Haida Nation

Haida Gwaii

Haida people have called Haida Gwaii home since time immemorial. Their traditional territory encompasses parts of southern Alaska, the archipelago of Haida Gwaii and its surrounding waters.

Raising of the Gwaii Haanas Legacy pole in Hlk’yah Gawga (Windy Bay). Photo by Darryl Dyck
Raising of the Gwaii Haanas Legacy pole in Hlk’yah Gawga (Windy Bay). Photo by Darryl Dyck, courtesy of The Canadian Press
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The Haida Nation’s two main communities are located in Masset and Skidegate on Haida Gwaii.

Haida Nation

Pre-contact, the Haida population numbered tens of thousands, living in communities located all over the islands. During contact that number fell to approximately 600 due to introduced diseases.

Today, Haida citizens total approximately 2,500, and comprise half the population of Haida Gwaii. There are a further 2,000 members worldwide, including large populations in Vancouver and Prince George.

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Nang Sdins Llnagaay (He Who is Two Village) photo at Sg̱aang Gwaay. Photo by Brodie Guy
Nang Sdins Llnagaay (He Who is Two Village) photo at Sg̱aang Gwaay. Photo by Brodie Guy

Building on the 2007 Strategic Land Use Planning Agreement, the Council of the Haida Nation and the Province of British Columbia signed the Kunst’aa Guu – Kunst’aayah Reconciliation Protocol in 2009. This agreement recognised the differing views of both parties with regards to sovereignty, title, ownership, and jurisdiction over Haida Gwaii whilst endeavoring to establish a more productive relationship to land and natural resources management.  Through this approach, both parties committed to strengthen the relationship between environmental, socio-well-being and economic development on Haida Gwaii.

The Haida Nation collectively holds Hereditary and Aboriginal Title and Rights to Haida Territories and the cultural and intellectual property rights of the Haida Nation.  All people of Haida ancestry are citizens of the Haida Nation. Every Haida citizen has the right of access to all Haida Gwaii resources for cultural reasons, and for food or commerce consistent with the Laws of Nature as reflected in the laws of the Haida Nation.

Haida Proclamation

Our culture is born of respect, and intimacy with the land and sea and the air around us. Like the forests, the roots of our people are intertwined such that the greatest troubles cannot overcome us. We owe our existence to Haida Gwaii. The living generation accepts the responsibility to ensure that our heritage is passed on to following generations.

Haida Nation Projects

In partnership with Coast Funds, Haida Nation has invested in:

