Notes from Day 1 of the Comprehensive Community Planning workshop delivered in Terrace, BC at Kitsukalum Hall.

October 12, 2018

Comprehensive Community Planning (CCP) is a community driven process:

-create & document vision of future

-tool of empowerment

-this process can be a catalyst of positive change but it takes a longer period of time to complete, when done WELL, and includes the voices of ALL community members

-provides an outlet for creativity and tool of healing deep seated, common trauma.

Through this workshop, I met key people who work in Land Use Planning for On-Reserve housing needs; a consultant who’s employer can conduct a study of power line transmission through the Esk’etemculucw by BC Hydro; and, connected with Indigenous Services Canada, UBC SCARP program, VIU community planning program, and Kitsumkalem elders. I am grateful for the opportunity to connect with professionals who can help me with aspects of my thesis, or in my own First Nations community.

I learned how to conduct/lead graphic recording exercises and am excited to apply this skill in my field work.

CCP process, done well and including all community member voices, leads to self-determination.

I compare the CCP process to that of the Municipal equivalent, Official Community Plan (OCP). Yet they are not equal processes or documents. The CCP is a catalyst of positive change when done well, it can establish a long-range community vision and focus. What it doesn’t explicitly include are by-laws, zoning, legislative policies which impact planning on-reserve lands, financial tools – like a budget. First Nations communities have to create these on their own, through other processes and it would be beneficial to pull all of those streams of information into one document under the CCP process.

I enjoyed the style of presentations and the flow of discussion throughout day 1 of the workshop, which mixed real life examples of success stories and how First Nations communities are achieving their goals, the goals they have set for themselves, as opposed to the typical top-down, federal government deliverable requirements. I could really feel the sense of pride each community had about their success stories and I needed to experience a positive day after so much heavy academic reading on the dispossession of land and rights for Indigenous peoples. We need to hear more success stories.

This image shows a story, graphic recording, of the topics discussed throughout the day.