KEDC is excited to have Gordon Roberts on board for an 8-week internship to help guide the Scenic Boat & Wildlife Tours with k’awat’si Tours! The internship is part of the Aboriginal ecotourism training program through Vancouver Island University and North Island College. Gordon is part of the pilot program where participants travel once a…

Looking to see whales, sea lions, porpoises, orcas and more? Now is the best time to do it! On each boat trip, guests of the Nakwakto Rapids Tour have encountered a variety of marine life. The team says that it’s currently peak season for whale watching, so now is the time to go! The tours…

KEDC’s aquaculture project’s shellfish are continuing to grow! The aquaculture team reports seeing weekly growth in the scallops and oysters and they are continuing to receive new seed to grow the farm. To ensure there is enough room for the shellfish to grow properly, they are building two to four new rafts which will be…

Conrad Browne, CEO of KEDC, led Chief and Council on a special tour of Kwa’lilas Hotel last week to better understand the progress and challenges of hotel construction. It was the first time behind the scenes at the hotel for many councilors. They got a preview of a staged room in the hotel, which was…

KEDC’s aquaculture team put 80,000 very small scallop seed out on site. Last week, they also hung 50 bags of oyster cultch – a seed on shell that gives the oysters a point of attachment – which will allow for the oysters to be shucked and brought to market. The oysters in trays are growing…

In celebration of BC Day on August 1st, Associate Editor at Women’s Health Magazine Australia, Rachelle Mackintosh took in the North Island beauty with a special adventure from k’awat’si Tours. In the Nakwakto Rapids, the self-proclaimed nature lover learned about Gwa’sala Nakwaxda’xw history while rafting through the fastest navigable tidal rapids on Earth. The guides…

Bringing more than 40 years of experience in the hotel and restaurant field, we’re excited to announce that Chef Jevon is joining the team as the new Head Chef for Kwa’lilas Hotel! Jevon earned his Certified Chef de Cuisine Master’s Degree in 1994, and has since opened 24 resorts, hotels, restaurants and spas. Most recently,…

K’awat’si Economic Development Corporation pushes onward towards a late summer soft-opening Over the last eight months, KEDC and k’awat’si Construction have been working tirelessly alongside our suppliers and partners to get Kwa’lilas Hotel ready to welcome local and global guests to the North Island. We are getting closer to reaching this goal every day and…

In July, the k’awat’si Construction crew opened up the roof in the south building above the conference centre to make room for the trusses. The team installed the trusses and has now shifted their attention to the space below the roof including installing the siding, windows and interior construction. This space will be used for business meetings,…

The Riata Partners team of Sherry Baumgardner and Scott Roberts is providing the KEDC team with business and marketing advice to help the team continue to grow. Between the two of them, this dynamic duo has 50 years of experience in the hospitality industry and working with First Nations. They advise to our team to…