Yekooche First Nation

Yekooche First Nation
Band No. 728
Yekoochet’en
PeopleDakelh
Headquarters1830, 3rd Avenue, Prince George
Province British Columbia
Land
Main reserveYe Koo Che 3
Other reserve(s)
  • Ye Koos Lee 11
  • Nan Tl'at 13
  • Ucausley 16
Land area32.26 km2
Population (2025)
On reserve93
On other land12
Off reserve118
Total population223
Government
ChiefMitchell Joseph
Council
  • Miranda Joseph
  • Austin Joseph
  • Mathew E. Joseph
Website
yekooche.com

Yekooche First Nation is a band government of the Dakelh people, located 75 kilometres (47 mi) northwest of Fort St. James, British Columbia at the north end of Stuart Lake on Yekooche reserves (about 380 hectares in size). It is known in English as Portage due to its location along the portage route between Babine Lake and Stuart Lake.

Yekooche is a small community reserve. As of March 2019, there are 236 band members, 98 of whom live on the Yekooche reserves. Yekooche territory adjoins or encompasses Babine, Cunningham and Whitefish Lakes. These locales are used to hunt and to gather winter food for families.

The people of Yekooche are Dakelh and speak the Stuart Lake dialect of the Carrier language. Due to their proximity to Lake Babine territory, they have traditionally been bilingual in Babine-Witsuwit'en.