Kitsumkalum First Nation Land Use Plan

EcoPlan worked with Kitsumkalum First Nation to develop a Community Land Use Plan for the Nation’s three main reserve areas. Building off of a draft Comprehensive Community Plan completed in 2014, the community-based project was coordinated with Kitsumkalum’s ongoing Land Code process. Its purpose was twofold: to establish a set of guidelines for on reserve development, and to provide a consistent and transparent process for reviewing and approving new projects. Land use planning was guided by a steering committee that had representation from Council, hereditary leadership, the community, and staff. EcoPlan met with the committee in person and remotely on a bi-monthly basis throughout the ten-month project.

On and off reserve members were included in community outreach and engagement through a range of activities and events, with community events taking place at Kitsumkalum, in Prince Rupert, and in Burnaby. Staff were engaged through an integrated capacity building approach that has helped various departments (e.g., Public Works, Housing, Economic Development) understand how the new Community Land Use Plan will impact their work, and how (and at what point) they will be involved in the new development review process included in the plan.