Nuxalk Nation

Bella Coola

The Nuxalk Nation’s territory surrounds the town of Bella Coola, including King Island, Fisher, Burke and Dean Channels, as well as North and South Bentinck Arms.

Q'umk'uts Village located at the mouth of the Bella Coola River. Photo courtesy of The Bill Reid Centre at SFU Northwest Coast Village Project

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The Nuxalk Nation’s main community is located in Bella Coola on BC’s Central Coast

Nuxalk Nation

Historically the Nuxalk people occupied 45 permanent villages throughout their territory, located along river banks and at the mouth of rivers.

The largest of these villages were Talyu in Ats’aaxlh (South Bentinck), Suts’lhm (Kimsquit), Satskw’ (Kimsquit River), Nutl’l (Dean River), Kwalhna, and Q’umk’uts’ (the village near what is known today as Bella Coola).

These strategic locations allowed the Nuxalk to access the abundance of fish and other natural resources in their territory.

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Nuxalk Nation host the Supporting Emerging Aboriginal Stewards (SEAS) Program. Photo courtesy of SEAS

The “House of Smayusta,” or House of Stories, represents the sovereignty and traditional government of the Nuxalk people. The House of Smayusta brings together Hereditary Chiefs, Elders and community members to discuss issues of importance to the Nuxalk.

Nuxalk Hereditary Chiefs protesting against logging at the sacred ISTA site. Photo courtesy of Nuxalk Nation

According to the House of Smayusta,

The sovereignty of the Nuxalk Nation comes from Tatau, the Creator… Our lands are a sacred gift. The land is provided for the continued use, benefit, and enjoyment of our people, the Nuxalk, and it is our ultimate obligation to Tatau, the Creator, to care for and protect it.

