By Canadian Press

Kitselas First Nation in northwestern B.C. votes in favour of self-governance

Apr 11, 2025 | 10:20 AM

VICTORIA — Members of the Kitselas First Nation in British Columbia’s Skeena Valley region have voted to become self-governing.

The nation says in a news release that more than 96 per cent of its enrolled voters took part in the ratification on Thursday.

It says 85 per cent of voters ticked Yes for the treaty, while 81 per cent voted Yes for its constitution.

The nation says the vote means it will no longer be “controlled by Canada’s Indian Act” and will work for the next three years to implement the treaty.

It says under the treaty, enrolled citizens will be able to vote in elections, receive treaty benefits, exercise their rights and run for elected office.

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Christine Boyle, B.C.’s minister of Indigenous relations and reconciliation, congratulated the nation on Friday, saying it has been in treaty negotiations with provincial and federal governments since 1993, and the successful ratification vote is a decision “generations of Kitselas people have worked toward.”

She says in a statement that the treaty is a “path to self-governance, recognition of rights, collaborative resource management, and new economic opportunity.”

“It provides the basis for a revitalized relationship between Kitselas, their neighbours and all levels of government by fostering shared understanding, providing certainty and supporting further work together in the region,” she says.

In order for the treaty and constitution to be ratified, more than 50 per cent of eligible voters needed to cast a ballot, and more than 50 per cent of those needed to vote in favour of both the treaty and constitution.

Boyle says, based on the results, the necessary thresholds were met.

“Provincial and federal ratification involves the B.C. legislature and Canadian Parliament each passing treaty implementation legislation,” she says.

There will also be opportunities for regional and public engagement as well as consultation with neighbouring First Nations, she added.

“As the minister of Indigenous relations and reconciliation, I remain firmly committed to taking this path alongside the Kitselas people,” Boyle says.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 11, 2025.

The Canadian Press