$10M Investment Provides New Funding Opportunity

Homalco Wildlife Tours is a world-class ecotourism business owned by Homalco First Nation. Through Coast Funds, the Nation invested over $800,000 into the project and also partnered with Island Coastal Economic Trust. Photo by Island Coastal Economic Trust.

A recently announced $10 million investment in the Island Coastal Economic Trust (ICET) provides First Nations on Vancouver Island with an additional funding partnership opportunity.

The investment will support the Island Coastal Economic Trust’s economic diversification work for the next five years and add programs that focus on technology and innovation. The Economic Infrastructure and Innovation Program supports the development of a wide range of projects in targeted sectors, with non-repayable matching funding contributions up to a maximum of $400,000.

The announced funding provides an opportunity for First Nations to leverage their Coast Funds’ investments to partner with ICET for additional resources. The next application intake dates for 2018 are in late May and early November. The dates vary by region, and more information can be found here.

Several First Nations whose territory spans the Great Bear Rainforest have partnered with Island Coastal Economic Trust through their Economic Infrastructure and Innovation Program on tourism projects including Homalco Wildlife Tours from Homalco First Nation.

More information about the Economic Infrastructure and Innovation program is available here.