Canada agrees to $30-million advance payment for Mississaugas of Credit First Nation land claim

The federal government says it's making an advance payment of $30 million to Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation as part of negotiations of the First Nation's treaty claim that involves nearly 11,000 acres of land in the Greater Toronto Area. 

Mississaugas of the Credit filed the claim in 2019, alleging that Canada failed to protect it''s interests in 1820 when the First Nation surrendered 10,940 acres of its reserve land covered by Treaties 22 and 23. 

The claim alleges that the land, which spans across modern day Mississauga and Oakville, was surrendered with the expectation that the government maintain it for the First Nation's benefit — which didn't happen. Instead, it was sold. 

That improper surrender has led to significant challenges for the First Nation, including displacement and economic hardships, said Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, at a news conference on Sunday in Toronto. 

"By no means does this resolve it, but it is very much a downpayment on what I believe we will resolve, hopefully in the near future," Anandasangaree said. 

The money will go directly to the First Nation, to be used as they see fit, he said. 

First Nation hasn't benefited from valuable land: chief 

The treaty land is some of the most valuable land in Canada, but the First Nation hasn't been able to benefit from it, said Chief Claire Sault of Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. 

"Everybody benefited but us is the easiest way for me to say it," she said. 

"So it's long outstanding and about time that we've benefited, my nation benefited from it." 

Sault said the First Nation would like to establish an urban reserve in the Greater Toronto Area using the proceeds of the claim. 

"We haven't had our presence here like we should have, and we certainly want our presence back," she said. 

"We have a lot of urban First Nations across Canada. So, why not here?"

The First Nation has been in negotiations with the federal government to resolve the claim since 2022. 

The advance payment indicates the federal government agrees with the First Nation's position, said former Ontario Court of Appeal Justice Harry LaForme, a member and knowledge keeper of Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. 

"It says that, we do we owe you a final settlement here, we're going to work towards it, and here's an offer in good faith of a certain amount of money," he said. 

LaForme said he thinks the final settlement could be billions of dollars. 

"You have to understand, this is really, really valuable land."

The Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister said he doesn't have a set timeline for when the claim will be resolved, but Sault said she's hopeful her community can reach an agreement with the government later this year or early next year.