The results for a survey done by R.A. Malatest & Associates in collaboration with the First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC) on Indigenous-focused graduation requirements have been released to the public.

One week of ground-scanning work has been undertaken to identify possible burial sites on Tseshaht territory, bringing challenges in penetrating the rugged terrain that make up the former grounds of the Alberni Indian Residential School.

The trial over the Nuchatlaht’s claim of Aboriginal title to the northern part of Nootka Island is currently on a summer break, as the First Nation’s legal team and the province’s lawyers prepare their final arguments.

Over 40 days in court that began March 21, the evidence portion of the trial ended May 26. Both sides are now reviewing facts presented to Justice Elliot Myers over the two months, assembling their final arguments for the B.C. Supreme Court.

Owen Stewart from the Nuchatlaht’s legal team is confident in how things have progressed so far.

The University of Victoria (UVic) is set to deliver the world’s first custom master’s degree in business administration in Indigenous Reconciliation.

It’s aimed to build capacity, implement cultural safety, and support succession planning in the community social services sector.

Developed in partnership with the BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres (BCAAFC), the MBA was unveiled on July 8. 

The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) responded to a report on the morning of July 11 that a 34-foot gillnetter got caught on rocks as the tide was receding, causing it to sink. 

The vessel, which was actively fishing, had 500 litres of diesel fuel onboard, which is slowly leaking into the marine environment.

The Western Canada Marine Response Corporation (WCMRC) was mobilized to work alongside the CCG to respond to the incident near Hocking Point in the Alberni Inlet. 

The final leg of the 40-kilometre multi-use pathway connecting Tofino and Ucluelet is one step closer to being complete, following new funding support from Island Coastal Economic Trust’s Capital and Innovation Program.

The funding will be used towards construction of the remaining 1.2-kilometre stretch of the pathway between Ucluelet and the Pacific Rim National Park. Once completed, visitors will have access to one continuous trail that connects Ucluelet, Millstream, Yuułuʔiłʔatḥa and Tla-o-qui-aht lands, as well as the Long Beach Airport and Tofino.

The first transfer of juvenile Atlantic salmon has been made to Grieg Seafood BC Ltd.’s Gold River Hatchery Expansion Project, which was completed this spring. 

Grieg Seafood BC is part of the Norwegian multinational Grieg Group and operates 22 fish farms within the province. As one of the largest salmon farming companies in B.C., Grieg is aiming to harvest 22,000 metric tonnes of fish in 2022.

The Province of B.C., along with other orders of government, has pledged to connect remote First Nations communities to high-speed internet in the next five years.

According to the Ministry of Citizens’ Services, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of high-speed internet and cellular connectivity to conduct day-to-day business, learn at home, and connect with loved ones. B.C. has committed to connecting all households in the province with high-speed internet by 2027.

Despite a recent claim by a news outlet stating the Emergency Room at West Coast General Hospital (WCGH) may see closures this summer, Island Health says no shutdown is planned for the emergency department.

According to a CBC article from July 5, an anonymous source who claimed to work in the Port Alberni emergency department at WCGH told the media outlet that due to ongoing staff shortages, the Emergency Room could be closed through much of August and September for eight-hour periods each day.

A 34-foot gillnetter sank in the early morning on July 11 near Nahmint Bay, with around 500 litres of diesel fuel onboard.

The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) received a report around 3:15 a.m. that the vessel, which was actively fishing, got caught on rocks as the tide was receding. The resulting impact caused the vessel to lean and sink.