Economic Development goals and strategies are contained in the Stellat’en First Nation Economic Development Plan.

The central goal of the SFN Economic Development Plan is to enhance the quality of life of Stellat’enmembers. While there are many subjective definitions of the term “quality of life,” this plan takes the term tomean that members are situated to obtain what they desire and select the best quality of life for themselves,thereby maximizing social and cultural benefits for the community.[1] When community members are able tocreate the lives they desire, based on deeply held cultural values, they help to enhance the quality of life oftheir family and their neighbours. In practice, this goal prioritizes the availability of desirable employment forevery member.

The second goal of the plan is to develop businesses that are sustainable both financially andenvironmentally. The closure of the Endako Mine in 2014 demonstrated the often-precarious nature ofresource dependence. Developing businesses that are financially resilient requires diversification intosectors of the local economy that do not depend on one or two large employers. British Columbia’s robustinternational tourism sector offers a number of opportunities to connect the community to local, regional,national, and international markets.

The Economic Development Plan also aims to leverage inherent Aboriginal rights in Canada to the benefitof SFN members. Whether dealing with proponents of natural resource projects or with the provincial orfederal governments, Canadian law has been increasingly vocal about the vital importance of free, prior,and informed consent for Indigenous peoples. These principles are embodied in the United NationsDeclaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, adopted by the government of both British Columbia andCanada. In British Columbia where the land base is largely unceded by Indigenous groups, extractiveindustries have inequitably contributed to the development of the settler economy while depriving FirstNations of access to wealth and resources. Government to government negotiations between CarrierSekani First Nations leaders and their provincial and federal counterparts seek to raise the standard ofliving of Indigenous peoples in British Columbia to match that of their settler neighbours. Strategies aimedat raising the standard of living of Indigenous peoples include sharing the historic revenue from naturalresource extraction with First Nations, increasing the number of direct-award contracts to First Nations-owned businesses, and prioritizing employment for First Nations members in industrial projects in FirstNations traditional territories.