Historic Timeline

1879
June 13, 1879 Skow-a-kull (Seabird Island) allotted by Reserve Commissioner GM Sproat "for all the Indians between Cheam and Spuzzum – namely Popkum, Skawtits, Ohamil, Skawahlook, Hope, Union Bar and Yale" – for a period of six years with conditions.
Although set aside for those seven identified communities, people from Spuzzum, and Boston Bar were permitted to settle on Seabird Island.

1880s
Seabird Island builds a community church.
Chief Michel (Yale) considered leader of Seabird Island.

1881
Canadian Pacific Railway construction begins in BC.

1885
Canadian Pacific Railway completed with path through Seabird Island.

1892
First baptisms on Seabird Island conducted by Father Edmund Petavin, OMI.

1894
The Fraser River flood happens.
Canadian Pacific Railway trestle bridge washed away at the southern end of Seabird Island.

1911
Municipality of Kent discusses maintenance of Seabird Island Road and Waleach Road with Department of Indian affairs. This struggle over roadways continues to present day.

1912
Municipality of Kent proposes road and bridge repairs; one bridge is 140 feet long and the other is 45 feet long.
Municipality of Kent also proposes the implementation of culverts from the island to the mainland.

1914
Royal Commission on Indian Affairs (also known as the McKenna – McBride Commission) meets at Seabird Island to discuss the "Indian land question" with community Chiefs.
Seabird builds our first Community Hall.

1940
Chief Harry Joseph appointed to life-term as Chief

1945
Anthropologist Marian W. Smith leads a group of Columbia University graduate students and conducts field work in the Seabird Island community.

1947
Research shows the four crossings of the slough are mentioned besides main bridge crossing.

1948
The year of the great flood.
A Day School is constructed for grades 1 – 7.

1949
Marian W. Smith publishes Indians of the Urban Northwest including work conducted in the summer of 1945 in the Seabird Island community.

1949 - 1950
Anthropologist Wilson Duff conducts major ethnographic study of Upper Stó:lo including Seabird Island.

1952
Wilson Duff publishes The Upper Stalo Indians of the Fraser Valley British Columbia with reference to Seabird Island.

1953
BC Electric Company Easement authorized for a Power Distribution ROW with an Order in Council (OCPC) under Sec. 35 of Indian Act.
Chief Alfred Hope elected (served 1953 – 1957).

1955
Westcoast Transmission Co. Ltd. Easement authorized for a Gas Pipeline ROW with an Order in Council (OCPC) under Sec. 35 of Indian Act.

1956
Department of Highways (BC) Easement authorized for a Provincial Highway ROW with an Order in Council (OCPC) under Sec. 35 of Indian Act.

1957
Chief Vincent Harris elected (served 1957 – 1971).

1958
Order in Council (OCPC) creates a Commission to discuss establishing a new band due to increasing administrative problems with Seabird as a reserve held "in common".
Ministerial Order sets up Seabird Island Band and its reserve lands as being an independent band no longer held in common.

1961
BC Electric Company Permit granted for Power Distribution ROW with a Band Council Resolution.
Catermole Timber Ltd. granted lease for 1200 acres by Federal Government.

1963
Present Immaculate Conception Church constructed.

1964
Catermole Timber Ltd. granted lease for 700 acres by Federal Government.
Community Hall next to the church constructed.

1967
Canadian Pacific Railway trestle bridge constructed at southern end of Seabird Island.

1968
The Day School is closed, students transferred to Agassiz public school.
Band Council Resolution (BCR) passed approving British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority's Transmission Line ROW Easement application.
*Catermole Timber Ltd. begins clearing Seabird Island land.

1969
BC Hydro and Power Authority Easement granted for Transmission Line ROW with an Order in Council (OCPC) under Sec. 35 of Indian Act.
The 1st Annual Seabird Island Festival begins in May.

1970
*Lougheed Highway constructed through Seabird Island lands.
16 homes exist on Seabird Island.

1971
Grand Chief Archie Charles elected (served 1971 – 1997).

1972
Seabird Island builds a cattle farm.
Chowat Road, the now main through road of Seabird, is constructed.
Sever ice storm causes BC Hydro Transmission towers to collapse.

1974
Seabird Church Committee purchases mobile home for Father Leo Casey, OMI and situates it close to the church.

1972 – 1975
The first Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Housing Authority homes are built.

1976
A population survey would record that Seabird Island was home to 286 residents and had 317 Band Members.

1978
The Seabird Cafe opens.

1979 - 1981
Phase I Social Housing completed.
Seabird Café kitchen is expanded.

