Ha Shilth Sa Newspaper November 30, 2023

INTERESTING NEWS Canada’s Oldest First Nations Newspaper - Serving Nuu-chah-nulth-aht since 1974 Canadian Publications Mail Product Vol. 50 - No. 23—November 30, 2023 haas^i>sa Sales Agreement No. 40047776

Manslaughter pleas given in child’s death Initial charge of first degree murder has been lowered in death of sixyear-old Dontay-Patrick Lucas, says boy’s father

By Denise Titian Ha-Shilth-Sa Reporter

Melissa Renwick photo

There are shoreline cleanups in Kyuquot Sound every summer, taking care of ocean debris that currents bring to the coast.

Province funds $49M coastal cleanup Clean Coast, Clean Waters Initiative backs eight projects to clean a combined 1,400 kilometers of shoreline, involving partnerships with 10 Nuu-chah-nulth nations

By Alexandra Mehl Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Through the Clean Coast, Clean Waters (CCCW) initiative, the province has funded over $49 million for eight projects that will clean more than 1,400 kilometers of coastal shorelines, removing at least 70 derelict vessels and creating 630 new jobs.

For Nuu-chah-nulth, Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’/ Che:k’tles7et’h’, Tla-o-qui-aht, Yuułuʔiłʔath, Huu-ay-aht, Uchucklesaht, Tseshaht, Toquaht, Hesquiaht, Nuchatlaht and Mowachaht/Muchalaht are among the First Nations that will benefit from these projects as partners of recipient organizations.

The Ocean Legacy Foundation, Coastal Restoration Society, Rugged Coast Research Society, Campbell River Association of Tour Operators and K’yuu Enterprise Corporation have received more than $10.5 million each, with the funding total amounting to $49.8 million.

“The [CCCW] initiative is an important part of the CleanBC Plastics Action Plan to reduce plastic waste and pollution in the environment,” reads the provincial press release. “The initiative has ties to the Coastal Marine Strategy, which is being co-developed by coastal First Nations and [the] Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship.”

“Derelict vessels, plastics and ocean debris do not belong on our beaches or

coastline. With the help of [CCCW] projects, we have made significant progress towards the protection and restoration of our marine ecosystems by keeping these items off our beaches and food chain,” said George Heyman, minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, in the provincial press release. “These projects also highlight the importance of First Nations’ stewardship in safeguarding the natural beauty we enjoy.”

The Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’/Che:k:tles7et’h’ First Nations (KCFN) have been working with the Rugged Coast Research Society and the Ocean Legacy Foundation for years, said Jeff Neilson, director of Lands and Resources as well as Stewardship/Witwaak Territory Monitoring for KCFN. “It’s a really good opportunity to partner with service providers that have that sort of capacity that can manage these projects and manage the logistics,” said Neilson. “The volume of material that comes out is quite high.”

“The weather and ocean current patterns bring an awful lot of stuff here,” he added. “There are cleanups basically every summer, along KCFN territories and there’s always garbage to be removed from the beaches.”

The Ocean Legacy Foundation received $2.5 million for its Marine Debris Removal and Recycling project, which will work to clean 353 kilometers of debrispolluted shoreline, in partnership with Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’/Che:k:tles7et’h’, as well

Inside this issue...

How do Tofino’s lower wage workers get by?...............Page 3 New 22-unit short-term housing complex......................Page 7 Government makes big conservation pledges........Pages 8 & 9 Largest herring spawn since mid 70s............................Page 11 BC Hydro calls for power.............................................Page 15

as Tla-o-qui-aht, Yuułuʔiłʔath, and others.

The Rugged Coast Research Society received $471, 000 for the removal of 14 derelict vessels throughout Kyuquot Sound with an additional six to ten vessels that may be identified for removal throughout the course of the project’s survey’s and consultation, reads the press release.

“The Witwaak patrol the territories and keep track of, in the case of derelict vessels… keep GIS records for location,” said Neilson, adding that they keep track of derelict vessels, keeping GIS records to locate them, with data on size, types of vessels and approximate weight. “[W] hen we do have opportunities like this, to have vessels removed, we can go with an already formatted list to service providers.”

“The [CCCW] initiative allows our team to do more of what we love, which is to carry out remote restoration projects,” said Renny Talbot, director and biologist for the Rugged Coast Research Society, in the provincial press release. “We look forward to continued collaboration with partner non-profits and Indigenous governments supporting the province in their work to create jobs and support coastal communities.”

“The stewardship of the territories is an innate responsibility of the nations,” said Neilson. “Being able to participate in that work and direct that work is really important.”

Port Alberni, BC – A grieving father is disappointed that his former partner and her husband both pled guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter in the 2018 death of six-year-old Dontay-Patrick Lucas.

The couple were initially charged with first degree murder, which, by definition, involves planning and deliberation.

“The Crown proceeded in this case on a new indictment charging the accused with manslaughter,” wrote Dan McLaughlin, communications counsel for the BC Prosecution Service, in an email to Ha-Shilth-Sa. “The decision to accept a plea to manslaughter by the two accused in this case was made after a full and careful review of the facts of the offence, the relevant case law and personal circumstances of the offenders.”

Dontay Lucas, 6, died from a head injury on March 13, 2018.

Earlier that morning at about 9:30 a.m. the RCMP responded to a call at a townhouse in south Port Alberni to a report of a child in medical distress. The unresponsive boy was transported to hospital, but sadly, did not survive. Initial reports said that the boy was critically injured from a fall down the stairs.

The death was ruled suspicious, and an investigation was launched by the RCMP and BC Coroner’s Service.

After four years of investigation, on May 7, 2022 the RCMP announced that after “painstaking efforts” were made to collect evidence, arrests had been made in the death of little Dontay Lucas. Dontay’s mother, Rykel Frank, and her now husband Mitchell Frank were charged with first-degree murder.

Both Charleson, 29, and Frank, 30, appeared at a preliminary hearing in Port Alberni Law Courts on June 12, 2023.

In Canada, a preliminary inquiry is a judicial hearing that is used in serious criminal cases to determine whether the evidence assembled by the Crown against an accused person is sufficient to proceed with a trial.

Conitunes on page 3.

If undeliverable, please return to: Ha-Shilth-Sa P.O. Box 1383, Port Alberni, B.C. V9Y 7M2

Page 2— Ha-Shilth-Sa—November 30, 2023

Tseshaht gets $2.7M to locate missing AIRS children Funding will help First Nation’s investigation into residential school deaths, and delivering records to families

By Alexandra Mehl Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Port Alberni, BC - On Nov. 16, Tseshaht First Nation and the federal government announced $2.7 million in funding to continue work locating and commemorating missing children who attended Alberni Indian Residential School (AIRS), with a total investment that now amounts to over $3.2 million.

“Tseshaht has always supported AIRS survivors and this funding will ensure the truth is shared as there is no reconciliation without first truth,” said Wally Samuel of Ahousaht, who is an AIRS survivor, in the press release. “We look forward to Canada contributing these funds so Tseshaht and survivors can carry on this sacred yet difficult work.”

It was in July of 2022 when Tseshaht began their first phase of scanning on grounds of the former residential school.

Meanwhile research was underway, and after 18 months of work findings were released by the Nation, alongside the 26 Calls for Truth and Justice.

Prior to the Tseshaht’s scanning and research the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation Memorial Register accounted for 29 students who passed away while attending the school. But the First Nation determined that the number of students who died at the school was at a minimum of 67, alongside a minimum of 17 suspected graves sites, reads a press release from Tseshaht.

“Tseshaht First Nation is pleased to receive this additional support from the Government of Canada as we head into the second phase of our difficult, important, and sacred work,” said Tseshaht

United Church of Canada Archives photo

The Alberni Indian Residential School operated in various forms on the Tseshaht First Nation’s reserve from 1892 to 1973.

Pictured is an undated colourized picture of the institution.

Chief Councillor Ken Watts (Wahmeesh), “We have information packages that ally about the history of AIRS from its in the Nov. 16 press release. we’re assembling, and we’ll be commucreation to its closure,” said Watts. “The “Grounded in our culture and guided by nicating out to families,” shared Watts. survivors really wanted a place and a survivors, scanning and research were “[For] some we have records that we space that has the names of students that our phase-one priorities,” said Watts. want to deliver to those families, because attended and those that didn’t make it “We have more difficult work ahead in some of them don’t know very much home.” phase two, including additional scanning, about their loved one that passed.”

“As we carry on this work, not only delivery of records, memorialization and “We actually want to get out into comseeking more information but also sharhonoring of those lost and those still with munities where these children lived,” he ing it with others, Tseshaht First Nation us, and so much more.” added. recognizes Canada as they continue to Watts shared that one of the large comAnother component of phase two will be contribute to this work in a meaningful ponents of phase two will be delivering memorialization. way as announced today,” said Watts in records to families.

“The memorial we have now is rethe press release.

Tseshaht votes for new facility to replace Maht Mahs

By Alexandra Mehl Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Port Alberni, BC – Tseshaht has voted to demolish Maht Mah’s gymnasium, one of two remaining Alberni Indian Residential School (AIRS) buildings, if the First Nation can secure federal funding to build a new multi-use community facility.

“Culturally and sports and community wise, [Maht Mah’s has] been a hub, not just for Tseshaht, but many Nuu-chahnulth,” said Tseshaht Chief Councillor Ken Watts. “But I think people do realize that… the shelf life of it, and just the things that are falling apart on it now are pretty substantial and costly.”

Tseshaht members voted to tear down the facility at a meeting the First Nation held in early October, where there was more than the minimum quorum of 25 present.

