First Nations

Highlights on Progress

B.C. is home to 203 First Nation communities - the most culturally and linguistically diverse groups of First Nation people in the country

There are approximately 130,000 First Nations people living throughout British Columbia, with approximately 38 per cent of the population living on reserves.

Since the Transformative Change Accord was signed in 2005 with the BC Assembly of First Nations, First Nations Summit, and the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, the Province and First Nations leaders have worked together to find ways to close the social and economic gaps that exist between First Nations and other British Columbians.

Recent successes:

• Signed modern-day treaties with six First Nations, including Tsawwassen First Nation and the five Maa-nulth First Nations, and initialled a Final Agreement with Yale First Nation.
• Reached strategic engagement agreements with the Nanwakolas First Nations, the Tsilhqot’in National Government and the Ktunaxa Nation Council that will streamline consultation on natural resource decisions, provide increased certainty for investors.
  
• Restored the name Haida Gwaii to the Queen Charlotte Islands, in recognition of the long history and habitation of the Haida Nation.
• Celebrated the naming of the Salish Sea, which recognizes the Juan de Fuca Strait, the Strait of Georgia and Puget Sound as a single marine ecosystem and acknowledges the long history of the Coast Salish First Nations in this area.
• Signed two Reconciliation Protocols; one with six of the Coastal First Nations and one with the Haida Nation that encourage economic activity, sustainable growth and sustainable prosperity for these communities.
• Signed two Economic and Community Development Agreements - one with McLeod Lake Indian Band and the other with the Stk'emlupsemc of the Secwepemc Nation.
• School districts and Aboriginal communities created, signed and implemented additional Aboriginal Education Enhancement Agreements around the province, for a total of 50 out of 60 school districts.
• Encouraging Aboriginal students to start, stay in and succeed in post-secondary education, through programs including new courses and curriculum, events, student services and culturally welcoming Gathering Places on public institution campuses.
• More than 239 Aboriginal people received trades training as part of a Canada/BC Labour Market Agreement.
• Provided more than 480 homeless Aboriginal people with housing and supports through the Aboriginal Homeless Outreach Program.
• Working with the federal government, provided high-speed internet services to 148 of 203 First Nations.
• First Nations early childhood health screening programs were implemented in all First Nations schools.
• Supporting Aboriginal communities to design and develop their own culturally-based approaches for the care and protection of their children and families.

More highlights

Success Stories

Ahp-cii-uk

Ahp-cii-uk, which began in February 2008, is an innovative and unique community-driven consensus-based approach to building lasting trust relationships among partners from all sectors of society. Ahp-cii-uk helps the partner First Nation communities of Ahousaht, Ehattesaht and Tseshaht improve their communities to become good places to raise healthy Nuu-chah-nulth children by building capacity and understanding through working on priorities identified by community members. This unique, innovative program was originally established by the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, the Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation, Health Canada and the Synergos Institute. Other First Nations, responding to what they have seen and heard about Ahp-cii-uk, have expressed interest in being part of the Ahp-cii-uk family.

You can learn more about Ahp-cii-uk’s approach and background by reading A Handbook for Creating Lasting Change in First Nation Communities.

Four Host First Nations Welcome the World

As the first Indigenous hosts of an Olympic Games, the Four Host First Nations–Lil’wat, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh – achieved something historic, unprecedented and amazingly successful.

“This has been an overwhelming experience. A success beyond my wildest dreams,” rejoiced Four Host First Nations CEO Tewanee Joseph.

The Four Host First Nations, on whose traditional and shared traditional territories the Games were held, played a key role in bringing the 2010 Winter Games to Vancouver. From winning the bid in Prague, to the torch relay, to Aboriginal content and performances in the opening and closing ceremonies, to the 2010 Aboriginal Pavilion, the Four Host First Nations were integral to the success of the Games.

The 2010 Aboriginal Pavilion showcased Aboriginal art, business, food and music to the world, revealing why Aboriginal culture–First Nations, Inuit, and Métis–is an important part of B.C.’s past, present and future. More than 242,000 people visited the 2010 Aboriginal Pavilion – up to 22,000 each day – and an estimated 610 Aboriginal performers from across Canada celebrated through dancing, drumming, storytelling and music.

First Nations also benefited economically, with more than 100 Aboriginal owned companies delivering Olympic contracts worth more than fifty million dollars.

“These results have exceeded all our expectations. Events and activities at the Pavilion have galvanized and captivated the attention of so many people we now consider our friends.” said Joseph.”We couldn’t have done this without the support of partners such as senior governments and VANOC.”

In recognition of the achievements of the Four Host First Nations, the B.C. Government proclaimed May 27, 2010 as Four Host First Nations Day.

Video: B.C. congratulates Four Host First Nations
Video: Four Host First Nations prepare for 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games
Video: Four Host First Nations

Nanwakolas Strategic Engagement Agreement

“We are committed to diversifying our economy and creating new business opportunities – not only for Nanwakolas First Nations, but for other coastal communities.” - Dallas Smith, president of the Nanwakolas Council.

