Three levels of government have provided sufficient funding for a submarine watermain project that will take place next year to supply potable water to the community of West Bamfield.

The Barkley Sound community is adjacent to Huu-ay-aht First Nations.

The $1.2 million project is expected to commence next spring and expected to be completed by next June.

The federal government is providing $470,095 towards the project, the Province of British Columbia government is chipping in with $391,707 and the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District (ARCD) will contribute $313,436.

A pod of transient killer whales recently ventured into the Ucluelet harbour, chasing a sea lion for dinner, but dinner got the best of the apex predators when a vessel seemingly interfered with the hunt.

Ucluelet Aquarium curator Laura Griffith-Cochrane captured the exciting scene on her phone from Alder Park, which overlooks the harbour.

Professional drone pilot Kawliga Watts had just been laid off from a Port Alberni mill when he saw an opportunity pop up to fly drones for Tseshaht First Nation-owned Maktlee Drone Services.

“I was already a recreational drone operator, so I was really happy to be part of this new venture and learn all this new technology,” said Watts at the first annual Indigenous Forestry Conference in Port Alberni in September.

Calling on governments to recognize a crisis that continues to have a devastating impact on families, the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council has declared a state of emergency for how illicit drugs and mental health issues are affecting its communities.

The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) issued a public apology to First Nations, Inuit and Métis people for past and ongoing harms to Indigenous people in the health care system.

The live-streamed event took place in Victoria on Wednesday, Sept. 18.

Dr. Alika Lafontaine, the CMA’s first Indigenous president (2022–23), announced the association’s commitment to an apology in June 2023 as an important part of the CMA’s response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action.

Tseshaht First Nation is among those who have stepped up to ensure youth can continue to watch junior hockey contests in Port Alberni for free.

The Alberni Valley Bulldogs, a Junior A squad that competes in the British Columbia Hockey League, and the Port Alberni Bombers, a Junior B club in the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League, had a previous sponsorship deal with the San Group in place to allow those 18 and under to come to their home games for free when accompanied by an adult.

That deal, however, ended at the end of the last hockey season.

While a crisp air greets the Alberni Valley marking the beginning of autumn, chinook, sockeye and coho salmon continue their annual migration up the Somass River. But this season has been “an interesting year” for fisheries, with commercial, sports, recreational, and First Nations fishing less chinook than what’s been expected.

“The fishing season has been a little bit of a grind this year,” said Nasimius, Ed Ross, a Tseshaht elected councillor and fishermen, noting that though the chinook season was anticipated to be good this year, they’ve been hard to catch.

The Tseshaht First Nation has received a major boost towards its economic endeavours with a $16.45 million agreement with the provincial government.

Announced by the First Nation on Sept. 17, the Incremental Economic Reconciliation Agreement entails over $16 million in provincial funding, spread out in annual payments until 2027. The funds are to support Tseshaht’s “near term” economic goals, with the intention to “establish a pathway for future generations,” according to a press release from the First Nation.

Leaders of Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’/Che’tles7et’h’ First Nations have made a giant leap in their efforts to reclaim territorial stewardship with the acquisition of a forestry tenure from Interfor Corporation.

In 2016 KCFN launched their own Tiičma Forestry LP company with a vision of managing tenures in the territory in a sustainable, efficient manner that will support future generations its people.

The Nuchatlaht have filed with the B.C. Court of Appeal, launching the next phase of its legal battle to gain title over the northern part of Nootka Island.

The appeal was announced Sept. 16, seven and a half years after the small First Nation’s late Tyee Ha’wilth Walter Michael stood on the steps of the B.C. Supreme Court to begin his community’s claim to own what they have considered their home territory for countless generations.