Xat'sull First Nation cancels agreements with Spanish Mountain Gold

Getting hands-on carpentry training in Williams Lake

Courtesy of the Government of BC:

People in Williams Lake will have new opportunities to train for careers in the skilled trades through a Carpentry Foundation Program delivered by Xatśūll First Nation.

Through funding provided by the Government of Canada under the Canada-British Columbia Labour Market Development Agreement, the Province is investing more than $280,000 to Xatśūll First Nation to support Indigenous Peoples, youth, immigrants and people receiving income assistance who face barriers to employment.

“We want people to have the support they need to find in-demand jobs and build stronger futures for themselves and their families,” said the Hon. Sheila Malcolmson, BC's Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. “That is why we are funding more training to help people gain the practical skills and work experience they need to move into good-paying jobs.”

Building pathways to skilled trades careers

Participants of this full-time program will receive five weeks of skills training, including Indigenous cultural components, Elder and mentor support, traditional building techniques and cultural workshops, followed by 30 weeks of hands-on carpentry training.

“The Carpentry Foundation Program has provided a valuable opportunity for our members and the broader community to gain practical skills, industry exposure and confidence in pursuing careers in the skilled trades,” said Lucas Kiefiuk, director of education, Xatśūll First Nation. “At Xatśūll First Nation, we believe investing in education and workforce development creates long-term benefits for individuals, families, and our Nation. We are grateful for the partnerships that help make these opportunities possible.”

Training for in-demand jobs

This nine-month program, which finishes in March 2027, also includes work experience with local employers and followup support to help participants transition into employment. The training will prepare participants for entry-level positions in carpentry and wood framing, while creating pathways into Level 1 carpentry apprenticeships.

“I’m enjoying this course as I’m a hands-on learner,” said Ashley Pigeon, a participant in the Carpentry Foundation Program. “This course will be very beneficial and I’m excited to learn about carpentry. I would highly recommend this course for anyone willing to learn this trade.”

By combining skills training, employment supports and Indigenous-centred programming, the initiative will help participants build the confidence and experience needed to achieve long-term employment success.

The program supports the Province’s Look West strategy by strengthening B.C.’s workforce and helping people connect to job opportunities in growing sectors, including construction and major projects.

Learn More:

• To learn more about Look West: Jobs and Prosperity for a Stronger BC and Canada, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/employment-business/look-west-strategy
• For more information about the Canada-British Columbia Labour Market Development Agreement, visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/training-agreements/lmda.html

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

Xat'sull First Nation opposes any changes to DRIPA

Courtesy of Xat'sull First Nation:

Joint Statement: B.C.’s Declaration Act Provides a Backstop of Certainty in a World of Chaos

Joint Statement from the Union of BC Indian Chiefs:

Editor's Note -- this statement has been endorsed by Williams Lake First Nation, Xat'sull First Nation, Esk’etemc and Tŝilhqot’in National Government

December 22nd, 2025

10:42am 

The holiday season is a time to slow down, take stock, and reflect on the year behind us and the path ahead.

At a time of global instability and uncertainty, people are understandably looking for clarity, certainty, and leadership grounded in shared values. Difficult moments can bring out the best in us—or they can provoke fear-based reactions that risk undoing hard-won progress. Recent trends in British Columbia are cause for concern.

Despite recent court decisions that reaffirm the crucial need to consult and negotiate, a negative narrative has begun to take hold. This narrative wrongly blames First Nations for uncertainty while ignoring the historical reality that British Columbia was largely settled without treaties. It replaces facts and experience with fear, and cooperation with division.

If allowed to shape public discourse or government decision-making, this narrative risks pulling our province backward—toward a time marked by blame, conflict, increased litigation, and even real threats of violence against Indigenous peoples. That is not a future any of us should accept.

Recent calls to amend the Declaration Act or appeal court rulings are rooted in this fear-based response. They suggest that the framework we have built together is the problem, when in fact it has been part of the solution. These actions would not create certainty—they would slow progress, increase litigation, and grind projects to a halt as First Nations are once again forced to defend our rights and interests through the courts.

British Columbia is facing real economic challenges, and First Nations are essential partners in addressing them. Our Nations are drivers of the provincial economy, supporting local communities and helping to close economic gaps through responsible projects and developments in our territories. These projects depend on the certainty provided by the Declaration Act, which offers a clear, principled pathway for First Nations, governments, and industry to work together—advancing reconciliation while enabling timely and sustainable development.

