Accessibility and connection are crucial to everyone, especially people living in smaller and rural communities. Thanks to years of collaborative efforts between Tseshaht First Nation and the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District (ACRD), on-reserve members of the Nation can now access handyDART services.
handyDART in the Alberni Valley provides service to several communities that fall under the ACRD electoral area, including Beaufort, Beaver Creek, Cherry Creek, Sproat Lake and Port Alberni. Tseshaht First Nation is the largest reserve in the area, situated between Port Alberni and Sproat Lake. Conversations about providing handyDART service to this community have been ongoing for a long time.
“I know it’s been talked about for several years and these things take time but when you really have the need you want to make sure it happens,” said Thomas Hleck, Interim Executive Director of Tseshaht First Nation. “I really appreciate Eddie and everyone at the ACRD for listening, hearing us out and understanding that need.”
Listening. Hearing. Understanding. Those are all important elements in making a service like this happen and working with First Nations communities. The Eddie that Thomas referenced is ACRD Operations Manager Eddie Kunderman, who said he has learned so much about the importance of building and strengthening relationships with Indigenous partners.
“It’s a learning process for everybody, and it’s all about relationships first, and work second. Getting to know people. Sitting down and eating together. Laughing and getting to know one another. Then working when you have that trust established. It makes everything so much easier. I think that’s something we can all take into every aspect of our lives, and not just First Nations relationships.”
Eddie Kunderman understands the important role handyDART provides for the customers it transports. He drove handyDART in Victoria for roughly 13 years, before moving on to other roles and eventually finishing his time with BC Transit as a Regional Operations Manager. Eddie has been with the ACRD since 2021 and played a big role in the development and implementation of the ACRD’s West Coast transit service before it shifted over to a BC Transit-led system in early 2025.
The West Coast Transit System provides an important connection for the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ community of hitaću, and the Tla-o-qui-aht communities of Esowista and Ty-histanis. That public transit connection is something Thomas Hleck and the rest of the Tsheshat First Nation want for every member of their community in the Alberni Valley, not just those who use handyDART.
“Years ago, my uncle was one of a few people living here who would get rides from a specific bus driver who had a good relationship with them and would unofficially pop by, pick them up and take them into town. That was as close to transit service as we had for the longest time. There’s one Elder he sees walking several kilometres and a couple hours every day because she doesn’t have a car. She likes the exercise, but it would be nice if there was a bus available.
The Tseshaht First Nation has close to 600 people living on reserve land, with a wider community of more than 1300 members. The Nation has thousands of years of deep history in the Alberni Valley as stewards of the land, and Thomas knows there’s great potential for growth in the region and that Tseshaht First Nation is a big part of that. Not having access to public transit hinders on-reserve members from getting into town for work, daycare and school, so there is a very strong appetite for increase access to public transit for the Tseshaht community.
handyDART service is now officially open for applications from members of the Tseshaht First Nation, and there are already members using the service. The Port Alberni Transit team from Keolis also plays a key part in this service and are thrilled to be delivering this important community connection.
There are no set goals for the number of qualified registrants, and the true success is the relationships that were strengthened in the process, the lessons learned along the way and the hope of a future with more transit to this beautiful community.