“You can only band-aid something so much, right, and try to wrap it in a new color, but at the end of the day, it’s still part of the residential school,” added Watts. “Ultimately, the communications from our membership was really, ‘Hey, this building’s falling apart, and we need a new one’.”

In 2021, a few months after burials of 215 children were detected at the former residential school site in Kamloops, the federal government announced $100.1 million in funding for First Nation communities across the country to “address on-reserve school buildings and associated sites that were once used for residential schools”. The funding includes community engagement, site clean-up

Eric Plummer photo

Tseshaht members dance outside of Maht Mahs on Sept. 30, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, on the First Nation’s reserve by Port Alberni. and remediation, demolitions, replaceWatts. ing, shared Watts.

Watts hopes that when survivors can Canada, said Watts, has committed in ments and renovations. come back to Tseshaht territory these new writing to the demolition of Caldwell Watts estimates the construction of the facilities can help with their healing.

Hall, another former AIRS building new facility will amount to “well over “Being able to attend a potlatch in a $25 million”. currently utilized by the Nuu-chah-nulth whole new gymnasium that isn’t a part “Before we even dove into this too Tribal Council and Tseshaht community. deep, [we] actually applied to the federal of the residential school, hopefully that’ll He foresees a similar ceremonial degovernment’s Green and Inclusive [Com- molition to that of Peak Hall, a former help with their healing as well,” said munity Buildings] funding,” said Watts.

Watts.

AIRS dormitory that was utilized by the Tseshaht administration until 2007.

“If that means cost sharing between that “One of the best ways [of] us healing “If [Canada] can afford to build these residential school fund and this [Green is actually in those events, and in those and Inclusive Community Buildings], buildings and run them in our territory gatherings in our gym now - to get a new for all the years they did… [as] residenwe’re happy to do that as well.” one would only help healing of not just tial school buildings, [they] can afford Tseshaht, but all Nuu-chah-nulth,” said Moving forward, Tseshaht will finalize to tear them down and help us build new Watts, quoting councillor Ed Ross. the feasibility, location and design of the and heal from what happened here,” said new facility alongside securing the fund-

November 30, 2023—Ha-Shilth-Sa—Page 3

Child’s father protests that no trial will be held Continued from page 1.

The Lucas family and supporters listened to five days of days of painful testimony at the preliminary hearing, where the judge issued a publication ban on the proceedings.

The couple, who have been detained since their arrests in May 2022, appeared in court Nov. 27 to plead guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter.

Patrick Lucas told Ha-Shilth-Sa that he was not at court to hear the couple enter their pleas because there was a miscommunication.

“I thought it was just to fix a date for the plea, and I was told I didn’t need to be there,” said Lucas.

Lucas learned back in September that his former common-law wife and her husband would have their charges reduced from first degree murder to manslaughter and he was not okay with that.

“How could they let this play out to manslaughter when they admitted to what they did?” he asked.

He recalled that prosecutors approached him in September asking for his input, “but they said it’s pretty much a go,” he recalled.

“We, as a family, were going to try fight it - it’s not fair, they (Charleson and Frank) admitted what they were doing and what they did,” said Lucas.

What the distraught father was talking about was the four months of physical abuse his son suffered since he was returned to his mother after having been in foster care. The unspeakable torture and violence became so severe that Charleson and Frank kept Dontay from school when he had visible injuries. He suffered a lethal head injury when he dropped to the floor after being hung from the top of a

Denise Titian photo

Dontay-Patrick Lucas, 6, died from a head injury on March 13, 2018. Last year his mother and stepfather were charged with first-degree murder. door by his knees, according to a stateknown to Crown counsel is taken into acment given by the Crown on Nov. 27. count, including information that oftenBut the guilty plea means that there will times is not in the public domain.” not be a trial.

“I am very relieved to hear that Dontay’s Prosecutors decided to accept the manmother Rykel and (stepfather) Mitchell slaughter plea based on “their responsipleaded guilty to manslaughter,” said bilities as ministers of justice to indepen- NTC President Cloy-e-iss, Judith Saydently, dispassionately and objectively ers. “Going through a trial would have promote public safety and rule of law,” been so horrific for the family. Having to wrote McLaughlin. relive his final moments would have been “In all cases prosecutors conduct resolu- devastating.” tion discussions based on the principles Known for his brilliant smile, through of fairness, openness, accuracy, nontears, Lucas remembers Dontay. discrimination and the public interest,” he “He was very happy, very outgoing, stated. “The entirety of the information always smiling, very determined to learn

new things. Dontay loved dancing, singing, and he wanted to be a fireman,” he said. “His smile lit up the room.”

Dontay had two full sisters, M.L., now 13 and L.L., who is now 7. Lucas says M.L. has her struggles but L.L. was only two when she lost her brother and has no memories of him.

Lucas has two younger daughters from another relationship.

Lucas and his daughters have the support of his parents, stepfather, siblings and large extended family. They continue to stand by him every step of the way.

“We will go to the sentencing, and will make a statement,” Lucas vowed.

He shared that he was told back in September by Crown prosecutors that the maximum sentence in this case would be 15 years, but he fears they will get a lighter term.

“We (family) wanted to go to trial for first-degree murder,” he added.

“Considering all the evidence, I think they should be getting charged with firstdegree murder. I think they’re getting off light with manslaughter and I don’t think that’s fair,” said Lucas.

“It has taken so many years to get to this point but at least they will now be taking responsibility for their actions,” said Sayers. “Justice will be served when they are sentenced. It is important that they are found guilty for what they did, and the community sees this happening.”

Sentencing is scheduled for May 16, 2024.

“I will go to the sentencing, and will make a statement,” Lucas vowed.

For now, he is moving forward with his family as they plan a memorial potlatch for Dontay.

How do Tofino’s lower wage workers get by?

By Alexandra Mehl Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Tofino, BC - With tourism’s major contribution to Tofino’s economy, the industry itself is “less likely” to offer the region’s living wage, according to a recent report.

While the costs of food, shelter, and transportation increase, tight food budgets are likely as locals cut corners to shoulder expenses.

In early November, Clayoquot Biosphere Trust published their biannual Vital Signs report revealing the regions living wage of $26.51 per hour is almost 10 dollars over the provinces minimum wage of $16.75.

Roughly 32 per cent of workers in the Clayoquot Sound region have employment in accommodation, food service and retail trade sectors, which are all “likely to earn below the living wage”, reads the report.

“Working families that earn less than a living wage may face tough choices, such as deciding between paying rent or purchasing healthy food,” the report continued.

“A lot of the jobs that are in our area are industry service jobs [and] customer service jobs,” said Jim Chisholm, Tla-o-quiaht’s tribal administrator. “A lot of them do not pay [living wage] levels.” “[$26.51] is kind of what somebody deems as a living wage out here, but there’s a great percent of our membership that don’t make [$26.51] an hour,” he said. “They have to cut corners on nutrition, on freshness of food.”

According to the 2022 BCCDC Food Costing report, 15 per cent of British Columbians can’t afford a basic nutri-

Jen Cody tious diet, with the average monthly cost of food for a four-person family in the central region of Vancouver Island at $1,343, based on samples from 13 stores in that area.

Based on the National Nutritious Food Basket, which measures the cost of 61 nutritious items and the amount needed for individuals based on age and sex, the BCCDC report presents data from randomly selected grocery stores across the province. Though, the methodology of the report indicates its exclusion of remote, rural, and Indigenous communities when sampling grocery stores across the province, as well leaving out costs of transportation, fuel, and time.

“After a review of five different household compositions and income scenarios, the report shows many people and households who live on low incomes, especially on income or disability assistance,

cannot afford a nutritious diet after paying rent,” reads a BCCDC press release regarding the food costing report.

Individuals with lower incomes as well as those burdened by the high costs of rent, childcare, health or transportation, “may also struggle to afford a healthy diet while meeting their other basic needs”, reads the report.

“For most families, the place where the budget is most flexible is food,” said Jen Cody, a registered dietician with the Nuuchah-nulth Tribal Council.

The food budget is where people end up cutting costs because other monthly bills such as rent or heat aren’t flexible, said Cody.

“Those other costs, you can’t change that, necessarily,” she said.

“The only thing that people are able to change, really, is how much they have on hand for food, and then they have to figure out ways to be able to have enough of those foods in their home to feed their family,” added Cody. “It’s really challenging.”

But for Cody, she shared that processed food isn’t necessarily a cheaper alternative to whole foods.

“It sort of depends on where folks want to invest through their time and their energy, and if they have access to some of the resources,” said Cody. “If you look at what the cost of 200 grams worth of potatoes would be, so almost half a pound, and you’re looking at maybe, if they’re expensive potatoes, [a] dollar and a half.”

“I know that a bag of potato chips costs about four or five dollars and you get about 200 grams worth of potato chips out of that bag,” he continued. “If you buy the whole food, potatoes, it costs you

$1.50, [and] if you buy potato chips, it’s going to cost you four or five dollars.”

“With the whole foods, you don’t have all those middle steps in terms of processing the food and packaging it and then sending it out,” she added.

Cody noted that it’s especially difficult for individuals on social assistance, echoing the BCCDC report.

“Budgeting or cooking differently, or making alternate choices, sometimes don’t actually make up the difference when those other basic costs are going up,” said Cody.

Given the price of groceries, Cody recommends turning toward a whole food diet rather than paying for processed foods. This includes eating traditional foods when possible, as well as growing your own produce and preserving them by freezing or drying.

“Having those foods on hand makes a really big difference to a budget,” said Cody.

Chisholm shared that Tla-o-qui-aht leadership offers food fish to distribute among the community to help improve nutrition for members.