The Declaration Act was developed collaboratively with Indigenous peoples and passed unanimously by all parties in the Legislature, with the support of industry, business, and labour. It establishes minimum standards of survival and dignity for Indigenous peoples and has contributed to greater trust, stability, and economic certainty across the province. It is landmark legislation—and one British Columbia should be proud of.

As we look toward 2026, British Columbia faces a clear choice about the path we walk together: a path of negotiation, collaboration, and shared prosperity with First Nations and all British Columbians, or a path that takes us backward to a place of uncertainty and conflict that none of us want to revisit.

The Declaration Act—and decisions like Gitxaala v. British Columbia (Chief Gold Commissioner)—are not obstacles. They are opportunities. They provide a framework to do the necessary work of reconciliation in a way that builds clarity, stability, and shared success.

This holiday season, we call on leaders and British Columbians alike to pause, reflect, and recognize the steady progress that has been made under the Declaration Act—and the healthier, more respectful relationships that have emerged because of it.

We call on BC Premier David Eby to uphold the Declaration Act, resist calls to amend it or pursue appeals, and to sit down with Indigenous leadership to continue the work of building certainty, trust, and economic prosperity for everyone in British Columbia.

Wildfire Risk Reduction project planned for Pinnel Road

Courtesy of the BC Wildfire Service:

Cariboo Chilcotin Forest District will be working in partnership with Xat'sull Development Corporation to perform a Wildfire Risk Reduction Project along Pinnel Road.

 

When and where: 

Work on this project will start as early as January, 2026 and will continue until March 19, 2026.

The project is located east of Pinnel Road and Mountain House Road and north of Xat'sull First Nation

What to expect

• Piles no larger than two metres by three metres will be created in the first phase of the project.

• The piles will be burned starting as early as January, 2026.

• Crews will ignite piles using hand torches under favourable conditions and will closely monitor all fire activity.

• Burning may occur over multiple days, as weather and site conditions allow.

• Personnel will remain on-site each day to ensure fires are controlled and will only leave once the fires have safely burned down and no longer pose a risk of spreading.

• Fires will continue to be monitored and extinguished once burning is complete.

• Smoke and flames will be visible to surrounding communities as well as motorists on Highway 97.

 

Objectives of this Wildfire Risk Reduction project

• Reduce the wildfire risk in an area near Xat'sull First Nation and surrounding residents.

• Strategically remove fuels, reducing the ability of wildfire to spread from ground to canopy and reducing overall intensity of a potential wildfire.

 

The Ministry of Forests has completed several wildfire risk reduction projects throughout the Cariboo Chilcotin Natural Resource District.

 

Learn more

Fire is a natural process in many of B.C.’s ecosystems. The BC Wildfire Service works regularly with land managers to undertake fuel management activities, including the use of prescribed burns and wildfire risk reduction projects, to help reduce the severity of future wildfires and related threats to communities.

 

As we get further into the cooler weather, you may see smoke in your area from open burningactivities. Open burning can be expected to be seen from the fall through to the spring as the wildfire risk is lower. Overnight recoveries and relative humidities are higher and therefore, not conducive to fires burning or at high risk of spreading throughout this time of year.

 

Contact

Shelly Harnden, RFT

Land and Resource Coordinator

Cariboo Chilcotin Natural Resource District

Phone: 250-706 6276

Email: Shelly.Harnden@gov.bc.ca

Xatśūll First Nation to reclaim stewardship of Nenqayni Lands as of April 1, 2026

Courtesy of Xat'sull First Nation:

Xat'sull FN appeals BC Supreme Court decision re: Mt Polley Mine's TSF Dam Raise

Courtesy of the Xat'sull First Nation:

BC Union of Indian Chiefs' Denounces Dismissal of Xatśūll First Nation’s Legal Challenge on Mount Polley Mine Expansion

Courtesy of the BC Union of Indian Chiefs:

August 7, 2025 

The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) is deeply disappointed in the B.C. Supreme Court’s decision to dismiss Xatśūll First Nation’s injunction and judicial review regarding the Mount Polley Mine tailings storage expansion.

The tailings facility in question catastrophically failed in 2014, releasing over 24 million cubic metres of mine waste into Xatśūll territory in what remains the worst mining disaster in Canadian history. More than a decade later, the community continues to endure the long-term impacts on their rights, culture, and way of life.

"This ruling is a profound blow to Indigenous rights and environmental justice, said Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, UBCIC President. “Last week's decision sadly advances a ‘business as usual’ approach to consultation, an approach that B.C. First Nations have long asserted is fundamentally broken and does not uphold our inherent and constitutionally protected title and rights."

