People in place. At Ecotrust Canada we have been using this combination of words for the entirety of our 30-year history. It’s an original strand of our DNA; a building block that speaks to our confidence, that despite the massive ecological and economic shifts underway in our world, the place you call home can keep you rooted, safe, nourished, and thriving. Of course, we need to live up to our end of the bargain, giving back to a place as much as it provides. And while communities who share lands and waters can still be divided and in conflict with one another, there is a power in those places that can be tapped to bring people together.
This is what we do. We work with communities to unleash the collective power that comes from our common connection to place. We help marshal the creative resilience that has always been there, carefully stewarded by those whose connections stretch back to time immemorial. This is not about a research project, a policy directive, a polygon on a map, or some kind of financial instrument. This is about real people, working together, side-by-side, to create new opportunities out of the oldest of human relationships – that between people and the land, or as is often the case, people and the sea.
In more tangible terms, what does this look like? A quick review of some of our partners and projects in 2024 hopefully provides some insight and inspiration.
On the North Coast of BC, Metlakatla First Nation’s regenerative ocean farm is now fully operational. You will find us on deck and on shore working hand-in-hand with the Nation to help produce innovative seaweed products and thousands of pounds fresh, sustainably grown shellfish for community members to feast on.
Our Indigenous Homelands program is partnering with the Nuxalk Nation in Bella Coola, BC, working collaboratively to translate their vision for a sustainable and culturally vibrant future into an action plan. Specifically, the Nuxalk have invited us to support their journey toward self-determination by ensuring that colonial standards for housing and governance are adapted, or wholesale transformed, to reflect Indigenous knowledge and leadership.
In 2024 our Climate team relaunched itself as Ecotrust Canada’s Climate Resilience program. The change represents a critical shift towards supporting Indigenous-led stewardship of land and water. A significant new outcome arising from this pivot is the development of a climate resilience network for communities in the Central Interior of BC.
On the Community Fisheries front, the Council of the Haida Nation asked Ecotrust Canada to partner in delivering designated fisheries monitoring services for the first-of-its-kind Haida Community-Based Fishery, established through the historic Fisheries Resources Reconciliation Agreement. The goal of the Haida Community-Based Fishery is to support a thriving close-to-home, multi-species, small boat fleet, operated by Haida citizens. Ecotrust Canada is honoured to support to this landmark in fisheries history.
Community Energy justice remains a cornerstone of our work, as we align with recommendations from the Home Energy Justice Forum we co-hosted. In practice, this work hits the ground as an expanded heat pump program for low- and middle-income households. Likewise, our work in St’át’imc Territory, located in the Interior of BC, has our team collaborating with Xaxli’p and T’it’q’et to co-develop energy solutions grounded in local priorities.
These highlights are just a glimpse of the collective power of people in place, but each reminds us that real change is possible when local communities take the lead and are equipped with the tools, knowledge, and support needed to chart their own futures.
I invite you to join us on December 3rd, Giving Tuesday, by donating to Ecotrust Canada. In doing so, you will find common cause with those who are willing to prove it’s possible for vibrant human and natural communities to thrive together.
With gratitude,
Chuck Rumsey, President and CEO
Ecotrust Canada
