Treaty 1 First Nations and the federal government have come to an agreement in principle over the former Kapyong Barracks land.

An agreement was signed in Winnipeg on Wednesday, April 11, 2018, that will see the removal of buildings and infrastructure currently on the property.

The demolition is slated to continue in May and will take up to two years to complete. In 2017 a number of houses on the property were taken down along Corydon Avenue.

Although this agreement is the first step the sale has not been finalized. Ottawa and the Treaty 1 First Nations still need to work out details for the use of the close to 65 hectares of land situated along Kenaston Boulevard between River Heights and Tuxedo.

The land has been mostly vacant since 2004 when the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry moved to Shilo about 180 kilometres west of Winnipeg.

Initially, the land was going to be sold to a crown corporation but Treaty 1 members took the government to court claiming they had not been consulted and that they had a right to the land under Treaty Land Entitlement Provisions. In 2009 a judge agreed with them but the case was appealed by the government several times. In 2015 then Prime Minister Steven Harper announced that the federal government would not appeal the court’s decision regarding the land.

Part of the land is also wanted by the City of Winnipeg so that the proposed widening of Kenaston Boulevard (Route 90) can proceed. Without gaining several parcels of land from the former base the city will not be able to expand the route.

© 2018 News 4, a DigiPix Media Group company

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