Prior to 1950, Kitimat was a small First Nations fishing village nestled in the majestic valley at the head of the Douglas Channel which is a deep water fjord. The First Nations people have inhabited this area of the coast for as long as 8,000 to 12,000 years.
Drawing its name from the nearby Haisla community of Kitamaat, and meaning people of the snow, Kitimat is both an inland and a coastal settlement, in that the sportfishing and outdoor enthusiast haven sits on an arm of the Pacific Ocean that reaches 140 km inland, cutting deep into the Coast Mountains.