North Coast | British Columbia Assembly of First Nations

Languages	FN Population	Total Pop’n	Pop’n % FN
Nisga’a Gitsenimx Smalgyax Witsuwit' enenaksialakala /a'’islakala Tāłtān Ski:xs Xaad Kil / Xaaydaa Kil (Haida)	35,299	56,200	62.81%

Regional Description

The North Coast Region covers the northern coastal areas of the province (north of Bella Bella) as well as Haida Gwaii. Prince Rupert, Terrace and Kitimat are the major population and commercial centres in the region. Over 60% of the Region’s 56,200 inhabitants are First Nations, the highest percentage of the 8 BC Development Regions.

The North Coast Region is comprised of the Traditional Territories of the Coast Tsimshian along the Skeena River and surrounding its delta; the Haida on Haida Gwaii; the Tlingit along the coast north of Prince Rupert; the Nisga’a along the Nass River Valley and its delta; and the Tahltan along the Stikine River and further inland. The Coastal geography is made up of fruitful oceans, vast temperate coastal rainforests, and deep fjords that quickly give way to drier mountainous climates further inland. The region houses many large rivers including the Nass, Skeena and Stikine. While much of the coastline north of Prince Rupert is considered Alaska, USA, it is historically and geographically linked to the Region.

See the North Coast map

Historically, the First Nations inhabiting the North Coast relied heavily on the ocean and rivers for food, transportation and trade. Forest resources were also consumed at a small and highly sustainable scale.
The onset of the colonial economy saw growth of the commercial fishing, logging and mining industries, which remain core components of the North Coast economy. The economy has diversified in recent years as a result of new capacity at the Port of Prince Rupert, major investments in the aluminum smelter in Kitimat and plans for liquefied natural gas plants and other large infrastructure projects. These projects are bringing jobs and new opportunities to the area, but much work is still required to ensure a) the projects are environmentally sustainable; and b) First Nations and other local stakeholders are benefitting from direct employment opportunities and indirect economic developments.
First Nations play a large economic role in the North Coast Region as both project proponents and stakeholders, developing and advocating for socially and environmentally prudent projects with the goal of improving quality of life in the Region. Development Corporations— owned collectively by aligned Nations or by individual First Nations— are the primary vehicles by which First Nations pursue and advocate for Sustainable Economic Development, and can be explored through the Community Profiles Section of this database.
With proposed LNG liquefaction and export terminals in the Prince Rupert area numbering in the double-digits, LNG developments pose a large impact on First Nations in the area who are working actively to ensure their communities benefit from future projects.
Commercial Fishing, Forestry, and mining continue to make up a large part of the Regional Economy.
Tourism and Ecotourism are a growing sector, with local enterprises striving to sustainably showcase the pristine wilderness, which provides a home for many species of wildlife, including grizzly bears, cougars, wolves and salmon.
Nisga’a Lisims Government administers the Nisga’a Nation, which is comprised of four individual First Nations communities in the Nass River Valley: Gitlaxt’aamiks (New Aiyansh), Gitwinksihlkw, Laxgalts’ap, Gingolx
Gitxsan Government Commission provides administrative support to four First Nations (Gitanyow, Gitanmaax, Glen Vowell and Kispiox) of the Gitxsan people located along the Skeena, Kispiox and Kitwanga Rivers.
Coastal First Nations is an alliance of First Nations on British Columbia’s North and Central Coast and Haida Gwaii. The Coastal First Nations include Wuikinuxv Nation, Heiltsuk, Kitasoo/Xaixais, Nuxalk Nation, Gitga’at, Metlakatla, Old Massett, Skidegate, and Council of the Haida Nation.
Office of the Wet’suwet’en provides Administrative support for five First Nations of the traditional Wet’suwet’en People: Hagwilget, Moricetown, Browman Lake, Skin Tyee, Nee Tahi Buhn. The individual First Nation known to Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada as “Wet’suwet’en” is not a member of the Office of the Wet’suwet’en Society.
Tsimshian First Nation Treaty Society negotiates on behalf of its member Nations, which are some, but not all First Nations of the traditional Tsimshian People. TFN Treaty Society members include Kitselas, Kitsumkalum, Metlakatla, Gitga’at, and Kitasoo.
Tahltan Central Government is the political entity that represents the Tahltan People, who are comprised of two First Nations: Tahltan and Iskut First Nations Council of the Haida Nation is the political entity representing the Haida People, who are comprised of two individual First Nations: Old Masset Village Council and Skidegate Village Council.