1982
The Fire Hall is constructed.

1983
Phase 2 Social Housing (7 units) completed.

1984
Maintenance Shop constructed.
Ya:la Subdivision constructed.

1985
Phase 3 Social Housing completed.
The Seabird Island Convenience Store is constructed.
Seabird receives a Chevron Card Lock lease, valid for 10 years.
The parking lot surrounding the Convenience Store is paved.

1986
A population survey would record that Seabird Island was home to 371 residents and had 385 Band Members.

1987
Phase 4 Social Housing completed with 8 new homes built on Seabird.

1988
Alexis Subdivision constructed.

1989
Construction of Lalme' Iwesawtexw (Seabird Island Community School) begins.
Phase 5 Social Housing completed with 8 new homes built on Seabird.
The hazelnut orchard is planted.

1991
Lalme' Iwesawtexw (Seabird Island Community School) construction completed, it opens for grades K-10.
Phase One Community Core constructed.
Roads on Seabird Island are paved.
The Seabird Island Band has: 3 computers.

1992
Phase 6 Social Housing completed with 8 new homes built on Seabird.
Phase 7 Social Housing completed with 8 new homes built on Seabird.
Eight-plex constructed.

1993
Phase 8 Social Housing (8 units) completed.
25,000 people attended the Another Roadside Attraction tour featuring Midnight Oil and the Tragically Hip

1994
Phase Two Community Core constructed.
Phase 9 Social Housing completed with 10 new homes built on Seabird.

1995
Phase 10 Social Housing completed with 8 new homes built on Seabird.

1996
Current Band Administration Offices constructed.
A population survey would record that Seabird Island was home to 535 residents and had 641 Band Members.
19 new homes built on Seabird.

1997
Chief Wayne Bobb, Sr. elected (served 1997 – 2003).
Phase 11 Social Housing completed with 6 new homes built on Seabird.

1998
The Seabird Island Daycare is constructed and opened.
Phase 12 Social Housing (6 units) completed.
Gas pumps are built at the Convenience Store.
The Seabird Island Convenience Store becomes a Gas Bar.
Seabird Island celebrates its first ever Annual Open House.

1999
Hillary Blair (SFU) submits thesis entitled, Settling Seabird Island: Land Resources, and Ownership on a British Columbia Indian Reserve (1999).
The Seabird Island Band begins operating the Oregon Spotted Frog project, to preserve our endangered frogs.

2000
The Economic Development Manager position and Economic Development Department are created.
128,000 lbs of hazelnuts are harvested.

2001
Area 2 Subdivision constructed.
The Seabird Island Band Office expands its offices to include a Fitness Wing.
Seabird Island owns the largest sheep operation in British Columbia, and one of the largest in North America with 1282 ewes, 183 yearlings, 3 lambs and 35 rams.
7,000 people attend the Seabird Island Festival.
An agreement with CPR is signed.
A population survey would record that Seabird Island was home to 623 residents and had 673 Band Members.

2002
Canada Pacific Railway – Seabird Island Band Agreement is signed.
Health Wing Expansion of Band Administration Office is completed.
Dental Centre is constructed and begins seeing clients.
Seabird Island completed its own Community Health Plan and Health Transfer with Health Canada, allowing Seabird to design its own Health Services.
Seabird Island Health Services has over 2,500 clients and has 36 employees.
96 Band Members attend a Family Camp in Princeton.
220,000 lbs of hazelnuts are harvested.

2003
The Health and Social Development Department employs a total of 36 staff.
100% of newborns at Seabird Island are immunized.
Seabird Elders go for their first cruise.
Seabird Island Health Centre links with the Fraser Health Authority and Xyolhemeylh.
A Mental Health team is established.
22 students graduate with the Early Childhood Education Certificate.
A Speech Therapist is hired to help children with speech and language delays and challenges.
The Sheep Farm produces 1751 lambs and a total of 18,000 lbs of wool.
Chief Clem Seymour elected (served 2003 – present).
270,000 hazelnuts are harvested.
Capital Construction employs a total of 26 staff.
220 teams participate in the Seabird Island Festival.
Sustainable Housing project constructs eco friendly homes.
The Seabird Island Band has: 45 computers, 3 servers, 18 printers, 4 laptops, and 1 scanner.
Pre and postnatal classes begin, along with newborn visits and immunization clinics.
A Therapeutic Whirlpool is added to the Health Centre.
A total of 178 houses exist on Seabird Island.