First Nation Applicant Project Description Links Type Year Funding
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Haida North Grid 2 MW Solar Photovoltaics and Battery Project To displace the existing fossil fuel-dependent electrification facility serving the north grid of Haida Gwaii with a new 2 MW solar PV array and 2 MWh storage facility at the Masset Airport. This will supply 8.7% of the north grid's electricity needs and is expected to displace over 557 tonnes 2/yr of GHG emissions, reducing the cumulative greenhouse gases by over 11,000 tonnes CO2e over 20 years, while also providing employment and training opportunities for community members during the construction and operation of the new facility. Economic Development Fund 2022 $ 1,092,032
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation L’aana Daganga.a (Swan Bay) Rediscovery – Culture Camps 2022 To support the revitalization of Haida culture through the 2022 L'aana Daganga.a (Swan Bay) Rediscovery program which offers youth camps focused on cultural, stewardship, and leadership experiences on the south end of Haida Gwaii, creating the next generation of leaders who understand how to care for and sustain the lands and waters of Haida Gwaii. Conservation Fund 2022 $ 50,000
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Rediscovery T’alaan Stl’ang – Culture Camps 2022 To support the revitalization of Haida culture through the 2022 Rediscovery T’aalan Stl’ang program which offers youth camps focused on cultural, stewardship, and leadership experiences on the north end of Haida Gwaii, creating the next generation of leaders who understand how to care for and sustain the lands and waters of Haida Gwaii. Conservation Fund 2022 $ 50,000
Haida Nation Old Massett Village Council Salmonid Enhancement Program on the Yakoun and Mamin Rivers – 2022/23 Operations To support the 2022/23 operations of the Yakoun River Salmonid Enhancement Program to support the conservation of Chinook and coho stocks in the Yakoun and Mamin Rivers, including broodstock capture and holding, eggtakes, incubation, and netpen rearing, in addition to public outreach about the enhancement program and local watershed health. Conservation Fund 2022 $ 100,000
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Gámdas Tlagée Forest Restoration Project To continue a collaborative multi-year reforestation project at Gámdas Tlagée Protected Area located within the Kumdis Bay estuary on Haida Gwaii that regenerates Western Red Cedars on successively clear-cut traditional lands, thereby promoting the health of salmon bearing streams and downstream estuary habitat and building transferable ecosystem restoration skills Conservation Fund 2021 $ 203,120
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation L’aana Daganga.a (Swan Bay) Rediscovery – Culture Camps 2021 To revitalize Haida culture through the 2021 L'aana Daganga.a (Swan Bay) Rediscovery program which offers summer youth camps focused on cultural, stewardship, and leadership experience, facilitating care and understanding of how to sustain the lands and waters of Haida Gwaii and responsibly building kinship to combat isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic Conservation Fund 2021 $ 36,000
Haida Nation Old Massett Village Council Northern Haida Gwaii Hospital and Health Centre – Biomass Energy System To supply the Northern Haida Gwaii Hospital and Health Centre with renewable biomass heat to displace propane consumption and a portion of the electrical demand load from BC Hydro’s diesel-powered generation facility in Masset with thermal energy generated from wood waste produced on Haida Gwaii under a long-term energy purchase agreement with Northern Health Authority, thus providing Old Massett Village Council with a revenue stream, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and creating employment opportunities for Haida citizens. Economic Development Fund 2021 $ 150,000
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Rediscovery T’alaan Stl’ang – Culture Camps 2021 To revitalize Haida culture through the 2021 Rediscovery T’aalan Stl’ang program which offers summer family and youth camps focused on cultural, stewardship, and leadership experience, facilitating care and understanding of how to sustain the lands and waters of Haida Gwaii and responsibly building kinship to combat isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic Conservation Fund 2021 $ 36,538
Haida Nation Skidegate Band Council Skidegate Commercial Park Expansion and Improvements – Phase 2 To improve the new Skidegate commercial park for future lease opportunities and to provide additional benefits to the new grocery co-op including better lighting, garbage disposal, Haida language signage, and prepare the site for future expansion. Economic Development Fund 2020 $ 30,800
Haida Nation Old Massett Village Council Salmonid Enhancement Program on the Yakoun and Mamin Rivers 2020/21 Operations To support the operations of the Salmonid Enhancement Program to rebuild Chinook and coho stocks in the Yakoun and Mamin Rivers, including broodstock capture and holding, eggtakes, incubation and netpen rearing, DNA sampling, and public outreach including hatchery tours and assistance with Salmonids in the Classroom program for increased public awareness about the Yakoun River Hatchery program and local watershed interests. Conservation Fund 2020 $ 100,000
