The Lil’wat and N’Quatqua Nations have issued a sharp rebuke of the B.C. government’s decision to shorten the Nations’ previously announced fall closure dates for Pipi7íyekw/Joffre Lakes Provincial Park, calling the move a violation of their rights and a setback for reconciliation.
In a statement, the Nations said the province’s newly announced dates—Sept. 2 to Oct. 3—ignore their authority and disregard the exclusive use period they identified from Aug. 22 to Oct. 23.
“The province’s imposed dates are a fraction of the schedule advanced by our Nations and represent yet another unilateral decision that ignores our governance, our laws and our rights,” the statement read. “This is not recognition of our Title and Rights. This is a continuation of colonial decision-making that disregards our authority and obligations to our lands.
“The province’s refusal to honour these dates undermines both reconciliation and the health of the land and people.”
Province says closures balance priorities
BC Parks announced the third and final closure of the year on Aug. 19.
The Parks service said the month-long closure would allow the alpine area to recover after the busy summer season, provide the Nations with space to carry out cultural practices and mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
The ministry described the 2025 schedule—three total closure periods—as consistent with the previous year.
“The Province acknowledges the Nations had requested additional closure dates,” the BC Parks statement read. “After careful consideration, B.C. has confirmed a schedule that balances cultural practices conservation goals and public access to the park.”
But Lil’wat and N’Quatqua said the shortened closure undermines their responsibility to care for the land. On Aug. 20, they released a statement denouncing the halved reconnection period announced by the government.
The Nations stressed their proposed closure period was based on traditional needs, including harvesting foods and medicines, conducting ceremonies, and allowing the land to regenerate.
“For us, this land is not about recreation, it is about food security and the wellness of our people. We need this time and space for our Nations to harvest, reconnect, and exercise our responsibilities as stewards of the land.”
Fraught partnership
This clash over Joffre’s closure is the latest chapter in a years-long struggle over who holds decision-making authority at the alpine destination.
In 2018, BC Parks, N’Quatqua and Lil’wat Nation began working together on a joint management strategy to address environmental degradation caused by an influx of tourists. The strategy led to the introduction of day-use passes in 2021 to ensure parking access and reduce crowding.
“For decades, the province has permitted the overuse and degradation of [Pipi7íyekw/Joffre] by allowing unsustainable levels of visitation,” the Nations explained. “The land was never meant to endure this degree of exploitation. It requires periods of rest and regeneration.”
The jurisdictional conflict burst into public view in August 2023, when the Lil’wat Nation and N’Quatqua announced they were closing the park without provincial support.
“While successes have been gained through our partnership in terms of implementing a cap on the number of visitors and a day-use pass permit, access to the resources by Líl̓wat and N’Quatqua has not been prioritized,” said the two First Nations in a statement at the time.
By spring 2024, B.C. and the two communities had struck a tentative framework for seasonal closures: three temporary shutdowns each year, designed to balance public access with Indigenous stewardship.
At the time, that agreement was heralded by provincial officials as a breakthrough in co-management. The park was closed again this year, from April 26 to May 16 and June 13 to 27.
“We have lost trust”
For Lil’wat and N’Quatqua, the latest move shows how little has changed.
“Our Nations continue to face ongoing pressure to shorten our time and access to our own territories, while the province prioritizes recreational use by visitors. This is not an equal relationship,” the statement read.
They reminded the public that Joffre Lakes Provincial Park was created without consultation and remains within unceded territory.
“[Pipi7íyekw/Joffre] is not the property of the province. It lies within the unceded territories of the Lílw̓at Nation and N’Quatqua. Our responsibility since time immemorial has been to protect, steward and govern this place for present and future generations.
“Any decisions about [Pipi7íyekw/Joffre] must be made by and with us; not imposed over us.”
The Nations said the province’s actions contradict both the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), which B.C. has enshrined in law, and Supreme Court of Canada rulings affirming Indigenous Title and Rights.
“BC Parks should have been proud to take this opportunity to demonstrate real and meaningful reconciliation. Instead, they continue to hold onto paternalistic approaches that disregard Indigenous stewardship and decision-making,” the release said.
The statement concluded with a demand that the province retract its announcement and return to discussions in good faith.
"We have lost trust in working with BC Parks, as their actions repeatedly demonstrate disregard for our Nations’ voices, rights, and stewardship obligations,” they wrote. “Reconciliation cannot and will not exist so long as governments continue to make paternalistic, colonial decisions about our lands without our consent.”
The Nations are set to host a peaceful ceremony for Pipi7íyekw/Joffre Lakes on Aug. 22 at 10 a.m. They’ve invited members to wear their regalia and bring their drums. The event will take place at the Lillooet Lake Road and Main Street in Mount Currie—the intersection that marks the turn-off from Highway 99 to Joffre.
Check back with Pique for more as this story develops...
