Latest news with #CoastTsimshian
Globe and Mail
07-07-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Oceanic Wind Energy Inc. and Coast Tsimshian Enterprises Ltd. Secure IUP for Offshore Wind Development in Hecate Strait
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Oceanic Wind Energy Inc. ('Oceanic') is proud to announce a major milestone in the advancement of the offshore wind project in Hecate Strait, located just west of Stephens Island. In partnership with Coast Tsimshian Enterprises Ltd. ('CTE'), Oceanic has been jointly granted an Investigative Use Permit (IUP) for the first phase of development, targeting a capacity of 600 to 700 megawatts (MW). CTE is a 50/50 partnership of the Metlakatla and Lax Kw'alaams First Nations. 'This agreement brings Oceanic and CTE a major step closer to realizing Canada's first offshore wind project,' said Mike O'Connor, President, Oceanic Wind Energy Inc. Hecate Strait, in Northwest British Columbia, is home to one of the world's most powerful and consistent wind resources. With Class 7 wind conditions, low shear and turbidity, average annual wind speeds exceeding 10 m/s, and a winter capacity factor of over 65%, the area offers an unparalleled opportunity to generate clean, reliable energy—especially during BC's peak demand season. Strategically located, the Oceanic Wind Project is uniquely positioned to deliver utility-scale renewable power to a region with growing energy needs and limited alternatives. The project could play a critical role in supporting the energy demands of the Port of Prince Rupert and the expanding industrial and resource sectors across Northwest BC. 'We look forward to working closely with Oceanic to develop this transformative project,' said Ryan Leighton, Director, Coast Tsimshian Enterprises Ltd. 'This first phase will help power the region's growth while creating long-term economic and environmental benefits.' In addition to supporting regional development, the project will contribute significantly to Canada's greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals and reinforce British Columbia's leadership in cost-effective, green energy generation. About Oceanic Wind Energy Inc. Oceanic Wind Energy Inc. is a Vancouver-based renewable energy company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange-NEX (TSXV-NEX : NKW.H) The company is focused on developing large-scale offshore wind projects to support Canada's transition to a clean energy future. About Coast Tsimshian Enterprises Ltd. Coast Tsimshian Enterprises Ltd. (CTE) is a 100% Indigenous owned collaborative undertaking between Lax Kw'alaams and Metlakatla First Nations. The CTE mandate is to promote and develop commercial opportunities for the benefit of the shareholders. Since its founding in 2011, Coast Tsimshian Enterprises has a track record of partnering with First Class organizations to promote the development and implementation of opportunities for Lax Kw'alaams and Metlakatla First Nations. An Investigative Use Permit (IUP) is an exclusive type of tenure that allows organizations to occupy and utilize Crown land for the purpose of conducting investigations and collecting data related to a potential project or activity. Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements - This news release contains certain forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the business and anticipated financial performance of the Company. These statements are subject to several risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from results contemplated by the forward-looking statements. When relying on forward-looking statements to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, oral or written, made by itself or on its behalf. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Hamilton Spectator
27-05-2025
- Hamilton Spectator
Venturing into Khutzeymateen: Canada's only grizzly bear sanctuary
Hidden deep in northwest B.C.'s coast lies the lush inlet of the Khutzeymateen, bustling with grizzly bears and other rich fauna. Created in 1994 as the first specially protected area for grizzly bears and their habitat in Canada, it is widely regarded as the densest natural grizzly bear habitat in North America. The sanctuary is located about 45 kilometres northeast of Prince Rupert and only is accessible by boat or plane. The Gits'iis tribe of the Lax Kw'alaams Band has been the steward of this region for thousands of years. The area became protected through an agreement with the B.C. Government and the Tsimshian First Nation three decades ago, and has helped conserve the grizzly bear population that calls the Khutzeymateen their home, as well as preserve the social, ceremonial, and cultural uses of the Coast Tsimshian who depend on the area. Two rangers from the Tsimshian Gits'iis tribe are situated at the K'tzim-a-deen Ranger Station at Khutzeymateen Inlet — K'tzim-a-deen translates to 'valley at the head of the inlet' in the Tsimshian language of the Gits'iis people. They keep track of bear sightings and any commercial activity, monitoring people's behaviours around the bears and staying involved in the ecology of the area. Each year from May to the end of July, Prince Rupert Adventure Tours takes passengers on their yellow catamaran to one of the only places on the planet where grizzly bears can be observed in their natural habitat, living freely in the wilderness. Khutzeymateen is also a vibrant haven for bald eagles, seals, sea lions, orcas, humpback whales and mountain goats, while coastal wolves also roam the rugged landscape. Nearby waters invite glimpses of majestic whales and playful dolphins, showcasing the area's rich biodiversity. The bears of Khutzeymateen Jasmine Newton, a tour guide with Prince Rupert Adventure Tours, mentioned that between the 40 to 50 bears that roam the 45,000 hectare sanctuary, some of them can be territorial. 