The alarm bells started to ring after the Globe and Mail published an article with the headline "B.C. cedes much of Nuchatlitz provincial park to Nuchatlaht First Nation" on June 6, 2025. The takeaway from the article was clear: public access is no longer assured.
This should be of concern to kayakers, as the park is one of British Columbia most popular kayaking destinations, with multiple camping opportunities spread among various islands.
B.C. Parks is shedding very little light on the matter, simply stating on the park's website: "As result of the July 2024 British Columbia Supreme Court decision and Title Declaration parts of the Nuchatlitz Protected Area are now Aboriginal title lands held by the Nuchatlaht and the Park Act no longer applies to these areas. Visitors to the area are encouraged to ensure they are not trespassing on the title lands and to contact the Nuchatlaht Nation for more information about permissible uses on the declared title area."
For kayakers wishing to visit, here's what you need to know:
- Currently nothing has changed. The particulars are still undetermined between the Nuchatlaht and the province.
- Much of the land within the park and adjacent was the traditional home of the Nuchatlaht Tribe. There is a move within the tribe to make use of the principal village site, possibly repopulating it.
- A road is being constructed from a cove near Owossitsa Reserve in Esperanza Inlet on the north end of Nootka Island to the reserve. It is a wide road, akin to logging road standards, and so would indicate some logging intentions in addition to access to traditional lands, though this is unconfirmed.
- It is unlikely public access will change significantly. Some restrictions may come into play to protect sensitive cultural or ecological values. Fees may also be implemented for visiting and camping. This is becoming fairly routine on the coast as First Nations endeavor to regain control of and monitor access to traditional lands.
With the prospect of a road, resource extraction (ie logging), and changes to public access, a grim outlook is possible to concoct. The reality is likely to be very different. Consider that logging has been rampant on Nootka Island for decades, so logging the northern tip is unfortunate but not to be unexpected. The values on the islands and nearshore are likely to be unchanged, and that is the important part. As for fees, well, they're pretty standard too in provincial parks, so that should be no huge hardship.
The takeaway should be don't panic and enjoy your visit if you're going. It is a beautiful place, and likely to remain so for a long time to come.