The Regional Chief provides the political leadership and activities for the BCAFN, and is elected to this role by the BC First Nations Chiefs for a term of three years. BCAFN is further governed by a Board of five directors, elected to three-year staggered terms. Each board member is a Chief or designate for their First Nation community. BCAFN hosts a Special Chiefs Assembly and an Annual General Assembly every spring and fall which allow for BC First Nations leadership to engage in open socio-political discussions in order to provide community-driven directives to the Regional Chief through resolution.
BCAFN is one of ten regional organizations affiliated with the national Assembly of First Nations whose members include 633 First Nations across Canada. The BCAFN Regional Chief sits on the AFN Executive Committee whereby his/her role is to ensure regional concerns of BCAFN members are included in National political discussions and decision-making processes. The Regional Chief also holds specific portfolios that deal with national policy issues and concerns.
The BCAFN Society is registered under the Societies Act of British Columbia. As an incorporated society, BCAFN operates with its own regionally specific mandates, and works towards creating new and better memories for First Nations that include meaningful participatory relationships with the provincial and federal governments as well as industry, and which aim to close the socio-economic gap between First Nations and non-First Nations people.