“We are doing what we can, but unfortunately, the bulk of jobs out here are in the service industry,” said Chisholm.

“I’m not saying we can’t afford it,” said Elmer Frank, elected chief councillor of Tla-o-qui-aht. “I know that we’re going to have to struggle to keep up with the healthy foods.”

“It’s a challenge for our members, certainly, to be able to afford healthy foods on what is usually less than [$26.51] an hour for basic jobs out here,” added Chisholm.

Page 4— Ha-Shilth-Sa—November 30, 2023 Ha-Shilth-Sa newspaper is published by the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council for distribution to the members of the NTC-member First Nations, as well as other interested groups and individuals.

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Experts expect mild winter conditions After a summer of extreme drought, experts fear lower precipitation continuing over winter

By Alexandra Mehl Local Journalism Initiative Reporter After a summer of extreme drought, experts are concerned for conditions next year as they predict mild winter weather, with a November precipitation deficit.

Armel Castellan, a warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, says the last several weeks have seen less precipitation than a typical fall.

“There’s actually going to be a deficit in November, which is the wettest time of year for the coast,” he said.

“We’re not going to hit our numbers this month,” added Castellan. “We’ll have to see how December, January, February go.”

According to Castallen, this year the El Niño-southern Oscillation phenomena is in “full force”. It started a few months ago, though Canada won’t feel impacts until around Christmas. An El Niño is a phenomenon characterized by higher ocean temperatures at the equator with weaker trade winds, resulting in warm weather patterns on the West Coast of the Americas.

“That [phenomenon], when it’s in its positive phase, so the El Niño phase, not the La Niña phase, is a very strong driver for both hemispheres,” said Castellan.

“We do expect, overall, the probabilities are relatively high for all of Western Canada to see a milder winter.”

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the El Niño has a 62 per cent chance of lasting through April to June of 2024.

Graham Murrell, a biologist the Hupačasath fisheries manager, looks back on the 2015/16 El Niño.

“A lot of the indicators are showing that we may be in a similar situation,” he said.

“Which would mean not much snowpack, and probably a hot, dry summer.”

In 2015, Murrell shared that the season saw hot weather, warm river waters, delayed migrations, and a high mortality rate of salmon.

“We’re already starting some discussions on tools and early indicators where we can take action, if needed,” he added, for Stamp and Sproat Rivers.

“As we’ve seen, most summers recently have been extremely dry, and not just at

Alexandra Mehl photo

Salmon migrate up the Stamp River near Port Alberni in late September 2023. the peak of summer in July and August, the mid-summer range, that can keep our but also starting quite early,” said Castel- rivers fuller and cooler.” lan. “This past year, we saw warm July After this year’s drought, the Ministry temperatures in the month of May, which of Land, Water, and Resources stated was quite extraordinary.” that coastal B.C’s early fall has returned “It led to wildfires right across the to “more seasonally typical conditions’’. country, and particularly in Western According to Estavan Point, a long-term Canada,” he continued. “The dryness climate station on the west coast of Vanor the drought signal is quite strong and couver Island, it was reported that preexpanding into the shoulder seasons.” cipitation rebounded by roughly 95 per As reported by the Coastal Fire Centre, cent, though remaining below average. since April of 2023 the coastal region “Across much of the province, by has seen a total of 365 wildfires. In 2022, summer 2023 the deficit in precipitation there were 298. and streamflow was so substantial that “One of the things that we really did even when late summer/early fall storms notice this year, in particular, is that we began to arrive, streamflow increases entered the fire season under droughtwere generally very muted - much lower like conditions,” said Jade Richardson, than would be expected for the precipia coastal fire information officer. “We tation totals,” wrote the ministry in an stayed in drought-like conditions for email to Ha-Shilth-Sa. “For example, much of the summer.” when drought conditions were near peak “We had very little rainfall… in the in the late summer, the Estavan Point… fall and winter of 2022, into early 2023 indicated over one metre of precipitaon the coast, and it just contributed to tion deficit for the preceding year, with a drought-like conditions that allow easy period of record of over 100 years.” start and allow fires to grow much more “Much of next year’s drought story is quickly,” said Richardson. as-yet unrevealed, dependent on the up“Winter’s where we generate our storcoming winter and spring precipitation,” age for the next season,” said Murrell, wrote the ministry. reflecting on how winter conditions conCastellan noted that warm and dry contribute to overall river health and salmon ditions are “bleeding” from the summer runs. “If you have a strong snowpack, season into the spring and fall. you can help to weather those warmer, “I’m also saying that at times we see drier periods, [and] can get you nicer, inactivity in the wet season,” he said. cooler flows longer into the summer, “That’s currently what we’re seeing, especially for our runs… they’ll start in which is why folks like ourselves, the April, May, June.”

River Forecast Centre, agriculturists, “With a good snowpack it can push us First Nations, biologists, [and wildfire right through the whole migration season, services]; everybody is very concerned… and get us through safely,” Murrell conabout what this means for next spring and tinued. “That snowpack is pretty key for, summer.” especially that early summer, and into

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November 30, 2023—Ha-Shilth-Sa—Page 5

Tsow-Tun Le Lum Society opens new treatment facility New space for resident elders, a sweat lodge, big house and counselling spaces, but fewer beds than old facility

By Denise Titian Ha-Shilth-Sa Reporter Duncan, BC – Tsow-Tun Le Lum Society has opened its brand-new treatment centre in Cowichan Tribes territory. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at the bigger, new facility on Nov. 27.

Tsow-Tun Le Lum, which means Helping House in the Hul’q’umi’num’ language, is a fully accredited, registered, non-profit treatment society offering holistic and cultural supports for people, not only in addictions, but also for survivors of trauma. Tsow-Tun Le Lum has been helping Indigenous individuals break free from addictions and heal from trauma since 1988, starting at their facility in Nanoose.

It offers a 40-day substance misuse program, a five-week second-stage trauma recovery program and a 30-day grief program. The programs are steeped on Indigenous culture and teachings.

MLA Jennifer Whiteside, minister of Mental Health and Addictions, pointed out that the toxic drug crisis is impacting First Nations people at a rate much higher than the rest of the population. First Nations, she said, make up about four per cent of the population in the province, but they make up 17.7 per cent of B.C.’s toxic drug deaths.

“We know we have to work together to turn back the dial on this crisis,” she said.

“First Nations people continue to be disproportionately affected by the toxic drug poisoning crisis,” said FNHA board of directors’ chair, Colleen Erickson.

“The ongoing legacy of colonialism, racism, discrimination, and intergenerational trauma leads many First Nations people experiencing addiction to avoid seeking treatment. The new Tsow-Tun Le Lum Healing House, and initiatives like it across B.C., will save lives by creating

Tsow-Tun Le Lum Society photo

The new building, located at 2850 Miller Road in Duncan, came in at a cost of $18 million. Tsow-Tun Le Lum Healing House expects to see its first clients in early 2024.

“Tsow-Tun Le Lum is a safe place and healing services to First nations welcoming, safe spaces that are traumawhere people learn new coping skills and people.” informed, restore connections to First feel good about who they are, let their “Everything we do at Tsow-Tun Le Nations cultural and healing practices, and promote holistic healing.” light shine,” she said, in a previous interLum is guided by our ancestors and all The Nanoose property occupied five view with Ha-Shilth-Sa. “We use western the cultural teachings and ceremonies that have been passed down to us today,” acres of land, leased from the Nanoose methodology but most importantly, we First Nation. There was room in the facil- use culture.” said Daniella David, board chair, Tsowity for 32 client beds. Its last group of The new building, located at 2850 Tun Le Lum Society. “Our programs are cohorts completed programs in Novemdesigned to bring out the goodness in Miller Road in Duncan, came in at a cost ber 2022. of $18 million. people who have been hurt and lost con“The First Nations Health Authority The new building offers 20 treatment fidence in themselves. We’re here to help beds and living units for those who have acknowledges the support of our provinrebuild their sense of self-worth and that experienced addiction, trauma, or grief. means connecting to culture and to the cial and federal government partners in supporting strength-based approaches to There is space for gender-fluid people. land, where healing can happen holistiInside the new building will be a place treatment programs and embedding First cally.” called the Spiritual Room.

“This place will save so many lives,” Nations’ traditional healing practices,” According to Nola Jeffrey, executive said Richard Jock, chief executive officer said Whiteside. for the First Nations Health Authority. director of Tsow-Tun Le Lum Society, Tsow-Tun Le Lum Healing House there will be a living space for resident should see its first clients in early 2024.

“Change requires system-wide, transelders that go there to work with clients.

Due to confidentiality and privacy conformative approaches and Tsow-Tun Le Lum is a model for organizations seeking cerns, program dates are not publicized.

In addition, it has a sweat lodge, pond, walking trails, a Big House, and private to provide culturally safe and traumainformed cultural, emotional, addictions counselling spaces.

Hearing begins for class action against drug companies

By Eric Plummer Ha-Shilth-Sa Editor Vancouver, BC - On the first day of a court hearing to determine the future of a class action lawsuit over health-care related costs from illicit drug use, the province is accusing drug companies of being “bad actors who are fueling this crisis.”

Monday, Nov. 27 marked the beginning of a certification hearing in the B.C. Supreme Court, a proceeding being held to confirm if the lawsuit is going ahead.

Originally filed with the B.C. Supreme Court in August 2018 by the Government of British Columbia on behalf of all Canadian provinces and territories, the class action takes aim at over 40 pharmaceutical companies and distributers, including such big names as Apotex, Shoppers Drug Mart and Loblaws.