The Court’s decision raises serious concerns about the precedent being set for future resource development projects, particularly when the risks to First Nations’ territories are high and the legacy of harm is ongoing.

UBCIC is calling on the Province of British Columbia to immediately clarify how it is interpreting and implementing "meaningful consultation" and "consent-based decision-making" under the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (Declaration Act). These questions are especially urgent following the recent passage of the controversial Bills 14 and 15, which advanced despite clear and widespread opposition from First Nations, environmental organizations, municipalities, industry leaders, and all opposition MLAs across party lines.

"We are at a critical juncture," said Chief Don Tom, UBCIC Vice-President. "If the Declaration Act is truly meaningful, the Province must demonstrate that it is more than symbolic. Decisions like this show the gap between promises and practice."

UBCIC stands in full solidarity with Xatśūll First Nation as they continue to defend their lands, rights, and future generations. We will continue to support efforts to seek justice and demand accountability from the Crown and industry alike.

Mount Polley to Continue Constructing TSF Raise

Courtesy of Imperial Metals:

Imperial Metals Corporation (the “Company” or “Imperial”) (TSX:III) announces that the Supreme Court of British Columbia today has dismissed the application of the Xatśūll First Nation (“Xatśūll“) for an injunction and judicial review of two provincial approvals authorizing construction of a four-metre lift on the tailings storage facility (“TSF”) at the Mount Polley Mine (“Mount Polley”).

The Court found the decisions of the two provincial authorities allowing Mount Polley to construct the TSF lift were reasonable and were made fairly, and that the Government sufficiently consulted with the Xatśūll before making those decisions. The Court’s decision cited the extensive consultation record and actions taken in support of Xatśūll’s review of the approvals.  

Imperial and Mount Polley are committed to transparent engagement with Indigenous communities and environmental responsibility. Maintaining a meaningful relationship with Xatśūll and Williams Lake First Nation is important to the Company, including supporting sustainable development through meaningful dialogue.

Mount Polley Mine employs over 390 employees, making it a significant economic driver in the region.

Although the mine can continue to construct the TSF raise and may now deposit tailings that rely on that raise, without receipt of our pending Mines permit amendment which allows Mount Polley to continue to mine, the mine may again be put in jeopardy of significantly revising operational plans or ceasing operation if the Mines permit amendment process is not expedited.

“We support and hold up the Court’s decision to dismiss the petition,” said Kukpi7 (Chief) Willie Sellars of the Williams Lake First Nation (WLFN). "Mount Polley is a vital part of our regional economy, offering stable jobs and contributing to programs that benefit both WLFN members and the wider community. This outcome brings certainty for our region and local businesses, and we look forward to the province continuing to support the mine’s operations through timely permit approvals."

“There are significant challenges facing project advancement in British Columbia today. Well-considered decisions made by expert regulatory authorities following extensive consultations are frequently contested, at great expense, increasing risk to projects through permitting delays and causing uncertainty for operators and their employees and contractors. We hope that today’s decision helps to reduce this risk and uncertainty, especially for our workforce and their families. In the meantime, we will continue to follow regulatory processes and respectfully engage with Williams Lake First Nation and Xatśūll First Nation, as we have in the past,” said Brian Kynoch, President of Imperial.

Xat'sull FN awaits BC Supreme Court decision on its' Mt Polley Injunction Application

Courtesy of Xat'sull First Nation:

Xat'sull First Nation calls on Bills 14/15 to be withdrawn

Courtesy of Xat'sull First Nation:

Imperials Metals "Clarification of Public Record" (Xat'sull First Nation/Mt Polley Mine)

Courtesy of Imperial Metals:

Imperial Metals Corporation notes that a number of third parties, including news agencies, have incorrectly reported that an injunction was granted in respect of the construction and operation of the tailings storage facility at Imperial’s Mount Polley mine. Imperial Metals confirms that no such injunction was granted. Normal operations of the mine and construction of a four-metre raise of the

tailings storage facility will continue.

On May 8, 2025, Mr. Justice Weatherill of the Supreme Court of British Columbia heard an application for an interim injunction from Xatśūll First Nation regarding the decision to approve the aforementioned four-metre raise of the tailings storage facility. The Court adjourned the application until June 24, 2025 when both the underlying petition challenging the decision and the injunction will be heard and decided. Mount Polley Mining Corporation, Imperial’s wholly-owned subsidiary, made clear at the hearing that although it continues with previously permitted use of the tailings storage facility, it did not anticipate needing to use the four-metre raise currently under construction until July 1, 2025 at the earliest, and agreed to provide an undertaking to the Court to that effect.

