Joffre Lakes to remain closed until Sept. 15 as B.C. government, First Nations continue talks

The popular Joffre Lakes Provincial Park will remain closed for another week as negotiations continue between the B.C. government and the two First Nations that abruptly paused public access last month.

Officials have "decided to keep the park closed until Sept. 15," said George Heyman, the province's minister of environment and climate change strategy, in a statement Friday morning.

"This additional week will allow for productive discussions to continue towards a collaborative resolution that supports reconciliation," Heyman added.

"Our government's goal is to find an agreement that will give space and privacy for cultural activities, while ensuring public access to the park in a responsible and sustainable manner."

The Lil'wat and N’Quatqua nations, who call the park Pipi7iyekw and say they have occupied the land since time immemorial, announced the closure on Aug. 24, referencing a variety of legal grounds asserting their right to do so.

The two First Nations said they were reserving Joffre Lakes for traditional harvesting and spiritual activities, and that it would be reopened on Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

The park was then reopened for the Labour Day weekend, in what Lil'wat Chief Dean Nelson described as a gesture of goodwill, before being closed again on Tuesday.

In his statement, Heyman thanked the Lil'wat and N’Quatqua nations for their continuing participation in the talks and acknowledged the ongoing closure "has an impact on people's plans."

The province is working towards a "mutually acceptable agreement" that will "provide certainty for everyone," the minister added.

With files from CTV News Vancouver's Ian Holliday and Lisa Steacy