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Rediscovery T’aalang Stl’ang Safety Upgrades & Infrastructure Renewal To revitalize Haida culture and develop the next generation of Haida leaders who understand how to care for and sustain the lands and waters of Haida Gwaii via the T’aalan Stl’ang culture camp through investing in critical camp infrastructure and safety training for staff. Conservation Fund 2020 $ 80,000
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation L’aana Daganga.a (Swan Bay) Rediscovery Camp – Critical Infrastructure Renewal To provide Haida youth with a cultural, stewardship, and leadership experience via the L'aana Daganga.a (Swan Bay) Rediscovery camp through investing in upgrades to critical camp infrastructure. Conservation Fund 2020 $ 78,900
Haida Nation Old Massett Village Council Predevelopment for Hiellen Longhouse Village Expansion To complete pre-development work for the expansion of Hiellen Longhouse Village, a unique Haida operated tourist accommodations business that has operated for 5 years, including design, survey, and site preparation for the planned construction of seven new eco-tourism cabins located on the ancestral Haida village site of Tlielang at Taaw in Naikoon Park which is co-managed by the Haida Nation and the Province of B.C. Economic Development Fund 2020 $ 189,600
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Haida Tourism LP – Restructuring and Infrastructure Investment To transition Haida Tourism LP to a land based eco-tourism operation and to offer health and wellness services to Haida citizens during the tourism off-season providing full-time employment opportunities to community members and aligning the operations with Haida values Economic Development Fund 2019 $ 1,200,000
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Heritage and Natural Resources Dept. – 2019/20 Operations To support core operations of the department and support joint land and resource decision making with the provincial government under the Kunst'aa guu - Kunst'aayah Reconciliation Protocol, increase the extent of monitoring of forest practices and auditing of cultural feature identification surveys, develop an Islands-based recovery strategy for the endangered Stads K'un (northern goshawk) which is the national bird of Haida Gwaii, enhance the Yakoun River Hatchery and associated monitoring efforts including Adaptive Resolution Imaging Sonar enumeration of chinook and sockeye salmon and improved estimates of coho and pink salmon escapement, initiate a process to research the possibility of a Haida-led biosphere reserve being established, work towards abolishment of all Taan (black bear) hunting on the islands, undertake forest enhancement efforts, increase Monumental Cedar monitoring efforts, work towards new protection of the sacred Haida Gwaii headwaters to be formally identified/designated as special protected areas based on Haida cultural history with the Haida peoples' supernatural beings, conduct surveys of Cedar Stewardship Areas designated across 25,000 hectares of the islands, implement a Haida permitting process for off-island mushroom pickers to adhere to, and undertake a range of related stewardship initiatives such as GIS mapping services, environmental assessments, and archaeological monitoring services. Conservation Fund 2019 $ 1,865,713
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation G̲aaysiigang Sding – An Oceans Forum for Haida Gwaii To convene an ocean forum for Haida Gwaii marking ten years since the first Gaaysiigang forum to convene Haida citizens, local residents, local and international experts, and government and non-governmental organizations to dialogue on the current state and future trends of the Islands' culture, ecosystem health and a changing economy in the context of implementing Haida Gwaii marine and integrated plans Conservation Fund 2019 $ 10,000
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Development of a Haida National Plan and Recovery Strategy for Stads K’un (Northern Goshawk) To develop an Islands-based recovery strategy for the endangered Stads K'un (northern goshawk), the national bird of Haida Gwaii, including population monitoring of known nests, inventories of potential habitat, habitat recruitment and restoration, introduced species mitigation (Norway rats, black rats, Sitka black-tailed deer, pine marten, blue grouse), and proper foraging habitat management. Conservation Fund 2018 $ 185,325
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Yakoun River Chinook and Sockeye Salmon Sonar-based Escapement Monitoring Project To purchase and operate Adaptive Resolution Imaging Sonar (ARIS) to enumerate chinook and sockeye salmon and to improve estimates of coho and pink salmon escapement on the Yakoun River, Haida Gwaii. Conservation Fund 2018 $ 160,000
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation K’yuusda Watchman Cabin Redevelopment To invest in the development of a new Haida Watchman cabin at K'yuusda, located in Duu Guusd Heritage Site/Conservancy, a key base of Haida stewardship efforts that: monitor commercial recreational fisheries surrounding Langara Island, undertake peregrine falcon and northern goshawk research projects, support the Haida Nation's cultural features identification research, and further conservation initiatives in northwest Haida Gwaii Conservation Fund 2017 $ 177,742
Haida Nation Skidegate Band Council Construction of Skidegate Commercial Park and Haida Gwaii Co-op Expansion To service and construct a new, larger grocery co-op at the existing Skidegate quarry site - a site near the BC Ferries terminal with great visibility from the highway - providing additional employment opportunities to Skidegate community members and further leasing opportunities in the future Economic Development Fund 2017 $ 469,200