“We took this action to recover the health-care costs of treating opioid-related disease, to hold manufacturers and distributers accountable for their part in allegedly engaging in deceptive marketing tactics to increase sales, which led to increased rates of addiction and overdose,” read a joint statement issued by B.C. Attorney General Niki Sharma and Jennifer Whiteside, the province’s minister of Mental Health and Addictions.

Since the opioid crisis was declared a public health emergency in April 2016, the province has thrown countless millions in public funding at the issue, with a

growing list of recovery beds and a push for more health professionals to prescribe drug users with safer alternatives than illicit substances. In an effort to remove the shame that could prevent users from seeking help, in late January B.C. was even granted an exemption under Canada’s Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, allowing for the personal possession of up to 2.5 grams of many illicit substances.

But fatalities have continued, resulting in 1,645 deaths from illicit drug use over the first eight months of this year in B.C. – far surpassing the 995 that were recorded in the first year of the public health emergency. Fentanyl continues to be detected in most fatal overdoses.

Indigenous people have died at a rate over five times greater than of the rest of B.C., according to data reported by the First Nations Health Authority last year.

Drug companies and distributers should share part of the blame, according to the province’s statement of claim. Pain medication like fentanyl, hydromorphone, morphine, methadone and tramadol were promoted to be less addictive than they actually are, for conditions they were not always effective against, argues the province. These “deceptive market practices” led to hospitals and pharmacies becoming flooded with painkillers, a wave that began when Purdue introduced Oxycontin in 1996.

“Until the mid 1990s, prescription opioids were not widely used because they

Province of B.C. photo

On Nov. 27, the first day of a court hearing on a class action lawsuit, Jennifer Whiteside, the province’s minister of Mental Health and Addictions, cast blame on over 40 drug companies and distributors for pushing too many painkillers into the health care system. were thought to be too addictive to treat priority by healthcare practitioners.” chronic pain conditions which would So far, the class action has resulted in require long-term use of such drugs. an out-of-court settlement with PurOpioids were prescribed primarily for use due Canada worth $150 million. This in treatment of palliative conditions or was announced in July 2022, and more for short-term acute pain, which required settlements are expected. Similar court brief use,” states the province’s notice proceedings are underway in the United of claim. “Purdue and other manufacStates, where the National Prescription turer defendants subsequently developed Opiate Litigation has garnered nearly $50 and promoted a narrative that pain was billion from drug companies and distribundertreated and should be made a higher uters, including Walmart.

Page 6— Ha-Shilth-Sa—November 30, 2023

Run-down trailers removed from 4th Avenue property Most tenants moved to supervised Tiny Home Village next door, others refused the new units, says landlord

By Denise Titian Ha-Shilth-Sa Reporter Port Alberni, BC – The Wintergreen Apartment property, known locally as “The Ghetto”, has, for now, closed its doors as a rental building for vulnerable people. Property owner Randy Brown is complying with city orders and has moved out of all of the dozen or so travel trailers in late November.

The travel trailers were placed on the vacant lot after one of the two apartment buildings burnt down in July 2013. The lone remaining apartment building also had a fire in May 2023, which killed one tenant and forced its closure earlier this year. The building was not insured at the time of the fire.

Before that fire, one of the illegal rental trailers burnt down in November 2022.

Thanks to the efforts of the Port Alberni Fire Department, the blaze was contained to a single trailer.

According to Mike Fox, the City of Port Alberni’s chief executive officer, the Wintergreen Apartment property can’t be occupied until a Fire Order on it is met.

“The owner has complied with the removal of the trailers as of today,” he wrote in an email to Ha-Shilth-Sa. In order to remove the trailers, all tenants had to be evicted. Brown complied to his agreement with the city to have the trailers removed once the neighboring Tiny Home Village opened, a housing project run by the Port Alberni Friendship Center.

Brown estimates that about 75 per cent of his former tenants have moved next door to Wałyaqił Tiny Home Village.

While praising the Port Alberni Friendship Center staff for the work they’re doing with his former tenants, Brown says there are a few that refuse to go there.

“Some say that chain link fence is like being chained up in jail and there’s too many rules,” Brown noted.

But he added that his former tenants that now live next door are looking much better.

“We are very excited and pleased to welcome our guests into our Wałyaqił Tiny Home Village,” said Port Alberni Friendship Center Executive Director Cyndi Stevens. “We have seen such amazing progress for many in just the few short weeks and know this is because they are in a safer environment with their basic needs being met now. Our counsellor visits daily and our support staff are there 24/7 to ensure the safety of our precious guests.”

Denise Titian photo

The Wintergreen Apartment property, known locally as “The Ghetto”, is currently not renting to tenants after a fire in May damaged the building, causing one death. Property owner Randy Brown is complying with city orders and by late November had moved all of the dozen or so travel trailers that were in the vacant lot next to the building. above the suite, according to Brown.

“We are very excited and “But the other units have little to no damage,” he said. “I need to build a templeased to welcome our porary roof and have an architect design guests into our Wałyaqił everything.”

Brown says he hopes to meet with BC Tiny Home Village” Housing or find a partner willing to help fix up the burnt building so that it could be rented to vulnerable people. ~ Cyndi Stevens, Besides the cost of repairs, Brown is PAFC Executive still facing $130,000 in fines and judgements for renting out illegal trailers on Director his property.

Brown has been renting low barrier “I was hoping they’ll (the City of Port units in Port Alberni for many years. He Alberni) forget about it, but the mayor has said that he houses people who otherwants the money,” said Brown. wise would be out in the cold.

Mike Fox says that the city continues to In the past they had more barriers to work with Brown to ensure this and other Cyndi Stevens emergency shelter than they do today. He properties are not in contravention of said he is pleased with how vulnerable municipal bylaws. then they’d have to come back by 5 p.m. people are being treated at subsidized “The city is committed to working to try get back into a bed,” he said. housing spaces in the city currently.

Last year, Brown said he himself opened with people and social organizations to “The shelter is doing a good job with find suitable housing,” said Fox. “Any a shelter in one of his Third Avenue the Friendship Center looking after it. outstanding fines are required to be paid properties to give vulnerable people a They’re not as strict (as the previous to the city regardless of the situation or warm place to stay. But now that rules managers),” he said of the community’s individual. The city has not intervened in have changed in other shelters, he finds facility on Eighth Avenue. “Even up town he doesn’t have to do it this year. the sale of houses or properties.” at the Bread of Life, there’s more beds Brown does not want to pay fines to “Things are looking pretty good. The than there used to be.” the city and offered to donate the sum Salvation Army has volunteers there that With more relaxed rules at these local step up when funding runs out,” he noted. to a local charity. According to Brown, shelters, vulnerable people are finding a the Salvation Army have said they’ve As for his Fourth Avenue property, little more stability, said Brown. provided 200,000 meals this year. Rather Brown says the trailers are in bad shape, “They used to kick them out at 9 a.m. than pay his outstanding fines to the city, but he will try to save them.

Brown proposed that he donate it to the “I could have moved them to Josephine Salvation Army.

Street, but the city and the people don’t But his offer was turned down. want that. I took them to my other prop“I got a solid no,” he said. erties that are not inhabited,” he shared.

Brown said he was given until Dec. 8 to According to Brown, his trailers are a GATEWAY TO THE PACIFIC RIM have the Fourth Avenue property vacated mess. and cleared. That is when bylaw officers “A lot of the tenants are hoarders,” he will come for an inspection. He anticisaid, adding that there was a lot of trash pated that the clean-up would be done by to be cleared before the trailers were Nov. 24. moved.

If he passes inspection, Brown may be With the trailers at other properties able to move forward with repairs to the Brown owns, he plans to clean them up Wintergreen Apartment building. one by one to sell or give away.

At Wałyaqił Tiny Home Village, Stevens Regarding the Wintergreen Apartment says the PAFC is looking forward to building and the next-door vacant propfinding funding to expand the facility. In erty, Brown hopes to salvage the structure, which he says has seven units and is its second phase of construction the village would see another 10 sleeping pods worth about $500,000. He estimates that added. it will take about $200,000 to repair and Hours of operation - 7:00 am - 10:00 pm “We see this project as more than just upgrade the building. He hopes to find a Phone: 724-3944 providing a safe home, but building a partner who can help pay for the cost of community where people can be supportE-mail: claudine@tseshahtmarket.ca repairs so that he can rent it out. ed in their wellness journey and be able The fatal fire in May 2023 severely Find us on Facebook damaged one unit and got into the trusses to reconnect with family,” said Stevens.

TSESHAHT MARKET

November 30, 2023—Ha-Shilth-Sa—Page 7

Housing complex complete for those fleeing violence The building has mix of studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units, a place before long-term housing is found

By Denise Titian Ha-Shilth-Sa Reporter Port Alberni, BC – A new two storey, 22-unit housing facility has opened in Port Alberni that fills a gap for women and gender-diverse people escaping domestic violence. The second-stage housing units are meant to provide homes between short-term emergency housing and long-term housing.

According to the B.C. Ministry of Housing, the two-storey wood-frame wiikšaḥiquʔił has 22 second-stage homes for women and gender-diverse people escaping violence, including transgender women, Two-Spirit and non-binary people, and their dependent children from Port Alberni and surrounding areas. The building has a mix of studio, one-, twoand three-bedroom units.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Nov. 17.

“This second-stage housing provides women and gender-diverse people space for safe short-term housing and for those who need it the most,” stated Tseshaht Chief Councillor Wawmeesh, Ken Watts, at the event. “This not only benefits Tseshaht, Nuu-chah-nulth and Indigenous women in the valley; but all those who desperately need it as they move from transition housing, to second stage and ultimately long-term housing. We know Sage Haven will provide much needed support to these individuals throughout their stay.”

