First Nations Forestry Council

08/27/2026

🌲 We're hiring a Business Development Program Manager to join the BC First Nations Forestry Council!

This role oversees the Forestry Council's Business Development Program, helping First Nations increase their participation, ownership, and economic success in BC's forest sector.

You'll work directly with First Nations communities, businesses, and development corporations across the province, identifying opportunities, building partnerships, and providing hands-on advisory support.

View the full job posting and apply here:https://forestrycouncil.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Business-Development-Program-Manager_Position-Profile.pdf

Under Section 42 of the BC Human Rights Code, preference will be given to Indigenous applicants. Please self-identify in your cover letter.

08/11/2026

Special request - please share!

FNESS is looking to connect with Wildfire Fighting contractors.

Must have current s100/s185 training (this year), or valid equivalent training, and their own PPE.

Please send your information to: [email protected]

08/10/2026

FESBC has expanded its Fibre Utilization Funding Program, allowing eligible applicants to receive funding to recover biomass from active and approved Timber Sale Licences.

We encourage First Nations working in this space to explore the updated eligibility and funding available. See the post below for application details!

Important Announcement: The Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) is pleased to advise that eligible applicants can now apply to the Fibre Utilization Funding Program to receive funding to recover biomass from active and approved Timber Sale Licences issued prior to July 31, 2026.

Organizations that are new to the program, or that do not currently have FESBC Fibre Utilization funding, are encouraged to review the 2026-27 Fibre Utilization Funding Program Guide and apply. Current Fibre Utilization funding recipients may also be able to amend their existing projects to include eligible Timber Sale Licenses.

Download the Program Guide here:https://fesbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/FESBC-Fibre-Utilization-Funding-Program-Guide-2026-27.pdf

For questions about eligibility or to discuss your project, please contact the FESBC Operations Manager for your region: https://fesbc.ca/contact-us/

08/06/2026

Our thoughts are with the Okanagan Indian Band, their members, families, and Elders as they respond to the Bradley Creek Wildfire.

Having recently been welcomed to the Okanagan for our 2026 BC First Nations Forestry Conference, we hold deep gratitude for the lands and communities that hosted us. During this difficult time, we stand with OKIB and everyone working to keep people, homes, and community safe.

Please follow the Okanagan Indian Band’s official channels for the latest updates and supports.

Community Update: ESS Reception Centre information for (tomorrow) August for 05, 2026:

Update as of 8:30pm, Aug. 4, 2026

OKIB Reception centre will be located at the Fairfield Hotel, 5300 Anderson Way

The reception will open at 10:00am. Upon arrival please check-in with the Meet & Greet volunteers who are wearing orange vests and are located in the Lobby.

The Meet & Greet volunteers will collect your name and contact information, and will ask you how much notice you will need to return to the reception centre.

You will then be contacted to return to the reception centre to meet with a volunteer to process your ESS supports when a Registration and Referrals Volunteer is available.

A space for band members to gather and visit is available at the Prestige Vernon Hotel, 4411 32nd St. across from London Drugs.

When referrals are set to expire here is the process:

If you received an e-transfer for all of your ESS supports you will you receive a phone call to the phone number you gave on your registration.

The ESS Volunteer will be confirming that your current supports are adequate and if so, your supports will be extended to August 12th and you will receive an e-transfer to cover shelter and food.

If you received any ESS supports with a pink referral form for a hotel or groceries, you will need to attend the reception centre at the Fairfield Inn to extend your supports August 12, 2026

If there are any changes to your current ESS supports you will need to return to the OKIB ESS Reception Centre at the Fairfield Hotel.

Further updates will be shared through the Okanagan Indian Band's official communication channels as more information becomes available. https://www.okib.ca/

The City of Vernon - Local Government continues to actively support response efforts related to the Bradley Creek Wildfire and providing support to those who have been affected.

Key information:

➡️ Emergency Support Services (ESS) are available online (ess.gov.bc.ca) and by phone (1-800-387-4258) for eligible evacuees. Assistance can be accessed without visiting the Reception Centre.

➡️ ESS Reception Centre 📍 Kal Tire Place, 3445 43 Avenue 🕘 Open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

08/01/2026

A veteran Tahltan wildfire fighter’s solution for the current BC wildfire crisis.

Photo: Chad Thomas, centre, out in the field “If we want change, and we want to get there as a country, we have to start working together.” When I spoke with veteran Indigenous wildland firefighter Chad Thomas this week, he had just returned home to his community of Tahltan First Nation after we...

07/28/2026

As wildfires continue to affect communities across British Columbia, our thoughts are with the Pelltiq't and everyone impacted by the fires affecting the Whispering Pines/Clinton Indian Band and the surrounding Clinton area.

We recognize the uncertainty these events bring to community, firefighters, emergency personnel, volunteers, and everyone working together to protect people, homes, and the land.

If you are in or near the affected area, continue to monitor EmergencyMapBC and official channels for the latest Evacuation Orders and Alerts. Conditions can change rapidly, and timely information is essential to keeping yourself and your loved ones safe.