2004
Phase One Sustainable Community Project - 7 Social Housing units constructed with 8 new homes built on Seabird.
Seabird Island gets funding to offer an Aboriginal Supported Child Development Program.
Seabird Island enters into a partnership with the University of the Fraser Valley to run a Family Childcare Certificate program and the Early Childhood Education Certificate on reserve.
18 students graduate with the Early Childhood Education Certificate. 15 began their Family Childcare Certificate.
Seabird Island Health and Social Development Department employs 51 staff, adding 14 staff in one year.
Seabird Island enters into a partnership with British Columbia Institute of Technology to offer a one year apprenticeship in Carpentry program. 15 students completed it.
Seabird Island roads are upgraded.
The Youth Centre is constructed.
The Seabird Island Band has: 53 computers, 3 servers, 18 printers, 4 laptops, and 4 scanners.

2005
Ministry of Forests and the Seabird Island Band Forest Range Agreement is signed.
The Fitness Center extension is built.
Seabird Island gets funding to offer a Non-Aboriginal Supported Child Development Program, and is the first Aboriginal agency to do so.
Seabird Island Dental Clinic sees over 1,300 clients.
Employment and Education Centre sees over 500 clients.

2006
Dental Wing Expansion is completed, offering two more chairs for a total of 4.
The Seabird Island Daycare is expanded to add 12 more infant spots.
Seabird engages in First Nations Land Management Initiative, pursuing its Land Code.
The Kwiyo:s Maternal Child Health program begins helping new parents and parents to be.
Head Start begins offering services to Cheam and Skwah.
Four new Bands sign Health Agreements with Seabird Island.
An office is created for our visiting Optometrist.
Funding is secured to run an Early Childhood Education course and two Carpentry courses.
Seabird Island hosts the ID camp for the Aboriginal Sports and North American Indigenous Games.
Seabird Island graduates 11 students from the Carpentry course.
The 911 Addressing System changes the addresses of all homes on Seabird Island.
12 Seabird Elders travel to Hawaii.

2007
The new Lalme' Iwesawtexw (Seabird Island Community School) High School building is constructed.
The Young Parents Program begins operation in the High School.
Seabird Island begins mounting Wi-Fi nodes.
Seabird Island Health Department signs Health Transfer Agreements with 5 bands.
Seabird Island assists Skwah and Cheam build health centres in their communities.
240 people take part in the Nutrition Walk / Run.
Seismic upgrading is completed at Lalme' Iwesawtexw.

2008
Seabird Island Fire Department is added to the 911 operating system.
Seabird Wi-Fi service begins offerings Wi-Fi in the community.
Seabird becomes an Education Jurisdiction community.
Our Early Childhood Programs receive funding to offer the Ey Qwal Speech and Language program.
30 new homes built on Seabird.

2009
The new Lalme' Iwesawtexw (Seabird Island Community School) High School opens.
Seabird College is registered with the Private Career Training Institutions Agency (of BC) and begins offering courses.
Seabird Island Land Code ratified by community.
Seabird Cafe building torn down.
Seabird Island facilitated the University of British Columbia's IHHS-408: Aboriginal Health, a Community Based Elective course.
Grand Chief Archie Charles inducted as a member of the Order of Canada.
A population survey would record that Seabird Island was home to 814 residents and had 834 Band Members.

2010
Seabird hosts 2010 Winter Olympics Touch Relay journey stop.
The Aboriginal Practical Nursing program begins.
Our new welcome sign is unveiled.
Seabird Island Mobile Diabetes project begins travelling to communities.
Seabird Island Engagement Hub begins.
12 new homes built on Seabird.
Seabird Island Health Department receives the Excellence in Health Promotion Award from the BC Medical Association

2011
Seabird College and Adult Education graduates 49 students, a record breaking success in First Nations education.
Seabird Housing Department receives the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association of Canada's Best Practices in Award.
Composting pilot project begins.
The Health Care Assistant program begins in partnership with the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology.
Seabird Island leaves Xyolhemeylh and joins the Ministry of Children and Family Development.
Seabird Island Health and Social Development Department begins the journey to get accredited.
Aboriginal Practical Nursing students begin their practicums.
Seabird Island Band and SNC Lavalin– Environment (SNC) began drafting the Seabird Island Band Environmental Management Plan (EMP)
Seabird Dental Clinic welcomes 350 new clients, reaching a total of over 2800 patients
Seabird Dental Clinic hires two new dentists
This year 12 social housing units were completed, 22 units were renovated, 1 fire destroyed house was rebuilt, we applied for 4 new housing units and 10 renovations. Over 50 families are currently on the waiting list
The Fire Department received 14 callouts to emergencies and has 18 active members

2012
The Health Department achieves Preliminary Accreditation status
A Finance Policy is developed and instated
Total population of Band Member is 895. 540 of which live on reserve.
Stqo:ya Construction is created as a partnership between Jakes Construction and Seabird Island
15 students enrol in the Speech-Language Assistant Certificate Program through Seabird College
Seabird College begins undergoing renovations