“This is truly a collaborative process. It is going to strengthen these areas and help us steward these areas together.”

In July 2023, Kitasoo Xai’xais Nation, Nuxalk Nation, and BC Parks launched the Guardian Shared
Compliance and Enforcement Pilot Project. The pilot designates 11 Indigenous Guardians with the same legal authorities as park rangers within the parks and protected areas in their ancestral territories.

The pilot adds new tools and powers to the Guardians’ role, empowering them to enforce the Park Act. Guardians appointed with park ranger authorities train and work alongside BC Parks rangers, while remaining employees of their Nations. BC Parks is excited to add capacity to the Central Coast and to learn from the Guardians’ invaluable knowledge.

Learn more about the pilot project:

• Nuxalk, Kitasoo Xai’xais guardians appointed with park ranger authority
• Indigenous guardians pilot program first of its kind in B.C.