Cariboo Tribal Council Geographic Location View Regional Map

Northern Shuswap Treaty Society / Tribal Council
[Aka Northern Secwepemc te Qelmucw (NStQ) and
formerly known as Cariboo Tribal Council]

Member Bands

Canim Lake Indian Band (aka Tsq'escen’)

Location
: Approximately 130 km southeast of Williams Lake, in the BC Interior. Main community is 6 km west of Canim Lake. (Six reserves on 2,059 hectares.)

Number of Band Members: 560 (Source: Registered Indian Population by Sex and Residence April 2007, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada)

Canoe Creek Indian Band (aka Stswecem'c)

Location
: Approximately 140 km southwest of Williams Lake, in the BC Interior. The two main areas of settlement are Dog Creek and Canoe Creek. (12 reserves on 5,582.5 hectares.)

Number of Band Members:
671 (Source: Registered Indian Population by Sex and Residence April 2007, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada)

Soda Creek Indian Band (aka Xats’ull)

Location: Approximately 35 km north of Williams Lake, in the BC Interior. (Two reserves on 2,093 hectares.)

Number of Band Members: 354 (Source: Registered Indian Population by Sex and Residence April 2007, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada)

Williams Lake Indian Band (aka Sugar Cane or T’exelc)

Location:
Band office is 8 km south of Williams Lake, in the BC Interior. (Eight reserves on 1,927.3 hectares.)

Number of Band Members:
539 (Source Registered Indian Population by Sex and Residence April 2007, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada)

Background

Negotiating status
: Negotiating a comprehensive treaty settlement within the British Columbia Treaty Commission six-stage treaty process.

Negotiating affiliation
: Negotiating with Canada and British Columbia on behalf of its four member bands.

Location
: Three member bands are located close to Williams Lake while a fourth is near 100 Mile House, in the B.C. interior.

Total band members
: 2,124 (Source: Registered Indian Population by Sex and Residence April 2007, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada)

Negotiations

The Northern Shuswap Treaty Society entered the treaty process in June 1994, and is now in Stage 4 of the six-stage process, negotiating an agreement in principle.

Other Activities

In 2006, the Canim Lake Indian Band was one of five BC First Nations to receive funding under First Nations Community Food Systems for Healthy Living (CFS) for developing community food system plans.

In September 2006, the Province signed forestry agreements with the Canoe Creek and Canim Lake Indian Bands to strengthen their timber harvesting businesses and help manage the mountain pine beetle infestation. Together, the two bands received $2.9 million and access to 315,000 cubic metres of timber over five years. Canoe Creek’s share totaled $1.5 million and 165,000 cubic metres of timber. Canim Lake received $1.3 million and 150,000 cubic metres of timber. Both volumes are within the 100 Mile House Timber Supply Area.

Also in September 2006, the Likely-Xats’ull Community Forest, a coalition between the Soda Creek Indian Band and the community of Likely, signed a 25-year forestry agreement covering about 12,000 hectares of public forest land and an allowable annual cut of 15,000 cubic metres in the Central Cariboo Forest District. First issued with a five-year community forest agreement in 2003, the Likely-Xats’ull Community Forest has directed a portion of its forestry income towards restoring area tourism attractions.

Planned Meetings

As dates are established for open public meetings, they will be publicized through the local media and posted on the B.C. Treaty Commission Website Negotiations Calendar.