The Federal and Provincial governments have announced a $183 million settlement with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation over land in the Rouge River Valley on Sunday, March 8, 2026/
The deal closes a treaty dispute; a land claim that dates back more than two centuries.
Indigenous song and drums set the tone as the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation gathered to mark a significant moment. The celebration followed the final settlement of the Rouge River Valley Tract Claim, an agreement signed last October between the First Nation, Canada and Ontario.
“I’m very happy that it’s finally come to fruition and that the governments could actually agree and acknowledge what this land means to us,” said one attendee.
“Happiness, excitement for progress to be made. It’s a long time coming,” said another attendee.
Negotiations between the federal government and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation began in 2022, with Ontario joining talks in the fall of 2024.
The goal was to address historic wrongs outside the courts and reach fair financial compensation from the Crown.
“I think it’s important, the negotiation process, that we’re sitting down together as, in this case tripartite, so First Nation, Canada and the provincial government, to be able to work through the historic claims. But it’s also that opportunity to build that relationship,” said Rebecca Alty, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations.
Community leaders stood alongside federal and provincial officials, recognizing a claim rooted in treaty issues that date back to the late 1700s.
For many here, the agreement represents a long-awaited step toward reconciliation.
“It gives us closure and it gives us hope for the future. We have other land claims that we’ve settled so this is just another one. But it’s a really good feeling to go forward and to be able to work with the government in a good and respectful way,” said Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation Chief Margaret Sault.
The claim centres on treaty agreements covering nearly 129,000 acres along the north shore of Lake Ontario, including parts of Toronto, Markham and Pickering, where the First Nation says its rights were not fully respected.
Under the settlement, Canada and Ontario will pay a total of $183.4 million with $108.4 million from the federal government and $75 million from the province.
This claim goes back more than 200 years, and leaders said today’s celebration represents years of negotiation and collaboration. They said this settlement is about more than money, it’s about acknowledging history and helping the community build its future.
“The Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation on this day came together with the federal government and the provincial government, in my view, to settle this claim as a pivot point to move forward as partners,” said Greg Rickford, Minister of Indigenous Affairs for the province.
Rickford said agreements like this open the door to stronger partnerships and a shared path forward.