Demonstrating leadership and vision, the numerous First Nations associated with Nanwakolas Council signed the first-ever Strategic Engagement Agreement (SEA) with the Province. This $2.05-million agreement builds on the success of the Nanwakolas clearinghouse pilot project and will help secure a prosperous future for the Nanwakolas people and their region as a whole.

“We are pleased that the Province has been willing to take the New Relationship to the next step with our nations,” says Mamalilikulla Qwe Qwa Sot'em Chief Harold Sewid. “It is important for nations with little or no capacity to be able to participate and eventually make decisions that impact their territories without borrowing from the future through the B.C. Treaty Commission process.”

The SEA establishes co-ordinated, government-to-government consultation with signatory First Nations and six resource ministries, removes barriers to investment and helps close the gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities. 

Strategic engagement agreements like this one demonstrate the growing momentum of the New Relationship, ensuring that the spirit of that relationship is translating into a real and beneficial economic reality for Aboriginal people in the province, and for all British Columbians.

 In 2007, the clearinghouse pilot project began the process of streamlining First Nations consultation within the traditional territories of signatory First Nations. Under the current SEA, there are six participating Nanwakolas Council First Nations: Da’naxda’xw Awaetlala, Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw, K’omoks, Kwakiutl, Mamalilikulla-Qwe’Qwa’Sot’Em and Tlowitsis with traditional territories covering roughly 3.2 million hectares from Parksville to north of Cape Caution, and extending inland from Knight Inlet on the Mainland. 

Salish Sea Naming – Another Step Toward Reconciliation

On July 15, 2010, Coast Salish leaders welcomed Lieutenant-Governor Steven Point and former Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation George Abbott to the Songhees waterfront for a colourful and lively ceremony to celebrate the official naming of the Salish Sea.

The Coast Salish people have traversed this waterway for thousands of years and the new name pays homage to that history by demonstrating an understanding and appreciation of their culture.

To celebrate the naming of the Salish Sea, Coast Salish Chiefs, Elders and dancers gave the name “Salish Sea” to a canoe that was hand-carved and painted by the Lieutenant Governor Steven Point and master-carver KwaGulth Hereditary Chief Tony Hunt.

“The designation of the name Salish Sea is an historic acknowledgement of our Peoples’ connection to our lands and waterways since time immemorial,” said Squamish Nation Chief Gibby Jacob on behalf of the member tribes of the Coast Salish of British Columbia.

“The naming of the Salish Sea is a timely response to the need for the governing bodies of the region to recognize their common responsibility for protecting the health of this precious ecosystem,” said Swinomish Chairman Brian Cladoosby on behalf of the member tribes of the Coast Salish of Western Washington.

The Salish Sea encompasses inland waterways stretching from the south end of Puget Sound in Washington State to Desolation Sound at the northern end of the Strait of Georgia in B.C., including the Juan de Fuca Strait. Similar to the Great Lakes, adding Salish Sea as the umbrella-name for the larger body of water will not change names already in place.

Video: Celebrating the official naming of the Salish Sea

Community Perspective: T’Sou-ke Nation Goes Solar

The west coast of Vancouver Island may not spring to mind when you think sunshine, but that hasn’t stopped T’Sou-ke First Nation from launching an innovative project to become B.C.’s first solar community.

“For most of our history, First Nations were rooted in the traditions of sustainable living and respect for the land," says T'Sou-ke Nation Chief Gordon Planes, "and the Sum-SHA-Thut project is the first step in achieving energy self-sufficiency once again."

The Sum-SHA-Thut project, the Sencoten term for "sunshine”, was identified early on as a priority project during the community’s planning session. With the help of $400,000 from the BC Innovative Clean Energy Fund, T’Sou-ke was able to turn their vision into reality. “This was a chance to get everyone working together on a project everyone is excited about,” explained one T’Sou-ke elder. “It just really united the community and generates a sense of pride.”

Everyone in T’Sou-ke  Nation has had input in this wide ranging project. Activities included retrofitting houses to be more energy efficient, a demonstration of three solar technology models, solar hot water and training of solar technicians from the community. The result is that the project is six times larger than any other solar installation of its kind in B.C.

As project manager Andrew Moore explained, going solar is part of T’Sou-ke’s goal to increase economic activity. “The T’Sou-ke Centre for Sustainable Living is aiming to achieve a high level of self-sufficiency in energy, food production and economic development. Many of the T’Sou-ke trainees previously displaced from traditional fishing and logging industries now find opportunities as leaders in the fast-growing renewable energy industry.” T’Sou-ke isn’t keeping this knowledge for themselves either. “It’s a tradition that you give your first project away,” says Andrew. “If you are making a mask or a paddle you give it away, so we’ve agreed that we will make this information available. T’Sou-ke Nation hosted 50 First Nations and other communities to provide information and inspiration on ways to pursue economic development and alternative energy leadership.

Their vision is to help First Nations communities currently reliant on fossil fuel for power to make the move to solar. With the high and rising cost of diesel, solar energy is quickly becoming a viable option for off-grid First Nation communities.

Going solar has galvanized the community, provided economic opportunities and made T’Sou-ke an alternative energy leader in B.C. As a solar community they are helping to shape a brighter, greener future for British Columbia.