Fact Sheet: Implementation of Final Agreements

Once a comprehensive land claim or self-government agreement is signed and ratified, the parties move to the next phase (referred to as "implementation"), which is doing what is required to make the self-government and comprehensive land claim agreements work as intended. There are two parts to the process: the development of an implementation plan and the monitoring and management of actual implementation activities. An implementation plan is a document that is negotiated and re-negotiated by the parties to a land claims and/or self-government agreement during the negotiations of a final agreement. It is an integral appendix to a final agreement because it identifies what must be done to put the agreement into effect, who will be responsible for which implementation activity, as well as when and how these activities will be undertaken. In addition to building strong partnerships between Aboriginal people and governments, the implementation of final agreements creates a positive and stable climate for investment and economic growth on Aboriginal lands and in surrounding communities.

As of March 2012, twenty-five comprehensive land claim and self-government agreements, covering over 40 percent of Canada's land mass, have been ratified and brought into effect.

Signed and ratified comprehensive claims and self-government agreements include:

• Labrador Inuit Land Claim Agreement
• Gwich'in Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement
• Inuvialuit Final Agreement
• Sahtu Dene and Metis Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement
• Tlicho Agreement
• Nunavut Land Claims Agreement
• Nunavik Inuit Land Claims Agreement
• James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement
• North Eastern Quebec Agreement
• Carcross/Tagish First Nation Final Agreement
• Champagne and Aishihik First Nation Final Agreement
• Kluane First Nation Final Agreement
• Kwanlin Dun First Nation Final Agreement
• Little Salmon/Carmacks First Nation Final Agreement
• First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun Final Agreement
• Selkirk First Nation Final Agreement
• Ta'an Kwach'an First Nation Final Agreement
• Teslin Tlingit Council Final Agreement
• Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in Final Agreement
• Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation Final Agreement
• Nisga'a Final Agreement
• Tsawwassen First Nation Final Agreement
• Maa-nulth First Nations Final Agreement (comes into effect April 2011)
• Sechelt Indian Band Self-Government Agreement
• Westbank First Nation Self-Government Agreement

There is also a sectoral self-government agreement on education jurisdiction in Nova Scotia. Learn more about this agreement and tripartite education agreements signed in other provinces to improve education outcomes for First Nation students.

Updated: March 2012