____________________________________2019–2020 ANNUAL REPORT What’s inside 1. Chief & Council Election Momentous Events Collaboration Challenges 5. Story: Gathering of Knowledge 6. Community Engagement Community Plan 8. Health Services Head Start Youth Program Food Systems Community Garden Kitselas Canyon 14. Community Services Language Education Social Development 17. Housing, Public Works, & Infrastructure Housing ‘The Lighthouse’ 20. Employment & Training Highlights Expanded Programs What’s Next 30. Wai Wah Environmental 35. Kitselas Forestry Workplan Fibre Supply 24. Story: 5,000-Year-Old Artifacts Partners Forest Licenses Services 26. Lands & Resources 37. Treaty Reserve Lands Management 32. Kitselas Development Negotiations Consultation & Engagement Profits Research Resource Stewardship New Employees Kitselas Constitution Emergency Response Division Land Leases Specific Claims Community Wellness Working Group Business Activities 40. Finance Working with and for our membership Two momentous events held in Kitselas Message from Kitselas Council last year Busy Election Elders Gathering of Knowledge The June 2019 election brought some The Chief Councillor position and a This was a once-in-a-lifetime changes to leadership for Kitselas. Councillor position was won by the chance for more than 40 Kitselas Elders from all over Canada to In the election, seven people were same person. The Electoral Officer gather on our home territory seeking the Chief Councillor position unilaterally decided that the Councillor and share stories. The event and 35 people were seeking a position would remain rather than was educational and emotional councillor seat. being given to the next candidate. for all those who participated. This new Council entered the year with A total of 201 votes were cast. Considering the loss of several a vision of aligning all departments with Elders this past year – and with community desires and goals. them, their experiences, wisdom, and knowledge of our culture and traditions – this gathering was more important than ever. $1.2 million for Kitselas Training In January 2020, Kitselas hosted Election Results Melanie Mark, the Minister of Advanced Education, Skills Chief Councillor & Training. While here, she • Judy Gerow - 66 votes announced provincial funding of $7.5 million for six Indigenous Councillors training programs. Of that • Cyril (CJ) Bennett-Nabess - 89 votes $7.5 million, more than $1.2 • Clarisa Spencer - 59 votes million went to the Kitselas Community Led Apprenticeship • Lynn Parker - 56 votes Development Program (KCAD) • Harold Lloyd Sr - 52 votes offered and developed by Kitselas’ Employment & Training • Ian Chad Gerow - 51 votes department. Kitselas Annual Report 2019/20 1 Collaboration is Key as a group and working together, rather than independently. The With Members Alliance includes representatives from Kitselas, Kitsumkalum, Kitkatla, Haisla, Everything we do is for the benefit of Laxgalts’ap, Gingolx, Gitwinksihlkw, our members, so getting your input, Gitlaxdamix and Gitanyow Nations. ideas and feedback is key. We also maintain positive relationships A couple years ago, we created the with local municipalities and regional Community Engagement Coordinator districts. position. The work completed in this role by Geneva Mason has been With Partners and Proponents important. For this reason, we extended her initial one-year contract and she We want our nation to be independent is still in the position now. Geneva’s and financially stable. And we want duties include facilitating community our members to be independent and conversations - for example, leading financially stable too. the Community Plan process, which has Our hope is for Kitselas joint venture given us essential information about partnerships, and nation-owned what members think, need, and want. business entities to make money, and Other examples of how Kitselas collects contribute to employment and training and uses feedback from members for our members. We want to access include the Kitselas Land Use Plan, and economic opportunities related to the the Custom Election and Community LNG Canada and Coastal Gas Link Investment Policy working groups. projects happening in and near Kitselas Traditional Territory. With Local Governments Our business arm, Kitselas Kitselas continues to collaborate Development Corporation (KDC), with other First Nations through spearheads our relationships with the Northern First Nations Alliance. project proponents, contractors and Through this group, the Nations business partners. And last year we work together to advocate for, and made several changes to strengthen come up with solutions for common its position. We hired a new General social issues such as homelessness, Manager, who has extensive experience addictions, health and wellness, in the pipeline industry. Together, with youth, and employment and training. our expanded board of directors, he They also aim to boost the economic reviewed and revised all partnership situation of all Nations by advocating agreements Kitselas had in place. Kitselas Annual Report 2019/20 2 Northern First Nations Alliance (NFNA) meeting hosted in September 2019 by Haisla Nation in Kitamaat Village. We met with current and potential With Other Departments Through the Employment & Training partners to discuss the future of our department, members acquired relationships. Based on the review and Relationships within our organization are work experience by building a discussions, we cancelled all agreements also key. The more we work together, the greenhouse, a potato garden not serving Kitselas, and strengthened better we can serve members. and community garden boxes. those that were. Through communications and Health runs the gardens and feeds The new manager of KDC is also pursuing collaboration, we can avoid duplication community members with the food new relationships and new potential of services and offer members more grown. business ventures for Kitselas. He’s comprehensive and holistic services. Meanwhile, our youth program working on creating Kitselas-owned Here’s one example of departments participants and kids from entities that match the strengths of our working together for the benefit of our Community Services’ Head Start members and our Nation, with business members. program, are learning how to grow and contracting opportunities in the area. The Employment & Training, Health and and process food in the garden. In our discussions with business partners, Housing, Public Works & Infrastructure The Lands & Resources department we explored unserved areas of work that departments collaborated to develop our initially spearheaded the garden Kitselas could tap into. community gardens. projects, and funded them. This includes ideas like starting a delivery Another example is the Lands & service that transports workers laundry, to “We know by working together we can have the Resources department applying for and from work camps. funding to buy a canoe for the youth greatest impact.” program. Kitselas Annual Report 2019/20 3 who already live here, as well as those who want to live here. On top of that, many of our housing units require minor and major repairs. This past year, the Kitselas Housing department conducted extensive research Significant Challenges from home. Today, still, the Kitselas on the issue. They also planned and applied for funding to construct a 40-unit Global Pandemic Administration Building is closed to the public and staff are doing their best to housing complex, to be built in Gitaus. At the end of the fiscal year, in March fulfill their duties. The transition, however, Kitselas’ long-term vision also includes 2020, Covid-19 took over the world. is still taking place as we aim to put building housing off-reserve, on Kitselas- The pandemic was and still is scary – technology and processes in place to keep owned land - potentially in Thornhill. especially for anyone with health issues. departments, staff and council members Staff Vacancies Economically and operationally, the connected and able to do their work. pandemic has stalled activities of all Kitselas continues to struggle with a countries, governments and organizations, “Our Emergency Operations lack of managers in some areas of the Administration department. We have not including Kitselas. It’s been extremely Centre has done everything difficult for everyone in our community and had someone serving in the top position they can when it comes to organization. for almost three years. This has been very informing our members difficult for everyone in the organization. We continue to do everything possible about Covid-10. The rest is up to support our members, keep our Councillors have had to step out of their community safe and informed; and operate to individual members to stay governance roles and get more involved and manage the Nation and our business safe and follow the rules.” operationally. Similarly, other senior staff entities. Inevitably, many activities planned have had to take on extra duties. Without a Senior Administrator, decision-making in for 2020 had to be cancelled or delayed. Housing Shortage many areas has stalled. While Kitselas did Luckily, Kitselas had created an Emergency An ongoing problem for Kitselas members receive applications for the head position, Services Division, in the spring of 2020, is lack of housing – on and off-reserve – no one has yet been chosen for the role. just before Covid-19 arrived. When the in Gitaus, Kulspai, Terrace, Thornhill and Kitselas