Minister of Northern Affairs Daniel Vandal and Senator Marty Klyne take part in a Grand Opening for the historic land transfer at Batoche National Historic Site/Parks Canada

Parks Canada is transferring about 690 hectares (1,705 acres) of land on the west side of the Batoche National Historic Site to the citizens of the Métis Nation – Saskatchewan.

Located on the South Saskatchewan River an hour northeast of Saskatoon, Batoche commemorates the armed conflict between the Métis Provisional Government and the Canadian government in 1885, the Métis community at Batoche and the Métis river lot system. It was declared a national historic site in 1923 and attracts about 14,000 visitors a year.

The federal government acknowledges the “deep and enduring connections” that Métis have with Batoche and says the land transfer contributes to reconciliation and ensures the continued natural and cultural protection of ancestral homelands.

The land involved in the July transfer at Batoche National Historic Site in Saskatchewan/Parks Canada

“The Batoche grounds have always been important to our Métis citizens, our history and the resistance,” Glen McCallum, president of Métis – Nation Saskatchewan, said in a news release. “This was the defining moment for us as Métis in Saskatchewan. The repatriation of Batoche lands is tangible and starts the path to reconciliation. There is a deep connection for us at Batoche. We, as Métis people, will determine the best use of this land that will respect our ancestors’ ultimate sacrifice in how we will honour and uphold their vision.”

Since the late 1990s, the Métis Nation – Saskatchewan has expressed the desire to acquire Crown lands at and around Batoche. Lands located to the northeast of Batoche were previously transferred to the Métis Society of Saskatchewan (predecessor to Métis Nation – Saskatchewan) in 1996 and are festival grounds for the annual “Back to Batoche” festival.

The Batoche Shuttle can transport up to 48 people at a time around the national historic site/Parks Canada

In 1998, Parks Canada and Métis Nation – Saskatchewan signed the Batoche National Historic Site Management Agreement, which provided for the creation of a Shared Management Board for the site.

In December 2020, Parks Canada and Métis Nation – Saskatchewan agreed to explore and discuss a full range of options related to the future management of Batoche.

Batoche National Historic Site can now be broken down into three distinct parcels:

• East side lands which are protected under the Canada National Parks Act (including the visitor center and other buildings) and remain under federal administration.
• West side lands which are comprised of lands owned by Parks Canada, which are not listed in the National Historic Sites of Canada Order and therefore not included under the Canada National Parks Act, however these lands protect important Métis cultural resources. About 690 hectares of these lands are being transferred to Métis Nation—Saskatchewan
• Northeast lands which were transferred to the Métis Nation—Saskatchewan in 1996 and are now used by the Métis Nation—Saskatchewan as festival grounds for the annual Back to Batoche festival.