Stellat'en First Nation

What Stellat'en First Nation does

Stellat'en First Nation is a constitutionally recognised Indigenous government (Dakelh / Carrier Nation) administering governance, health, education, housing, social development, language, and cultural programs for 600 registered members across two Indian Reserves (834.3 hectares) in the Fraser Lake region of North Central British Columbia. Its service portfolio spans a Community Wellness Centre (Soo'Ts'int'ah Bayah), the Head Start early childhood education program, the Toonasa Ne Keyah land stewardship department, Water and Fisheries programs, and a Dakelh language revitalisation program anchored by the published Nadleh and Stella Dakelh Dictionary. Operations are delivered primarily on the Stellaquo Indian Reserve #1 and through outreach to off-reserve members in Prince George, Vancouver, and Victoria.

The Nation's most distinctive technology initiative is the Drone Transport Initiative — a 2020 partnership with the Village of Fraser Lake and UBC Faculty of Medicine that completed 1,228 medical-supply drone flights over a 12-month Phase 1 along a 5km route. Beyond services, Stellat'en runs the Stellako Select commercial sockeye fishery (in partnership with Authentic Indigenous Seafood and UFISH) and co-owns the 1,070-acre Ncha Koh Industrial Park in Vanderhoof with three neighbouring First Nations, anchored by a 4-year BC Hydro lease tied to the North Coast Transmission Line.

The business model is a hybrid: the substantial majority of operating revenue comes from Indigenous Services Canada, the First Nations Health Authority, and provincial government transfers and grants funding community programs, with no commercial pricing model. Economic development arms — the Stellako fishery and the Ncha Koh Industrial Park (BC Hydro lease, rock quarry, rail siding) — generate supplementary commercial revenue. Customers are exclusively band members (on- and off-reserve), with no external enterprise customers. Governance is exercised by an elected Chief and Council (Chief Robert Michell since July 2025) supported by a General Manager and department heads across Health, Education, Social Development, Lands/Fisheries, Language, and Administration.

Name

Stellat'en First Nation

Legal name

Stellat'en First Nation

Website

https://stellaten.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1700

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Stellat'en First Nation is a Dakelh (Carrier) First Nations government in North Central British Columbia administering health, education, housing, language, and stewardship programs for 600 registered members across two reserves near Fraser Lake.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Indigenous Government and Community Services

NAICS

Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting (11), Aquaculture (11251), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Water Supply (4941), Sanitary Services (4950), Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)

akta.pro primary industry

State/Provincial Environmental Protection & Natural Resources Administration (BPAIABAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sustainable Agriculture, Food Systems & Land Management (BPADALAG), Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)

Keywords

• Indigenous community services
• First nations governance
• Community health programs
• Land stewardship
• Language revitalization

Headquarters

HQ city

Fraser Lake

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Transfers and Grants: Stellat'en First Nation is primarily funded through transfers and grants from Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), First Nations Health Authority (FNHA), First Nations Health Council, and other federal and provincial government programs. These fund community programs including social assistance, housing, health, education, and infrastructure.
2. Commercial Fishery and Land-Based Revenue: The Stellat'en First Nation generates commercial revenue through the Stellako Select in-river commercial fishery operated in partnership with Authentic Indigenous Seafood and UFISH, catching sockeye salmon for market. Additional revenue is anticipated through the Ncha Koh Industrial Park, where BC Hydro has assumed a 4-year lease for NCTL Phase 1.

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Stellat'en First Nation administers governance, health, education, housing, social development, youth, language, cultural, and environmental stewardship programs for its approximately 600 registered members across on-reserve and off-reserve populations. It also pursues economic development through the jointly owned Ncha Koh Industrial Park and the Stellako Select commercial sockeye fishery, and partners on the Drone Transport Initiative for medical supply delivery.

