BC Drops DRIPA Suspension Plan After Protests

The British Columbia government has abandoned its plan to suspend key elements of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, marking the latest reversal in a contentious effort to address a court ruling on Indigenous rights. The decision, announced on April 20, 2026, came hours after First Nations leaders indicated they would protest the proposed legislation, highlighting ongoing tensions between the province and Indigenous communities over implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

The Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, or DRIPA, was unanimously passed by the B.C. legislature on November 28, 2019. The law aims to align provincial policies with the United Nations declaration, which requires governments to secure free, prior, and informed consent from Indigenous peoples for measures affecting them. In November 2021, then-Attorney General David Eby amended the Interpretation Act to ensure all provincial laws and regulations are interpreted consistently with DRIPA.

Tensions escalated following a December 5, 2025, B.C. Court of Appeal decision in the Gitxaala Nation mineral rights case. The court ruled that...