A piece of settlement land belonging to the Kwanlin Dün First Nation is being formally leased to the private sector under rules protected by the Yukon’s land titles office.

It’s the first such arrangement by any of the 11 Yukon First Nations with land claim agreements.

Kwanlin Dün Chief Doris Bill described the agreement Wednesday as historic.

She said it’s the first of what they expect to be many as the First Nation moves forward with a plan for a 40-lot business park on its settlement land in the Marwell industrial area.

“Today, we are happy to announce that the Kwanlin Dün First Nation, working closely with the Yukon government, has received the first certificate of title for category A settlement land from the Yukon land titles office,” Bill told a large audience at yesterday’s announcement.

“It means that together with our partners, we have designed a proven framework that enables select parcels of Kwanlin Dün settlement land to go to the market for both commercial and residential use.”

Bill was joined for the announcement by Premier Sandy Silver, with other dignitaries in the audience in the atrium of the law centre.

They included Grand Chief Peter Johnston of the Council of Yukon First Nations, Justice Minister Tracy-Anne McPhee, former Kwanlin Dün chief Rick O’Brien and Mayor Dan Curtis.

Under the Yukon land claim agreements, First Nations are not allowed to sell or give away their settlement lands. They are permitted to lease them for commercial and residential purposes.

The arrangement described by the chief provides the banks and other lending institutions with the certainty they require to lend money for housing mortgages or business proposals without having any land to repossess as security.

Bill noted the arrangement required the approval of the federal cabinet, the territorial cabinet and the chief and council.

Bill paid thanks to many individuals in her address but also expressed her gratitude to her staff in general, federal government staff and territorial staff, particularly George Asquith and his team at the land titles office.

The arrangement, she said, unlocks some of the economic potential in the Kwanlin Dün settlement lands.

“Over the past few years, we have been meeting with banks to educate them about our agreements and discuss possibilities,” the chief said. “We are pleased with the outcome of those discussions.

“We want to give individuals, businesses and financial institutions the highest level of certainty when dealing with Kwanlin Dün land. We opted to pursue registering land in the Yukon land title office because it is a tried, tested and trusted institution.”

Silver called it a historic step. The arrangement provides the First Nation with the tools required to manage its settlement land in a way to maximize the benefits for its citizens, he said.

“This is absolutely and truly an historic day,” the premier said.

Bill said the next step this winter involves consulting with Kwanlin Dün members to see how they want to go forward with their settlement lands inside city limits.

The First Nation, she pointed out, is currently building a four-plex residential development at 606 Jarvis St. that is scheduled to be complete in the spring of 2019.

The chief explained it will be up to the citizens to determine if the four-plex is to be held for use by Kwanlin Dün members or made available to the private real estate market.

Citizens will be consulted on the plans for the business park the First Nation is planning for the Marwell area, she explained.

Bill said the First Nation’s Chu Nííkwän Development Corp. is currently creating residential and commercial options to be considered by the membership for the Whitehorse land market.

Kwanlin Dün – the largest private land owner in the city – has 24 square kilometres of settlement land inside city limits.

“Settlement land is a key to Kwanlin Dün’s long-term economic prosperity,” Bill told the audience. “It’s a renewable revenue source.

“Going forward, we have the opportunity to develop key areas in the city, provide options, and relieve pressure in the current housing market.”

In addition to revenue from the land lease, 95 per cent of personal income tax paid by anyone living on residential land owned by Kwanlin Dün will go directly back to Kwanlin Dün. All 11 land claim agreements contain the same provision.

Dan Cable of the Yukon’s Department of Justice said this morning the government has been in discussions with several other First Nations regarding the opportunity to use the land titles office as a vehicle to make settlement land available.

He said First Nations have the authority to develop their own land registry but they also have the option of using the Yukon’s.

The territory’s Land Titles Act was replaced in 2015 in concert with the discussions the government was having with Kwanlin Dün about using the Yukon’s land titles office to register its land, Cable pointed out.

Bill told the audience Wednesday that arriving at the agreement to use the Yukon’s land registry has been a long and complicated process, requiring the guidance of many lawyers.

“Long-term, this has potential to make a positive impact in the territory,” the chief said.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to first and foremost thank our citizens and staff for sticking with us through the process. It’s been a long road, and we could not have got here without you.”