According to Sage Haven Society (formerly the Alberni Community and Women’s Services Society), which will operate the new development, second-

Sage Haven Society photos

Tseshaht Chief Councillor Ken Watts speaks at a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking 22 new transitional homes on Nov. 17 in Port Alberni. The Sage Haven Society is now accepting applications for residents. stage housing provides safe, short-term shelter and supports for women and their dependent children leaving violence.

“Residents typically move into secondstage housing after a stay in a transition house and can stay for six to 18 months while they prepare for independent living,” stated the Society.

Sage Haven then provides supports to help individuals and their children to live

independently. They will assist residents in applying for social and private-market housing, as well as provide rent subsidies.

Funding for the $8.6 million project came from the province, through BC Housing. The Building BC: Women’s Transition Housing Fund will provide an annual operating subsidy of approximately $300,000. Land for the development was provide by the City of Port Alberni.

For safety reasons, the address of the facility has not been publicized.

“Today marks a momentous occasion for Port Alberni as we express our heartfelt gratitude to the province for their substantial investment in our community,” said Sharie Minions, mayor of Port Alberni. “I want to extend my sincere appreciation to our dedicated project partners, the Sage Haven Society and BC Housing, for their unwavering commitment to establishing a sanctuary for women and children escaping domestic violence.”

“We’re grateful to have community partners like the Sage Haven Society, who are committed to making a meaningful difference for vulnerable women and children

seeking a new start,” said Josie Osborne, MLA for Mid Island-Pacific Rim. “Everyone deserves a safe place to call home and to be able to live a life free from violence, and I know these 22 homes will change the lives of their residents.”

Sage Haven Society says they are now accepting applications for residents.

People are expected to move into their new homes in December. Residents will pay either 30 per cent of their income for rent or, for those receiving income or disability assistance, the provincial shelter rate.

Chief Watts praised Sage Haven for their work and for the respect they have shown to Tseshaht and their territory.

Early in the summer the First Nation received $5 million from the province to buy land in Port Alberni to build homes, funding for the first stage of a large-scale housing development Tseshaht is looking into.

“Tseshaht looks forward to building our future off-reserve housing not only for our members, but all those who need it including individuals who move on from wiikšaḥiquʔił in their next stage of their housing journey and healing,” he said.

Page 8— Ha-Shilth-Sa—November 30, 2023

Government makes big conservation pledges, but recognition This fall has brought a succession of ambitious plans to improve nature conservation in B.C., but First Nations law and provincial

By Eric Plummer Ha-Shilth-Sa Editor As Canada’s goal of protecting 30 per cent of its lands and waters by 2030 approaches, this fall ambitious investments have been announced on the federal and provincial front, with governments saying this will lead to more First Nations-led conservation.

On Nov. 3 a joint announcement came from Ottawa, the province and the First Nations Leadership Council that could result in over $1 billion in support for protected areas over the course of an eight-year agreement between the parties.

The Tripartite Framework Agreement on Nature Conservation establishes a fund shouldered equally by the federal and B.C. governments, which “supports a collaborative approach to landscape-based ecosystem health and biodiversity conservation in B.C.,” according to Cecelia Parsons, a spokesperson for Environment and Climate Change Canada.

The agreement aims to align governmentsupported conservation with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

“The agreement will support Indigenous partners establish Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas,” stated Parsons.

But she also noted that the feds do not have the jurisdiction to declare IPCAs in British Columbia. This authority falls with the province.

Gaining legal recognition under B.C. law is one of next steps for the Mowachaht/ Muchalaht’s Salmon Parks project, a 66,595-hectare area in Nootka Sound to be protected from industrial disturbances that has already been declared under the First Nation’s law. The project has recently benefitted from a $15 million pledge from Environment and Climate Change Canada, federal money to ensure the protection of old-growth forest in most of the Salmon Parks land base.

It’s a critical measure to allow the forest to heal after generations of ineffective regulations, said Roger Dunlop, the project’s technical lead and Mowachaht/Muchalaht’s Lands and Natural Resource manager.

“Bank cohesion has been eliminated by logging,” he said during a tour of the Salmon Parks in October. “The regulations across British Columbia are inadequate.

They’ve been watered down by the logging industry.”

But in the long term, a provincially recognized protected area will be necessary, stressed Dunlop.

“For salmon parks to be considered by the chief forester, or any other agency for that matter, requires some form of legislated protection,” he said.

Nathan Cullen, B.C.’s minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, speaks during a panel discussion in Vancouver on Sept. 21, which was hos ter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society. Next to him is Roger Dunlop, Mowachaht/Muchalaht’s Lands and Natural Resource manager, La negotiator of the Ashnola Watershed protected area, Nuchatlaht Councillor Archie Little and Mowachaht/Muchalaht Ha’wilth Jerry Jack. the past stewardship regions that guided forestry management.

“We are using the best science and data available, and collaborating with First Nations, local communities and industry to create a stronger, more sustainable forest stewardship,” stated Bruce Ralston, B.C.’s forestry minister, in a press release.

“New forest landscape plans reflect the generational shift in forestry, where we can depend on a strong and sustainable industry that also safeguards biodiversity and longterm ecosystem health.”

In recent years this generational shift appears to be cutting less old growth, according to the growing area of ancient forest that has been deferred from logging. The provincial government calculates that there are 11.1 million hectares of old growth in B.C., covering 12 per cent of its land mass.

Over the last two years, 2.4 million hectares have been deferred from logging, temporarily adding to the 3.8 million hectares that were permanently protected.

The recently announced Conservation Financing Mechanism intends to bolster

Roger Dunlop

‘If we take care of nature, it will take care of us’ How the government will legally recognize Indigenous-led conservation remains one of the biggest questions hanging the province’s environmental pledges. Another key development was announced by the province Oct. 26 to protect old growth forests and critical wildlife habitat. The $300-million Conservation Financing Mechanism is being equally funded by the provincial government and the B.C. Parks Foundation to help establish new protected areas, supporting work like data collection, land planning and monitoring – stewardship work conducted by First Nations’ guardian programs.

The province plans to regroup B.C. into five new Forest Landscape Plans, replacing

The provincial government calculates that there are 11.1 million hectares of old growth in B.C., covering 12 per cent of its land mass. Pictured is forest within the Salmon Parks.

Indigenous-led conservation, and its fund will be overseen by a special committee, half of its members coming from First Nations organizations.

“First Nations have always believed that if we take care of nature, it will take care of us,” stated Terry Teegee in a press release, who is regional chief of the B.C. Assembly of First Nations and a board member of the BC Parks Foundation.

“Many nations are creating Indigenousprotected areas and wildlife corridors as well as looking for ways to have an economy that is in harmony with nature.

This funding will help support nations who have a vision of abundance in their territories.”

“Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs) are anticipated to be an important part of the provincial government’s commitment to protecting and conserving 30 per cent of lands and waters by 2030,” wrote the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship in an email to Ha-Shilth-Sa.

November 30, 2023—Ha-Shilth-Sa—Page 9

recognition of Indigenous protected areas remains to be seen

tions law and provincial legislation remain two very different things

Eric Plummer photos

Vancouver on Sept. 21, which was hosted by B.C.’s chaps and Natural Resource manager, Lauren Terbasket, lead halaht Ha’wilth Jerry Jack.

Declaration, evictions forced government response If these words are proven to be true over the remainder of the decade, for the sməlqmíx people of the Similkameen Valley it would represent a remarkable shift in how the government deals with conservation. After years of unsuccessful dealings with the province, on April 28, 2022 the Ashnola Watershed was declared a protected area by the Lower Similkameen Indian Band.

It was a measure that had to be taken, after generations of mining and logging had left the Ashnola River in an “endangered” state, according to the IPCA’s declaration.

“The trend of declining and mismanagement of biocultural diversity, compromised forest health, toxic water contamination and waste in sməlqmíx territory must be addressed and reversed through upholding our ancestral responsibilities,” stated the IPCA declaration, which covers the 197-kilometre Ashnola River that runs near the southern B.C. border with Washington State.

The declaration notes impacts on the Ashnola from mining, forestry and forest fires – an increasingly frequent occurrence that the First Nation partly attributes to its inability to practice preventative suppression through traditional burns.

“Ask for forgiveness, not permission, so we declared,” said Lauren Terbasket, the IPCA’s lead negotiator, during a panel discussion in Vancouver on Sept. 21, which was hosted by B.C.’s chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society.

She says the sməlqmíx tried for number of years to get the provincial and federal governments to consider protecting the territory, but to no avail.

“We attempted to bring B.C. to the table with letter after letter and phone call after phone call with no response to our chiefs,” she said. “We applied for funds,

we were blocked by the B.C. government in accessing those funds because they said they had no IPCA policy.”

Amid the IPCA declaration, the First Nation issued notices to tenure holders to vacate the Ashnola corridor, a measure that created “a lot of uproar” in the mining and forestry industries, said Terbasket.

“After we issued those notices to vacate the province came to the table,” she said, adding that the government did end up providing funds to help the sməlqmíx monitor the land - but the declaration ended up inflaming divisions in the area. “What I don’t like is that causes grief for us, it causes animosity for local communities.”

Looking ahead to 2030, Terbasket believes that a wholehearted recognition of Indigenous protected areas should be a priority for the province. But this would require the government’s acknowledgement of a First Nation’s unceded title to its land.

