On December 09, 2025, in a ceremony at Raven’s Cry Theatre in Sechelt, Hihewus O’shale (Councillor Rochelle Jones), with other members of the shíshálh Nation Council, staff and special guests in attendance, announced the construction of the highly anticipated tutulshenam Healing House—and tutelshenam means: On The Right Path.
The tutulshenam Healing House will be a care facility for addiction recovery and treatment, as well as personal reconnection and renewal, serving shíshálh Nation members, neighbouring communities, and people from across British Columbia. With a care and recovery model rooted in First Nations culture and teachings, it will provide a safe and welcoming space where healing can happen in ways that honour First Nations knowledge, and support whole-person wellness. This landmark project promises to heal wounds and restore connections that will overcome generations of pain. While no person, project or thing can completely erase or remove the intergenerational trauma of the past, tutulshenam Healing House offers a path forward into the light of a brighter future.
In 2018, the First Nations Health Council, the Province of British Columbia (BC) and the Government of Canada signed the Memorandum of Understanding: Tripartite Partnership to Improve Mental Health and Wellness Services and Achieve Progress on the Social Determinants of Health and Wellness (the ‘MOU’). In recognition of the significant need to expand mental health and addictions services and supports to BC First Nations, the MOU resulted in a $60 Million commitment to build, repair, renovate and expand First Nations-operated treatment and healing centres.
Since the initial funding commitment, the identified treatment centre projects have advanced, each on their own pathway based on the needs of the Nations and health societies involved, and the overall scope of work associated with each project. While this community-led work has progressed, macro-economic forces have resulted in increased cost pressures on several projects.
In response to these pressures, in March 2023 the Province of British Columbia provided an additional $35 million to support the expedited completion of the treatment centre projects, raising the total funding commitment to $95 million. This agreement resulted in $15 million allocated specifically for tutulshenam, just $2.1 million shy of the $17.1 million total cost for the project, or roughly 85%.
The First Nations Health Foundation (FNHF) is spearheading an effort to fill the remaining $2.1 million funding gap to launch this critical project on time and on budget. FNHF CEO Nathania Fung, who attended the Raven’s Cry theatre on December 09, sees the project as a transformative opportunity to strengthen First Nations-centred mental health and wellness supports across the province, and as an example for other communities to follow. In the words of Ms. Fung, “we are working together as one to see this incredibly important project through, and tutulshenam will model what is possible when communities lead the way. Every BC family, whether First Nations or non-First Nations, has been touched in some way by the impacts of mental wellness and substance-use challenges. When we invest in healing, we invest in hope, in safety, and in vibrant futures for generations to come.”
Hihewus O’shale (Councillor Rochelle Jones), along with Shiloh Joe, Division Manager for Member Community Services, spoke at Raven’s Cry theatre on the impact tutulshenam promises to offer all BC First Nations, and the promise that healing offers to all families. When asked for a comment, lhe hiwus yalxwemult (Chief Lenora Joe) replied, “we believe this project is a very important step for our community, and for all communities. This has to be just the beginning. As a community, and as a province, we all need to work together to support our most vulnerable members.”
We welcome you to join us on this remarkable journey of renewal, where in the present, we build a future that begins to heal the past. To learn more about tutulshenam Healing House, and to support the fundraising campaign, please visit the website at tutulshenam.org or reach out to Nathania at [email protected].
About shíshálh Nation
The shíshálh Nation is in essence, the local government, created by Bill C 93 Sechelt Indian Band Self Government Act and established as a local government in BC by Bill 4 Sechelt Indian Government District Enabling Act in 1987. The Bill enabled sNGD to qualify for municipal benefits that are available to other municipalities in BC, to enact laws and bylaws that a Municipality has the power to enact and the ability to tax.