Projects

On April 7-10, 2026, Carrier Sekani Family Services (CSFS) will be hosting a 20th Anniversary Commemoration of the 2006 Highway of Tears Symposium at the Prince George Civic and Conference Centre.

We will be coming together with MMIWG family members, advocates, Elders, community members, RCMP, and government of all levels to discuss the 33 Recommendations that came out of the 2006 Symposium. Guided by the theme “Where We Have Been, Where We Are Now, and Where We Are Going,” participants will provide input into the successes and challenges of the 33 Recommendations and discuss ways to create a safer future for Indigenous peoples across northern BC.

The 20th Anniversary Commemoration will be open to the public. Please stay tuned for more details. 

In collaboration with the Northern Feminist Institute for Research and Evaluation (Northern FIRE) at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC), Carrier Sekani Family Services has been conducting research evaluating best practices for reducing violence toward Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people along the Highway of Tears.

In 2023, our team conducted a series of focus groups in communities along the Highway to evaluate what was being done to reduce violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people in northern British Columbia. In February 2025, CSFS and Northern FIRE released a report called “When is the Solution Going to Start Happening?” summarizing the findings from the project. The final report can be viewed here: UNBC Message from Mary and Julie- January 19 2024.pdf. 

In Fall 2025, our team conducted another series of research focus groups in communities across northern BC and online via Zoom in preparation for the 20th Anniversary Commemoration of the Highway of Tears Symposium in April 2026. The purpose of the focus groups was to assess the 33 Recommendations from the 2006 Highway of Tears Symposium Report. We sought to find out what has been done since 2006 and what still needs attention to prevent further violence against Indigenous women and girls.

The research from the focus groups is currently being compiled and will be shared at the 20th Anniversary Commemoration in April 2026. The findings will then be summarized in a written report that will be shared publicly on our website and social media. Please stay tuned for the report’s release.

Carrier Sekani Family Services and members of the Governing Body are leading the creation of two carved pillars to commemorate the women and girls who have been lost to the Highway of Tears and to honour their families. Once completed, these pillars will be installed in Prince George and Prince Rupert. The pillars will serve as important awareness markers and peaceful visiting places for families and the broader community to remember these women and girls.

This 36-month project focuses on supporting individuals experiencing domestic violence in northern British Columbia. Through this project, CSFS will increase its ability to prevent and address gender-based violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people.

Located between Prince George and Smithers, the billboards feature images and messaging of hope and strength to highlight the value of Indigenous people and communities in northern BC and convey that we are all stronger together.

As you travel on this stretch of Highway 16, we hope that these billboards will create a moment to pause, remember, and honour the victims and their families, as well as to reflect on what we all can do to make this highway and the communities surrounding it a safer place.

We are in the process of revising our National Community Safety Toolkit. Once completed, the revised Toolkit will be shared with Indigenous communities across Canada in person and on our website called Our Spirit, to be launched shortly.

Carrier Sekani Family Services received funding from Women and Gender Equality Canada to create a series of short films highlighting the hope and strength that exist in Indigenous communities and, in particular, within Indigenous women and girls in northern British Columbia and across Canada. The film series, titled “Stories of Hope and Strength,” was completed in 2024 and consists of eight short films that capture generational messages of hope and strength among Indigenous women and girls.

The films can be viewed on the project’s Youtube channel at Stories of Hope & Strength – YouTube.