B.C.’s Collaborative Work with First Nations Guardians

Indigenous Peoples globally have developed what are commonly referred to as Guardians to advance stewardship and care for lands, waters and natural resources, among many other cultural responsibilities within their territories.

First Nations in B.C. are leading the way in stewarding their territories through a variety of Guardian and Guardian-like programs, some of which are long-standing and well-established and some of which are in the early stages of development. Guardians are an extension of First Nations self-determination, serving as their Nation’s “boots on the ground” and providing cultural expertise and stewardship, monitoring, public safety, education and knowledge exchange. First Nations have undertaken these roles in their territories since time immemorial. Currently, the B.C. government is partnering with First Nations to support Guardians in several different ways, including:

• Funding initiatives that support Guardians (for example, Collaborative Indigenous Stewardship Framework and the Marine Plan Partnership)
• Supporting capacity development and training for Guardians, such as co-developing the Guardians and Stewardship Training Initiative with the New Relationship Trust 
• Partnering in joint stewardship, monitoring and compliance activities

The Guardian Compass

 First Nations and the B.C. government have collaborated to develop the Guardian Compass, a practical resource intended to support Guardians, Guardian programs and their partners in navigating provincial government processes, accessing information and strengthening collaborative stewardship initiatives. It provides guidance, tools and connections to advance Guardian priorities and support stewardship of water, lands and natural resources across B.C.:  

• Guardian Compass - Navigating BC Public Service Connections (PDF, 740KB)

Public engagement

The B.C. government recognizes the role of Guardians in working collaboratively in water, land and resource management. The B.C. government has engaged with First Nations on Guardians and Guardian-like initiatives. The summary reports of recent engagement are provided below:

• What We Know Summary Report - Guardians Engagement across the province of British Columbia (2022) (PDF, 915KB)
• B.C. Guardians Gathering Summary Report (2024) (PDF, 3.7MB)