Walpole Island First Nation (WIFN) is almost at the finish line to finally settle a long standing land dispute with the Government of Canada.
The proposed settlement is worth $46 million for land near Petrolia that was taken from the First Nation nearly 160 years ago and sold without consent, according to WIFN.
The deal was reached in February 2023 and now Walpole Island has to determine what to do with the money.
Some options on the table include sharing the cash with the membership or putting it in a trust fund.
They also have the option of buying 400 acres of land to return it to reserve status.
A public information session is tentatively set for mid-July to explain the proposed deal, answer questions, and outline the next steps.
The proposed agreement must still be approved by the First Nation by a 50 per cent plus one vote of eligible voters.
The Government of Canada will hand over the money once the settlement is approved and signed, but Walpole Island has to repay any outstanding loans accrued during negotiations.
Walpole Island said negotiations started in 1983 and claimed the government "failed to act in the best interest of WIFN" when it sold the claimed area without consent.
Walpole Island noted it had a chance to settle the claim in 1998, but didn't ratify Canada's $2 million settlement offer at that time.
Negotiations restarted in 2018 and an agreement was reached four months ago.