The near-completion of the construction of Oomiiqsu (Mother) Centre, developed by Huu-ay-aht First Nation, was celebrated by dozens of supporters at Port Alberni’s Italian Hall on September 5th. The one-of-a-kind centre, which opens later this year, will provide supportive housing and services to Aboriginal women and children in Port Alberni.
Shalaya Valenzuela’s athletic career already includes winning a medal at the world’s most prestigious multi-sport competition.
Valenzuela, a member of Tseshaht First Nation, was part of the Canadian women’s rugby sevens squad that captured the silver medal at the recently concluded Paris Olympics in France.
Valenzuela, who is 25, was actually an alternate on the Canadian club in Paris. But she participated in all team activities and was also presented with an Olympic medal.
Ahousaht is drawing on support for its members in the wake of a tragic Labour Day weekend that left two unexpected deaths in the First Nation’s village - and an arrest resulting from a police investigation.
The First Nation has since declared a state of emergency for its village of Maaqtusiis on Flores Island, located northwest of Tofino, with a 9 p.m. curfew and “24-hour cultural support and counselling services,” according to a message from Ahousaht Chief Councillor n̓aasʔałuk (John Rampanen).
Tourism Tofino officials are excited they will continue to raise awareness of their district via a podcast.
Travel Beyond, a six-episode podcast series, was released earlier this year.
And Brad Parsell, the executive director of Tourism Tofino, is thrilled that more episodes will soon be produced.
“Part two of the podcast will be out in early 2025,” said Parcell, adding an agreement was reached this past Thursday, Aug. 29, to record a second season of the podcast.
Travel Beyond is produced by Destination Think, a Vancouver-based marketing agency.
A recent diesel and oil spill from a sinking vessel in the Ucluelet harbour has triggered alarm bells amongst locals about Canada’s response process.
On Aug. 6 at about 10:30 p.m., Gerry Schreiber called the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) emergency response line to report oil leaking from a vessel at the Ucluelet East government dock in Port Albion.
“I said, ‘You gotta get your guys out here. The oil is pouring out of this thing’,” Schreiber told the Ha-Shilth-Sa, adding that two other locals reported the spill as well.
Kwatuuma Cole Sayers of the Hupačasath First Nation has received a King Charles III Coronation Medal for his work in clean energy and economic development.
At the second of two ceremonies held this summer presenting the awards, Kwatuuma received the medal on Aug. 27 in Vancouver. Sayers’ mother Judith Sayers also won the award at the first ceremony back in July, which was held in Victoria.
European Green Crab (EGC) are aggressively invading coastal waters and decimating ecosystems in the Pacific Northwest.
This highly effective predator was first identified on the West Coast in San Francisco in 1989 and has been rapidly progressing northward, destroying marine habitats in its wake. Its only known predator is river otters, but eaten in such small quantities, they considered a threat to the crabs.
A State of Emergency has been declared in Ahousaht following a heartbreaking weekend of two unexpected deaths in the community.
Police are investigating the death of an adult man and Ahousaht leadership has confirmed the tragic passing of a female youth worker.
In a statement Sunday, police say Ahousaht RCMP responded to a call on Saturday, Aug. 31 at 6:29 p.m. to a residence on Robinson Avenue.
Tla-o-qui-aht kids had a funtastic time on Aug. 27 with a boulevard worth of bouncy castles popping up right in their own backyard at Ty-Histanis.
The Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation (TFN) Family Fun Day was co-hosted by the nations’ community services and education departments to celebrate the start of a new school year. Education manager Iris Frank says there are about 135 TFN kids getting ready for the upcoming scholastic year.
Eight years into a public health emergency, fatal drug overdoses are declining, bringing encouraging news to the many people affected by British Columbia’s opioid crisis.