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Heritage and Natural Resources Dept. – 2015/16/17 Operations To support operations of the department, deliver cultural features identification archaeological training to Haida Mapping Dept. staff, and to support joint land and resource decision making with the provincial government under the Kunst'aa guu - Kunst'aayah Reconciliation Protocol Conservation Fund 2015 $ 451,077
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Haida Mapping Department – 2015/16 Operations To complete Cultural Features Identification in the Nang Xaldangaas Heritage Site/Conservancy, to perform surveys in the Duu Guusd Heritage Site/Conservancy, and to hire two new field crew members and a GIS trainee Conservation Fund 2015 $ 346,912
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Kunst’aa guu – Kunst’aayah Reconciliation Protocol – 2015/16 Solutions Table To support Haida's stewardship efforts related to the Solutions Table that ensures all applications on Haida Gwaii meet or exceed the Land Use Objectives Order and ecosystem-based management objectives and to participate in technical working groups with the Province of British Columbia Conservation Fund 2015 $ 111,548
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation T’aalan Stl’ang and L’aana Daganga.a Culture Camps – 2015 To provide Haida youth with cultural, stewardship, and leadership experience via the T'aalan Stl'ang and L'aana Daganga.a culture camps that build the Nation’s human resource capacity for long-term stewardship management Conservation Fund 2015 $ 60,000
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Heritage and Natural Resources Dept. – 2014/15 Operations To expand the department, further develop the cultural feature certification curriculum, and to support joint land and resource decision making with the provincial government under the Kunst'aa guu - Kunst'aayah Reconciliation Protocol Conservation Fund 2014 $ 912,960
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Haida Mapping Department – 2014/15 Operations To complete cultural surveys for the Nang Xaldangaas Heritage Site/Conservancy, to hire and train two GIS technicians, and to provide technical support land and marine use planning efforts Conservation Fund 2014 $ 653,419
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Haida Gwaii Youth Stewardship Program and Culture Camps – 2014 To provide Haida youth with cultural, stewardship, and leadership experience via the T'aalan Stl'ang and L'aana Daganga.a culture camps and a summer internship program that builds the Nation’s human resource capacity for long-term stewardship management Conservation Fund 2014 $ 60,000
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Haida Wild Seafood Processing Plant Expansion To double the processing capacity of Haida Wild Seafoods by extending seasonal operations and increase revenue from value-added processing of local seafood products Economic Development Fund 2013 $ 400,000
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Haida Enterprise Corp. – 2013/14 Operations To continue the start-up of operations for Haida Enterprise Corporation (HaiCo) through 2012/13 including development of an entrepreneurial capacity building initiative and achieving sustainability certification for Haida tourism businesses Economic Development Fund 2013 $ 650,000
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Nationwide Economic Development Framework To develop protocols for the Haida Nation's economic development between the Council of the Haida Nation, Old Massett Village Council, Skidegate Band Council, and the Haida Enterprise Corporation Economic Development Fund 2013 $ 50,000
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Haida Gwaii Youth Stewardship Program and Culture Camps – 2013 To provide Haida youth with cultural, stewardship, and leadership experience via the T'aalan Stl'ang and L'aana Daganga.a culture camps and a summer internship program that builds the Nation’s human resource capacity for long-term stewardship management Conservation Fund 2013 $ 60,000
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Kunst’aa guu – Kunst’aayah Reconciliation Protocol – 2012/13 Start-up To undertake stewardship activities from 2012 to 2014 including timber and priority species inventories, identifying priority habitat restoration projects, completing the Haida Place Name Map, and costs for implementing the Kunst'aa guu - Kunst'aayah Reconciliation Protocol Conservation Fund 2012 $ 1,244,420
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Haida Gwaii Youth Stewardship Program and Culture Camps – 2012 To provide Haida youth with cultural, stewardship, and leadership experience via the T'aalan Stl'ang and L'aana Daganga.a culture camps and a summer internship program that builds the Nation’s human resource capacity for long-term stewardship management Conservation Fund 2012 $ 60,000
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Investment in Coastal Shellfish Corporation To invest in facility engineering design and major capital infrastructure to support scallop farm operations located on Haida Gwaii Economic Development Fund 2012 $ 200,000
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Restructuring West Coast Resorts and Haida House at Tlaal To invest in major capital improvements for recent acquisitions including West Coast Resorts, the Haida House at Tlaal, and the Inn at Sandspit under a new operating entity, Haida Tourism LP Economic Development Fund 2012 $ 1,000,000
