Community land trusts build power through collective land stewardship. Instead of enriching few, community land trusts restructure land as an asset for community-wealth building.

However, on Turtle Island (also known as North America), the land in question has been stolen from Indigenous peoples, who previously stewarded it since time immemorial.

To date, Indigenous rights and sovereignty have not been fulsomely addressed by the community land trust sector. Challenging conversations and actionable commitments to reconciliation and decolonization are long overdue.

As the community land trust sector enters a new stage of growth, we encourage non-Indigenous community land trusts to learn and take creative action to support Indigenous sovereignty.

While there is a precedent of Indigenous-led environmental land trusts, Indigenous communities are developing community land trust for a variety of aims specifically to each community.

Learning about the Land

• Do you know whose ancestral lands you are on?
• Are those lands subjects to any treaties?

Colonialism’s Ongoing Impact

• Learn about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action and Canada’s progress
• Definition of Indigenous Homelessness in Canada

Land Back & Rematriation

• Land Rematriation Guide: Returning Indigenous Lands to Indigenous Hands
• Land Rematriation examples

Building Respectful Relationships

• Using accurate language
• Indigenous Ally Toolkit

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