A Message Regarding The Outpost

September 2, 2026

Dear friends of the Outpost,

The tides are changing in Haida Gwaii, and with them, the landscape of the sport fishing industry.

The West Coast Fishing Club has been a prominent part of that industry for nearly four decades, and our intention is to remain for many years to come. We also believe that, particularly in a period of change, our guests deserve to hear directly from us about the future of the Outpost.

In short, the province of British Columbia has recently rejected our application for a Park Use Permit, which is necessary for us to operate The Outpost. The West Coast Fishing Club (WCFC) has commenced legal proceedings seeking judicial review of that decision. In this letter, I outline the background of the matter and where things stand today.

THE OUTPOST BEGINNING

The Outpost was founded by Brian Legge and Richard Grange. The original Crown tenure for the Port Louis property was established in 1983 and later formalized through a Land Act Lease in 1989. In the years that followed, Brian and Rick secured the opportunity to own and operate the property as The Outpost under The West Coast Fishing Club.

WCFC welcomed its first guests to Langara Island in 1988. The Outpost followed in 1998 and was developed at Port Louis on Haida Gwaii in response to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans threatening to halt salmon fishing at Langara. The Outpost provided anglers with access to remarkable salmon and halibut grounds within minutes of the dock, in a coastal rainforest setting few people will ever experience.

WCFC previously operated North Island Lodge on Langara Island under a separate tenure. That tenure expired in November 2018, and B.C. Parks was instructed not to renew the foreshore lease, forcing the closure of another of our successful lodges.

More recently, the Council of the Haida Nation (CHN) announced that it had reached an agreement to acquire Queen Charlotte Lodge’s property at Naden Harbour. Queen Charlotte Lodge has confirmed it will be permitted to operate through the 2027 season, after which the business will close.

WHERE WE ARE AT NOW

The situation today is relatively straightforward. In 2008, the Province designated a number of areas in Haida Gwaii as parks and conservancies, including the land on which The Outpost operates. As a result, our operation became subject to the Park Act, and a Park Use Permit became necessary for us to continue operating. On March 21, 2026, the Province rejected our application for that permit. Without it, The Outpost cannot legally operate.

On May 22, we received an initial Notice to Vacate, followed by a formal Vacate Order on June 17, in the middle of another busy season. That order set deadlines for the decommissioning of The Outpost. We believe those deadlines are unreasonable and impossible to meet, particularly while we are actively challenging the decision itself.

THE PROCEEDINGS

We are now finalizing a petition for Judicial Review, which will be filed in the B.C. Supreme Court. As part of that process, we will ask the Court to stay the Vacate Order until the Petition is heard and a decision is issued. We have also advanced a jurisdictional argument which, if successful, would provide us with additional time to operate. We are also asking the Court to review what we believe has been an unfair and improper process.

We want to be clear about what this proceeding is not. It is not a challenge to the protection of the lands and waters of Haida Gwaii. Our respect for Haida Gwaii, the Haida Nation, and the conservation of this extraordinary place remains unchanged, and nothing in this litigation alters that commitment.

OUR FRUSTRATION

We strongly disagree with this decision, particularly with how the Province and the B.C. Parks Department have handled this matter against a successful Canadian company that has been operating for 38 years.

On April 14, 2024, the Province and the Haida Nation signed the “Rising Tide” agreement, which became law on May 16, 2024 and included provisions recognizing Aboriginal Title over Haida Gwaii. This changed the framework for decisions about the land and created significant uncertainty for the future of The Outpost.

We have learned that, for years, certain members of the Haida Nation have expressed a desire for us to simply go away. We cannot understand why the Province and certain members of the Council of the Haida Nation would seek such an outcome. From our perspective, the rug has been pulled out from under us.

WCFC has long valued its relationship with the people and communities of Haida Gwaii. Over the years, we have worked to be more than a business operating in the region, supporting the community through employment, local purchasing, transportation support, bursaries, sponsorships, hatchery initiatives, salmon enhancement, and numerous other efforts that often quietly take place behind the scenes.

Most importantly we want to say: THANK YOU.

Your loyalty has sustained The Outpost through many seasons. Some of you have been fishing with us for decades, bringing your children, friends, business associates, and, in some cases, the next generation of your families. The relationships formed at The Outpost mean far more to us than reservations on a calendar. They are part of its history and character.

We recognize that this uncertainty is difficult for our guests, and we will keep you informed as matters develop and provide clear information about future seasons as soon as we are able.

We will always be pleased to welcome new anglers to WCFC, but our first responsibility is to the guests who have supported us and continue to return. As availability across the region becomes more limited, we do not want those guests to miss the opportunity to return simply because they were unaware of the changes taking place.

We remain determined to do everything we reasonably can to preserve The Outpost and the experiences and relationships built there over so many years. Thank you again for your friendship, loyalty, and support. It means more to us than ever.

With sincere appreciation,