Strengthening emergency operations centres in Cariboo-Chilcotin

Courtesy of the Government of BC:

Editor's Note -- the following Cariboo-Chilcotin Local Governments' or First Nations received funding allocations for their operated Emergency Operations Centres: 

District of Wells -- IT equipment, workstations and training to build EOC infrastructure and staff capacity

Approved amount: $21,316

City of Quesnel -- Connectivity equipment to improve EOC communications and operations

Approved amount: $10,899

Cariboo Regional District -- Technology upgrades and tabletop exercise to strengthen EOC operations

Approved amount: $29,743

Lhtako Dene Nation -- Communications and IT equipment to strengthen EOC connectivity and operations

Approved amount: $30,000

Tsilhqot'in National Government – IT equipment, training and exercise to strengthen EOC infrastructure and staff capacity

Approved amount: $25,600

Xats'ull First Nation – Equipment, supplies and training to build foundational EOC capacity

Approved amount: $14,947

Xeni Gwet'in First Nations – Equipment, supplies, training, maps and incremental staffing to build comprehensive EOC capacity

Approved amount: $30,000

With extreme weather and climate-related events becoming more common, the Province is funding 110 projects throughout B.C. to help local governments and First Nations better respond to emergencies and protect people.

“Emergency operations centres are the backbone of a co-ordinated response when an emergency happens,” said Kelly Greene, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness. “This funding will help local governments and First Nations with the equipment, training and exercises they need to run their emergency operations centres effectively, so communities throughout B.C. get the support they need as quickly as possible.”

Co-ordinating response when emergencies happen

Through the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund, the Province is providing approximately $3.5 million to support local emergency operations centres in 138 communities.

An emergency operations centre (EOC) is where local government and First Nation staff and volunteers direct resources, co-ordinate with other partners and support first responders during an emergency. These centres help ensure that people have access to timely information, emergency support services and other assistance when they need it. This funding will help communities upgrade and strengthen the capacity of local EOCs, improving co-ordination and response during emergencies.

“Continued funding through the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund is critical to helping local governments and First Nations maintain strong emergency preparedness and response capacity,” said Cori Ramsay, president, Union of British Columbia Municipalities. “These investments contribute to safer, more resilient communities throughout B.C.”  

Projects funded in 2026 include:

• Kamloops:
  • running a full-scale EOC exercise and ongoing team training, and purchasing supplies and equipment upgrades to strengthen the EOC program
• Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nations:
  • acquiring a portable EOC kit, including supplies and IT equipment, along with orientation and training for EOC staff
• Northern Rockies Regional Municipality:
  • upgrading its mobile EOC trailer with furniture and equipment
• Tsartlip First Nation and Tseycum First Nation:
  • Each acquiring and installing a tsunami alert siren on their respective lands to provide early warning of tsunamis and other emergencies for communities at heightened risk due to their coastal locations near the Juan de Fuca subduction zone

About the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund

The Community Emergency Preparedness Fund is a suite of funding programs that helps local governments and First Nations prepare for disasters and reduce risks from natural hazards in a changing climate.

In addition to emergency operations centres equipment and training, it also funds emergency support services equipment and training, public notification and evacuation route planning, and foundations of disaster risk reduction. This fund is administered through the Union of British Columbia Municipalities.

Quick Facts:

• The Province has committed $369 million through all Community Emergency Preparedness Fund streams since it was established in 2017.
• To date, more than $350 million has been provided to First Nations and local governments for more than 2,800 projects throughout the province.
• This funding supports the goals of the Emergency and Disaster Management Act by building stronger emergency response capacity in communities throughout B.C.

Learn More:

For information about the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund, visit: https://www.ubcm.ca/cepf

For more information about the Emergency operation centre operational guidelines, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/public-safety-and-emergency-services/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/local-government/eoc_operational_guidelines.pdf

Tl’esqox (Toosey) Releases Report Two Years after 2024 Landslide

Courtesy of the Tsilhqot'in National Government:

Nearly two years after the 2024 Tŝilhqox (Chilcotin River) landslide, Tl’esqox (Toosey) First Nation has released a report, reflecting on the landslide response and mitigation. As an addition to the 2024 Tŝilhqox Landslide Report, this report details what Tl’esqox has learned since the 2024 Tŝilhqox landslide, as well as further insights from the documented experiences of Tl’esqox and the Tŝilhqot’in Nation. 

