Most B.C. residents back appeal of Aboriginal title ruling in Richmond: survey
Earlier this month, the City of Richmond sent letters to about 150 property owners within the impacted area, warning that the judge’s decision would negatively affect the title of their property.
During a heated public information session held by the municipal government earlier this week, attended by over 700 people, City officials warned that this would impact equity and property values and the ability of owners to seek and refinance their mortgages and secure insurance. The ruling also provides the First Nation with the final say over land use and transactions. Some property owners have already told City officials that these negative repercussions are already happening to them.
The provincial and municipal governments and the Musqueam Indian Band are appealing the decision made in early August 2025 by trial judge Justice Barbara Young. The public appears to agree with the move to challenge the judge’s decision, with 61 per cent of respondents indicating appealing was the right move, compared to just 12 per cent who say it was wrong. The remaining 27 per cent are unsure.
The survey also finds that two-thirds of respondents (67 per cent) view the decision as “serious” because of its potential impact on private property rights, with 54 per cent of BC NDP voters in the 2024 provincial election agreeing on the severity, 88 per cent for voters for the Conservative Party of BC, and 74 per cent for property owners.
Support for the appeal spans political lines but is strongest among voters for the Conservative Party of BC, reaching 80 per cent, followed by 70 per cent among property owners and 51 per cent for BC NDP supporters.
Legal experts, including those working for the City of Richmond, warn an unsuccessful process to overturn the judge’s decision — which could take years, reaching both the top courts of B.C. and Canada — could set a very concerning precedent for the other two million fee-simple title properties in B.C., as well as other parts of Canada where there are also Indigenous land claims. There are growing concerns that this would drastically impact the economy, deter investment, and impact government revenues to support services.
More broadly, 66 per cent of property owners believe the decision siding with the Cowichan Tribes harms reconciliation efforts with First Nations, compared with 48 per cent of non-owners.
Beyond the court decision itself, the survey highlights broader unease about how the provincial government is handling reconciliation. More than two-in-five (44 per cent) share the belief that Premier David Eby’s government is “too focused” on reconciliation, while 27 per cent believe he is “giving the right amount of attention” and only 13 per cent think the BC NDP-led government is not focused enough. Among BC NDP voters, 44 per cent say the party is giving the right amount of attention to Indigenous relations, but nearly three-quarters (72 per cent) of supporters of the B.C. Conservatives say Eby is too focused on the issue.
These sentiments echo earlier debates over the provincial government’s previously proposed controversial changes to the Land Act — with critics asserting this provides First Nations with veto powers over Crown lands — and the recent Haida Gwaii title agreement. These moves, while historic, have revealed sharp divisions over how reconciliation should unfold.
The Cowichan Tribes case has captured the public’s attention: 52 per cent of B.C. residents say they are following it closely, including 59 per cent of property owners, 64 per cent of past voters for the B.C. Conservatives, and 48 per cent of past BC NDP voters. The high level of engagement reflects both the sensitivity of the issue and its perceived implications for property rights and governance across B.C.
So far, John Rustad’s B.C. Conservatives have sharply criticized Premier David Eby’s government over its handling of private property rights in the court case, calling for a temporary pause on negotiations with First Nations. The BC NDP, meanwhile, has taken a more measured stance in public but acknowledges the seriousness of the issue.
The survey was conducted from Oct. 23 to 25, 2025, among a random sample of 1,044 Canadian adults who live in B.C. It has a margin of error of +/- three per cent, 19 times out of 20.
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