Nuxalk Nation Projects

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

First Nation	Applicant	Project	Description	Links	Type	Year	Funding
Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Longhouse Restaurant Start-up and Training	To start a new restaurant in Bella Coola that will showcase Nuxalk culture and provide employment and skills training for community members seeking employment in tourism and hospitality along the Central Coast.		Nuxalk Nation	2023	$ 37,323
Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Nation	Old Town Off-Grid Cabin Pilot	To develop a business case and build 4 pilot pre-fabricated off-grid cabins along the Necleetsconnay (Bella Coola) River to capitalize on Nuxalk’s growing tourism industry, accelerating key Nation goals including to strengthen and diversify the local economy and enhance Nuxalk’s presence on their Ancestral Territory		Economic Development Fund	2022	$ 200,000
Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Stewardship Office – 2022/23 Operations	To revitalize Nuxalk Ancestral Governance under the 2019 Leadership Declaration with Stataltmc through potlatch decision-making as they relate to lands and waters; to develop a Stewardship section within Nuxalk website for community engagement, to recruit a Lands Manager, Referrals Technician, and new Guardians; to complete cultural monitoring and science-based research to inform decision-making; and to complete marine/terrestrial compliance duties.		Conservation Fund	2022	$ 400,000
Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Nation	Concrete Batching Plant Infrastructure & Start-up	To invest in the infrastructure and start-up of a new concrete batching plant in Bella Coola that will provide cost savings on construction projects and employment and training opportunities to Nuxalk community members.		Economic Development Fund	2018	$ 490,000
Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Longhouse Restaurant and Gift House Construction – Phase 2	To complete the second phase of construction for the new restaurant that is located in the centre of Bella Coola that will be leased to a local entrepreneur and will also showcase Nuxalk culture, attract tourism, and provide employment and training opportunities to Nuxalk community members		Economic Development Fund	2018	$ 249,280
Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Nation	Longhouse Cabins on the Bella Coola River – Construction and Start-up	To expand the recently acquired Bella Coola Motel by building 10 unique, longhouse inspired cabins along the Bella Coola River; the cabins will capitalize on Nuxalk Nation's expanding hospitality industry - including the nearby longhouse restaurant, and capture the increase in visitor traffic expected from the return of ferry service in Bella Coola.		Economic Development Fund	2018	$ 490,000
Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Fisheries and Bear Field Research Infrastructure	To construct a new field station for bear and eulachon research programs, complete renovations on the stewardship office equipment storage facility, and repower the Nuxalk fisheries research jet boat		Conservation Fund	2017	$ 200,000
Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Nation	Guardian Watchman Monitoring and Research Vessel	To invest in a new Guardian Watchman research and monitoring vessel that will enable Nuxalk Stewardship Office staff to increase patrols, implement marine use plans, and improve safety for employees, Elders, and youth	Blog Post	Conservation Fund	2017	$ 250,000
Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Longhouse Restaurant Start-up and Training	To start a new restaurant in Bella Coola that will showcase Nuxalk culture, invest in a local entrepreneur and provide employment and skills training for community members seeking employment in tourism and hospitality		Economic Development Fund	2017	$ 53,425
Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Longhouse Restaurant and Gift House Construction and Start-up	To construct major new infrastructure in the center of Bella Coola that will create two Nuxalk-owned and -operated businesses that will focus on attracting tourists, showcasing Nuxalk culture, and investing in employment and skills training for community members		Economic Development Fund	2016	$ 1,550,010
Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Nation	Start-up of Nuxalk Innovative Landscaping	To purchase an excavator, loader, and related equipment, to train Nuxalk members in equipment operation, landscape design, horticulture, and small business management, and to commence operations of a new Nation owned and operated business in Bella Coola		Economic Development Fund	2015	$ 159,529
Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Nation	Bella Coola Motel – Facility and Equipment Improvements	To invest in capital, equipment, and guest service improvements for the recently acquired Bella Coola Motel		Economic Development Fund	2015	$ 60,000
Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Nation	Capital and Operating Plan for a Public-Private Partnership	To finalize capital planning for a cultural tourism facility, to identify a local entrepreneur partner through a competitive process, and to finalize a long-term lease agreement for operations		Economic Development Fund	2015	$ 29,750
Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Nation	Acquisition of the Bella Coola Motel	To acquire the Bella Coola Motel, located in downtown Bella Coola and adjacent to the Nuxalk reserve		Economic Development Fund	2014	$ 410,000
Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Stewardship Office – 2014 Operations	To support operations of the program including stewardship, research and monitoring, and resource development referrals while also initiating a number of conservation-related projects		Conservation Fund	2014	$ 295,923
Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Development Corporation	Nuxalk Development Corporation – 2014 Operations	To support ongoing operations of the development corporation while focusing on value-added wood processing, integrated fisheries, and development of the agricultural sector in Bella Coola		Economic Development Fund	2013	$ 333,337
Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Stewardship Office – 2013/14 Operations	To support operations of the stewardship office including community engagement to implement a new governance structure, continue regional monitoring and patrols with four guardian watchmen, continue referrals coordination, and implement numerous government to government agreements		Conservation Fund	2013	$ 210,000
Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Development Corporation	Restructuring Nuxalk Development Corporation	To develop a comprehensive business plan for the development corporation, restructure the organization and recruit a board of directors, and to partner with UBC on forest sector research		Economic Development Fund	2012	$ 418,713
Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Integrated Resource Office – 2012/13 Operations	To support operations of the stewardship office for nine months in 2012/13 including identifying and addressing wildlife habitat protection issues such as grizzly bear hunting, facilitating community and leadership adoption of Nuxalk Marine Use Plan, and evaluate establishing a Nuxalk steelhead hatchery at Tatsquan Creek		Conservation Fund	2012	$ 328,000
Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Integrated Resource Office – 2012 Spring Operations	To support operations of the stewardship office for the first quarter of 2012/13 including a department review, strategic planning, and office restructuring to integrate stewardship initiatives under the new stewardship director		Conservation Fund	2012	$ 72,169
Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Nation	Collaborative Due Diligence for an Area-Based Forestry Tenure	To collaborate with three other Nations to jointly conduct negotiations with the Province of BC for a large area-based forestry tenure and to undertake comprehensive due diligence for the acquisition of a major tree farm license supply block		Economic Development Fund	2011	$ 3,979
Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Nation	Development of a Sustainable Forestry Sector Strategy	To develop the Nation's vision and long-term strategies for sustainable forestry operations in BC's central coast region		Economic Development Fund	2011	$ 239,246
Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Nation	Strategic Landscape Reserve Designs and Data Centre	To review maps, produced by third parties, of large landscape areas in Nuxalk territory that delineate old growth forest reserves and habitat reserves for species of priority concern, prepare the Nation's strategic landscape reserve designs for submission to the Province of BC, and to establish a data center for spatial information of Nuxalk interests and supporting documentation		Conservation Fund	2011	$ 49,500
Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Integrated Resource Office – 2011/12 Operations	To support operations of the new stewardship office including hiring the office's first stewardship director, establishing a food fish committee to oversee fisheries management issues, continuing regional eulachon stock assessments, and continuing the sockeye recovery project in the Atnarko watershed		Conservation Fund	2011	$ 252,683
Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Integrated Resource Office – 2010/11 Operations	To support operations of the new stewardship office including creating a new Referrals Coordinator position to develop efficient referral management policies, processes and data management system, vessel operator training, tourist and cultural site patrols, a sockeye enhancement project, and monitoring of the coho and steelhead sport fishery on the Dean River		Conservation Fund	2010	$ 150,753
Nuxalk Nation	Nuxalk Nation	Establishment of the Nuxalk Integrated Resource Office	To establish and commence operations of the new stewardship office including training two new guardian watchmen, successfully raising and releasing 200,000 marked sockeye salmon fry in the Atnarko watershed, and to perform field and biology research to assess eulochon populations in the central coast region		Conservation Fund	2009	$ 112,623