BC’s tenth Indigenous sentencing court held its first sitting on December 11, 2025. It was the culmination of a process that began when the Stó:lō people in S’ólh Téméxw (Stó:lō territory) invited the Provincial Court to work with them to develop an Indigenous sentencing court in Chilliwack. 

These specialized courts have been established around BC to help address the overrepresentation of Indigenous people involved in the criminal justice system. In them, an Indigenous person accepts responsibility for their actions and the court uses a holistic, restorative approach in sentencing. Indigenous Elders who have completed an orientation program work with the individual, lawyers, and Native court workers to devise a healing plan that addresses their needs and those of the community. The judge often incorporates the healing plan in the sentence they impose.

In each community, an Advisory Committee works with Elders to decide what offences the court will deal with. Indigenous courts usually deal with less serious offences. The Indigenous person must plead guilty, and the prosecutor must agree to move their case to the Indigenous court.

A judge explains how the Williams Lake Indigenous Court works

Reconciliation in Action: BC’s Indigenous Courts VIDEO (3 1/2 minutes) 

A judge explains BC’s First Nation and Indigenous courts VIDEO (8 1/2 minutes) 

Starting an Indigenous court

It takes a strong commitment and a huge amount of work for a community to start an Indigenous court. The complex process is  outlined in the eNews article, What does it take to start an Indigenous court in BC?

For the Chilliwack court, the Stó:lō people in S’ólh Téméxw collaborated with the Court, local community members, service providers, the BC Court Services Branch, the Ministry of the Attorney General, BC First Nations Justice Council, the Native Courtworker and Counselling Association of BC, Legal Aid BC, RCMP, Crown counsel, Victim Services, BC Corrections, Correctional Service of Canada and other partners to plan and prepare for the court. 

The Chilliwack Indigenous court will operate as a pilot until March 2027. 

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Indigenous courts’ impact

“Reconciliation in Action”, a 2024 report on the New Westminster First Nations Court, examined the stories of 20 participants. It concluded that the involvement of elders, healing plans, Indigenous services and wrap-around client support had proven to be important factors in reducing participants’ risk of reoffending. Having clients attend court regularly for reviews had increased their supervision and accountability. The report concluded the court had a positive impact on clients’ lives and on public safety while it also contributed to reconciliation. 

Participants in other BC Indigenous courts have made comments like, “I was emotional, but it got me to get in touch with my Indigenous roots which I had lost over the years. … It made me into a better person and touched me in a way I cannot really explain. I was at very rock bottom, and I did not see myself getting out of it and now it has pushed me.”

Clients’ stories reveal Indigenous court’s impact

Reconciliation in Action Report 2024

Judge’s story illustrates Cknucwentn First Nations Court’s impact

The BC Provincial Court adopted a Reconciliation Framework this year. Chief Judge Melissa Gillespie said, “Continuing to work with Indigenous peoples to learn and understand adapted court processes and, where appropriate, implement those processes in court proceedings is one aspect of the Court’s Reconciliation Framework. Working with communities on Indigenous courts is an important way we do that.”

BC Provincial Court Reconciliation Framework