
In 2012, the B.C. Court of Appeal granted the Tsilhqot’in rights to hunt, trap and trade in its traditional territory, but agreed with both the federal and provincial governments that the Tsilhqot’in must indicate specific sites where its people had lived instead of claiming a broad area. The Tsilhqot’in criticized that initial decision, arguing that they had traditionally never resided permanently in one area of the land and that the government had failed to consider their traditional way of life.
This decision by the Supreme Court of Canada now requires governments to meet one of two criteria before conducting economic development on Aboriginal land.