In the late 1800s, 888 acres of Blood Tribe reserve lands were taken from the Blood Tribe by the Canadian Department of the Interior pursuant to alleged surrender. The Blood Tribe disagreed that the reserve lands were surrendered. In 1970, 219 acres of reserve land was returned to the Blood Tribe. The Blood Tribe filed two specific claims with the Government of Canada with respect to the balance of the lands. As a result, the Blood Tribe and Canada entered into two settlement agreements wherein the Blood Tribe received compensation for the purposes of acquiring and converting 669 acres of land to Blood Tribe reserve status.

The “Akers 1 Lands” are the 444 acres of land acquired on behalf of the Blood Tribe via the first settlement agreement with Canada. The “Akers 2 Lands” are the 216.78 acres acquired on behalf of the Blood Tribe. There is a remaining right to acquire and convert to reserve status an additional 8.22 acres of land.

On October 25, 2017, a referendum was held and the designation of the Akers 1 lands pursuant to the Pre-reserve Designation document was assented to by a majority of the voting members of the Blood Tribe who voted in the referendum.

Yes, as the Akers 1 Lands and Akers 2 Lands will be fully-integrated, the Pre-reserve Designation for the Akers 2 Lands is substantially similar to the Pre-reserve Designation.

Pursuant to the Indian Act, reserve lands cannot be leased, nor can any rights or interests be granted in reserve lands unless they have been designated. The Pre-reserve Designation permits the Akers 2 Lands to be leased and subleased for commercial, retail, agricultural, recreational, light industrial, institutional, and educational purposes.

A designation does not extinguish the Blood Tribe’s interest in the reserve lands. Reserve lands which are designated do not lose their status as reserve lands — they remain part of the Blood Tribe’s reserve and are still held for the use and benefit of the Blood Tribe.

The Pre-reserve Designation will permit the Blood Tribe to develop the Akers 2 Lands for economic benefit of the Blood Tribe’s members by leasing the Akers 2 Lands to individuals or entities so that they may reside or operate their business or other ventures on the reserve lands.

Yes, the mandate of the Blood Tribe Akers Development Trust is to maximize the sustainable generation of revenue from the Akers 1 Lands and the Akers 2 Lands. This should create employment and other economic opportunities for Blood Tribe members.

The term of the designation is ninety-nine (99) years from the date the Akers 2 Lands are set apart as reserve.

Tenants will make payments for the purposes of maintaining and serving the property. These payments could take the form of operational costs or property management fees and will pay for the ongoing maintenance and service of the Akers 2 Lands. Items addressed by these payments may include roadways and traffic infrastructure, utilities infrastructure, landscaping, and garbage disposal and recycling.

The Akers 1 Lands and Akers 2 Lands are located east of Coalhurst Alberta and border both Highway 509 and the Oldman River.