The town of Oka has frozen development for up to two years on contested land near "the Pines" - the property at the heart of the 1990 Oka crisis - while negotiations continue between the federal government, Kanesatake Mohawks and the private landowner, Norfolk Financial.
The freeze, adopted at a special council meeting on Saturday, is renewable for another two years. The municipal resolution also would allow for expropriation, if necessary.
Oka Mayor Richard Lalonde said the freeze is meant to buy peace, while the interested parties negotiate the purchase of the contested lots.
"I want to assure everyone: no one is interested in reliving the events of 1990," the mayor said Wednesday in a news release.
Norfolk Financial bought the contested land in 1990, and has indicated plans to build three luxury homes on the lots.
The company does not yet have a permit to build on the 130,000-square-foot plot of land but has made known its intention to begin clearing the land of trees.
Discussions between the federal government and the Mohawks on their land claims are expected to begin Aug. 12.