Kwantlen First Nation members who were taking part in the band鈥檚 rent to own program to buy their homes were abruptly told that all their homes are now rental-only on Wednesday, March 29.
The move comes as the existing, hereditary band council is locked in a protracted dispute with a new band council chosen by a public assembly, with each side claiming legitimacy and the support of the Kwantlen community.
A recording of the meeting at which the residents of about a dozen homes were informed of the changes was released by the assembly council.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a little bit of changes with the rental program,鈥� a woman can be heard saying as people enter and sit down.
She then explains that the option of rent to own has been changed and all homes are now rental-only.
鈥淓ven if you鈥檝e already paid in for seven years?鈥� someone asks.
鈥淗ow can they change a contract that鈥檚 already been written?鈥� is another question.
The person running the meeting says the new policy has been crafted and legally reviewed.
鈥淲e couldn鈥檛 go to the bank for ourselves and get a mortgage, and this was supposed to help us,鈥� said one person, expressing anger. 鈥淲e would get a piece of paper at the end of the 25 years, with a house, for our kids, and you鈥檝e taken that away with no consultation. How dare you. And you can tell chief and council how dare they do that.鈥�
Other attendees question why there鈥檚 been no advance notice or discussion.
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鈥淚 had a feeling this was going to be a bad meeting, because of how quickly it was called,鈥� one person says on the recording.
Another person brings up a 鈥渂ad relationship鈥� with the band office and the hereditary chief, and others are upset that they鈥檝e been given only two days notice of the change.
The assembly council, which consists of Brandon Gabriel, Chris Thomas, and Victor Back, issued a statement after the event saying that there had been no consultations or band meetings.
鈥淭his is unacceptable. It鈥檚 wrong. And it must be stopped,鈥� said the statement.
The assembly council has been locked in a political conflict with the council led by hereditary Chief Marilyn Gabriel, who has led the band for decades.
The hereditary council remains the one recognized by the federal government.
Robert Jago, a Kwantlen First Nation member and journalist who speaks for the elected council, said that across many reserves in Canada, rent to own is a common process.
All reserve land is held by the band, he explained, but housing comes in two basic categories.
Homes can be privately owned, on a lot assigned by the band, or they can be housing built by the band and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).
Those band-built homes can be rentals or rent to own. After paying rent monthly for 15 to 25 years, residents can own the building outright, which means they can make renovations and repairs as they like, without waiting for the band to authorize changes, Jago said. It鈥檚 a very popular option, he said.
The change means that for a dozen families, they are no longer prospective homeowners, Jago said.
鈥淪uddenly, they鈥檙e incredibly precarious,鈥� he said.
The assembly-elected council hosted an online meeting about the change on Thursday.
The 91原创 Advance Times has reached out to the KFN鈥檚 hereditary council for a comment.
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