EcoTrust Canada

Background of the organization

Ecotrust Canada works in and with rural, remote and Indigenous communities, industry partners and local organizations toward building an economy that provides a healthy and resilient natural environment, sustainable and abundant energy, food, and housing, prosperous and meaningful livelihoods, and vibrant cultures and inclusive societies.

Project description

The Indigenous Homelands and Housing (IHL) initiative at Ecotrust Canada is driven by an Indigenous agenda that supports self-determination and social innovation. This initiative reimagines Indigenous housing as integrated cultural, ecological, and economic systems. Key activities associated with this funding include: 

1) Creating an online, collaborative toolkit and learning environment for Indigenous communities to develop systems-based approaches to housing that support Indigenous self-determination. This includes documenting land tenure innovations for Indigenous residential construction.

2) Convening workshops with partners and communities and creating greater understanding, acceptance, and operationalization of Indigenous housing and land governance systems among governments, funders, financiers, and community members.

3) Maximizing local benefits from housing-related projects in Indigenous communities.

While the focus is British Columbia, Ecotrust has partnerships across Canada and plans to collaborate and share learnings.