Haisla Nation

Kitamaat

Haisla means “dwellers downriver,” and the present-day Haisla Nation is an amalgamation of two historic bands – the Kitamaat of the Douglas and Devastation channels and the Kitlope of the upper Princess Royal Channel and Gardner Canal.

Haisla Chief.Photo courtesy of Haisla Nation

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The main community of Haisla is located in Kitamaat, on BC’s North Coast

Haisla Nation

The territory of the Haisla Nation spans 1.6 million hectares of the North Coast. the Haisla’s main community is located in Kitamaat Village at the head of the Douglas Channel.

The Haisla people speak Haisla language which is part of the Wakashan language family.

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Kitamaat Village. Photo courtesy of Haisla Nation

The Nation’s social system is based on matrilineal clans. There are eight clans, each with its own Chief, resource area and winter village. The Haisla territory has provided the Nation with food, shelter and livelihood, helping to sustain the community for generations.

Haisla Territory map. Photo Courtesy of Haisla Nation

To the Haisla, “land is connected to our past, our culture, and now, our future.” The natural resources contained within their territory allow the Haisla to build their communities and harvest the traditional resources they have depended on.

Haisla Nation Projects

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

First Nation	Applicant	Project	Description	Links	Type	Year	Funding
Haisla Nation	Haisla Nation Council	359 Haisla Avenue Upgrades and Improvements	To support development of micro grocery store in the Kitaamaat village.		Economic Development Fund	2024	$ 255,645
Haisla Nation	Haisla Nation Council	Haisla Fisheries Commission – 2023/24 Operations	To support operations of the Haisla Fisheries Commission 2023-24, including stock assessment activities for oolichan, Pacific salmon, and shellfish; the maintenance of resource-associated "wa'wais" cabins within marine conservancies; and monitoring Haisla territory; and training in Marine Mammal Response with associated monitoring and tracking exercises.		Conservation Fund	2023	$ 150,000
Haisla Nation	Haisla Nation Council	Haisla Fisheries Commission – 2022/23 Operations	To support aquatic resources conservation efforts led by the Haisla Fisheries Commission, including eulachon and salmon stock assessments in Haisla watersheds; maintaining Haisla Nation assets (e.g. wa'wais cabins, trails and hot spring facilities); completing maintenance and upgrades at wa'wais; monitoring marine conservancies, parks and areas of concern; and following up on incident reports from community members, government, industry and/or the public; and paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) monitoring for bivalve shellfish.		Conservation Fund	2022	$ 200,000
Haisla Nation	Haisla Nation Council	Haisla Fisheries Commission – 2021/22 Operations	To support aquatic resources conservation efforts led by the Haisla Fisheries Commission, including eulachon and salmon stock assessments in Haisla watersheds; upgrading damaged wa'wais cabins; integrating the Haisla Marine Plan values and priorities into existing regional plans and provincial/federal initiatives such as the Marine Planning Partnership, Marine Protected Area Planning, the Ocean Protection Plan, and the BC Parks’ Recreation Initiative; monitoring and assessing the impacts of recreational use of Haisla territory, providing support to the Haisla Youth Cultural Camps; assessing mountain goat stocks; Paralytic Shellfish monitoring; and maintaining collaborative planning and networking partnerships.		Conservation Fund	2021	$ 200,000
Haisla Nation	Haisla Nation Council	Haisla Fisheries Commission – 2020/21 Operations	To support aquatic resources conservation efforts led by the Haisla Fisheries Commission, including enhanced eulachon and salmon stock assessments in Haisla watersheds; upgrading wa'wais cabins at Monkey Beach, Wahoo River, and Fishtrap; integrating the Haisla Marine Plan values and priorities into existing regional plans and provincial/federal initiatives such as the Marine Planning Partnership, Marine Protected Area Planning, the Ocean Protection Plan, and the BC Parks’ Recreation Initiative; and providing logistical support to maintain the Haisla Youth Cultural Camps in 2020.		Conservation Fund	2020	$ 200,000
Haisla Nation	Haisla Nation Council	Redevelopment of the Kitlope Lodge in Xesdu’wäxw (Huschduwaschdu)	To restore and redevelop the Kitlope Lodge that was originally constructed by the Haisla Watchmen and Nanakila Institute in the 1990s following establishment of the Huchsduwachsdu Nuyem Jees / Kitlope Heritage Conservancy in 1994; the Kitlope Lodge serves as the sole base for Guardian, stewardship, research, public safety or recreational infrastructure in the homelands of the Xenaksiala peoples		Conservation Fund	2019	$ 150,000
Haisla Nation	Haisla Nation Council	Haisla Fisheries Commission – 2018/19 Operations	To support operations of the Fisheries Commission including doubling cultural camp capacity at Weewanie Wa'wais to provide opportunities for 40 Haisla youth this summer; completing site monitoring throughout the territory including salmon stock assessments and monitoring of outfitter activities in the Huchsduwachsdu Nuyem Jees (Kitlope Heritage Conservancy); undertaking an eelgrass research project in the Douglas Channel to explore possible regeneration sites; and ensuring Nuyems (Haisla traditional laws) are incorporated into all resource management and development decision-making.	Blog Post	Conservation Fund	2018	$ 150,000
