The Indigenous Management Board (IMB) is setting a collaborative, community-informed tone for 2026 by hosting four Island Journey Walking Tours – interactive events offered to update and receive feedback from the Coast Salish communities the IMB supports.
The IMB was formed in 2019 when eleven Coast Salish Nations – Quw’utsun Nation (Cowichan Tribes, Halalt First Nation, Lyackson First Nation, Penelakut Tribe, and Stz’uminus First Nation), W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council (representing Tsartlip First Nation and Tseycum First Nation), Malahat Nation, Pauquachin First Nation, Snuneymuxw First Nation, and Tsawout First Nation (“the signatory Nations”) – signed the IEȽȻIȽTEL or nuts’a maat kws ‘i’ shul’ hwilasmut tu skwul ‘i’ kwthe’ Accord (“the Accord”), agreeing to work with NEȾOLṈEW̱ / nutsa’ maat shqwaluwun (one heart, one mind) to take up and take back traditional roles, responsibilities, and authorities over Coast Salish lands and waters. The IMB provides the structure to carry out the work outlined in the Accord collaboratively.
As the effects of colonialism compound – dramatically reducing salmon and shellfish populations, threatening the KELŁOLEMEĆEN, and shrinking the signatory Nations’ abilities to exercise traditional rights held since time immemorial – this type of collaboration is more important than ever. As former Tsartlip Chief Don Tom shared in a video for the IMB:
It’s our job to make sure the government doesn’t further colonize us, whether it be through legislation or the creation of parks – there is a conversation that needs to be had about these unceded lands. Here in British Columbia, these are all unceded lands.
The Island Journey Walking Tour series is the latestIMB initiative open to all members of the signatory Nations, providing a forum for any interested community member to receive updates and provide feedback that can inform the direction of IMB’s work. This type of engagement is critical for an organization like IMB, which is driven by community need and committed to transparency.
So far, IMB has offered three Walking Tours in 2026: one at W̱SÁNEĆ Fairgrounds on January 26th, providing an opportunity for IMB to connect with Tsartlip First Nation, Tseycum First Nation, Tsawout First Nation and Pauquachin First Nation; another at Quw’utsun’ Cultural and Conference Centre on January 28th, an event for Malahat Nation and Cowichan Tribes; and a third at Snuneymuxw First Nation Gym on February 4th, for Snuneymuxw First Nation, Halalt First Nation, Lyackson First Nation, and Stz’uminus First Nation. IMB plans to schedule a Tour for Penelakut Tribe shortly.
The Walking Tour events are opportunities for in-person, face-to-face community building, learning, and collaboration.
Each of the three tours held so far began with delicious food. Attendees at the WSÁNEĆ Fairgrounds event enjoyed catering by Justina Seymour, while attendees at the Quw’utsun’ Cultural and Conference Centre and Snuneymuxw First Nation Gym shared food from Hungry Bubbas and Louella White, respectively. To further ensure all attendees felt welcome, the IMB offered swag bags and other fun activities and resources.
After sharing a meal, attendees moved on to the learning portion of the event: an accessible, inclusive, and informative walking tour experience complete with visual presentations, video resources, infographics, and more. Specifically, the Tour included the following:
Coast Salish Nations Timeline: The IMB shared a timeline of the eleven signatory Nations, from time immemorial to the present, including a history of the IMB and the Accord.
IMB Visioning Infographic: Between 2023 and 2025, the IMB hosted three community visioning sessions where community members of the signatory Nations helped develop a shared vision for the future of the IMB and helped guide the work. The IMB created an infographic to share the IMB’s progress leveraging these sessions to confirm a shared vision for collective stewardship of lands and waters across the eleven signatory Nations, create a community-centred direction and vision for a First Nations-led governance authority, and ensure the IMB’s work remains grounded in Indigenous laws, knowledge systems, and teachings.
IMB’s 2024-2025 Annual Report: The IMB shared the annual report summarizing the IMB’s work from April 1st, 2024 to March 31st, 2025. The report included a summary of meetings, highlights of key activities undertaken with the Crown and internally, significant milestones, decisions, achievements, and a look ahead to the 2025-2026 fiscal year.
