First Nation seeks Aboriginal title over Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam areas
According to the municipal government, the litigation process is currently in a state of “abeyance,” which means the court case is temporarily paused, as a negotiation process led by the provincial government is currently occurring outside of the court setting.
Former Riverview Hospital buildings in Coquitlam. (BC Housing)
The land claim area by the Kwikwetlem notably entails the entirety of the 244-acre former Riverview Hospital site and the 59-acre Colony Farm Forensic Psychiatric Hospital, which are owned by the provincial government.
They are seeking to claim the adjacent 700-acre ƛ̓éxətəm Regional Park, which is owned by Metro Vancouver Regional District and was previously known as Colony Farm Regional Park up until 2023.
Additionally, the First Nation is also seeking Aboriginal title over several major properties owned by the City of Port Coquitlam, specifically the 37-acre Gates Park — one of the city’s most heavily used sports and recreation sites, and where a new soccer training hub had been planned but was downsized earlier this year due to rising costs — and multiple undeveloped lots collectively known as South Shaughnessy.
Kwikwetlem has two reserves in the immediate area, adjacent to their land claim areas, totalling over 200 acres.
Kwikwetlem First Nation’s Aboriginal title land claim area. (City of Port Coquitlam)
Kwikwetlem First Nation’s Aboriginal title land claim area. (City of Port Coquitlam)
Although the court case remains paused while the provincial government works through negotiations and review, the City states it is taking a firm stance on protecting municipal lands.
“We have, and will continue to, vigorously defend public ownership of these lands, along with private property rights in our jurisdiction as the provincial government leads a process in relation to all of this,” said Port Coquitlam mayor Brad West in a statement today.
West emphasized that the Aboriginal title pursuit relates only to publicly owned land. With recent media attention and public concern expressed over the separate Cowichan Tribes’ Richmond and Haida First Nation’s Haida Gwaii court rulings, as well as the Secwepemc First Nation’s active court case seeking Aboriginal title over a massive area of the B.C. Interior — including all public and privately-owned lands in Kamloops and Sun Peaks — Port Coquitlam’s municipal officials say they have been fielding questions from concerned residents, especially homeowners.
“At this time, there are no civil claims initiated by any First Nations involving private property within the City of Port Coquitlam,” the City noted in a release today. “No private lands within Port Coquitlam are currently the subject of litigation.”
The City says it will continue monitoring related court cases and developments across B.C., while ensuring that Port Coquitlam property owners remain updated.
“We will ensure the public is kept informed,” added West.
Red Fish Healing Centre for Mental Health and Addiction on the former Riverview Hospital lands in Coquitlam. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)
ƛ̓éxətəm Regional Park, previously known as Colony Farm Regional Park. (Google Maps)
Sources previously told Daily Hive Urbanized that the provincial government’s efforts to identify new uses and create a master plan for the Riverview Hospital site, including potentially building new modern, substantial mental health and addictions treatment facilities, have stalled because of Kwikwetlem’s opposition to having a greater concentration of such facilities in the area. BC Housing previously performed some public consultation on the site’s future from 2012 to 2015, and the entire process was restarted in 2021, but halted again soon after.
Without mentioning the ongoing litigation, provincial officials also told Daily Hive Urbanized in 2023 that the former Riverview Hospital site’s planning process is fully contingent on the First Nation’s participation.
In 2021, the provincial government opened the Red Fish Healing Centre for Mental Health and Addiction on the former Riverview Hospital lands.
Critics, including opposition provincial parties, have challenged the B.C. NDP-led provincial government’s approach to defending public and private properties in court, as well as its broader handling of reconciliation efforts.
Last month, when they informed property owners impacted by the Cowichan Tribes’ decision, City of Richmond officials were highly critical of the provincial government and warned of the major negative implications for both public and private properties.
There are growing concerns that there are many more Aboriginal title cases that have been quietly going through the court process for years, but have yet to be unearthed.
Earlier this month, Elenore Sturko, the independent MLA for the riding of Surrey-Cloverdale, called on Premier David Eby to publicly disclose all lawsuits filed by First Nations asserting Aboriginal title over land in the province — particularly where those claims may overlap with existing private property.
In the case of the Cowichan Tribes and their Richmond land claims, an August 2025 ruling by trial judge Justice Barbara Young put Aboriginal title above fee-simple title ownership — the standard form of private property ownership in Canada, and the foundation of the economy and overall society. In court, the Cowichan Tribes were pursuing Aboriginal title over public property, but kept the door open to potentially pursue private property in the future. Justice Young, however, granted them both public and private lands.
There are growing concerns that such court cases, particularly the initial one dealing with the Cowichan Tribes, set a precedent for millions of other fee-simple title ownership properties across the province and elsewhere in Canada, where there are outstanding First Nations land claims.
This could have a real material impact on property owners’ equity, property values, and their ability to sell their properties and obtain mortgages and insurance. Without legal certainty, there are also concerns that this will deter economic investment and attraction in B.C. It also reduces the amount of publicly-owned assets for the benefit of all residents.
The municipal, provincial, and federal governments and the Musqueam Indian Band are appealing Justice Young’s decision. However, the appeal process could take years, going through the top courts of both B.C. and Canada.
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