?aq’am Community Enterprises (ACE) is the economic development arm of the ?aq’am First Nation, the largest member of Ktunaxa Nation. Known for its progressive business development goals, ACE undertook a comprehensive review of its strategic priorities. The result is a dynamic new five-year strategic plan that will guide more efficient, tactical, and resilient delivery of ACE’s programs and services. The project was supported by the Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC).
Boosting Profile and Partnerships at Nk’Mip Forestry
A new marketing and communications strategy for Nk’Mip Forestry, one of 13 businesses managed by the Osoyoos Indian Band (OIB), is turning the company into an economic driver for one of Canada’s most progressive First Nations.
With 584 members, the OIB has become an economic development model for other First Nations by consistently expanding its investments on its approximately 32,000 acres of land in the South Okanagan region of BC. Commercial leasing, tourism, and construction-related services contribute the most to OIB’s bottom line.
Nk’Mip Forestry was created to address the need for sustainable forestry practices in the area while safeguarding OIB’s cultural and environmental values. Income from the business pays the salaries for its employees, provides funding to build homes for band members, and contributes to the community’s social programs.
For several years, Nk’Mip Forestry maintained a strong and successful partnership with Vaagen Fibre Canada to operate its forest licences. With the closure of that company in 2023, Nk’Mip Forestry pursued a marketing and communications strategy to enable the company to promote itself for new business opportunities through a stronger online presence.
The Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC) supported the project through its Building Economic Development Capacity funding stream to help market and grow the band-owned business. The funding helped Nk’Mip Forestry hire a Southern Interior-based firm that had worked on previous projects with Nk’Mip Forestry, to build its online branding that represented its values, and create a strategic communications strategy to enhance the company’s reputation.
Sustainability – A Call to Action
“We’ve taken a holistic approach to the strategy’s development, with OIB values reflected in how we manage the land,” points out Dan Macmaster, Head of Forestry. The new website for Nk’Mip Forestry provides a platform for communication with stakeholders about what the company is doing to protect local wildlife and water, mitigate wildfire risks, and contribute to the regional economy through job creation and sustainable practices.
The new logo for Nk’Mip Forestry reflects the landscape of Oliver and Osoyoos, with a howling coyote carved out of a mountain symbolizing the company’s commitment to protecting and sustaining the surrounding forests. One of the coyote’s ears is depicted as a feather, a symbol of Indigenous peoples in BC that also shows Nk’Mip Forestry’s respect for traditional wisdom and values.
New Partnerships
In the course of the project, two new OIB-owned joint ventures were created: Siya Forestry, a joint venture between Nk’Mip Forestry and the Infinity-Pacific Stewardship Group Ltd. dedicated to advancing community development in the Okanagan, Kootenay and Boundary regions, and Skemxist Solutions, a joint-venture with The Sutherland Group of Companies that provides services and equipment for all stages of heavy construction.
“Since we completed the project funded by ETSI-BC, the Forest Enhancement Society of BC has provided additional support to help us complete projects and create more partnerships. The message is out to investors: “This is an applicant we can trust,” Macmaster says.
A number of partnerships are in development with companies and organizations including Interfor, Weyerhaeuser, BC Ministry of Forests, BC Hydro and others. In addition, 10 new jobs have been created for OIB members.
The new Communications Strategy created by this project will guide the Nk’Mip Forestry team in planning and implementing communications for the first year; at that point it will continue to build on the foundation based on how the strategy is achieving its goals. “This project would not have been possible without the support of ETSI-BC,” says Macmaster. “The new plan is a living document that builds credibility for First Nations taking the lead in good forest management and it opens new doors to economic opportunities for the region.”
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