The Great Land Grab Exhibit

The Great Vancouver Island Land Grab is a travelling exhibit that explores the history and legacy of the Esquimalt & Nanaimo Railway land grant of the 1880s. In exchange for building a railway across the island, nearly two million acres of land were transferred to private ownership. Much of this land supported First Nations communities for thousands of years. Today, these lands are still largely held by private forestry companies and investors, shaping how land is used and how treaty negotiations unfold.

Developed by the Vancouver Island Local History Society and the Nanaimo Museum, the exhibit will travel to libraries and public venues across Vancouver Island beginning in 2026.

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