By Nikater – Own work by Nikater, submitted to the public domain. Background map courtesy of Demis, www.demis.nl, Public Domain, Wikimedia.org

Port Renfrew, British Columbia – Government of Canada

The Government of Canada is working to renew its relationship with Indigenous peoples based on recognition of rights, respect, co-operation and partnership. One way that the Government has committed to renewing this relationship is by ensuring that First Nation, Inuit and Métis peoples have a clear and prominent role in helping manage Canada’s natural environment and resources.

It is in this spirit that the Canadian Coast Guard and the Pacheedaht First Nation, as part of the Co-Developing Community Response initiative of the Trans-Mountain Expansion Project, are pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the construction of a multipurpose marine facility in Port Renfrew, British Columbia.

“The construction of the Marine Safety Centre in Pacheedaht territory has been a vision of the Nation for many years,” said Chief Jeff Jones, Pacheedaht First Nation. “It will help Pacheedaht exercise a greater role in protecting and managing the 112 km of marine coastline, vast territorial waters and abundant resources. This MOU is a great step forward in building a government to government partnership between Pacheedaht First Nation and the Canadian Coast Guard.”

The MOU outlines a path forward for the Coast Guard and the Pacheedaht Nation to build a marine facility with the primary mission to provide marine search and rescue and environmental response services, as well as strengthen marine safety and response capacity in the Juan de Fuca Strait.

The Coast Guard looks forward to continued collaboration with the Pacheedaht Nation as we work together to build a multipurpose marine facility in Port Renfrew that benefits the Nation, the region, and the Coast Guard.

The Government of Canada is actively working towards reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. That means building and honouring a nation-to-nation, government-to-government, and Inuit-Crown relationship and ensuring a meaningful role for Indigenous communities in managing our natural environment and the broader marine response system. This MOU will help ensure we continue along this shared journey.