Business View Civil and Municipal | Volume 2, Issue 6

198 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 2, ISSUE 6 NORTH COAST REGIONAL DI STR I CT , BR I T I SH COLUMB I A of Hartley Bay, Lax Kw’alaams, Metlakatla and Kitkatla. Electoral Areas D and E are on Haida Gwaii and include the unincorporated communities on rural Graham Island and Sandspit, as well as First Nation communities of Old Massett and Skidegate. Incorporated municipalities within the regional district include Prince Rupert and Port Edward on the mainland, and the Villages of Masset, Queen Charlotte and Port Clements on Haida Gwaii. “What really makes us unique is our geography,” Fish explains. “Typically you’ll see regional districts focused around some sort of land that’s got common areas of interest. We’ve got a mainland area and a Haida Gwaii area, and we are separated by the Hecate Strait, so we have quite a large geographic area from which to deliver services.” The North Coast RD is one of 27 in the province, and it’s run by a 10-member board that represents each of the various communities. It was incorporated in 1967 as the Skeena Queen Charlotte Regional District, but rebranded in 2016 after the Queen Charlotte Islands were renamed Haida Gwaii to better reflect the aboriginal influence of the area. The region’s many areas come together with a few core values. Fish reports, “The values of this region are balance and the unique geography, so the professional opportunities within the regional district are well suited for a work-play lifestyle balance. We maintain and afford a high quality lifestyle and connection. We unite residents across varying geographies and cultures under one region.” From the North Coast shores you can hike, fish and surf, see soaring eagles and breaching whales, and take in the rich ancient culture of the Haida and Tsimshian First Nations. “We are a