Lheidli T’enneh First Nation and Indigenous governance

Prince George sits on the unceded traditional territory of the Lheidli T’enneh. Understanding who the Lheidli T’enneh are, and how their government works alongside the City, the Regional District, the Province and Canada, is part of understanding this place.

This page is an introduction written by PG Pulse from public sources. For anything official, go to the Nation’s own website.

The people

The Lheidli T’enneh are a Dakelh (Carrier) people, historically known as the Fort George Indian Band. The name describes a place:

• Lheidli refers to where the rivers flow together, the confluence of the Nechako and Fraser rivers.
• T’enneh means “the people.”

Their traditional territory covers much of the land from present-day Prince George toward the Rocky Mountains. The site of Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park (formerly Fort George Park, renamed in 2015) was a Lheidli village and contains a Lheidli T’enneh cemetery. The Nation says it has more than 900 members today.

Government

The Lheidli T’enneh First Nation is governed by an elected Chief and Council. Members elected the current leadership on April 9, 2025 for a two-year term:

• Chief Dolleen Logan (her third term as chief)
• Councillors: Crystal Gibbs, Dominic Frederick, Clayton Pountney, Kyle McIntosh, Tasheena Seymour, Jamie Bird, Miranda Seymour and Doug Olson

The Nation describes the chief and councillors as trustees with a fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of the Lheidli T’enneh. Administration includes finance, economic development, human resources, membership, lands and communications. Members also elect a Lands Authority. Community decisions are discussed at general meetings such as the Nation’s annual general meeting.

Main office: 250-562-0847 · lheidli.ca

Land Code

Lheidli T’enneh is one of the First Nations that signed the Framework Agreement on First Nation Land Management. Under its own Land Code, the Nation, not the federal Indian Act land provisions, governs its reserve lands and resources. That includes leasing, development, land use and environmental laws. Rules for development on Lheidli T’enneh reserve lands come from the Nation, not the City of Prince George.

Treaty history

The Lheidli T’enneh entered the BC treaty process in the early 1990s.

• 2007: members voted against a negotiated final agreement.
• 2018: after the agreement was updated, members voted again on June 23, 2018, and rejected it 185 to 137. The package would have included a land base of about 4,330 hectares, a capital transfer, resource revenue sharing and self-government.

The BC Treaty Commission notes that the parties have since pursued other arrangements outside the treaty negotiations. Without a treaty, the Nation’s Aboriginal rights (including its asserted title) are still protected under section 35 of Canada’s Constitution. The Province and Canada have a duty to consult the Nation on decisions that could affect those rights.

Working with the City and Regional District

• 2015: the Lheidli T’enneh were the Official Host First Nation of the Canada Winter Games in Prince George, the first time a Canada Games had a host First Nation. That same year the City renamed Fort George Park Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park.
• 2016: City Council adopted a Reconciliation Framework to guide its relationship with the Nation.
• 2017: the Lheidli T’enneh, the City and the Regional District signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation and Communication, the first three-party agreement of its kind locally. It was renewed on June 21, 2024.
• 2018: the Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park pavilion, built in partnership, opened at the confluence.
• The Lheidli T’enneh flag flies at City Hall, and the Canfor Leisure Pool has signs in Dakelh.
• The City’s 2025 Official Community Plan includes a chapter on Truth and Reconciliation.

Other Indigenous organizations in Prince George

Prince George is home to many First Nations, Métis and Inuit people from across Canada. Key organizations include:

• Prince George Native Friendship Centre: programs from infancy to elders, shelter, health and employment services
• Métis organizations affiliated with Métis Nation BC
• Carrier Sekani Family Services and other Dakelh organizations serving the region
• UNBC and CNC, which both have First Nations student centres and Indigenous programs

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

September 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (Orange Shirt Day). Each year the Lheidli T’enneh host gatherings at Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park. In 2026 these included a Reconciliation Walk, a reading of the 94 Calls to Action, and a community ceremony. Many City facilities and Nation offices are closed that day.

Learn more

• Lheidli T’enneh First Nation: lheidli.ca (you can also learn Dakelh words there)
• City of Prince George: Indigenous relations and reconciliation
• BC Treaty Commission: Lheidli T’enneh treaty

Related: regional district, housing and development, community support.