E&N Railway Grant

The E&N railway grant represents the single largest case of alienation of land in Hul'gumi'num territory. The influence of the massive land transfer are still evident today. In 1887, the area known as 'E&N Railway grant lands' were transferred from the Federal Government to the coal baron James Dunsmuir as part of an agreement to construct a railway on Southeastern Vancouver Island. In total the grant lands cover 838,073ha of Southeastern Vancouver Island, 289,327ha of which are within HTG core territory.

This represents 82.6% of the land area of HTG core territory. Dunsmuir sold off large tracts of land (keeping subsurface title) to forest companies to fund the railroad project. None of the governments of the day consulted, accommodated, or compensated First nations for the E&N land grant or subsequent land sales.

The legacy of the E&N land grant can still be seen on the landscape as the huge amount of land, 198,000ha (60% of HTG core territory), held privately by forestry companies in the E&N railway grant area (see 'Forestry' map for more information). the land grant also left a legacy in the particular way subsurface rights are divided today (see 'Mining Oil & Gas' map for more information).

For more information on the Hul’qumi’num peoples strategic vision on the E&N Railway Grant, please see the HTG’s book: The Great Land Grab