Infrastructure
Toquaht Nation has a strategic plan to bring their masčim (citizens) home and grow their economy, and building infrastructure is a crucial part of reaching our goals. To meet the needs of the growing community, Toquaht Nation is constructing new buildings for citizens to live, work, and play, as well as expanding utilities to support these new buildings.
Toquaht citizens are kept informed and can provide input on the progress of Capital projects at our quarterly People’s Assembly.
Active Projects
Secret Beach Development
Toquaht Nation has been conducting feasibility studies and developing business plans from 2011 to 2020 to determine the viability of residential and commercial uses at Secret Beach. We have concluded that the unique attributes of Secret Beach offer great value to the Nation, and a series of related projects are now underway to support this expanded use. These projects include:
- Off-site services to extend utility connections from the sewer and water plants to the entrance of Secret Beach, as well as hydro lines from m̓aʔaquuʔa to Secret Beach marina.
- On-site services that will extend the utility and road network to service the new government building, kayak launch, and approximately 34 residential lots.
- Outdoor recreational space, such as a playground and gym equipment, to attract more visitors and support the development of Secret Beach into a world-class destination.
- A coastal trail that connects m̓aʔaquuʔa to the Secret Beach campground.
- A cookhouse that will house a multi-functional kitchen with a firepit for traditional cooking, a cooking prep area, a storage room, and washrooms.
Toquaht Nation is committed to creating a vibrant and sustainable community at Secret Beach, and we will continue to work on improving the infrastructure and amenities available to our citizens and visitors alike.
Toquaht Nation Government Building
Toquaht Council is relocating its government offices to m̓aʔaquuʔa, our traditional Territory, as part of our long-term plan to invest in the community’s health and vitality. This new government building will serve as a cornerstone of the Toquaht community and will be situated next to the kayak parking area at Secret Beach.
The building will feature offices, shared workspaces, meeting rooms, reception desk and lobby, boardrooms, kitchens, washrooms, and file and equipment storage rooms. Design and costing work is currently underway, and a detailed “shovel ready” design is in progress and near completion. This design will also include a detailed construction cost estimate to pursue construction funding from various sources.
Guest Lodge at m̓aʔaquuʔa
Toquaht Nation understands that many of our citizens live in towns and cities far from our traditional territory. We believe that providing access to temporary accommodations in m̓aʔaquuʔa will help our citizens stay connected with their community and families, especially during summer and winter holidays.
To make this vision a reality, we are building 12 guest suites across from the existing residential duplex buildings in m̓aʔaquuʔa. Our goal is to complete the project before the end of 2023, providing a comfortable place for our citizens to stay when they visit their home community.
New Water Reservoir
The new water reservoir is located on the high side of the Maggie Forest Road, across from the water treatment plant. This new reservoir will supply m̓aʔaquuʔa and surrounding Toquaht lands with the water pressure and volume required for proper firefighting capacity.
Bowerman has been contracted for the civil construction, which includes building the access road, laying underground pipes, and preparing the site by grading and compacting the reservoir under-slab gravel pad, among other tasks.
Construction work began in November 2022, with Bowerman building the reservoir access road and clearing and grubbing the reservoir site. Greatario is responsible for providing the steel reservoir tank and concrete foundation, while Aquaparian Environmental Consulting is providing environmental monitoring on site as required. Stantec and Lewkowich are overseeing the engineering aspects of the project.
The water reservoir construction should be complete in 2023–24.
m̓aʔaquuʔa Public Washroom
We will be building a new outdoor public washroom between the Guest Lodge (12 plex) and the ocean. In December 2022, we conducted a geotechnical review of the site conditions to ensure the proposed location is safe for the intended use. The geotech report confirmed that the proposed site is considered safe from a geotechnical point of view.
Site preparation started in January 2023, and the footings are scheduled to be poured in early March 2023. We aim to complete the construction of this washroom building by the fall of 2023.
m̓aʔaquuʔa Playground
We have reviewed and shortlisted several design options for a playground at m̓aʔaquuʔa, which will be located between the Guest Lodge and Lot #221. The final design and components are still being considered.
