VICTORIA – Five Vancouver Island First Nations have signed pre-treaty agreements with the British Columbia government that include land deals in advance of final treaties.

The five First Nations are all on southern Vancouver Island and include the urban Victoria Songhees First Nation, two bands near Sooke, the Malahat First Nation and the Snaw-naw-as Nation north of Nanaimo.

Aboriginals Relations Minister Ida Chong says the pre-treaty deals are part of the government’s ongoing Incremental Treaty Agreements program that offers partial settlements during the treaty negotiation process.

She says the Songhees will receive two pieces of property immediately, including a parking lot near the B.C. legislature and the current site of a government liquor store in Esquimalt.

Chong says once a final treaty is negotiated, the Songhees will get the property in Victoria that is the current site of the Provincial Capital Commission office.

Snaw-naw-as Chief David Bob says he is humbled and proud to be signing a deal today that helps provide economic stability for his people.