Background
On August 20, 2019, Heiltsuk electors voted in favour of settling Heiltsuk’s herring spawn on kelp (SOK) claim against Canada and approved the settlement agreement. That settlement agreement was signed with Canada on July 16, 2019. In the late summer/early fall last year, the W̓áláqvḷa Working Group held various engagement sessions of the Heiltsuk community, community focus groups and online/paper surveys to generate potential options on what to do with the settlement funds. On December 2, 2019 Heiltsuk voters were asked to vote on the use of those funds. The majority of those voting voted in favour of paying out 100% of the settlement funds to members entitled to share in it. On December 9, 2019 the vast majority of payments to adult eligible members were made.
SOK Minors’ Trust
The SOK Minors’ Trust has been set up to protect the payments owned by eligible children until they are 19 years old. Payments for all eligible children who will be 18 years of age or younger on December 31, 2020, have been placed into trust with the independent trustee Royal Trust Corporation of Canada. Payments for children turning 19 on or before December 31, 2020 can be obtained from Chan Nowosad Boates (see above). Royal Trust will conduct information sessions with parents/guardians of the children with payments in the SOK Minors’ Trust. They will be in communication shortly to advise on how best to do it in a safe and healthy manner, given the current health pandemic. In the meantime, if you have questions about whether or not your child is included in the SOK Minors’ Trust, contact Anthony Wright, Royal Trust Corporation of Canada by email: Anthony.wright@rbc.com or by phone: (604)665-9473.
Unregistered Member Payments (Contingency)
The SOK Contingency Trust has been set up to protect payments for individuals (for example new babies and children in care) who are entitled to share in the settlement, but not registered as Heiltsuk members yet. For more information on registering as a Heiltsuk member, you can contact Monica Jackson, who is the Heiltsuk membership clerk by email: membership@heiltsuk.ca or by phone: (250) 957-2244.
General Information
For general information on any of the above, please contact Councillor Louisa Housty-Jones by email: Louisa.Jones@heiltsuk.ca or by phone: (250) 957-2381.