“The province does not want to acknowledge Indigenous title, partly because they make a lot of money off of these lands,” said Terbasket. “The policy is heavily, extensively, almost totally impacted not by constituents, but by industry. They have the most say almost everywhere in this province.”

Nuchatlaht Councillor Archie Little sat next to Terbasket at the conservation panel discussion in Vancouver. His First Nation on the west coast of Vancouver Island is currently caught up in a court battle with the province to gain Aboriginal title over its territory on northern Nootka Island. Little spent his early childhood in the area currently being contested, where he witnessed a traditional approach to resource management.

“We’ll never, ever see another system like that,” said Little. “Our belief, what we grew up with, that river is a sockeyebearing river and it’s owned by our chief.

Nobody can fish in that river unless they ask the chief if it’s okay.”

“If you’re going to access, you need to be ready to put back what you took,” added Little. “We don’t do that. We clearcut. We manage on wealth, and when that barrel gets a little empty, we start to get concerned about why we have so little.”

B.C. election one year away

The Salmon Parks project has estimated that, under the current rate of harvest, all old growth in Mowachaht/Muchalaht territory would be logged in the next 15 years.

So far things have been smoother for the Mowachaht/Muchalaht in their IPCA declaration than what the sməlqmíx encountered in the southern Okanagan. The recently announced $15 million in federal funding will help with the assessment of the protected area, planning, professional services like lawyers and the implementation of monitoring by Mowachaht/Muchalaht guardians.

But most of the federal funding will be put into buying out tenures that are currently held by forestry companies.

It’s a less confrontational approach than what the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation faced almost 40 years ago, further south on coastal Vancouver Island. The First Nation declared Meares Island a tribal park in 1984, as its old growth faced clearcutting under tenures held by MacMillan Bloedel and B.C. Forest Products. A blockade was erected to prevent loggers from advancing to Meares Island’s shore, and the fight went to court, where an injunction eventually prevented logging on the island. Now four tribal parks cover Tla-o-qui-aht territory.

With a provincial election a year away, time is running out for the B.C. government to prove to voters that it’s on pace to reach the 2030 goal of 30 per cent protection. The most recent development came Nov. 15 with the announcement that a framework is being developed by the province to guide how to better protect water, land and forests. The draft Biodiversity and

Ecosystem Health Framework speaks of an “urgent need” to change how things are managed – a shift away from prioritizing resource extraction to conserving ecosystem health.

In Vancouver on Sept. 21 Nathan Cullen, B.C.’s minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, came to sit on the panel alongside Roger Dunlop, Archie Little and Lauren Terbasket.

“Indigenous-led conservation is my most profound hope in how we build back resiliency, allow the earth of heal itself, how we restore the watersheds that have been damaged from the extraction,” said Cullen.

He noted that the next year will be a “profound era” of conservation, where “the dynamic of who has the authority over the land” will change. He didn’t say anything specific about negotiations concerning the Mowachaht/Muchalaht’s Salmon Parks, but said the province is exploring how to put IPCAs into law.

“We are working on legislation for IPCAs, how do you codify this into law?” pondered Cullen. “But we are working with First Nations people, we’re not doing it alone in our little chamber with lawyers.

That takes time, because we will move at the speed of trust.”

This story was made possible in part by an award from the Institute for Journalism and Natural Resources and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.

The Burman River is part of the Mowachaht/Muchalaht’s Salmon Parks project, which aims to protect a large portion of the First Nation’s territory from Industrial activity.

Page 10— Ha-Shilth-Sa—November 30, 2023

Fisheries rights celebrated in packed Hupacasath hall Ha’oom Fisheries recognizes court-affirmed right of five nations to commercially harvest from their territories

By Eric Plummer Ha-Shilth-Sa Editor Port Alberni, BC - Nuu-chah-nulth-aht filled the Hupacasath House of Gathering on Friday, as the hundreds in attendance celebrated the court-affirmed right of five First Nations to commercially harvest fish from their respective territories.

The Ha’oom Fisheries Society hosted the Five Nations’ Fisher Ball on Nov. 17, recognizing the continued operations of T’aaq-wiihak fisheries. Run by the Ahousaht, Ehattesaht/Chinehkint, Hesquiaht, Tla-o-qui-aht and Mowachaht/ Muchalaht First Nations, this commercial

fishery operates based on the rights first upheld by the B.C. Supreme Court in 2009, followed by multiple appeals and court decisions.

The Ha’oom event ran through the afternoon and early evening, with feasting, cultural performances from the nations directly involved with T’aaq-wiihak and the presentation of carved paddles to various individuals. Some speakers noted the benefits upheld by court decisions, while pledging to continue the fight for Canada to fully recognize a livelihood that Nuu-chah-nulth people have exercised for countless generations on Vancouver Island’s west coast.

Eric Plummer photos

The Ha’oom event ran through the afternoon and early evening on Nov. 17, with feasting, cultural performances from the nations directly involved with T’aaqwiihak and the presentation of carved paddles to various individuals.

Phrase of the week: hupu> - Sun/Moon, Huupkusta - Rise, huup%atu - Set, %aph=taak half, mac^i%at hupa> - eclipse.

Pronounced ‘Hoo pulth, Hoop ka s tah, Hoop ah too, Up h taa k, Ma che ath hoo pulth’, Supplied by ciisma.

Illustration by Tiana Michael

November 30, 2023—Ha-Shilth-Sa—Page 11

This year brings largest herring spawn since mid ‘70s Despite DFO figures showing a rebound, Nuu-chah-nulth representatives oppose a commercial herring fishery

By Eric Plummer Ha-Shilth-Sa Editor Port Alberni, BC - This year DFO reported the largest herring spawn since the mid 1970s on the west coast of Vancouver Island, but Nuu-chah-nulth representatives will not consider a commercial fishery until they see a sustained recovery of the species.

A surge in reproduction was presented

by Fisheries and Oceans Canada staff to the Nuu-chah-nulth Council of Ha’wiih Forum on Fisheries, showing an estimated spawn index of over 77,000 tonnes on Vancouver Island’s west coast in 2023.

Such a figure hasn’t been recorded in the region since 1976, a time that stands as the height of herring productivity in the region since the Second World War. As coastal waters turned a milky hue late last winter, the highest concentration of spawning on the west coast of Vancouver Island was observed by Hesquiaht Harbour, according to dive surveys conducted by DFO. It’s an indication that herring stocks are finally increasing, said Bryan Rusch, DFO’s regional pelagics coordinator, during a presentation to the Council of Ha’wiih on Oct. 25.

“The west coast stock has been slowly but steadily increasing, with a pretty large increase in the last year,” he explained.

After the last commercial fishery occurred in 2005, the calculated herring biomass west of Vancouver Island wallowed under 10,000 tonnes for several years. Conservation concerns prevented a large-scale harvest, and since 2017 the Council of Ha’wiih has agreed to not allow a regular commercial seine and gillnet fishery in the region until a sustained recovery is evident.

This year the estimated abundance of the fish was 41,200 tonnes, with 37,400 tonnes expected west of the island in 2024, according to DFO calculations.

These numbers are above the previously identified abundance target that that uses a volume evident in the 1990s, an average

Lesley Sugar Thompson photo

k̓ ʷaqmis collects in a boat at Yuquot during a spawn in March 2022. The estimated herring biomass has increased in recent years. results of a research project by Uu-abiomass of approximately 30,000 tonnes. seine and gillnet fishery. thluk indicated that herring could have A different calculation than the spawn “Our expectation is to have the support little chance to rebuild to a sustained index, the herring biomass is an estimate of the minister in regards to this,” said of the volume of the fish stocks, based on Council of Ha’wiih Chair Cliff Atleo dur- population due to predation by other fish and marine mammals. Hake, humpback scientific models. ing the meeting in late October. whales and stellar sea lions are eating During the fisheries meeting options “In my lifetime the herring has colclose to what the herring population in were presented to Nuu-chah-nulth leadlapsed three times,” commented Nuu-chah-nulth territory can support, ers, ranging from no herring fishery in Ahousaht member Andrew Webster. “To according to the Uu-a-thluk study, which their territorial waters to a 10 per cent me, we don’t want to go there again. A is backed by the B.C. Salmon Restoration harvest of the biomass. All of these fourth time is not a good idea. Give it a and Innovation Fund. scenarios meet DFO’s conservation chance.”

In an effort to better track the health of objectives, including allowing the 1990s Concern still remains for the lifelong herring populations, DFO is introducing abundance target to be reached “with a fisherman, who in recent years has seen a new assessment model next year, a tool high degree of certainty,” said Rusch. his nation rely on other sources to enjoy that was approved by the Canadian SciThe Council of Ha’wiih was unanimous their traditional dish of herring eggs. ence Secretariat in June. The new model in its opposition to opening Vancouver “This last year was the very first year will include the impact of spawn-on-kelp Island’s west coast to a commercial-scale that Ahousaht didn’t have to purchase ̓ fisheries, consider herring mortality in a their kʷaqmis,” said Webster of the more realistic way and combine surface popular food. “Prior to that they always had to depend on people from Bella Bella spawn surveys to the existing work conbringing it down at a huge cost. We were ducted by divers.

The federal department plans to intropaying something like $15 a pound.” duce this new tool in the Strait of Georgia The Council of Ha’wiih meeting was next year, an area that has, for the most hosted by the Tseshaht First Nation, who part, been the only location on the B.C. have also had to purchase the traditional coast to support a large-scale commerfood from other sources.