Product overview

Stellat'en First Nation offers a portfolio of community programs and services rather than a unified technology product. Core offerings include the Drone Transport Initiative (healthcare drone delivery partnership), Community Wellness Centre, Head Start early childhood education, Water and Fisheries programs, and the Toonasa Ne Keyah land stewardship program. The Ncha Koh Industrial Park represents a recent economic development initiative. These programs are community-focused services rather than software products or platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community Wellness Centre (Soo'Ts'int'ah Bayah Wellness Centre) Multi-functional wellness facility offering community meeting spaces, a community kitchen, clinic spaces for medical appointments, and various health and wellness programs for Stellat'en First Nation members and the broader community.
• Head Start Program Early childhood education program for children ages 0-6 and their families, delivered through six integrated components: Language and Culture, Education, Health Promotion, Social Supports, Nutrition, and Parent and Family Involvement.
• Toonasa Ne Keyah (Land and Stewardship Program) Environmental stewardship department dedicated to protecting and managing lands and resources within Stellat'en traditional territory, including water/fisheries management, environmental monitoring, and engagement with resource industry partners such as BC Hydro and Rio Tinto.
• Water and Fisheries Program Program managing fisheries collaborative projects including micro hatchery programs, salmon counting fences, brood fence programs for endangered Chinook, and community food fisheries for sockeye salmon, with priority access for Elders and low-income members.
• Dakelh Language Revitalization Program Language revitalization efforts including the Nadleh and Stella Dakelh Dictionary (available for purchase), language video resources, and the NVIT Dakelh Language Fluency Certification Program, with 55 students graduating in May 2026 as the largest cohort in program history.
• Drone Transport Initiative Pre-programmed UAV (drone) flights delivering medical supplies between designated drone sites in Fraser Lake and Stellat'en First Nation, completing 14-16 flights per day, Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm, with Phase 1 logging 1,228 flights over 12 months along a 5 km route.
• Ncha Koh Industrial Park 1,070-acre industrial park in Vanderhoof, BC jointly owned by four First Nations, providing industrial leasing opportunities with rock quarry and rail siding; BC Hydro has assumed a 4-year lease for NCTL Phase 1 to support regional economic development under an economic reconciliation investment strategy.
• Housing Program Housing Department that owns and manages approximately 90 homes on the Stellaquo reserve, providing residential housing to on-reserve members.
• Social Development Program Social Development Program providing Social Assistance, Shelter Assistance, and Family Violence Program services to Stellat'en First Nation members through liaison with federal and provincial agencies.
• Youth Support Program Youth support services providing recreation, culture, education, and wellness programs for Stellat'en First Nation youth.
• Stellako Select Commercial Sockeye Fishery In-river commercial sockeye salmon fishery operated at the mouth of the Stellako River using purse seine net, in partnership with Authentic Indigenous Seafood and UFISH, producing canned sockeye and candied sockeye jerky for market and community.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,228 drone flights completed in Phase I of the Drone Transport Initiative
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Nadleh Whut'en, Saikuz, and Lheidli T'enneh First NationscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 June 2026Four First Nations made a historic joint acquisition of the former CANFOR Plateau Sawmill property (1,070 acres including rock quarry and rail siding) in Vanderhoof, BC, forming the Ncha Koh Industrial Park. This is described as the first time neighbouring Nations have worked collaboratively for industrial property acquisition. The property supports local employment, skills development, and the regional, provincial, and national economy under an economic reconciliation investment strategy.
• BC HydrocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 March 2026BC Hydro is repurposing approximately 85% of the Site C worker accommodation facility (including 21 dormitories and construction site office) for the North Coast Transmission Line (NCTL) project, with components relocated to sites between Prince George and Terrace. The NCTL will double electricity transmission capacity from Prince George to Terrace, enabling expansion of LNG and other resource projects. Stellat'en First Nation has characterized this as cost-saving, environmentally beneficial, and supportive of regional economic development. The Ncha Koh Industrial Park (jointly owned by four First Nations) has a 4-year BC Hydro lease for NCTL Phase 1.
• Authentic Indigenous Seafood / UFISHminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partnered with Stellat'en First Nation to operate the Stellako Select in-river commercial fishery. The one-week purse seine net fishery caught over 10,000 pounds of sockeye for market and community. Products include canned sockeye and candied sockeye jerky.
• Village of Fraser LakecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Co-creator of the Drone Transport Initiative alongside Stellat'en First Nation and UBC Faculty of Medicine. Launched in 2020 to address medical supply chain disruptions during COVID-19. The drone operates between Fraser Lake's Medicine Centre and Stellat'en First Nation (5 km route, 7-minute flights), completing 14-16 flights per day. Phase 1 successfully completed 1,228 flights over 12 months.
• UBC Faculty of MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Co-sponsor of the Drone Transport Initiative. Dr. John Pawlovich serves as project co-sponsor. The initiative is one of Canada's longest-running healthcare programs involving drone technology, focused on enhancing access to essential medical supplies and supporting First Nations-led development in rural and remote areas of BC. Phase 2 is planned with additional community engagement.
• BC HydrominorOthersListed as a partner with whom Stellat'en engages to ensure that activities within their territory align with stewardship responsibilities. The Traditional Use Study will investigate potential routes for BC Hydro's proposed transmission line ROW, identifying medicinal plants, berry patches, and culturally significant areas.
• Rio TintominorOthersListed as a partner with whom Stellat'en engages to ensure that activities within their territory align with stewardship responsibilities.
• Renewable Energy DevelopersminorOthersListed as partners with whom Stellat'en engages as part of their stewardship and economic development approach. The Nechako First Nations have been clear that equity ownership, Indigenous-led assessment, and shared decision-making are minimum requirements for consent-based development.
• Conservation OrganizationsminorOthersListed as partners with whom Stellat'en engages to ensure that activities within their territory align with their stewardship responsibilities, supporting Indigenous-led conservation and stewardship.
• Upper Fraser Fisheries Conservation Alliance (UFFCA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with UFFCA, DFO (Department of Fisheries and Oceans), and CSTC (Carrier Sekani Tribal Council) for management of the Endako Chinook Brood Fence Program. Chinook are captured and transported to a support hatchery in Quesnel for spawning and fry raising before release back to the Endako River.
• Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in the Endako Chinook Brood Fence Program alongside UFFCA and CSTC, and collaboration on tracking fish population sizes for Stellako and Nadina sockeye salmon runs using sonar technology.
• Nicola Valley Institute of Technology (NVIT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNVIT delivers the Dakelh Language Fluency Certificate and Diploma programs, with Stellat'en hosting the largest cohort (55 students from Stellat'en and Nadleh Whut'en) in the program's history as of May 2026. Instructors include Dr. Louise Lacerte, Rosalie MacDonald, and fluent language teachers Dennis Patrick and Roy Nooski. The program meets Truth and Reconciliation Commission call to action for post-secondary Indigenous language degree programs.
• UBC Faculty of Medicine / Dr. John PawlovichminorOthersUBC Faculty of Medicine research initiative led by Dr. John Pawlovich (co-sponsor). Research website available at dronetransport.med.ubc.ca. Phase 2 planned with additional community engagement.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• BC Hydro: Provincial Crown utility and economic-development partner of Stellat'en via the Ncha Koh Industrial Park 4-year lease for the North Coast Transmission Line. Comparable as a counterparty for Indigenous-led consent-based agreements and a driver of regional infrastructure investment in Stellat'en's traditional territory.
• First Nations Health Authority (FNHA): Provincial-level First Nations health authority and a primary funder of Stellat'en's Wellness Centre operations. Comparable in administering Indigenous-specific health programming across BC, and a counterpart for health-service funding and policy alignment.
• Carrier Sekani Tribal Council: Higher-level tribal council representing ~22 First Nations including Stellat'en in North Central BC. Coordinates advocacy, fisheries (CSTC partner in the Endako Chinook Brood Fence Program), and shared services across member Nations, providing a regional governance counterparty.

