Well we have some very exciting news from the economic development department; we have received funding from Coast Opportunities Fund to help us create an economic development corporation.
We put together a very good application with a specific goal of having an economic development corporation that is separate from the politics of the band. The idea to separate business from politics was a common theme in the CCP work that the community did recently.
We will be having our first community meeting for economic development in the next 2 weeks. At this meeting we will be asking the community to help us envision what an economic development corporation looks like to you.
We will also begin the process of finding out what the community wants for economic activity in the community. We will work towards setting up a corporation that will allow the First Nation to enter into business opportunities with the least amount of liabilities and the maximum tax benefits.
The first meeting will not be too technical! We need your input to make sure that we are going down the right path. We will be looking for people who will want to take an active role in a working group to move forward.
This first community meeting will see honorariums to the Elders who come and participate. At future meetings honorariums will be split by all who attend and participate in the meeting. Remember this is very important work and we need the community to participate in this!! We need to take pride and ownership in this work because it will affect all of the people of the Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nation for generations to come.
All of the work that takes place will be reported on and will be available through this newsletter and/or on the website. I really look forward to the work that we will be doing!
- Conrad Browne, Economic Development -