On July 31, 2024, a landslide caused a significant block of the Tŝilhqox for six days. At the time, the landslide threatened public safety, sacred sites and the 2024 salmon run. In the Spring of 2026, Tl’esqox, in partnership with the Tŝilhqot’in Nation led and funded rockslope stabilization work to mitigate further sliding that had the potential to dramatically impact migration routes for salmon. The protection of salmon was the highest priority in this work. Nagwentled is a critical migration corridor for salmon stocks that wind through the caretaker area of the Tl’esqox community. 

On the anniversary of the landslide, the community of Tl’esqox recognizes the hard work of those involved in response and recovery and continues to seek meaningful advancements with BC and Canada in four main calls to action. The two-year anniversary of the landslide reaffirms the commitment to caring for the nen, the tu, the ts’eman, and lhuy. Tl’esqox calls on government and industry to continue building on the progress of the past two years, where consent and respect guide meaningful and tangible outcomes for today and for future generations to come.

“The salmon are our biggest concern, always. They are our biggest food source. The river and the salmon are a part of who we are, it's in our DNA. Salmon - they have their struggles. They are not much different than us – moving from one emergency to the next. They’re resilient and strong and this reflects on us as a people.”

-Nits’ilʔin (Chief) Francis Laceese of Tl’esqox (Toosey) First Nation

Report here

Tŝilhqot’in Nation Takes Action to Save Chilko Salmon from Catastrophic Risk

Courtesy of the Tsilhqot'in National Government:

January 15, 2026

9:30am

Today, the Tŝilhqot’in National Government (TNG) announced its commitment to protect Chilko salmon runs by advancing – and funding – urgent mitigation measures to prevent imminent rockfall at Nagwentled (Farwell Canyon) on the Tŝilhqox (Chilcotin River), a critical corridor for Fraser River salmon migration.

TNG leads the Emergency Salmon Task Force, established in response to the Tŝilhqox Landslide in 2024. TNG raised the alarm when a geotechnical report commissioned by BC after the landslide found an “imminent risk” of rockfall into the Tŝilhqox at Nagwentled, the gateway for several critical salmon species to return to their spawning grounds. The Task Force has warned that further rockslides during the salmon migration period could be catastrophic and long-lasting, creating migration delays similar to the 2019 Big Bar landslide, with devastating impacts on already threatened salmon populations.

Nagwentled is a critical migration corridor for salmon stocks of local, regional, and international importance. This includes the iconic Chilko sockeye run, which regularly accounts for more than half of the total Fraser River sockeye return and plays a vital role for all First Nations along the Fraser River and marine approach fisheries including Vancouver Island, Canadian commercial fisheries, and southern US commercial and subsistence fisheries, making the consequences of disrupted passage at Nagwentled far-reaching and international in scale.

Facing this imminent risk, the Task Force has developed a proactive slope stabilization plan that includes manual scaling and targeted trim blasting – a well established and common approach for stabilizing slopes for infrastructure projects. This plan was collaboratively designed, assessed and supported for urgent action by all Task Force partners, which include technical representatives of TNG, BC and the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) and the Upper Fraser Fisheries Conservation Alliance.

However, the Tŝilhqot’in Nation was alarmed by recent indications from both Canada and BC that funding will not be made available to support this proactive mitigation plan before the 2026 migration, putting these critical salmon populations at dire risk.

In response, TNG is announcing its commitment to fund this mitigation work itself, if government will not step up to prevent this potential catastrophe, rather than risk devastating impacts for salmon runs that the Tŝilhqot’in have protected and stewarded for generations. Costs are estimated at $2.5M – $3M (in contrast to more than $200M spent by DFO in response to the Big Bar Slide).

TNG has proactively engaged provincial and federal authorities to initiate permitting and is fully committed to consulting all impacted First Nations along the Fraser River who depend on these salmon for their sustenance and way of life.

“Salmon are the heart of our culture and who we are as Tŝilhqot’in, ‘People of the River’. Our way of life is at stake. Not just our way of life – these salmon feed Indigenous communities all along the Fraser River. It is unthinkable to us that Canada and BC would have full knowledge of this risk to salmon, have a mitigation plan that was developed together and ready to go, and still not take the steps needed to prevent catastrophe. We have so many dire needs for funding in our Communities, but we cannot idly stand by. Today we are putting our people and culture first and honouring our sacred duties to the salmon that feed us, to our ancestors and to our children and grandchildren. We ask government and all affected First Nations to stand with us and put the salmon first when they need us the most.”

