taq̓atštəm: Tla’amin’s Census
What It Is
taq̓atštəm is Tla’amin’s first Census, launched on Treaty Day, April 5, 2025. The name means “we are going to talk about it.” Every adult Citizen was invited to participate on their own behalf, rather than through a household representative. In fall 2025, ʔɛmaθtən, a companion census for youth aged 13 to 17, gave younger Citizens the same opportunity to respond directly.
Why We Ran It
Before taq̓atštəm, departments across the Nation collected information separately, with no shared system to store or apply it. taq̓atštəm consolidated that work into a single questionnaire, structured around the house posts of the Comprehensive Nation Plan, so results could be used directly for Nation planning, reporting, and accountability.
The Census was designed and delivered by Tla’amin staff, administered through the BC Regional Information Governance Centre’s Build Your Own Data Centre, a secure platform that keeps the data under the Nation’s control. Citizens were compensated $50 for their time completing the survey.
Who We Heard From
593 Tla’amin adults completed taq̓atštəm, responding also on behalf of 275 čičuy, children and youth in their households. ʔɛmaθtən reached 74 youth Citizens directly. 56.8% of adult respondents were located in the qathet region.
How We’re Using the Results
Census results are held in a dashboard accessible to Nation staff, organized around the Comprehensive Nation Plan’s house posts. About 100 staff have completed training to work with the data directly.
Departments are applying the results to planning and reporting in areas including labour, education, and Child and Family Services, and to inform anti-racism initiatives and training investments. As Tla’amin approaches renewal of the Comprehensive Nation Plan in 2028, taq̓atštəm provides the baseline data needed to set priorities and track progress over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tla’amin Nation. taq̓atštəm was collected, stored, and analyzed on a Nation-controlled platform, and results are governed under Tla’amin’s own policies.
All Tla’amin Citizens aged 18 and up, living at home or away from home. Youth Citizens aged 13 to 17 took part through ʔɛmaθtən, a separate youth-focused Census.
Yes. Individual responses are protected, and any results that could identify a specific person are suppressed before they’re shared or reported on.
taq̓atštəm establishes a baseline the Nation can build on. Future Census cycles are expected as part of ongoing Nation planning.
taq̓atštəm gathered information across different areas including health, housing, safety, and culture. It showed us differences and similarities across different groups of Tla’amin people including Elders, children, home and away from home. Departments are now using what was learned for planning and service design.
Shanna Kinch Implementation Manager, Shanna.Kinch@tn-bc.ca
Your Privacy is Protected
We take your privacy seriously.
- Your answers are confidential and anonymous.
- No one in the community will see individual answers.
- Personal details like your name and address are kept separate from your survey responses.
- Results are only shared as grouped statistics.
- All data is stored securely under Tla’amin policies on confidentiality and information security.
You do not have to answer every single question, but we hope you will answer as honestly as you can. What you share is important and we commit to protecting your privacy.
Questions?
If you have questions about the Census please contact:
Phone: 604-483-9646 Ext 4
Email: census@tn-bc.ca