Campbell River-area Tlowitsis Nation calls for end to ‘vandalism of our new community’

Campbell River-area Tlowitsis Nation calls for end to ‘vandalism of our new community’

Published 3:00 pm Tuesday, September 15, 2026

The Tlowitsis Nation’s chief and council has issued a statement regarding ongoing vandalism to their property and belongings at its new community, Nenagwas.

“Over this past weekend heavy damage was done to our beautiful canoe entrance at our new community entrance on York Road,” the statement read.

“Every ground light used to light up the canoes at night was smashed with rocks and a paddle was ripped from one of the two canoes and thrown on the ground. There were several tire marks of individuals doing donuts and burnouts on the road as well as evidence that dirt bikes or a motorbike had been in the garden and display itself.”

That Nation’s statement read that “sadly this isn’t a new scenario.”

“Nenagwas has seen years of consistent vandalism since the land was cleared and blessed in 2018. Construction equipment has been vandalized on site upwards of $30,000 in damages which was reported to the RCMP. Individuals on dirt bikes able to pass by construction gates have intentionally torn up new turf throughout the property for the past year, doing donuts on the roundabout and the boulevards.

While we are still figuring out repair costs, it’s estimated the cost will run in the tens of thousands as well as the cost to purchase security cameras across our vast property – funding which could be going towards building more new homes for our people instead.”

According to the statement, the Tlowitsis people “were given no choice but to leave our home village of Kalagwees on Turnour Island in the mid-1960s with no community to transition to. Our members have been dispersed across B.C. and Canada ever since. Over 60 years later, the Tlowitsis finally have a home community, Nenagwas, which in Kwak’wala means ‘a place to come home to.’”

That statement went on to read that “we are proud of our Nation’s hard work, determination, and resilience, as well as our ability to persevere using primarily our own resources, not government funding.”

That Nation said the “ongoing hatred being shown towards us is alarming and unacceptable, and while we have been quietly managing it the best we can behind the scenes, this recent damage done to our beautiful entrance is forcing us to speak out and ask for the support of our friends, neighbours and community. We are close to moving in our first members into new houses, and this vandalism is quickly shifting from frustrating to threatening. This has to stop.

In an increasingly divisive and cruel world, we call for harmony amongst our neighbours and an end to this vandalism of our new community.”

Meanwhile, Area D director John Rice said on social media that he was “outraged to hear about the extensive vandalism at the entrance of the Tlowitsis First Nation’s new village.”

“The Tlowitsis Nation are our neighbours. No property owner in our community would tolerate this level of disrespect and destruction at their own doorstep, and we cannot tolerate it happening to our neighbours,” the post read.

“This senseless destruction has no place in our community. I strongly condemn these actions and stand with the Tlowitsis community.”