—Nits’ilʔin (Chief) Otis Guichon, Tribal Chief, Tŝilhqot’in National Government, Tŝideldel First Nation

Tŝilhqot’in Call for End to Political Fear-mongering About Property Title (involving Indigenous/Non-Indigenous Peoples)

Courtesy of the Tsilhqot'in First Nation:

The Tŝilhqot’in Nation is calling for an end to the political fear mongering about Aboriginal title coming from all levels of government and across political parties in British Columbia. Aboriginal rights and title have gone unaddressed by Canada and the Province of BC for over a century. It is only in 2014 that the Tŝilhqot’in Nation secured the first court declaration of Aboriginal title in Canadian history, after decades of denial.

The Tsilhqot’in Nation is deeply disappointed to see the Premier of British Columbia, Opposition Leader John Rustad, and others, play politics around Aboriginal title and generate fear and misinformation about First Nations — at the same time First Nations have made every effort to advance our rights in a spirit of reconciliation, and with care and attention to the interests of individual property owners.

The Tŝilhqot’in Nation, with a court declaration of Aboriginal title, has never targeted private property and has no intention of doing so. Private lands were excluded from the declaration of title that the Nation sought — and received — from the Supreme Court of Canada. Recently, the Haida Nation consented to the continuation of private land interests as part of its title recognition agreement with BC and Canada. The Cowichan Nation has also taken care to ensure that the declaration of Aboriginal title it secured in its recent judgment does not interfere with the rights of private owners.

Since first contact, Indigenous peoples have been vilified and portrayed as the enemy, while our peoples have faced the relentless taking of our lands, culture, language, and way of life. Our home is our territory. The Tŝilhqot’in and other Nations are still fighting for the survival of their lands and cultures. The Provincial NDP has passed Bills 14 + 15 to fast-track major projects without the explicit requirement of Indigenous consent, and John Rustad has called for the repeal of the Declaration Act  — direct threats to Indigenous human rights, safety, and security — while painting Indigenous peoples as a threat to people’s private property. 

The Tŝilhqot’in Nation calls on all levels of government to engage with First Nations to resolve long standing questions related to Indigenous rights and title, in a positive way.

The Tŝilhqot’in National Government is the governing body for the Tŝilhqot’in people. The Tŝilhqot’in Nation is comprised of six communities located throughout the Tŝilhqot’in (Chilcotin) territory and is the first Nation in Canada to secure a court declaration of Aboriginal title (Tsilhqot’in Nation v. British Columbia)

Nits’ilʔin (Chief) Otis Guichon, Tribal Chief, Tŝilhqot’in National Government: 

Time and again, First Nations have shown care and respect for the private property of our neighbours, even when those lands were wrongly taken from us in the past. It is frustrating to see these genuine efforts by First Nations towards reconciliation met by misinformation and fear-mongering by politicians. We call on everyone to take this as an opportunity for true leadership and positive, respectful relationships that will promote certainty and address the land questions we see today. Those that lead with fear aren’t looking for things to improve — they just want to score easy political points at the expense of the most marginalized and vulnerable people in this Province.”

BC funds Tŝilhqot’in-led healing and wellness model

Courtesy of the Government of BC:

First Nations people living with substance-use challenges will soon benefit from a new Tŝilhqot’in-led healing and wellness model as the Province provides $8.3 million for recovery supports.

This new project is a partnership between the Tŝilhqot’in National Government and Red Road Recovery.

“Indigenous communities in B.C. have been deeply impacted by the toxic-drug crisis, with Indigenous Peoples facing a disproportionately higher risk of drug-related overdose,” said the Hon. Josie Osborne, BC'sz Minister of Health. “The Red Road River Tŝilhqox model represents an important step forward, offering culturally grounded, First-Nations-led treatment and recovery supports that ensure people can access care in a space that honours their identity, experiences and healing journey.”

