This Earth Day, we are being asked to recognize and embrace the power of people to drive transformative change. The 2025 theme—Our Power, Our Planet—invites us to reimagine what a healthy, equitable, and prosperous future can look like when we act collectively and in alignment with the places we call home. We feel that the launch of our Routes to Roots project perfectly exemplifies this spirit.
From Nuxalk Nation, an Indigenous community located on the Central Coast of British Columbia, Carrigan Tallio, Program Manager for the Indigenous Homelands Program, introduces the Routes to Roots program. Carrigan comes from a family dedicated to revitalizing culture in her community; to Carrigan, it is because of the strength and knowledge of her family and ancestors, and particularly the guidance of her brother, Clyde, Dr. Snxakila, that she is able to contribute to this work. Since 2018, she has been working on improving housing for the Nation. Below, Carrigan shares the Indigenous Homelands Program’s holistic vision for the Routes to Roots project.
In a world of growing uncertainty, we must look through different lenses to find holistic, sustainable solutions that benefit both present and future generations. The Routes to Roots project is designed to revitalize traditional corridors of exchange through intergenerational regional supply chain networks. At its core, this initiative seeks to support First Nations communities in rediscovering Stl’mstaliwa—a Nuxalk concept that translates to “the full human experience.”
For generations, First Nations thrived on interdependence, sustaining one another through shared resources, emergency management, and cultural validation in governance, such as potlatches. These intersecting relationships ensured not only survival but also the flourishing of territories for generations to come. Colonization disrupted these systems and trade routes, imposing a Western model where individuals primarily work for their nuclear families rather than their larger communities. However, our traditional ways were never about independence—they were about interdependence.
The Routes to Roots project will foster dialogue between First Nations communities, allowing them to reconnect with their traditional values while adapting to today’s societal, political, and economic structures. This initiative will create space for communities to define self-leadership, self-determination, and self-sustainability on their own terms—grounded in cultural teachings and modern realities. Grounded in these values, Routes to Roots also aims to foster reconciliation through working with local residents and business leaders—both Indigenous and non-Indigenous—across the region towards common goals.
By bridging generations, this project will cultivate future leaders in the circular economy and regional supply chain, empowering youth to become skilled professionals who can keep both material and human resources within the region. This includes hands-on learning and mentorship, as well as the reinvigoration of traditional non-monetary trade economies. Through networks of support, young people will gain the knowledge needed to contribute to thriving local economies, while Elders and current leadership will have the opportunity to share their wisdom.
More than an economic strategy, Routes to Roots is a commitment to cultural revitalization, regional resilience, and collective well-being. It acknowledges that true sustainability isn’t just about resources—it’s about people. It’s about reclaiming the interconnected systems that have always been at the heart of Indigenous governance and prosperity.
By returning to these values and strengthening Nation-to-Nation relationships, we lay the foundation for communities to sustain themselves, not just for today but for generations to come. Through collaboration, education, and cultural resurgence, Routes to Roots will pave the way for a future where Indigenous economies flourish—on our terms, in our homelands, and in alignment with the teachings of our ancestors.
By Carrigan Tallio, Program Manager, Indigenous Homelands Program
As we honour Earth Day, the Routes to Roots program reminds us that our power to make transformative change that benefits people and the places they live lies in reconnecting with traditional wisdom while building innovative, sustainable pathways forward.