Elders Committee: The IMB highlighted the Elders Committee. The Committee is tasked with ensuring the IMB’s work is grounded in Indigenous laws, teachings, languages, and responsibilities to the lands and waters. While this Committee is currently composed of Elders from nine of the eleven signatory Nations, IMB’s goal is to include representatives from all eleven Nations.
IMB Video: The IMB shared a short film discussing the IMB’s work and why it is so important for the eleven signatory Nations to work together to take up and take back traditional roles, responsibilities, and authorities for the lands and waters.
Options for the Future: The IMB shared information regarding the IMB’s plans for the future and sought community feedback regarding the best way forward considering current priorities, funding, and the political landscape.
Through these features and other presentations, the IMB provided attendees with a clear overview of the organization’s current priorities. Priorities include:
Shipping and Anchorages: There are currently 45 commercial anchorages and large commercial shipping lanes within the Southern Gulf Islands, used by bulk cargo ships enroute to the Port of Vancouver. While these sites were established without the consultation or consent of local Nations, their use increases each year. IMB is working to address the adverse impacts of these sites.
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve (GINPR): The GINPR is a 62 square kilometre reserve created within the shared territories of the signatory Nations without proper consultation or engagement. The IMB is working to resolve the issues arising from the Crown’s lack of consultation and working with Parks Canada to develop a plan for shared governance of the area.
Proposed Southern Strait of Georgia (SSG) National Marine Conservation Area Reserve (NMCAR): Parks Canada and BC proposed the SSG NMCAR in an area of high cultural significance for the signatory Nations without adequate consultation. For the past three years, the IMB has worked with Parks Canada and BC to determine whether the SSG NMCAR is “feasible and desirable” for all parties, especially the signatory Nations. More information about NMCARs is available on W̱LC’s blog.
Contaminated Sites: There are several contaminated sites in the SSG. The IMB is working to address these sites and to ensure they can be included in the proposed NMCAR.
Assessment of Provincial Marine Conservation Tools: Because federal tools like NMCARs can only apply to areas and activities controlled by the federal government, the IMB is assessing whether provincial marine management tools might help protect the lands and waters that are under provincial – rather than federal – control.
Information on Reconciliation Framework Agreement (RFA): The IMB is working to establish a shared governance framework between the signatory Nations and the Crown. If established, this Framework will help create relationships between signatory Nations and specific departments of the federal government, support shared decision-making, and support the exercise of rights and responsibilities in traditional territories.
Information on Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs): The IMB is exploring whether the use of an IPCA – an Indigenous-led conservation tool – might help signatory Nations reclaim authority over the vision and plan for traditional territories.
Many of the materials presented during the event are available for review through W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council’s (W̱LC’s) Members Portal.
As each event wrapped up, the IMB team ensured the fruits of the event would be long-lasting: distributing leftover food to central spaces in each community and carefully noting all attendees’ feedback to ensure it is incorporated into IMB’s work.
The thoughtful insights of those in attendance were immeasurably valuable for the IMB, moving the needle towards the IMB’s ultimate goal: the reclamation of traditional roles, responsibilities, and authorities over Coast Salish lands and waters. In the words of IMB Co-Chair and Lyackson Elected Councillor Brena Robinson, as shared in a video for the IMB:
The ultimate dream for me with the Indigenous Management Board is to have all eleven Nations working together, where we are actually the governing body over our waters and our Gulf Islands.
“Having that seat and exercising that authority,” shared Lyackson’s Hereditary Chief Laxele’wuts’aat (Shana Thomas) in the same video, “enables us to make sure we have something for future generations.”
To learn more about the IMB, visit the IMB’s Facebook page or email the IMB directly at IMBComms@wsanec.com. Then, to stay up to date on the IMB, upcoming IMB Tours, and all W̱LC’s initiatives to uplift W̱SÁNEĆ, be sure to subscribe to W̱LC’s newsletter.