The new Red Road River Tŝilhqox model is founded on the strength of Tŝilhqot’in culture and will offer both traditional treatment and land-based healing. The project is anticipated to include three key provincially funded components to support long-term wellness and healing from substance use:

• 10 beds dedicated to supportive recovery (pre-treatment);
• 15 beds dedicated to treatment and recovery through the Tŝilhqot’in Healing and Wellness Centre; and
• 10 beds dedicated to after-care, reintegration and long-term healing (post-treatment) transitional housing.

“The government has proven its commitment to the well-being of its citizens through this investment in a Tsilhqot’in-led recovery program,” said Nits’ilʔin (Chief) Lennon Solomon, Yuneŝit’in Government. “Our long-standing partnership with the Province has delivered genuine results, and with this funding, we are confident we can build a space for all Nations to heal. We look forward to continuing this good work with everyone.”

The provincially funded services provided through the Red Road River Tŝilhqox model will be delivered at two Tŝilhqot’in-owned properties near Hanceville, approximately 100 kilometres west of Williams Lake. This will ensure that people from the six Tŝilhqot’in Nation communities, along with other Indigenous Peoples, can receive these services closer to home.

“The toxic-drug crisis continues to devastate communities across this province,” said Scott Tremblett, CEO of Red Road Recovery. “We believe true healing begins when people are connected to culture, land and community. The Red Road River Tŝilhqox project is a powerful response developed in partnership with the Tŝilhqot’in Nation. We’re grateful to the Province and Ministry of Health for recognizing the urgent need and supporting this vision. Together, we’re building a program rooted in tradition, identity and lifelong recovery.”

Construction is expected to begin in September 2025 and the anticipated opening of the Red Road River Tŝilhqox project is late fall 2025. While construction and program recruitment is underway, and to address the immediate need for recovery supports in the region, the Province has provided interim funding for two private treatment and recovery beds at the Red Road Ranch in Lumby, for use by Tŝilhqot’in community members.

In April 2024, the Tŝilhqot’in National Government declared a state of local emergency in response to the devastating effects of the toxic-drug crisis on their Nation. In September 2024, a letter of understanding between the Tŝilhqot’in Nation and the Province was signed that expressed their commitment to initiate specific priority actions to improve wellness across all Tŝilhqot’in communities. In addressing this crisis, the Tŝilhqot’in Nation proposed a comprehensive, First-Nation-led healing and wellness model rooted in Indigenous knowledge and designed to provide culturally driven services across a continuum of care.

The Red Road River Tŝilhqox project reflects the Province’s commitment to strengthening the full continuum of mental-health and substance-use care for everyone in British Columbia. 

Quick Facts:

• The Tŝilhqot’in National Government represents six main Tŝilhqot’in communities: Tl’etinqox (Anaham), Tŝideldel (Redstone), Yuneŝit’in (Stone), Xeni Gwet’in (Nemiah), ʔEsdilagh (Alexandria) and Tl’esqox (Toosey).
• Untreated psychological effects due to the impacts of colonialism have been passed on from generation to generation, resulting in an ongoing cycle of trauma and addiction.
• In B.C., First Nations people are nearly six times more likely to die than non-First Nations people from toxic-drug poisoning, in part due to the ongoing and intergenerational trauma associated with colonialism and racism.

Learn More:

For more information about Red Road Recovery, visit: https://redroadrecovery.com/

To learn more about how the Tŝilhqot’in National Government is addressing the toxic-drug crisis, visit: https://tsilhqotin.ca/toxic-drug-crisis/

To learn how B.C. is building better mental-health and addictions care, visit: https://gov.bc.ca/BetterCare

Government of Canada takes action to conserve salmon populations impacted by the Tŝilhqox (Chilcotin) River landslide

Courtesy of the Tsilhqot'in National Government:

On July 30, a significant landslide occurred in the lower Chilcotin River, a major tributary to the Fraser River, and severely disrupted the river habitat, blocking upstream migration of adult Chinook and Sockeye salmon, and degrading water quality.

Pacific salmon are vital to the health of British Columbia’s ecosystems and communities. Since the slide occurred, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has been working collaboratively with Tŝilhqot’in National Government (TNG), First Nations members of the Upper Fraser Fisheries Conservation Alliance (UFFCA) and the Province of British Columbia through an Emergency Salmon Task Force to assess and respond to the situation.