The result of the May 8th, 2025 hearing was that the matter would be heard in June, 2025 and no injunction was issued. 

Xat'sull FN receives BC Supreme Court approval -- temporary halt to additional tailings in raised TSF pending Judicial Review

Courtesy of Xat'sull First Nation:

Xat'sull FN seeks urgent Court Injunction re: Provincial Approvals for Mt Polley Dam Project

 Courtesy of Xat'sull First Nation:

UBCIC Supports Xatśūll First Nation’s Legal Action Against Mount Polley Mine Expansion

Courtesy of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs:

The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) stands in unwavering solidarity with Xatśūll First Nation in its judicial review challenge against the Province of British Columbia’s reckless approval of the Mount Polley Mine Tailings Storage Facility dam expansion—an approval granted without an environmental assessment and in direct contravention of B.C.’s legal obligations under the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (Declaration Act).

Xatśūll First Nation is courageously defending their inherent title and rights and territory while protecting the integrity of their lands and waters. The UBCIC fully supports their demand for accountability, transparency, and strict adherence to environmental and Indigenous rights laws.

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, UBCIC President, stated “The provincially approved expansion of the Mount Polley Mine Tailings Storage Facility dam expansion is not just a local issue—it’s a warning siren across the province. This government cannot claim to uphold reconciliation while approving environmentally hazardous projects without consent, consultation, or proper assessment. Xatśūll’s action is an action for all First Nations and future generations.”

“The Province’s current decision demonstrates a clear failure to implement the Declaration Act in good faith,” stated Chief Don Tom, UBCIC Vice-President. “We support Xatśūll First Nation’s efforts to uphold their rights and stop yet another catastrophic mistake from happening on their land. Free, prior, and informed consent is not optional—it’s a legal and moral obligation.”

Chief Marilyn Slett, UBCIC Secretary-Treasurer concluded, “Since the 2014 Mount Polley disaster, the worst mining disaster in B.C. history, Xatśūll First Nation has shown extraordinary strength and resilience in seeking justice and protection for their territory. The UBCIC Chiefs Council has stood with Xatśūll through the aftermath and recovery—and we will continue to stand with them now as they oppose yet another unacceptable risk to their land and waters. UBCIC calls on the Province to immediately halt any further work on the Mount Polley dam raise, withdraw its approvals, and meaningfully engage with Xatśūll First Nation as equals under the principles of free, prior, and informed consent.”

Xat'sull First Nation files for Judicial Review re: Raising of Mt Polley Mine's TSF Dam

Courtesy of Xat'sull First Nation:

Xat'sull First Nation has filed a Judicial Review with the BC Supreme Court against BC's Ministers' of Mines/Critical Minerals, Environment/Parks; the Deputy Permitting Officer, Major Mines Office and Mount Polley Mining Corporation (MPMC) to raise the height of the dam at the Tailings Storage Facility that so devastated Xat'sull's territory in August of 2014 and that is still harming the Nation's rights, culture and way of life

The provincial decision makers allowed this work to proceed without an environmental assessment which is legally required in the circumstances.  In addition to the judicial review, Xat'sull will also seek a court injunction which will be filed in the coming days preventing construction of the dam raise until court proceedings have concluded

The recent decisions authorize the dam to be raised by 4 metres and MPMC has signalled an intent to raise the dam by a further 13 metres in the near future and to expand pits at the mine.  Guidance from the Court is needed to ensure the Province of BC abides by its' legal obligations to conduct environmental assessments before this work is authorized

"The decision of the Province to authorize MPMC to raise the height of the dam at its' TSF/Tailings Storage Facility is a serious failure to prevent potential impacts to Xat'sull's Aboriginal rights, reconciliation with Xat'sull after the 2014 disaster and the implementation of UNDRIP", states Kukpi7 (Chief) Rhonda Phillips of the Xat'sull First Nation

Xat'sull is not surprised but extremely disappointed with the Province of BC for approving the dam raise without: 

* following the legally required environmental assessment process

* discharging the duty to consult

* seeking to obtain Xat'sull free, prior and informed consent which the Province of BC is obligated to do under its' legal commitments to the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act 

The environmental assessment process is transparent, allows for public participation and asks "bigger picture" questions, such as whether the TSF even should be expanded in the first place.  Instead of following that process, the Province of BC authorized the TSF dam raise based on narrow design and engineering considerations under BC's Mines Act

Xat'sull recognizes the need for mining and the Nation's members benefit from the materials that mining provides.  We are not opposed to development but we support development that is responsible, sustainable and carried out in partnership with Indigenous Nations - development that respects our rights, our lands, and our future.  But as people who have lived in harmony with these lands and waters since time immemorial - Xat'sull must be part of sharing how development happens.  Any development must make sure it protects Aboriginal title and rights, the health of the community, and the well-being of key species of salmon, moose and caribou.

