The municipalities of Fort St James, Fraser Lake and Vanderhoof are governed by an elected mayor and council. Within municipal limits, like most municipalities in North America, the town exercises a range of controls to ensure compliance with provincial statutes and community plans.
The Bulkley Nechako Regional District governs the surrounding rural area, delivering services to varying areas with common needs. Regional districts typically provide municipal-style services to unincorporated communities, and wide-ranging services, like implementing the new 911 system and solid waste management, to extensive areas covering thousands of square kilometres. Overall, services undertaken by the regional district are paid for in part by taxation, based on the assessment of properties.
The Stuart Nechako Region is home to six out of eight members of the Carrier Sekani Tribal Council: which includes Nak’azdli Band, Nadleh Whut’en, Saik’uz First Nation, Stella’ten First Nation, Takla Lake First Nation, Tl’azt’en Nation. Our region is also home to Yekooche First Nation.
The First Nation commuities of our region have distinct legal, cultural and historical status on their Reserves, in their traditional territories and in our communities. Their self-government system includes an elected chief and council. Contact for the individual bands can be made through the band office in each community.