Over the past several weeks, this team of dedicated biologists, fisheries technicians and other experts have worked tirelessly to evaluate the situation and manage the immediate impacts to the local ecosystem and fish stocks. While there has been confirmation that Sockeye salmon have begun to enter the Chilcotin River, further on-site assessments will continue to determine whether upstream salmon migration has been restored. The multi-agency team is installing the necessary monitoring equipment to assess the ongoing effects of the slide on resident and migrating fish populations and exploring potential actions to support impacted Tŝilhqox (Chilcotin River) salmon stocks.

Drawing on previous experience from the 2019 Big Bar landslide response, the Emergency Salmon Task Force, (comprised of many of the same partners) is leveraging this expertise to develop effective recommendations, including potential use of emergency conservation enhancement measures.

An annual program to support conservation, rebuilding and assessment of several Upper Fraser salmon stocks of concern, including Upper Chilcotin Chinook, Lower Chilcotin Chinook, Chilko Chinook and Taseko Sockeye has been underway with local First Nations partners since the landslide at Big Bar in 2019. Prior to the Chilcotin landslide, and in response to the Big Bar landslide, DFO has provided $1.5 million annually to support salmon conservation and rebuilding efforts in the middle and upper Fraser, most of which is delivered through DFO’s partnerships with First Nations. This funding supports adult brood collection, rearing and release of 600K Chinook and 400K sockeye from 17 salmon stocks. They are raised at three DFO hatcheries, four First Nations hatcheries, and one community operated facility. 

The Emergency Salmon Task Force is prepared to expand the program to undertake emergency 

enhancement activities of additional stocks as needed.

This emergency enhancement work is made possible with funding through DFO’s Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative (PSSI), a transformative investment towards the protection and restoration of Pacific salmon and their habitats. DFO is providing funding to support First Nations partners in leading an effective and immediate multi-agency response to the landslide. This working model exemplifies the importance of bringing partners together to provide a cohesive, coordinated response.   

The situation remains fluid. Additional monitoring and assessment of Tŝilhqox (Chilcotin) salmon stocks migrating to spawning grounds over the coming weeks will be critical to informing further actions that may be required. While there are still many unknowns, DFO crews will be prepared to mobilize and work alongside partners to achieve the best possible outcomes for impacted salmon populations. 

Tŝilhqot’in Nation, Canada and B.C. celebrate 10-year title anniversary with renewal of agreement

Courtesy of the Government of BC:

This week marks 10 years since the historic Supreme Court of Canada judgment, known as the Tŝilhqot’in Decision, which resulted in the first declaration of Aboriginal title in Canadian history, recognizing the Tŝilhqot’in Nation as the owners of a portion of their traditional territory in the interior of British Columbia.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attended the celebration on title lands to witness the recognition of Elders and other Tŝilhqot’in witnesses who courageously testified at trial during the title-and-rights case. Also attending the celebration were: Gary Anandasangaree, federal Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations; Patty Hajdu, federal Minister of Indigenous Services; Arif Virani, federal Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada; Murray Rankin, B.C. Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation; George Heyman, B.C. Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy; and many other dignitaries, Indigenous leaders and allies. 

As a commitment to continued progress, the Tŝilhqot’in Nation, the Government of Canada and Province of British Columbia signed a five-year renewal of the Gwets’en Nilt’i Pathway Agreement (GNPA).

The GNPA was initially signed in August 2019 between Canada, B.C., and the Tŝilhqot’in Nation. The first-of-its-kind agreement commits the parties to bring “transformative change” to the lives of the Tŝilhqot’in people and communities and to their relationship with government. Through the GNPA, the Tŝilhqot’in Nation has taken significant strides in Nation building, continually working to improve all aspects of life for Tŝilhqot’in communities, including governance initiatives, such as the Ts’iqi Dechen Jedilhtan (Women’s Council), Indigenous-led emergency management, new homes and renovations in all communities, world-class fisheries and ranger programs, community and family support programs, and steps to reclaim jurisdiction for Tŝilhqot’in children and families.

Along with new funding that is being provided by Canada and British Columbia to the Tŝilhqot’in Nation, the GNPA confirms the parties’ commitment to advancing reconciliation and building a prosperous future founded on mutual respect, recognition of rights and true partnership. Together, we continue to forge a path towards a more inclusive and equitable society for all people living in Canada.