27 years as a licensed hair stylist. Able to go to “It costs us about $50,000 a year to give cial herring fishery in recent decades. elders/handicapped homes to cut, perm or color This harvest occurs for a few weeks each everybody just a small taste, a couple hair. Would also do in own home. spring, where boats aim to catch female of bags each, because we’ve got a large population,” said Tseshaht Councillor Les herring full of eggs. This valuable roe is Doreen Ryan Little 250-723-4776 mostly sold to markets in Japan, while Sam, who recalls the traditional practhe herring are processed into feed for tice of gathering herring eggs by laying branches in the water. “The very last time livestock and fish farms.

This fall DFO has drafted an Integrated we had an abundance of siiḥmuu in our Fisheries Management Plan, a document territory was about 1983. My late dad, my uncle Willy and quite a number other that has been sent to First Nations repreTseshahts were down there dropping trees sentatives and others with a stake in herring management. The federal department around our cabins.” now awaits input before a final fisheries It’s a generational shift that Sam fears plan is made in early 2024. could affect younger members of his na“In years prior it’s basically had the tion who have little awareness of harvestdecision on what the harvest approach is ing herring roe. going to be in the draft, whereas this year “They do spawn in other territories on it’s really going to be seeking input from the coast, but not directly in ours where people on what they think the final IFMP we used to harvest,” he said. “I feel bad should look like,” said Rusch. for younger kids that didn’t get to feast According to DFO research, the suson the siiḥmuu much like I did as a kid. tained abundance of herring stocks will I remember it well and how precious it directly impact the diets of Pacific salmon was when we did have an abundance of and a number of other animals in coastal siiḥmuu.” waters. Herring accounts for 62 per cent Some Nuu-chah-nulth representatives of what chinook salmon eat and 58 per questioned the heavy reliance on DFO’s cent of the coho diet, while comprising scientific models that are used to deter71 per cent of what lingcod consume and mine the health of herring stocks. At a Council of Ha’wiih Forum early this year 32 per cent of the harbour seal’s diet.

Mobile Hair Stylist

Page 12— Ha-Shilth-Sa—November 30, 2023

President’s Message Hello everyone. Another month has passed by and we are quickly drawing to December with solstice and holiday seasons. Winter Solstice is an important time for us and the start of a new year.

Hope you enjoy family and community time during this important season.

I attended an all-candidates forum for AFN and the election for national chief on December 6th. The following candidates are running for National Chief.

Reginald Bellrose- Saskatchewan; Craig Makinaw- Treaty 6 Alberta; Sheila NorthManitoba; David Pratt-Saskatchewan; Dean Sayers-Ontario; Cindy WoodhouseManitoba. BCAFN held an all-candidates forum, where I listened very carefully to what each candidate can offer us.

Biggest challenge for the new national chief will be bringing credibility back to AFN after the removal of the last chief and unifying First Nations across Canada to work together on many issues. As always, it will be an interesting election.

I was an expert witness for the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal on the role of the RCMP in investigating complaints from the residential schools. The lawyer for the complainant is proposing an Indigenousled investigative team, not the RCMP, do the investigations. I supported this position and gave further background as to how this can be done. Hoping the CHRT will rule that this will be done.

I attended the First Nations leadership gathering where leaders, ministers and top bureaucrats get together. Meetings of 15 minutes are held and it really is a chance to touch base and set up more meetings. There are also ongoing panels in the main conference room on many important topics. It is a good chance to see everyone, network and catch up with provincial issues. Over 1,000 people attended and over 900 meetings were held.

The Indigenous business awards were held during the FNLG. I gave opening remarks on behalf of the board. Kyuquot economic development’s Tiicma Enterprises won in the Community-owned Business of the Year – two or more entities.

Congrats to them.

I also provided a presentation at a conference on ocean management. I talked about our efforts to do joint management in the marine protected area off of Vancouver Island in conjunction with the Haida, Quatsino and Pacheedaht.

I also attended aclean energy conference and meeting on Indigenous utilities. As I have told you, BC hydro is wanting to purchase more power after 15 years. The conference brought in over 300 delegates for great networking opportunities. Had many great panels discussing many things from transmission, partnering, off grid communities, and many experiences.

Attended Usma workshop on children and families. Jurisdiction over children and families was one of the main topics, as was clarifying findings, roles of the federal and provincial governments.

Discussions were held in the plenary and small groups about the best way forward for Nuu-Chah-nulth and how Usma can support our nations in children and families jurisdiction. There was good representation from all our nations and some good questions and dialogue took place.

Council of Ha’wiih had a two-day forum which I attended. One day was internal meeting and one day with DFO. The key messages are a way to quickly identify and inform DFO on a broad range of fisheries-related interests and concerns of Nuu-chah-nulth nations. A summary of the Key Messages to DFO are 1. Nitinaht Hatchery Production

Ditidaht First Nation has worked collaboratively and effectively with the DFO’s Nitinaht Hatchery in not only obtaining food and economic opportunities for the community but also assisting the hatchery in brood stock collections and assessing the strength of returns for Nitinaht salmon coming back to the system. This unique relationship has taken time to build throughout the years and is important not only for the nation and hatchery but also for the proper stewardship of the salmon resources to ensure continued returns for years to come.

2. Continuation of closure for WCVI regular commercial herring fisheries WCVI herring stocks have been showing a slow, but steady increasing trend in returns over the past few years. At or Oct. 25 Council of Ha’wiih Forum on Fisheries meeting, DFO asked the Ha’wiih if they would consider opening WCVI to commercial herring fisheries. The Nuu-chah-nulth Ha’wiih are united in their response that WCVI herring remains closed to regular commercial fisheries. WCVI herring are just beginning to rebuild. Given our increased understanding of predation impacts on WCVI stocks, DFO and Nuu-chahnulth must determine if the rebuilding is sustainable or just temporary. Nuuchah-nulth Nations and DFO must agree on the health of herring stocks and what, if any, commercial fishing activities would be appropriate.

3. Prosed Reference and Mark Selective Fisheries in 2024 for PFMA 25 DFO began discussions on a proposed a small boat hook-and-line reference fishery for Area 25 for 2024. Nuu-chah-nulth nations support exploring the reference fishery as a catch monitoring tool for proposed Mark Selective Fisheries (MSF) for Nuu-chah-nulth economic and recreational small boat fleets.

4. Trilateral Salmon Accord The FNFC has been advancing a trilateral salmon accord with DFO and BC to coordinate efforts towards Pacific salmon recovery at the provincial level.

This work is intended to bring First Nations, DFO and BC to the same table, and working collaboratively on one shared salmon strategy at the provincial scale.

The Ha’wiih support this initiative to rebuild all our nations’ salmon stocks.

5. Habitat Restoration Priorities The Nations directed Uu-a-thluk staff to engage with DFO’s habitat restoration group to identify habitat restoration priorities for the WCVI area through the CoHFoF process. DFO has funding for indigenous organizations to meet with DFO to identify restoration priorities.

I look forward to reporting to you in 2024. Best of the New Year to you all.

-Cloy-e-iis, Judith Sayers

ARCD photo

The Sort’nGo three-stream roadside collection service includes garbage, compost, and recycling. The ACRD program was led by Tla-o-qui-aht and Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ, as the service was introduced into hitac̓u, Esowista, and Ty-histanis a year ago.

Nations celebrate one year of Sort’nGo collection The roadside garbage collection service has prevented over 75 kilograms of waste going to the landfill

By Alexandra Mehl Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Tofino, BC - One year ago Tla-o-qui-aht, Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ and the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District introduced a threestream roadside collection in hitac̓u, Esowista, and Ty-histanis, a service which has since eliminated 175 kilograms of waste per household.

“If you can visualize the magnitude of what [175 kilograms of waste per household has] diverted from our landfill, and thinking this is only our first year, it’s got great prospects for the future to increase the longevity of our landfill,” said Tla-o-qui-aht Public Works Manager Shawn Quick. “It’s extending the life of that landfill, [and] it’s reducing all of that recycling being deposited there.”

The Sort’nGo three-stream roadside collection service includes garbage, compost, and recycling. The ACRD program was led by Tla-o-qui-aht and Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ, as the service was introduced into hitac̓u, Esowista, and Tyhistanis.

“For all three, it was the first introduction of roadside collection – moving away from central collection points in the community,” reads an ACRD press release.

Prior to the introduction of the program, Quick shared that Tla-o-qui-aht communities had dumpsters that garbage bags did not always make it into.

“A lot of cases, the garbage wouldn’t even make it into the dumpsters,” said Quick. “It would be stacked outside of the dumpsters by kids that brought the garbage to the dumpsters and couldn’t get it in.”

Dogs and crows would easily access garbage and drag it around the communities, he said.

At first there was some push back to the Sort’nGo program, Quick reflected.

“It’s a lot to expect from a household that’s used to being able to throw everything into one bag,” said Quick. “Now they actually have to wash, separate, and take [bins] out to the curb on specific mornings, early in the morning, and they’re doing it.”

“This has been a big change for everyone on the West Coast – in particular for the residents of hitac̓u, who have shifted successfully from community dumpsters to three-stream, roadside collection,” said Spencer Touchie, the acting joint director of Operations/Assets for the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government, in an ACRD press release.

“This is an important part of improving our sustainability, and I congratulate everyone involved.”

Since the implementation of the Sort’nGo three-stream roadside collection, Quick shared that the Tla-o-qui-aht communities are seeing a reduction in the amount of loose garbage lying around.

The community is seeing products that would have otherwise gone in the garbage being recycled, and a decrease in attractants for wildlife.

“Being in a park, it’s crucial that we don’t create attractants to draw bears in,” said Quick.

In this past bear season, Quick said that the communities only saw one troubled bear come through the Tla-o-qui-aht settlements, which didn’t stay for long.

