They’ve spent millions of dollars buying up properties but few details are known

(September 18, 2025) Métis Nation British Columbia (MNBC) has over the last few years spent $22.2 million dollars buying up properties, but very few details about how the land was purchased and how much was paid for individual parcels and to whom are known. Just in the last fiscal year more than $4.1 million dollars was paid out for land purchases but the non-profit organization is revealing little information. The actual figure for land purchase of $4,132,251 (and the $22.2 million) comes from the Audited Financial Statements for the 12 month period ending March 31, 2025, but provides zero details about the land(s) purchased.

 

In his annual report Walter Mineault – yes that would be the same suspended President of MNBC actually giving a report (we’re not kidding) – he goes on and on about various housing projects at various stages of planning but fails to provide the costs of any of the projects, nor a single dollar figure related to the purchase price of any of the land parcels that have been acquired.

 

We then reviewed a report on finances prepared by the MNBC Finance Department (this is a first) for the upcoming Annual General Meeting. Given that the report includes in its opening comments “As our government expands across all service delivery areas, financial integrity and transparency continue to be our guiding principles.” a reader of these heavy words might expect to find out more information about those land purchases but no such luck. We just find that same number of $4,132,251 described as funding for purchase of land in 2024/25. That’s it – no breakdown of what parcels and where. That’s transparency?

 

Through our own research we now know that 4 parcels of land were purchased in Hudson’s Hope in northeastern BC last October. Two of the parcels each have a small apartment building on them and two parcels are just vacant land. MNBC purchased each of the building parcels for $855,000 or a total of $1,710,000 for both. The assessed value of each of the buildings was $650,200 meaning that MNBC paid $409,600 or about 31.5% more than the total assessed value for the two buildings. In total MNBC paid $1.8 million for the 4 parcels.

 

So what happened to the other $2.3 million last fiscal year? What other land purchase(s) did MNBC spend the balance of the $4,132,251, or $2,332,251 on? Good question!

 

Here are 5 other key questions that also arise about the balance of $2.3 million:

 

1. What was the assessed value of the other land purchased for more than $2.3 million? MNBC’s track record in this area is terrible. In Hudson’s Hope they paid 31.5% more than the assessed value, and in an earlier purchase of an apartment building in Fort St. John they reportedly paid $8 million when the assessed value was only $4.5 million. That was nearly 78% more than the assessed value. By the way, that same property this year was assessed at only $4.4 million.

2. Who owned each of the parcels purchased in 2024/25?

3. Who negotiated the purchase of the parcels for MNBC?

4. Who was the real estate agent handling each of the purchases?

5. Where are the Board minutes showing Board approval for the purchases?

 

Red River Métis British Columbia President Clara Morin DalCol says, “This MNBC Board is spending millions of dollars on land purchases but shares very few details with MNBC citizens. Why the secrecy?”

 

She says, “MNBC is not a government, but a non-profit organization, and these millions of dollars are taxpayer dollars meant to help Métis people in British Columbia. MNBC Citizens have every right to see full disclosure on all aspects of land purchases.”

 

Ms. Morin DalCol says, “Citizens of MNBC need to ask the Board these questions and others at the upcoming AGM so we know all the details of these multi-million dollar land purchases. All members of the Board need to be held accountable on issues like this.”

 

If you are frustrated and tired of how MNBC operates, you really do have an option. Ms. Morin DalCol invites true Métis to join our grassroots organization which is focused on improving the lives of our true Métis people in British Columbia. Red River Métis British Columbia works on the issues that matter to our members through strong and effective advocacy work with governments.

 

Join Red River Métis - British Columbia today, by clicking on

https://www.presidentclara.com/get-involved

    

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For further information:

Contact Clara Morin DalCol

President – Red River Métis – British Columbia

Email: cmdalcol@gmail.com