Category Archives: Indigenous Nations

Indigenous Nations, Politics, Rivers & Oceans

Land and water in B.C. have a new ministry. We spoke with its leader

By Matt Simmons, The Narwhal, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

Josie Osborne seems careful with her words as she talks about her new job. The former mayor of Tofino, turned MLA,  is heading up the new B.C. Ministry of Land, Water and Resource  Stewardship and is the minister responsible for fisheries. But through  her political composure are glimpses of a lifestyle associated with the  little west coast community on Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation territory —  she lives on ten acres with her husband, dog, three goats and chickens  and works out of a brightly coloured tiny house office. 

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Business, Indigenous Nations, Tourism

The vision behind Qathen Xwegus Management Corporation

In the three years since they hired Bruno Pereira, Qathen Xwegus Management Corporation (QXMC) has purchased the Klahoose Wilderness Resort, Gorge Harbour Marina, a water taxi, a piece of ocean front property for a combined campsite/RV park and entered into the seaweed farm business. They intend to add another 20 rental units, a larger store and gas station at the Gorge. QXMC is also contemplating a hydroponic vegetable farm and electrifying their land transport fleet.

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Indigenous Nations, Rivers & Oceans

5,000 Chum fry released back into Basil Creek

More than 20 people gathered at the Klahoose hatchery in Squirrel Cove to watch around  5,000 Chum fry be released back into Basil Creek on Wednesday, April 20, 2022. Six of them were women and girls from the Klahoose village, who came to sing a prayer song. Seven were homeschool students, enrolled in the Partners in Education (PIE) program, who came with their mothers. There were also a handful of Cortes Island streamkeepers, three Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) personal and two reporters. 

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Energy, Indigenous Nations

Heiltsuk Nation’s clean energy conversion efforts ahead of curve in B.C.

National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A remote coastal First Nation has weaned a third of its homes off fossil fuels, making climate gains communities in the rest of B.C. can only aspire to.

To further its clean energy transition, Heiltsuk Nation has lined up another $5 million in funding to provide an additional 250 homes in Bella Bella with energy-efficient heat pumps over the next year. Once they are in, 90 per cent of the community’s households will have dramatically reduced their carbon footprint. 

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Arts, Indigenous Nations, Tourism

New season for Klahoose Wilderness Resort starts May 12th

The Klahoose First Nation conducted grizzly bear tours in Toba Inlet for five years before their economic development arm, Qathen Xwegus Management Corporation (QXMC), purchased the former Homfray Lodge in November 2020. Many of the packages are already booked for the Klahoose Wilderness Resort’s second season, which starts May 12th.

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