Tsawout First Nation

The Tsawout First Nation is located on Vancouver Island. Tsawout is one of five bands that constitute the Saanich Nation. The other bands of the Saanich Nation are Tsartlip, Tseycum, Malahat and Pauquachin. Tsawout is a member of the Sencot’en Alliance. In the 1850s, Tsawout became a signatory to the Douglas Treaties, a series of treaties signed by some First Nations on Vancouver Island and the Colony of Vancouver Island.

East Saanich IR No. 2, the Tsawout First Nation’s main village, is approximately 241 hectares in size (595 acres) total area. East Saanich is approximately 15 minutes north of the City of Victoria and is located on the east side of the Saanich Peninsula. Tsawout First Nation has approximately 1600 residents (year 2006 est.), 485 are registered band members, and others are residents who are leasing lands from landowners. The total registered First Nation population is 828. There are single family residential, leased modular homes, band administration and commercial developments. The commercial developments include motels, restaurants, offices and gas stations.

Saanichton Bay has historically been, and continues to be significant to the Saanich peoples of Tsawout. The bay provides shelter from the prevailing southeast gales of winter, a year-round source of food, and plays an integral role in the Tsawout economic, societal, social, and spiritual life. Because of these reasons, Saanichton Bay was one of the main winter village sites of the Saanich peoples, and that is why Tsawout First Nation is located there today.

Tsawout plans to use the Fund`s backing for homeownership and renovation loans.

“The Fund will support financing arrangements for our housing on reserve. Key to us is their respect of communal ownership of reserve land. Through the Fund’s Capacity Development Program, Tsawout First Nation will be able to develop its own Housing Authority, something we have long wanted to do.”
— Chief Harvey Underwood (May 2013)

Contact Information:

Peter Mitchell
Tsawout First Nations
7728 Tetayut Road
Saanichton, British Columbia
V8M 2C3
Ph.: 250-544-0962
Fax: 250-652-9114
Email: pmitchell@tsawout.ca
Website: http://www.tsawout.com