VICTORIA, B.C.: One year later, the Cowichan decision still hangs over every homeowner, business owner, and investor in B.C. The NDP government has failed to answer a simple question: are property rights in this province secure?
On August 7, 2025, the British Columbia Supreme Court ruled that Aboriginal title takes precedence over fee simple private property rights and granted the Cowichan title to over 700 acres of land in Richmond.
“The NDP have had a year to address the fallout of the Cowichan decision, but they have failed,” said Steve Kooner, Shadow Minister for Attorney General. “The message is clear: property rights are not secure anywhere in B.C. And when property rights aren’t protected, homeowners, banks and British Columbians are at risk. We have already seen investors pull away and businesses shut down, and those that remain have very uncertain futures.”
Then there’s the NDP’s handling of DRIPA, which has only added to the uncertainty around land use and title across the province, leaving property owners and investors with no clear sense of where they stand.
“At a time when B.C. needs certainty, the NDP’s antics have muddied the waters even more,” said Kooner. “They repeatedly promised to deal with DRIPA but repeatedly backed down when faced with pressure from Indigenous groups and his cabinet. Now, they have no plan, and the credibility and authority of the government is in the gutter. Meanwhile, Richmond residents remain justifiably anxious about their future and the economy continues to suffer.”
“The NDP have failed at their most basic responsibility: providing British Columbians with certainty that their homes, their investments, and their future are secure,” said Hon. Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Leader of the Conservative Party of B.C. “A Conservative government would provide much-need certainty, and under my Western Alliance plan we will push for constitutional reform to protect private property rights.”
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