The Centre for Sustainability and Social Innovation
Sauder School of Business
UBC
First Nations Development
First Nations possess an abundance of human capacity, natural resources and cultural heritage. These assets provide the foundation on which lively and sustainable communities are built. By leveraging these assets, First Nations can develop and maintain thriving economies while preserving local culture.
Current Projects
Nanwakolas Council Society Forestry and Seafood Sector Research
The Nanwakolas Council Society currently represents eight Kwakwaka’wakw First Nations; the Kwakiutl First Nation, Mamalilikulla Qwe Qwa Sot’Em Nation, Tlowitsis Nation, ‘Namgis Nation, Da’naxda’xw Awaetlala Nation, Gwa’sala Nakwaxda’xw Nation, Kwiakah Nation, and K’omox’ Nation. The collective...
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Gingolx Village Economic Profile
Situated between the north coastal mountain range (just east of the Alaskan panhandle) at the mouth of the Nass River lies the village of Gingolx. It is the most remote of the four communities in the Nisga’a Nation core-lands and...
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Nisga’a Tourism Research
Located on British Columbia’s northwest coast, along the Nass River, is the Nisga’a Nation. The Nation is represented by the Nisga’a Lisims Government, which came to be after 113 years of treaty negotiations and produced the “Nisga’a Final Agreement”. With...
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Clayoquot Sound First Nations: Green and Culturally Appropriate Residential Housing
First Nations housing is in crisis. Overcrowding, toxic mould, poor insulation, and sub-standard construction have all contributed to making First Nations on-reserve housing amongst the worst living conditions within Canada and comparable to those in the developing
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Gitga’at Nation Hydro Development and Economic Opportunities
The Gitga’at First Nation has ambitious plans to become the “greenest First Nation in Canada.” A central component of this plan revolves around the construction of a 900kW hydroelectricity facility in its community of Hartley Bay, which will
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HEDC Fish Plant Feasibility Study
The Heiltsuk community has long been a fishing community, relying on local seafood to support the nutritional and traditional demands of residents as well as the economic opportunities of the seafood trade. In 1989, the Nation constructed a fish processing...
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HEDC Bella Bella Airport Analysis
The Bella Bella Airport is a major gateway for visitors travelling to Bella Bella and the central coast region. Given the community’s remote location, the airport is a critical asset that permits access to essential services such as medical care...
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First Nations Renewable Energy Roadmap
There is a pressing need for sustainable energy options for First Nations communities. In collaboration with Coast Opportunity Funds, ISIS has developed the ‘First Nations Renewable Energy Roadmap’ based on feedback from communities along BC’s central and north
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Gitga’at Nation Community Hydro Project
Located approximately 150 kilometers southeast of Prince Rupert on British Columbia’s northwest coast is Hartley Bay, the primary community and home of the Gitga’at Nation. Approximately 170 people reside in Hartley Bay throughout the year where traditional...
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HEDC Freight Company Assessment
In the spring and summer of 2010, we developed an analysis and recommendations for an existing, non-profitable HEDC business operation – the Waglisla Freight Company. Focused on supplying the Nation’s more than one thousand community members with...
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