Direct peers

• Nadleh Whut'en First Nation: Adjacent Carrier Sekani First Nation and direct co-owner of the Ncha Koh Industrial Park with Stellat'en. Operates a similar band-government service model for its members near Fraser Lake, BC, and is a co-partner on the Dakelh Language Fluency and dictionary initiatives.
• Village of Fraser Lake: Adjacent municipal government and co-creator of the Drone Transport Initiative with Stellat'en and UBC. Operates the Medicine Centre end of the drone corridor, serving an overlapping rural population base and providing a model municipal partner for joint healthcare infrastructure.
• Saikuz First Nation: Stellat'en's co-owner of the Ncha Koh Industrial Park joint venture. A neighbouring Carrier Sekani Nation that runs parallel community programs (health, education, social, fisheries) and pursues similar Indigenous economic-reconciliation initiatives in North Central BC.
• Lheidli T'enneh First Nation: Fourth co-owner of the Ncha Koh Industrial Park. A Dakelh-speaking First Nation near Prince George, BC, delivering similar community programs and engaging in resource-sector economic development, with overlapping interests in BC Hydro, LNG, and forestry partnerships.

Emerging players

• Upper Fraser Fisheries Conservation Alliance (UFFCA): Fisheries co-stewardship partner in the Endako Chinook Brood Fence Program alongside Stellat'en, DFO, and CSTC. Comparable in its mandate to manage salmon conservation and First Nations-led fisheries enhancement in the Upper Fraser watershed.
• Nicola Valley Institute of Technology (NVIT): Indigenous-led post-secondary institution delivering the Dakelh Language Fluency program in which Stellat'en hosts the largest cohort. Comparable as an Indigenous education partner and key institutional counterparty for language revitalization and skills training.
• Authentic Indigenous Seafood / UFISH: Commercial partner operating the Stellako Select in-river sockeye fishery with Stellat'en. Comparable as an Indigenous-led seafood business engaged in commercial harvest and value-added product distribution (canned sockeye, jerky).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@StellatenFirstNation-w1t/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/stellatenfn
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stellatenfn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Stellat'en First Nation