Sask. First Nation's land claim settled for $150M

The federal government and a Saskatchewan First Nation have agreed to a $150 million land-claim settlement.

The claim relates to around 7,427 hectares — or about 74 square kilometres — of Muscowpetung Saulteaux Nation land taken by the federal government more than 100 years ago.

"This settlement agreement marks the start of a new relationship with Muscowpetung Saulteaux Nation. We recognize our responsibility to acknowledge the past and address the wrongs we have committed,” Crown–Indigenous Relations minister Gary Anandasangaree said in a news release announcing the settlement.

The First Nation has long held that its leadership was pressured into accepting the land surrender in 1909 and that procedures required under the Indian Act were not followed.

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"Now we have an opportunity to bring prosperity to our people and homelands, we invest in ourselves so the future generations will grow up proud to be from Muscowpetung," Muscowpetung Saulteaux chief Melissa Tavita said in the news release.

The agreement received nearly 100 per cent support in a vote that saw the participation 64 per cent of the First Nation's membership.

In addition to the $150 million in compensation, the agreement also includes an "addition to reserve" option of up to around 7427 hectares of land, the same amount surrendered in 1909.

An addition to reserve is a Crown-owned land parcel that can be added to the existing land of a First Nation, but doesn't have to be adjacent to the community.

Between April 1 2022 and March 31 2023 56 land claims were resolved for $3.5 billion, according to Crown–Indigenous Relations.

Canada has resolved 665 specific claims since 1973, the ministry said.

Muscowpetung Saulteaux Nation is located about 60 kilometres north of Regina.