Haisla Nation	Haisla Nation Council	Haisla Fisheries Commission – 2017/18 Operations	To support operations of the Fisheries Commission to convene the first cultural summer camp in recent years for 20 Haisla youth at Weewanie Wa'wais; complete infrastructure projects in a number of wa'waises and conservancies including continued development of the new Kemano Bay Research Station; complete ecological restoration projects including riparian recovery planting, removal of man-made barriers to fish migration, and fish habitat complexing; and ensuring Nuyems (Haisla traditional laws) are incorporated into all resource management and development decision-making		Conservation Fund	2017	$ 230,000
Haisla Nation	Haisla Nation Council	Haisla Fisheries Commission – 2016/17 Operations	To support operations of the Fisheries Commission; complete infrastructure projects in a number of wa'waises and conservancies including a preparing a new research station in Kemano Bay; ecological restoration projects including riparian recovery planting, removal of man-made barriers to fish migration, and fish habitat complexing; and ensuring Nuyems (Haisla traditional laws) are incorporated into all resource management and development decision-making		Conservation Fund	2016	$ 214,000
Haisla Nation	Haisla Nation Council	Haisla Fisheries Commission – 2015/16 Operations	To support operations of the fisheries commission, complete infrastructure projects in a number of wa'waises and conservancies, stock assessment of eulachon and salmon across twenty watersheds, implementation of the new Haisla Marine Use Plan, and marine-based environmental monitoring in partnership with Ocean Networks Canada		Conservation Fund	2015	$ 334,900
Haisla Nation	Haisla Nation Council	Humprys and Lone Wolf Creek Riparian Restoration – 2015/16 Projects	To undertake the 2015 phase of multi-year riparian restoration projects on Humprys Creek and Lone Wolf Creek that will restore stream bank integrity, to initiate a shift from shrub dominated to primarily conifer forest riparian ecosystems, and consequently improve fish habitat and salmon spawning grounds	Blog Post	Conservation Fund	2015	$ 334,900
Haisla Nation	Haisla Nation Council	Haisla Town Centre – Commercial Office Complex Development	To prepare detailed design drawings and to complete associated work to bring a development permit to the approval stage for a commercial office complex at Haisla Town Centre in downtown Kitimat	Blog Post	Economic Development Fund	2015	$ 100,000
Haisla Nation	Haisla Nation Council	Acquisition of the Kitimat Valley Institute Property and Facility	To acquire the land and training facility where Kitimat Valley Institute is located from Coast Mountain School District #82		Economic Development Fund	2015	$ 600,000
Haisla Nation	Haisla Nation Council	Acquisition of MK Bay Marina	To finalize a joint venture partnership and acquire MK Bay Marina from the Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine		Economic Development Fund	2014	$ 882,705
Haisla Nation	Haisla Nation Council	Development of Haisla Town Centre	To undertake and complete the rezoning and subdivision process in order to secure necessary permits for development of the first condominium at the new Haisla Town Centre in Kitimat	Blog Post	Economic Development Fund	2014	$ 1,200,000
Haisla Nation	Haisla Nation Council	Acquisition of Commercial Office Space in Kitamaat	To acquire a commercial office building in Kitamaat Village and invest in significant capital improvements		Economic Development Fund	2014	$ 495,000
Haisla Nation	Haisla Nation Council	Lands and Resources Department – 2014/15 Operations	To support operations of the department, complete the Haisla Marine Use Plan, Douglas Channel monitoring including fish escapement data collection, and participation in industrial development consultation processes		Conservation Fund	2014	$ 490,500
Haisla Nation	Haisla Nation Council	Land Acquisition in Downtown Kitimat	To acquire a property from the Province of British Columbia that is located in the center of Kitimat and strategically located for future development	Blog Post	Economic Development Fund	2014	$ 419,000
Haisla Nation	Haisla Nation Council	Coastal Resource Management Project – 2013/14 Phase	To establish a habitat monitoring system and to develop a database of high resolution geo-referenced photos and videos of the coastal zone with documentation from a marine biologist and an archaelogist		Conservation Fund	2013	$ 262,822
Haisla Nation	Haisla Nation Council	Lands and Resources Department – 2012/13 Operations	To support operations of the department including patrols of the territory to monitor all resource use, Coho and Pink salmon habitat restoration on a 600m section of Pine Creek, and salmon stock assessments in the Kitlope and Kemano watersheds		Conservation Fund	2012	$ 299,345
Haisla Nation	Haisla Nation Council	Lands and Resources Department – 2011/12 Operations	To support operations of the department including patrols of the territory to monitor all resource use and participating in the management of protected areas through a cooperative management agreement with the Ministry of Environment		Conservation Fund	2011	$ 201,805
Haisla Nation	Haisla Nation Council	Start-up of the Haisla Watchman Program	To initiate and operate the program including active monitoring and documentation of natural resource use activities throughout the Nation’s territory, monitoring and protection of sixteen conservancies, and maintenance of fifteen remote stations		Conservation Fund	2010	$ 228,368
Haisla Nation	Haisla Nation Council	Marine Stewardship Initiative	To hire a marine biologist and/or fisheries expert to participate in scientific assessments initiated by companies seeking to operate in Haisla territory, provide critical analyses of environmental reports, and initiate independent research on behalf of the Nation		Conservation Fund	2009	$ 64,250
Haisla Nation	Haisla Nation Council	Expansion of Haisla Contracting Services	To purchase heavy equipment in order to diversify and expand Haisla Contracting Service's existing business with local governments, manufacturing companies, and highway maintenance firms		Economic Development Fund	2009	$ 148,738