'We've seen that happen with some of the females that we know really well. Hot Chocolate is a bear [and] she's got a son named Marshmallow who we watched almost every day last year, and so we've noticed kind of fluctuations with them. 'Usually grizzly bears will kick out their young at about two to three years, but she kicked him out a little bit early, and so we kind of saw them moving between different territories. Last year. He kept trying to follow her and get back on her good side and spend time with mom again, but she wouldn't let him.' The sanctuary mainly has grizzlies, but there have been sightings of black bears before, However, grizzlies do not like to associate with black bears, so when their paths do cross — typically at the beginning of the season right when grizzlies come out of hibernation — it can be fatal for black bears. 'Some of the bears are transitory, so they'll move in and out. Most of them are resident bears, we think so. They'll have their dens up in the alpine habitats, and they'll stay there for five months out of the year. The rest of the time, they're down along the shorelines hunting for salmon. 'From July onwards, they're looking for berries around this time of year, in the very beginning of the season. They like things like skunk cabbages and bulbous roots, and sedge grass is a really important part of their diet.' They forage for shellfish and clams and consume about 40 to 60 pounds of protein-rich sedge grass each day. Salmon is the most important part of their diet, while the other things they eat help sustain them. Newton shared that without salmon, the bears would not be able to build enough body fat to last through hibernation. Threats to the sanctuary's bears 'Grizzly bear habitat used to be all over North America, specifically in B.C. It used to go all the way down to Vancouver. But they've been pushed out of their territory by human encroachment, building cities and especially extractive industries like pipelines. This is one of the last intact grizzly bear habitats in North America,' said Newton. Overfishing in northern coastal waters also poses a significant threat to the grizzlies, the salmon populations and the sanctuary itself. 'Something that has been on my mind recently is that we have lots of bottom trawler licenses in the Chatham Sound. If you look at bottom trawling, it's a really unsustainable practice of fishing that contributes to a lot of the overfishing we see here, specifically for salmon,' said Newton. Bottom trawling was banned in all new Canadian Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) established after April 25, 2018. However, the ban does not apply retroactively to MPAs established before that date. 'Without the healthy salmon populations, the bears would not survive here. The reason the bears do so well here and on a broader level, in northern B.C., is because we have some of the largest intact rivers here, like the Skeena and the Nass.' Newton is also an Environmental Studies and Indigenous Studies double-major at the University of Victoria. She stressed the present threat of climate change that will impact the sanctuary in the future. 'With climate change comes a lot of animals and tons of wildlife that are going to be forced from down south to up north, to a sanctuary such as this, so we might not have enough intact ecosystems to support that, as well as, connectability, so there might not be safe passages for these wildlife to come up from down south.' She also brought up how the bears are not hibernating as long as they should in the winter due to winters being warmer in recent years. 'They're generally not going to go out and kill a moose, so they're not going to have a major food source through the wintertime. They could dig for grass or roots underneath the snow, but then they'd have to waste energy going down the mountainside. So it's better for them to just go through hibernation, but they have to have enough salmon in order to do that.' Eco-tourism BC Parks, Lax Kw'alaams and Commercial Bear Viewing Guides work in collaboration to ensure the Khutzeymateen Protected Areas are managed proactively and public access be monitored conservatively to ensure the grizzly bears and their habitats are the first priority. In 1994, Captain Doug Davis founded, Prince Rupert Adventure Tours, a marine ecotourism business to showcase the amazing wildlife and scenery of the Pacific Northwest. Bear viewing guides, like Captain Davis', contribute a per person donation to the Khutzeymateen Park Enhancement Fund (KPEF), which supports shared stewardship initiatives for the area. 'Any tourism business at its core is a little bit extractive. There is always going to be some impact, whether that be from our fuel emissions or our presence itself. But, I think our impact is very minimal,' said Newton. 'It's all on a sliding scale in my brain for tourism, because if you look down south in the Victoria and Vancouver area, whale watching has been detrimental, especially to the southern resident killer whales,' she said. 'Up here, it's not exactly the same because we're the only tourist boat of this scale for hundreds of kilometres.' She added, 'The boat was custom-made to minimize sound disturbance underwater and above water for the bears, and to prioritize fuel efficiency.' The captain says bear sightings have been fairly steady throughout his 30-year career. The month of May also witnesses the mating season. The tour typically sees between five and 10 bear sightings each trip. However, every day is different with no guarantees. The tour boat observes precautions to minimally disturb the environment around it. Its primary goal was to leave the grizzly bears and the inlet in the same natural state they found it. Note: This article is co-written with Harvin Bhathal of the Terrace Standard.