This project is temporarily on hold. We have identified two funding opportunities and submitted applications, and we will wait for an indication of the likelihood of receiving funding before starting the construction work.
Community Building Regalia Room Retrofit
In October 2022, Toquaht submitted a successful grant application to the Heritage Infrastructure Fund to support the retrofit of the regalia room at the t̓uk̓ʷaaʔatḥiic hišimyiły̓ak. Toquaht has been awarded $204,000 to fund this project.
The retrofit for the regalia room at the Community Building will include climate control and fire protection for the room as well as several custom built display cases.
This work will begin 2023-24, and we are excited to share updates on this important project.
New Sawmill Site
Toquaht Developments will upgrade and relocate its sawmill to integrate into a Forest Products Eco-Industrial Park adjacent to the Toquaht Bay dry land log sort. This project will maximize the value of timber harvested from its Traditional Territory and support the development of diverse, sustainable, and profitable businesses while providing employment opportunities and a better quality of life for Toquaht Nation citizens.
Site preparation for the new sawmill area was completed in Q3 of 2022-23. The construction of new buildings and installation of the sawmill equipment will continue throughout the 2023–24 fiscal year.
Completed Projects
Residential Development
We’re excited to share that three new 3-bedroom detached homes have been built at m̓aʔaquuʔa. We used a construction method called Insulating Concrete Forms (ICF), which not only increases energy efficiency, but also is also stronger than traditional wood frame structures, reducing the chance of mold or rotting. We can’t wait to see families enjoying their new homes in this beautiful location!
t̓uk̓ʷaaʔatḥiic hišimyiły̓ak (Toquaht Gathering Place)
In 2022, Toquaht Nation opened its new community building. One of the earliest events held there was the Welcome Home t’aat’anis (special child) event, which helped connect children in care to the community. Later that year, Toquaht Nation held its first People’s Assembly in the t̓uk̓ʷaaʔatḥiic hišimyiły̓ak.
t̓uk̓ʷaaʔatḥiic hišimyiły̓ak offers a variety of amenities, including a multipurpose gym, kitchen, offices for the community services team, meeting room, washrooms, and a outdoor kitchen for processing traditional foods. The Community Services team is actively planning and hosting workshops and activities in this space, so be sure to check the Events page for upcoming events.
The building also features art pieces created by citizens, including:
- A frog mask by Andrew Mack
- Wolf’s Den print by Bayja Morgan-Banke
- Maple Moon carving by Bjorn Banke
- A grass woven float by Sheryl Tate
- A contemporary mask carving by Dennis Hetu
- A painting by Gale Johnsen that was created during her time at Residential School
Community Building Regalia Room Retrofit
In October 2022, Toquaht submitted a successful grant application to the Heritage Infrastructure Fund to support the retrofit of the regalia room at the t̓uk̓ʷaaʔatḥiic hišimyiły̓ak. Toquaht has been awarded $204,000 to fund this project.
The retrofit for the regalia room at the Community Building will include climate control and fire protection for the room as well as several custom-built display cases. The cases are completed and ready to house important artifacts.
t̓uk̓ʷaaʔatḥiic ƛuułsituʔap – Toquaht’s Wastewater Treatment Plant
In 2014–15, the federal government provided funding for the preliminary and detailed design of a community sewage collection and treatment system for Macoah. The purpose of this system was to replace all existing septic systems and allow for future community development. In 2015–16, all necessary permits were obtained, the detailed design was completed, and INAC approved construction funding.
Construction began in February 2016 and was completed in early 2018. In the 2018–19 fiscal year, the final system commissioning was conducted, operator training was completed, and environmental testing and monitoring required by the BC Minister of Environment was carried out. This testing and monitoring confirmed that the system met all design criteria and was fully compliant with all environmental permits and regulations.