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Haida Enterprise Corp. – 2012/13 Operations To continue the start-up of operations for Haida Enterprise Corporation (HaiCo) through 2012/13 including completion of its governance model and management integration of recently acquired companies Economic Development Fund 2012 $ 750,000
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Power Transmission Pole Manufacturing Start-up To start-up operations of a wood power pole manufacturing facility via a new partnership between Skidegate Band Council and Taan Forest LP Economic Development Fund 2012 $ 325,000
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Haida Enterprise Corp. – 2011/12 Operations To support the start-up of operations for Haida Enterprise Corporation (HaiCo) for five months while West Coast Resorts and other acquired assets are restructured Economic Development Fund 2011 $ 250,000
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Hiellen Longhouse Village Construction and Start-up To construct unique eco-tourism accommodations operated by Old Massett Development Corporation at Tow Hill in Naikoon Provincial Park Economic Development Fund 2011 $ 350,000
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Renewable Energy Plan for Haida Gwaii To create an energy development plan for Haida Gwaii that will result in an eventual shift to 100% renewable sources of energy, displacing the islands' current reliance on diesel-powered electricity Conservation Fund 2011 $ 172,500
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Haida Gwaii Youth Stewardship Program and Culture Camps – 2011 To provide Haida youth with cultural, stewardship, and leadership experience via the T'aalan Stl'ang and L'aana Daganga.a culture camps and a summer internship program that builds the Nation’s human resource capacity for long-term stewardship management Conservation Fund 2011 $ 60,000
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Haida Gwaii Place Names Research Project To research and map place names throughout Haida Gwaii with GIS technology by interviewing elders to capture traditional knowledge in partnership with Skidegate Haida Immersion Program and Xaad Kihlgaa Hl Suu.u Society Conservation Fund 2011 $ 116,000
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Start-up of the Heritage and Natural Resources Department To support the department's start-up period through 2011/12 as the Haida Nation implements joint land and resource decision making with the provincial government under the Kunst'aa guu - Kunst'aayah Reconciliation Protocol Conservation Fund 2011 $ 428,167
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Haida Cultural Feature Identification – Training and Certification Program Development To develop a training and certification program that will establish a qualified workforce to survey every planned forestry cutblock on Haida Gwaii for Haida cultural values as required in the Haida Gwaii Land Use Objectives Order Conservation Fund 2010 $ 35,970
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Haida Mapping Department – GIS Training and Program Development To continue technical skill and professional development of the department's GIS employees, focusing on spatial analysis and cartography, and to document ancestral knowledge for place names in northern Haida Gwaii Conservation Fund 2010 $ 103,911
Haida Nation Haida Enterprise Corporation (HaiCo) Acquisition of the Tlell River Lodge To purchase a tourism business, end the commercial black bear hunt on Haida Gwaii, and start-up a new business, the Haida House at Tlaal Economic Development Fund 2010 $ 2,100,000
Haida Nation Haida Enterprise Corporation (HaiCo) Consolidation of Haida Scallop Farms to Cumshewa Inlet To purchase the assets of two pilot-scale scallop farms and transfer existing infrastructure to establish a single commercial-scale operation Economic Development Fund 2010 $ 631,000
Haida Nation Haida Enterprise Corporation (HaiCo) Start-up of Haida Enterprise Corporation (HaiCo) To establish and support the start-up of the Haida Nation's new economic development corporation, Haida Enterprise Corporation (HaiCo) Economic Development Fund 2010 $ 533,708
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Haida Mapping Department – Establish a Data Warehouse To provide GIS mapping training for the department's three employees and to design a database system to manage all referrals information related to archeology, forestry, land use, foreshore, and marine use Conservation Fund 2009 $ 166,112
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Off-shore Wind Energy Project To develop a comprehensive project proposal for BC Hydro's Clean Power Call that focuses on off-shore wind energy in partnership with an independent power producer Economic Development Fund 2009 $ 114,600
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Old Massett Pilot-Scale Scallop Farm To continue the pilot-scale scallop farm operated by the Old Massett Development Corporation, finalize the corporate structure of the regional shellfish initiative, and transition to full-scale operations by October 2009 Economic Development Fund 2009 $ 100,000
Haida Nation Council of the Haida Nation Acquisition of an Area-Based Forestry Tenure To conduct a feasibility study, negotiate the purchase of a large forestry tenure, and establish a Haida-owned forestry company (Taan Forest LP) Economic Development Fund 2009 $ 375,000
Total Projects 52 Total Invested $ 19,137,274

Total Projects: 52

Total Invested: $ 19,137,274

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