If you are under an Evacuation Order, follow the direction of emergency officials, register with Emergency Support Services (ESS) for short-term assistance, and continue monitoring trusted local information through the below links:

• EmergencyInfoBC – Whispering Pines/Clinton Indian Band evacuation information (https://www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/event/wildfire-whispering-pines-clinton-indian-band-evacuation-information/)
• EmergencyMapBC – Current evacuation orders and alerts (https://governmentofbc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=950b4eec577a4dc5b298a61adab41c06)
• Emergency Support Services (ESS) – Assistance for people displaced by emergencies (https://ess.gov.bc.ca/)
• BC Wildfire Service – Current wildfire information and incident updates (https://wildfiresituation.nrs.gov.bc.ca/dashboard)
• DriveBC – Road closures and travel conditions (https://www.drivebc.ca/?pan=-123.82438532692748%2C53.926987800999996&zoom=5)
• BC Air Quality Health Index – Current smoke and air quality conditions (https://www.env.gov.bc.ca/epd/bcairquality/data/aqhi-table.html)
• First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) – Health, wellness, and mental health supports for First Nations communities during emergencies (https://fnha.ca/services-and-support/access-and-support/climate-emergencies/wildfire-response/)
• First Nations’ Emergency Services Society (FNESS) – Emergency-management and wildfire resources for First Nations in B.C. (https://www.fness.bc.ca/resources/library/)

Wildfires affect more than landscapes, they impact families, cultural values, livelihoods, and the health of communities. While the immediate priority is everyone's safety, recovery will take time. The BC First Nations Forestry Council remains committed to supporting First Nations as communities move from emergency response to long-term stewardship, restoration, and resilience.

Please stay safe, take care of one another, and thank you to everyone working tirelessly to protect communities across British Columbia.

07/10/2026

Our hearts are with everyone affected by the wildfires in the Boston Bar and Fraser Canyon area.

To the families who have had to leave their homes, the Elders, the First Nations communities, the firefighters, emergency personnel, volunteers, and neighbours supporting one another through this difficult time, we are thinking of you.

If it's safe to do so, check in on your loved ones and continue to follow updates from official emergency sources. Conditions can change quickly, and staying informed helps keep everyone safe.

Helpful resources:
• EmergencyInfoBC – Evacuation alerts, orders, and emergency information (https://lnkd.in/gSD3qN6c)
• Emergency Support Services (ESS) – Assistance for people displaced by emergencies (https://ess.gov.bc.ca/)
• BC Wildfire Service – Current wildfire information and incident updates (https://lnkd.in/gkw_zUBK)
• DriveBC – Road closures and travel conditions (https://lnkd.in/ep5h5duS)
• BC Air Quality Health Index – Current smoke and air quality conditions (https://lnkd.in/gQN8njhN)
• First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) – Health, wellness, and mental health supports for First Nations communities during emergencies (https://lnkd.in/ef8Bz-8U)
• First Nations’ Emergency Services Society (FNESS) – Emergency-management and wildfire resources for First Nations in B.C. (https://lnkd.in/eZUmFXTv)

While the immediate focus is on keeping people safe, we also recognize that the work won't end when the fires are out. Communities will face the difficult task of restoring forests, protecting watersheds and wildlife, and rebuilding what has been lost. The BC First Nations Forestry Council stands with First Nations and our partners as that work begins.

Please stay safe, look after one another, and thank you to everyone working tirelessly on the front lines and behind the scenes.

07/03/2026

Congratulations to We Wai Kai - Cape Mudge First Nation on the launch of the North Island's first Indigenous-owned engineering materials testing laboratory.

This investment reflects the growing leadership of First Nations in building technical capacity, advancing innovation, and supporting strong regional economies. By providing specialized testing services closer to home, the facility will create skilled employment, strengthen local supply chains, and improve the delivery of community projects across northern Vancouver Island.

As First Nations continue to expand their participation across the forest value chain and the broader natural resource economy, investments like this demonstrate how community leadership and technical expertise are generating lasting benefits for future generations.

Read more:

Testing laboratory will strengthen infrastructure sector

07/02/2026

The purchase of the former Plateau Sawmill property by Stellat’en First Nation Administration, Nadleh Whut’en First Nation, Saik'uz First Nation, and Lheidli T'enneh First Nation marks an important milestone for First Nations leadership in B.C.'s forest sector.

While mill closures have impacted workers and communities across the province, this investment highlights how First Nations are shaping the future of forestry through ownership and long-term economic development.

The transformation of the site into the Ncha Koh Industrial Park reflects growing opportunities for First Nations to participate across the forest value chain, from stewardship and forest management to industrial development and value-added manufacturing.

Congratulations to the four Nations on this significant achievement! We look forward to seeing how this vision creates lasting opportunities for future generations and contributes to a stronger, more resilient forest sector.

The Plateau sawmill property was among the worksites closed by the lumber giant in 2024, impacting hundreds of people and leaving a significant hole in the community's tax base. The Stellat'en, Nadleh Whut'en, Saik'uz and Lhedli T'enneh First Nations say they have banded together to buy the site and...

04/16/2026

We’re hiring.

The BC First Nations Forestry Council is growing, and we’re looking for passionate, driven individuals to join our team.

Current opportunities:
• Assistant, Policy
• Assistant, Workforce
• Coordinator, Communications
• Advisor, Policy

These roles support meaningful, on-the-ground work advancing First Nations leadership, participation, and stewardship in BC’s forest sector.

📍 Nanaimo or remote within BC
📄 View full postings and apply: forestrycouncil.ca/

Please note: select positions are open only to applicants aged 15-30, in accordance with program funding criteria.

Come be part of work that’s grounded in relationships, community, and real impact.