ensure that the directions set out by the Plan are achieved.

The CCP should be reviewed annually, to ensure there is widespread agreement on shared goals among the members of the K’ómoks First Nation. The Plan should not be interpreted as a final or complete statement on land use, and/or the right and title to use land within the Plan Area, nor does it limit the consideration of additional or other lands at a future date as part of separate negotiation, claim, and/or settlement processes.

By planning, we are agreeing as a community on actions we can take to strengthen and sustain the cultural, spiritual, social, economic, and environmental wellbeing of our people, our air, lands, and waters. 

OUR TEAM

Carol McCollLands Manager
Carol is the Lands Manager working on the day-to-day administration of the lands and resources of the K’ómoks First Nation…
Dean SealDisaster & Risk Reduction Coordinator
Dean joined KFN in August 2023 in the newly created role of Disaster & Risk Reduction Coordinator...
Lisa LaRoseLands Assistant
Lisa joined KFN in September 2023 in the newly created role of Lands Assistant...

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