"The decision to allow Mount Polley to raise its' TSF dam without seeking to obtain Xat'sull First Nation's consent  is nothing short of unconscionable", said Kukpi7 Phillips.  "This demonstrates a lack of understanding of the long-term negative impacts of this project to our traditional territory and disrespect for Xat'sull First Nation and its' people

The decisions to approve the dam raise at Mount Polley suggests the Province may no longer be committed to upholding its' legislated commitments to implement the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) under the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (DRIPA).  BC is at risk of losing the progress that it's made towards reconciliation 

The manner in which the Province of BC has responded to the Mount Polley expansion project application and engaged with Xat'sull - including the EAO's very problematic engagement in which Xat'sull participated in good faith nonetheless - is not consistent with how it engages with other governments, showing a lack of respect for First Nations' as equals 

"The Province of BC continues to demonstrate that it is unwilling or unable to responsibly regulate mining in our Territory, with its' past actions and its' recent decision to expedite natural resource projects to stimulate economic growth in response to the current political and economic climate", said Kukpi7 Phillips.  "This moment is about more than one mine.  It's about the legal and moral obligation to uphold Indigenous rights across BC and beyond.  We need to maintain balance in decision making to ensure short term decisions do not have long-term negative consequences for generations to come"

Following the Province of BC's unilateral regulation of resource extraction activities in the Territory - many Xat'sull members' are no longer able to fully or meaningfully exercise their Aboriginal title and rights, as physical disturbances in these areas disrupt essential rituals and seasonal gatherings, eroding Xat'sull's profound connection to the land and their ancestors

The Province of BC has a responsibility under DRIPA to consult and cooperate with Xat'sull in good faith to seek to obtain its' free, prior and informed consent before proceeding further with the expansion project

Xat'sull will continue withholding consent for the Mount Polley Mine expansion until Xat'sull's serious concerns are adequately addressed, and the lawfully-required environmental assessment process is followed.  The time is now for BC to live up to its' commitments to DRIPA and meaningful reconciliation with First Nations in BC 

Xatśūll to build a new triplex on Mountain House Road

Courtesy of Xat'sull First Nation:

Xatśūll First Nation will build a new triplex at 4058 Mountain House Road.

The new triplex will feature two two-bedroom units and one three-bedroom unit with all units being approximately 1,100 square feet. 

“We are thrilled to see this project move ahead,” says Kúkpi7 Rhonda Phillips. “We have a lot of members who are looking to move back to the community and there is not enough housing to accommodate them. This is a good first step toward more members being able to move home.”

Demolition on the old site starts today (August 15) and construction on the new triplex will start by the end of August. It is planned to reach the lock-up stage by winter with completion in Spring 2024.

Funding for the project was secured from the Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) Housing Support Program and Own Source Revenue (OSR).

Xatśūll is also currently in the process of completing a housing study and a subdivision feasibility study. Further details on those will be shared once they are available. 

For any questions, please contact Housing Manager Simon Bett at housing@xatsull.com or 250-989-2323 ext. 103.

Xat'sull FN elects a new Kukpi7 (Chief)

Courtesy of the Xat'sull First Nation:

Xatśūll First Nation & BC Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation win 2022 B.C. Premier’s Regional Impact Award

Courtesy of Xat'sull First Nation:

The Province purchased the ranch, along with its Crown land range tenure, cattle, hay and equipment, for $8 million. It is leasing the ranch to Xatśūll First Nation until a treaty is reached, at which point ownership will transfer to the Nation. The purchase agreement also includes a provision for a grant towards the operating costs for the ranch’s first year.

The Regional Impact award recognizes groups, teams or organizations within the BC Public Service that have developed and delivered programs, projects and initiatives benefiting citizens in a specific location (town, city, municipality or region).

“We’re proud to be able to work together with the province and lead the way towards reconciliation,” says Xat'sull First Nation Councillor Mike Stinson. “We’re happy that the excellent work of our teams is being recognized by the B.C. Premiers Awards and are looking forward to continuing to work towards reconciliation and improving life for our members.”

The ranch has already provided beef to Xatśūll members.

Video: https://youtu.be/38BVakuf5QY