The Cowichan Tribes has issued a statement, speaking out about illegal dumping on their reservation lands.
The First Nation says that for many years, they have become increasingly concerned over the illegal dumping of garbage, construction and industrial waste on their reservation lands.
Specifically, the site located at 5544 Indian Road in Duncan, has been negatively impacted by this illegal dumping.
They say these potentially contaminated materials are impacting their lands and the environmental impacts of these longstanding activities are being felt today.
“Pollution and contamination of reserve land is a generational, systemic, and national problem,” said the Cowichan Tribes in a statement.
“The tools to combat the pollution of reserve lands are primarily under federal jurisdiction, including the Indian Act and the Indian Reserve Waste Disposal Regulations. However, the Government of Canada is reluctant to prosecute polluters.”
The Nation says that since 2010, the Cowichan Tribes have been putting in a concerted effort to have the illegal dumping at the Indian Road site brought to an end and the offenders held responsible.
They have issued several cease and desist letters to both the individual and companies participating in the dumping.
Additionally, the Nation has held numerous meetings and site visits on the matter with federal representatives to request assistance and collaboration.
Despite these meetings and site visits, Cowichan Tribes say that they have not had adequate support from the federal government.
“The authority for enforcement and remediation of these parcels of land where the dumping has occurred has always been under Canada and the Indian Act,” said the First Nation.
“The lots are excluded from the Cowichan Tribes Land Code and remain under the jurisdiction of Canada. The Government of Canada owes ongoing duties to Cowichan Tribes and its Citizens to continue to work in good faith with Cowichan Tribes to resolve such outstanding grievances with respect to lands matters.”
Cowichan Tribes says that since 2021, the Nation has been cooperating with the BC government’s investigation of the site, and are willing to work further with provincial officials to resolve the matter.
Their hope is that the federal government fulfills their “long overdue responsibility,” and will take action to stop the dumping.
