The Tseshaht First Nation has received $223,200 in federal government funding to construct tourism amenities on Keith Island, part of the Broken Group of Islands on the west coast.
Nanaimo-Alberni MP James Lunney was in Port Alberni on Tuesday to make the funding announcement as part of the West Coast Community Adjustment Program (WestCCAP).
Keith Island is at the heart of the Tseshaht’s creation story, and is thus a sacred cultural site, Tseshaht member Darrell Ross said.
Building a floating dock, ramp and gazebo are all part of the Tseshaht’s Going Home Initiative. “This project provides critical infrastructure for our Tseshaht homelands,” Ross said.
Building these structures will allow the Tseshaht to have someone on site at Keith Island, which is a central hub of the Broken Group, TFN councillor Deb Foxcroft said.
“It’s going to bring some economic development projects to our community. It’s going to create some employment. It’s going to bring people to the community where we can protect our ancestral grounds,” she said.
The floating dock is the first phase of development for tourism on Keith Island, Ross said. The TFN is looking at building a small lodge or some cabins in the next three to five years.
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