About New Pathways to Gold Society

In 2007, a group dedicated to finding solutions to the challenges facing the communities along the historic Gold Rush/Spirit Trails corridor met in Lytton, British Columbia.

The group represented a broad-based coalition of local elected officials, historians, Indigenous leaders, heritage tourism advocates and local businesses. They developed a vision of a re-invented Hope to Barkerville corridor based on economic development through heritage tourism, Indigenous Reconciliation, community projects and heritage events. And they devised a strategy to encourage British Columbians to rediscover and explore our province’s unique heritage and hear a more inclusive narrative of our shared history.

The vehicle they created to make that vision a reality is the New Pathways to Gold Society (NPTGS). A non-profit, non-partisan organization, NPTGS partners with Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities, businesses and all three levels of government to develop and deliver projects supporting local economies and creating heritage tourism assets. With financial support from the Governments of British Columbia and Canada as well as other partners, NPTGS has raised and/or leveraged nearly $8 million for projects and invested in local communities. In partnership, the Society has also built or restored over 230 kilometres of heritage trails launched and/or completed 18 major projects and staged over 150 events, performances, symposia, and lectures.

The Society is governed by a Board of Directors representative of broad skill sets, inclusive of First Nations and regions from Hope to Barkerville. On this balanced board, half of the Directors are Indigenous representatives. There is also one designated Multicultural Director. The Society has two co-chairs, one of whom is Indigenous.

The Society is inspired by the example of Chief Cexpe’nthlEm, whose leadership during the Canyon War of 1858 makes him a co-founder of modern British Columbia.

NPTGS is working on major projects all along the corridor to revive Chief Cexpe’nthlEm’s vision of peace, prosperity and cooperation along the entire length of the Gold Rush/Spirit Trails corridor and all of B.C. We hope you’ll join us in this mission.