City of Richmond joins fight against Cowichan Band ruling

The City of Richmond is appealing a B.C. Supreme Court ruling that granted the Cowichan Tribes title to hundreds of acres of land in southeast Richmond.

On Thursday, Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie said the court’s recent decision undermined fee simple ownership of properties under the B.C. Land Title Act.

Brodie said the ruling was unprecedented and “compromises the entire land title system in British Columbia.”

“Property owners in Richmond and throughout the province can no longer rely on their title confirming a fee simple interest as conclusive evidence of absolute ownership of their land. The court’s untenable decision cannot remain unchallenged,” he said.

The B.C. government has already confirmed it will appeal the landmark ruling.

The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs says the court