ai-chel-itz | Aitchelitz First Nation

The Aitchelitz First Nation is a small Indigenous community located in the Chilliwack area of British Columbia, traditionally situated along the Fraser River.

POPULATION
41
Rank #628 nationally
GEOGRAPHY
5.9 KM²
Rank #462 nationally
BAND COUNCIL TERM
Indefinite
Term Expiration
Conflict Score
Community Profile

Overview

Last Updated 2025-08-06 13:42:43 UTC
Name
Aitchelitz (ISC Code: 558)
Former Names
Aitchelitz Indian Band
Band Style
First Nation
Cultural Area
Fraser Valley, Coast Salish Territory
Indigenous Language
Halq'eméylem
Number of Registered Members
41
Band Website
Not Available
Phone Number
Not Available
Fax Number
Not Available
Address
7256 CHILLIWACK RIVER ROAD, CHILLIWACK, BC
General Email
Not Available

Band Council

Governance Type
Custom Electoral System: Hereditary Chief
Chief
ANGIE BAILEY
Term Expires
Not Applicable
Number of Council Members
2

LEONA SAM

Councillor

📧 Email not available
📞 Phone not available

ANGIE BAILEY

Hereditary Chief

📧 Email not available
📞 Phone not available

Administrative Contacts

Financial Overview

Aitchelitz figures prominently in regional resistance to Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. On April 22, 2017, members of the Ts’elxwéyeqw Tribe—which includes Aitchelitz—voted in a referendum on whether to accept a Mutual Benefits Agreement (MBA) from Kinder Morgan. Of the 301 ballots cast, 55.5% (167 people) rejected the MBA, while 44.5% supported it . The vote, led by Ts’elxwéyeqw board president Chief David Jimmie, underscored the band’s push for ecological stewardship and legal sovereignty over short-term economic gain. Environmental advocates from within the tribe emphasized that the rejection symbolized broader efforts to “bring ecological sanity” rather than merely stopping a pipeline . Earlier, in January 2017, Aitchelitz joined other Sto:lo and regional First Nations—including Tsleil‑Waututh, Squamish, and Coldwater—in launching a joint legal challenge against the Federal government and Kinder Morgan over the pipeline’s approval . Described as “our Standing Rock” by Coldwater Chief Lee Spahan, the action claimed the federal approval process violated nation‑to‑nation consent principles . Aitchelitz was listed among seven First Nations seeking judicial review of the approval under the National Energy Board process .

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Band Owned Corporations

No Content Available

Laws, Bylaws, and Codes

No content available

Intergovernmental Agreements

No content available

Active Court Cases

No active court cases at this time.

Downloadable Court Records

Location Map

Reserves

News Coverage Summary

Academic Research

Band Publications

No Content Available

Third Party Reports

No Content Available