Upper Nicola Band building community centre finds human remains, halts construction

May 8, 2024 | 4:32 PM

QUILCHENA, B.C. — The Upper Nicola Band in B.C.’s southern Interior says construction crews building a new community centre have discovered human remains.

The band says in a news release that police were contacted immediately after crews unearthed the remains, which were determined to be “not recent.”

It says construction was stopped after the discovery, and security was brought in to protect the remains at the site, located in the community of Quilchena, about 25 kilometres northeast of Merritt.

The release says the project’s archeologist on record is working with the Upper Nicola Band to deal with the remains using “appropriate protocols.”