Government

The Aboriginal Forestry Initiative (AFI) represents a new Government of Canada approach to foster enhanced Aboriginal participation in the competitive and sustainable transformation of Canada’s forest sector. Through the Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada leads the Aboriginal Forestry Initiative, in partnership with over 15 federal departments and agencies. The AFI supports the Government of Canada’s Framework for Aboriginal Economic Development.

This webpage discusses the importance of the forest sector to Aboriginal and forest-based communities, challenges of a changing forest sector, and Canadian forest service support for forest-based communities.

A Licence of Occupation is a legal agreement authorizing the temporary occupation and use of Crown Land for such a period of time and under such terms and conditions as the Minister determines to be appropriate. A licence and any renewals cannot exceed twenty years in total. Licences of occupation can be issued for access roads, utility poles and anchors, maple sugary corridors, commercial signs, community event or as an interim measure prior to the finalization of another agreement.

Crown Land leases are issued for various uses under the following categories: Commercial, Communication, Institutional, Utility, Industrial, Transportation, Municipal Services , Shooting Range, and Camp lot.

Surplus Crown Lands that are less than 20 hectares in size, surrounded by private lands on at least 3 sides and which have no ecological, cultural or social significance and are not needed to provide access to Crown Land, can be reviewed for declaration as surplus lands. If a property is declared surplus, it will be transferred to the Department of Supply & Services (DSS) and sold by public tender, provided it is not needed by another government agency. This department may request that DSS notify all those who had expressed an interest in the lands be notified of any tender call.