Sechelt Indian Band.  1991-1992  

The Sechelt Indian Band were my client while I was a banker.  To protest a racially motivated credit decision that impacted the Sechelt, I resigned from banking.  I was Invited by the Sechelt Indian Band to travel back to the province midway through my Masters of Science in Planning Degree at U of T and:

• Undertook the economic and Environmental Land Use planning for all 33 reserves across their Traditional Territory
• Created a project proposal process for proponents and project review process by Sechelt Staff and leadership.

This project led to my doing a Major Project for my Planning Masters that focussed on Marine Fisheries co-management by the Sechelt and Federal governments.

Ecotourism Project.  2000

Retained by seven First Nations Communities, six from Nlaka’pamux Nation and one from the Okanagan Nation to undertake an ecotourism planning project.  This was a multi-month effort involving extensive research and consultation with the communities to gain a broad level of understanding and awareness of the land scape and how the communities interacted with the land.

Created an integrated ecotourism plan that involved all seven communities in a mutually supportive and collaborative philosophy.  The strength of the ecotourism in the areas arose from the landscape around and cultural knowledge held by all the communities.

Dual track tourism (culture and landscape) was the high end, low number philosophy that drove the planning.  This draws well-heeled tourists that are fascinated by landscape and culture and who typically are high spenders and well behaved when they visit an area.