Indigenous agreements

The Indigenous agreements dataset contains geographic boundaries as well as basic attribute data representing arrangements between the Government of Canada, provinces and territories, and Indigenous organizations and communities. These arrangements address Indigenous and northern affairs, such as education, economic development, child and family services, health, and housing, that have not been addressed by treaties or through other means. However, this dataset only contains the Indigenous agreements that have a geographic boundary. The Indigenous agreements dataset includes:

1) Self-government agreements which represents the Indigenous groups that govern their internal affairs and assume greater responsibility and control over the decision making that affects their communities. Self-government agreements address the structure and accountability of Indigenous governments, their law-making powers, financial arrangements and their responsibilities for providing programs and services to their members. Self-government enables Indigenous governments to work in partnership with other governments and the private sector to promote economic development and improve social conditions. These boundaries usually represent the surveyed boundaries of the Indigenous group’s Indian reserve. 2) Consultation agreements (Consultation protocol) which represents an agreement signed between the Indigenous group and one or more parties that establish a consultation process. It sets out an orderly process through which the federal and/or provincial governments can consult with an Indigenous group regarding a contemplated project or activity that may have adverse impacts on established or asserted Aboriginal or Treaty rights. These agreements include Federal Bilateral agreement, Federal Tripartite agreement and other agreements. These boundaries are usually not surveyed but help to delineate the geographic extent of the agreement. 3) Other Agreements is the catch-all category for any remaining geographies of signed agreements between the Indigenous group and other parties, that do not fit within the aforementioned categories. These boundaries are usually not surveyed but help to delineate the geographic extent of the agreement.

The Indigenous agreements dataset is one of multiple datasets representing treaties and agreements between the Crown and Indigenous peoples. The Crown-Indigenous treaties and agreements geospatial datasets represent the geographic boundaries of the solemn agreements between the Crown and Indigenous peoples that set out promises, obligations and benefits for parties. The following datasets are also available:

1) The Historic treaties (formerly known as Pre-1975 treaties) dataset, which represents most signed treaties that were negotiated between Indigenous peoples and the Crown between 1725 and 1929.

2) The Modern treaties (formerly known as the Post-1975 treaties) dataset, which represents the areas of Canada where Indigenous land rights and title have not been addressed by preceding treaties or through other legal means.

The Indigenous agreements dataset is Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) and Indigenous Services Canada (ISC)’s primary source for Indigenous agreements geographic boundaries on maps.

This dataset can also be viewed in the Aboriginal and Treaty Rights Information System (ATRIS). This web-based system provides access to information to inform governments, industry and other interested parties in determining their consultation obligations and in carrying out their consultation research.

For more information, visit https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1100100014686/1609421785838.