Best Practice

"St. Mary's First Nation is the largest of Maliseet Nations along the St. John River in New Brunswick. The reserve is self-sufficient and boasts community- supported economic social development programs available to members on and off-reserve." Video Case Study.

"Case Study: Membertou First Nation explores the process of Membertou’s transformation from a welfare reserve completely dependent on federal funding to one of Cape Breton’s economic bright spots. In delving into the community’s story, we will see that in order to transform itself, Membertou mobilized its most important asset - its people."

"Women of Membertou illustrates how innovative approaches to education can be securely tethered to the richness of the past, providing a platform for children’s well-being and educational achievement."

YouTube video showcasing adawaska Maliseet First Nation.

"Achieved through collaboration with Canadian Pacific Railway and Fraser Papers, the settlement of a specific claim enables Madawaska Maliseet First Nation in New Brunswick to break ground on a new commercial development."

"In keeping with the goal of sustainability, the First Nations of Manitoba identified a need for an investment vehicle that would allow them to participate in economic initiatives on a larger project-level than could be achieved by individual communities. By working together, they could access the capital necessary to build a capital pol that would then be available for further investment. The profits return to communities for use in whatever way they choose. The vehicle formed to meet these goals is Tribal Councils Investment Group (ICIG)"

"This paper looks at the current state of Aboriginal co-operatives, their characteristics, their sector distribution, and the contributions of Aboriginal co-operatives to regional and community economic and social development. I It examines the possibilities Aboriginal peoples might explore should they consider employing the cooperative model more extensively in meeting one or more of their needs."

"The purpose of this research is to examine Gitga'at First Nation approaches and objectives concerning the use of local biological and cultural resources through the lens of a locally-driven proposal to establish an eco-cultural tourism enterprise. [...] This research may be beneficial to other communities interested in eco-cultural tourism development or other development activities dependent on local resources use."

"The purpose of the project was to investigate what other First Nations have done to support their small business operators, and to create a process to look at what could be done in your community."

"Aboriginal economic development” differs from other forms of development by emphasizing aboriginal values and community involvement. Joint ventures, while providing business advantages, may not be able to contribute to aboriginal economic development. This paper examines two joint ventures in the interior of British Columbia to examine their ability or inability to contribute the extra dimensions of development desired by aboriginal communities.

"In this study, Isobel Findlay and Wanda Wuttunee explore innovation in Aboriginal women’s community economic development (CED) in Canada. Their research is centred on three case studies of successful CED in urban, rural and remote settings. The stories of the dedicated women who have made a significant mark within their communities show that it is possible to pursue business objectives while living the values of their culture and assuming their rightful place in the community. In this context, the authors critique current approaches and tools for measuring the impact of CED.