Community plan shows ‘coordinated, efficient long-term planning,’ First Nation says

FORT NELSON, B.C. — A northern B.C. First Nation has revealed further details about its community plans going forward.

Fort Nelson First Nation (FNFN) had a community engagement meeting earlier in February to discuss developments regarding its Reaching For Our Vision (RFOV) update and its Four Pillars Plan.

A statement from FNFN council told Energeticcity.ca the RFOV has been in the planning stages since 2024, and highlights key aspects of growth in the community, including culture and language, governance, lands and resources, housing, infrastructure, health and the economy.

They said the meeting on February 6th was “productive” and they hope to complete the project this year.

“Reaching for Our Vision is the FNFN’s long-term guiding plan that sets broad priorities

across every aspect of our community for the next 10 to 20 years,” said the statement on Monday, February 9th.

Meanwhile, the second aspect of the meeting of the FNFN community was the Four Pillars Plan.

Council said in the statement, the Four Pillars Plan is related to a nationwide strategy stemming from a 2021 band reparations settlement with the federal government spearheaded by Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc of Kamloops and Shíshálh Nation of Sechelt with relation to lost cultural heritage and identity from Canada’s residential school system.

“The Four Pillars Plan will guide how funds are used to support healing and renewal through programs and services focused on language revival, cultural revitalization, protection of heritage and wellness,” reads the statement from the FNFN government.

FNFN does go on to say while the two plans serve different objectives, completing them together “allows for a coordinated and efficient approach to long-term planning.” 

“[Planning these together] ensures that engagement is meaningful and future funding decisions are guided by a shared community vision. Together, the plans support responsible governance and long-term decision-making, ensuring community voices are at the centre of how FNFN moves forward.”
Further information on FNFN can be found on its Facebook page and website.