“I thought it was really important to make sure our nation started to recycle and started to become the appropriate stewards of the land that we always were,” said Quick. “[What] I’m most proud of is the community members actually helping make it happen because without their involvement in doing this it wouldn’t have happened.”

November 30, 2023—Ha-Shilth-Sa—Page 13

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Check out our new Facebook page Nuu-chah-nulth Jobs and Events Updated daily!

Page 14— Ha-Shilth-Sa—November 30, 2023

Pacheedaht regains stewardship over Middle Beach Site is expected to be included in treaty se•lement lands when Pacheedaht and Ditidaht sign a final agreement

By Denise Titian Ha-Shilth-Sa Reporter Port Renfrew, BC – “It’s a small step, but it’s a step in the right direction,” says Pacheedaht elected chief Jeff Jones.

He said those words at a signing ceremony held at ʔA:ʔbʔe:ʔs (Aah-bee-ay-s), the Middle Beach section of Pacheedaht Beach on Nov. 15.

For as long as anyone can remember, Pacheedaht stunning two-kilometre sandy beach has been bisected by a parcel of land that the government of Canada excluded from the First Nation’s two main reserves, located on each end of the beach. The nation has operated a campground on its reserve portions of the beach for decades, but the middle section of the beach was off limits to them.

In 1970, the federal government established Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, which runs 125 kilometres along the west coast of Vancouver Island from Tofino in the north to Port Renfrew in the south. It runs through the territories of nine Nuu-chah-nulth nations. By 1988 Middle Beach was included in the federal park reserve, to be managed by Parks Canada without consultation and consent of Pacheedaht First Nation.

According to Chief Jones, there hasn’t been much in the way of management at Middle Beach.

“There are no services and no facilities,” he said.

But that all changed on Nov. 15, when Gary Anandasangaree, minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, joined Parks Canada officials and leaders of the Pacheedaht and Ditidaht First Nations to sign a License of Occupation on the 2.6acre parcel of land that includes Middle Beach.

Chief Jones said that Pacheedaht was not included in land use decisions when it came to Middle Beach and their elders and chiefs always wanted it back in their possession. In fact, during his years as Pacheedaht’s treaty negotiator, the late Marvin McClurg pressed for the return of the beach to the Pacheedaht.

According to a 2009 Parks Canada ‘State of the Park’ report, the federal agency was engaged in negotiations at five separate Nuu-chah-nulth treaty tables whose lands are taken up by the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. This included the Maa-nulth (Huu-ay-aht, Ucluelet, and Toquaht First Nations), Hupacasath,

Denise Titian photo

Pacheedaht Chief Councillor Jeff Jones signs an agreement with Parks Canada for the First Nation to regain stewardship of Middle Beach near Port Renfrew on Nov. 15. Standing behind him to the right are Gary Anandasangaree, Canada’s minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, and Ditidaht Chief Councillor Judi Thomas.

Ditidaht, Pacheedaht, Tseshaht and Tla-oqui-aht First Nations.

Some nations signed co-operative management agreements with Parks Canada.

While the agreement does not give Pacheedaht ownership of the beach, it is a step towards reconciliation. It is anticipated that Middle Beach will be included in treaty settlement lands when Pacheedaht and Ditidaht sign a final agreement.

Jones estimated that it could be two to five years before they have a final treaty.

Dozens of people gathered at Middle Beach just before sunset to witness the signing ceremony. Adults huddled under portable canopies while children frolicked on the beach.

“Part of our territory is coming back to us,” Jones said, calling the section of beach the missing link.

He said Pacheedaht is moving towards ownership of their land.

“The cultures and identities of Indigenous Peoples are rooted in ties with the land,” said Minister Anandasangaree in a written statement. “For more than a hundred years, the government stole land and severed these ties. Today, with the signing of this agreement, we begin to reverse this act of violence as the stewardship of the land at ʔA:ʔbʔe:ʔs is given back to Pacheedaht First Nation.”

“Our nation has not owned land for many years and we’re very excited about finding out what ownership feels like,” said Jones. “We will get our Pacheedaht people involved the management. Our territory is very beautiful, and many visitors come here just to get away.”

Jones sees this as a tourism opportunity that will create long-term employment.

With the West Coast Trail seeing 8,000 hikers every year and the nearby Juan de Fuca trail’s 120,000 annual visitors, the

tourism potential is obvious. Jones says the community needs to develop a plan that may include linking the two ends of the beach with additional campground sites and services. He said the agreement will not only benefit the Pacheedaht but also the neighboring Port Renfrew community and visiting tourists.

“This is a change in custodianship and will likely lead to a full land transfer in treaty and will be managed under the full control of Pacheedaht First Nation,” said Minister Anandasangaree.

Jones said the transfer is symbolic, but it is a sign of what is ahead.

“This is about the future for our young people and we’re on the right path toward reconciliation and treaty,” he added.

Pacheedaht along with Ditidaht First Nation has been in the B.C. treaty process for 27 years.

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November 30, 2023—Ha-Shilth-Sa—Page 15

BC Hydro calls for power from First Nations in 2024 Large-scale projects currently priority, but river-generated power could bring opportunities for Nuu-chah-nulth

By Karly Blats Ha-Shilth-Sa Contributor The Province of British Columbia and BC Hydro are are working with First Nations and clean-energy companies to advance a call for power next spring.

In June 2023, the province announced that BC Hydro is moving ahead with a call for resources to meet the growing demand for electricity in B.C. Objectives of the call are to acquire energy from clean or renewable sources that are cost-effective for ratepayers - projects that can come online as early as fall 2028 and initiatives that can be meaningful partnerships with First Nations.

BC Hydro is currently in phase two of the engagement process, which takes place from September 2023 to January 2024.

“B.C. is a clean-energy superpower, but we know that we are going to need more renewable electricity in the years ahead.

BC Hydro’s upcoming call for power will only be the beginning as we accelerate our efforts to electrify B.C.’s growing economy and create jobs for people,” said Josie Osborne, minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation, in a press release. “Early engagement on the call for power with First Nations and stakeholders has been very encouraging, and we look forward to building on that over the weeks ahead as we work together on developing First Nations partnership models aimed at advancing reconciliation.”

Over the past several months, BC Hydro has engaged with First Nation partners and industry stakeholders on the key elements of the call for power. This includes 30 individual meetings with 24 First Nations and workshops in four regions of the province.

Judith Sayers, Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council president, has attended several of the engagement sessions with BC Hydro.

“This call is designed really for large projects—30 to 50 megawatts—which are really large. So they’re really looking at the North and wind projects,” Sayers said. “We really want to work with [BC Hydro] on the next call so that we can allow a lot more First Nations projects that are a lot more smaller in size - whether it’s solar, run of the river, geothermal, whatever they have in their territory.”

Sayers said she isn’t aware of any large-

Barkley Project Group photos

A pen stock carries water down a mountain to the Canoe Creek Hydro powerhouse. Canoe Creek began operations in 2010 near the west coast of Vancouver Island.

Creek, in Hupacasath territory, has a gen- process, including minimum project size, scale power projects in Nuu-chah-nulth erating capacity of 6.5 megawatts at peak opportunities and constraints related to territories, but there are smaller projects transmission infrastructure and subsestreamflow. During heavy rainfall in the in operation or in progress. quent calls for power. winter, China Creek can produce enough The Hesquiaht First Nation has made a “As we prepare to launch our call for successful transition from a diesel-driven electricity for 6,000 homes, comparable power next spring, we are listening caregenerator to sustainable clean energy that to the total number residences within the fully to what is important to First Nations relies upon renewable hydroelectric pow- City of Port Alberni. and stakeholders,” said Chris O’Riley, For some First Nations communities, er at Hot Springs Cove. With a 350-kilopresident and CEO of BC Hydro, in having their own clean energy projects watt capacity, the Ah’ta’apq Creek plant a press release. “We have approached is essential for “getting off the grid” said harnesses energy from the local rushing developing this call openly and with flexwaters of the creek and provides electric- Sayers, but also the economic opportuibility in mind. Feedback is so important, nity and a chance to bring money and ity needed in the village. and we will continue to refine the design power into a community.

The Sarita River hydro project in Huuof the call based on what we hear from “There’s great opportunity in our terriay-aht territory, which is expected to be tories and we just have to do an inventory British Columbians as we continue encomplete in 2025, will harness a water gagement over the next several months.” to see what’s there, what can we use,” flow capable of generating more power During late fall and early winter, BC Sayers said. “I’d like to see all Nuuthan would be needed by the nearby vilHydro will continue to seek input from chah-nulth nations looking into that and lages of Anacla and Bamfield combined.

First Nations partners and industry stakepreparing for future calls and possibly It will have a 5.2-megawatt capacity. holders about the call for power procurethis call.”

The Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation is ment process and parameters, including Through the dozens of information sesoperating two run-of-the river projects requirements for First Nations economic sions, focus groups, meetings and workon Canoe and Haa-ak-suuk creeks. With participation, and what the terms and shops between BC Hydro, First Nations a generating capacity of six megawatts conditions of electricity purchase agreeand stakeholders, the items that have each, the micro-hydro plants began operments will look like between BC Hydro ating in 2010 and 2014 respectively, with generated the most discussion include: First Nations partnership in projects and the successful proponents.

40-year agreements to sell the power to and collaboration in designing the call, BC Hydro. project development challenges, the call A run-of-the-river project at China

Tla-o-qui-aht member Brendan Tom, the Haa-ak-suuk Creek Hydro Plant operator, stands in the watershed where the First Nation is planning future projects.

Page 16— Ha-Shilth-Sa—November 30, 2023