The purpose of this project was to promote and coordinate a Regional Tourism Conference and Trade Show in March 2000.

Funding assistance was to complete an assessment of the training needs of the volunteer organizations in Fort Fraser, Nautley and Fraser Lake.

The purpose behind this day-long planning workshop was for regional tourism operators to come together and develop joint goals and a vision for the Association. The workshop took place in March 2001, with 20 participants representing many areas of the Stuart-Nechako region. The group formed a list of common goals and a common vision.

The Nechako Watershed Council has been working since 1998 to resolve some of the watershed issues created by the Kenney Dam. One of the initiatives they are taking the lead on is the Cold Water Release Facility. The NWC recognized the complex environmental and economic assessments required for such a project and asked the NKDF and the Northern Development Commission to share the costs of the first step: getting expert advice on what assessment methodology should be used. Economist, Gary Holman, was contracted and completed the report. The resulting product is being used to define the methodology of the next step, which is: to do a systematic 'Assessment and Evaluation of the Benefits of Cold Water Release.' That ?AEB? document will be used in turn to raise $50 million of the estimated $100 million project costs ($50 million has already been committed by Alcan).

This project was to provide a forum in the Stuart-Nechako area.

This project was originally turned down in 2001-2002 for lack of matching funds and partnerships with the tourism industry, and was finally approved after those concerns were addressed. The project is being delivered in partnership with Community Futures Development Corporation of Stuart Nechako and with the membership of the tourism association. Grant money from the NKDF was to pay a coordinator?s part-time wages for one year while the tourism association built its membership, its marketing program and its revenue base.

This project will result in a marketing strategy for all aspects of the Lakes District economy. It builds on two years of investments made by local, provincial and federal governments. Funding partners for this phase are HRDC and the Regional District of Bulkley Nechako.

Community Futures Development Corporation of Stuart-Nechako lead this project with a purpose of helping communities and organizations throughout the region work collaboratively to develop a Regional Economic Development Strategy whereby participants identify assets, opportunities, needs and priorities toward developing and implementing plans to meet common regional goals and objectives.

This project creates the first and only outdoor gathering area in the village, and will be used as a reception area for welcoming visitors and tours. A sheltered kiosk serve as a vending area for local artisans and entrepreneurs.

NKDF funds were approved for the purpose of replacing ski rental and snow-grooming equipment at a publicly owned and operated ski hill in Fort St. James. Regional benefits included keeping skiers in the Vanderhoof area, increasing local wages and employment. This project was approved conditional to receiving the support of elected representatives of local communities in the NKDF investment area and on raising matching funds. Funding partners for the first $30,000 included the Regional District of Bulkley Nechako, Nechako Valley Credit Union and the BC Gaming Commission.

The BC Forage Council is a non-profit society funded by memberships and is the lead agency in BC for testing improved forage crops. This project will test forage varieties for with the intention of increasing crop yield and profitability for Nechako and Francois Lake area farmers and ranchers. Other funding partners include the Cattle Industry Development Council, the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC and partnerships with private industry, such as seed companies.

This project was a trans-provincial marketing program with a long history of success. The NKDF partnered with the Province of BC on a one-time basis to finance the Northern BC portion of the marketing program for 2004.

In the summer of 2004, ABDC organized and hosted an entrepreneurial training program for Aboriginal Youth aged 13 to 15. The camp was for youth interested in learning more about Aboriginal culture and entrepreneurship. NKDF provided the funding toward sponsorship of awards for entrepreneurial projects and towards the printing of T-shirts for graduate participants.

The GOABC has featured a Professional Guide Outfitter Training School since 1968. The goal of the project is to train twelve adult students to work in the Guide Outfitting Industry, with all graduating students to be employed upon completion of the school. The training qualifies graduates to work as Guide Outfitters, Guides Assistants, or Wranglers. The NKDF funding was approved conditional to participants being selected from within the investment area. This project did not reach the agreement stage.

The purpose of this project was to complete an Arts and Cultural assessment, conducted by District of Vanderhoof in partnership with various arts and cultural groups in the Nechako area. Championed by the Spirit of BC Community Committee, the assessment was a necessary component in the overall goal of the 2010 Legacies Now, which is to ?create a sustainable legacy that will benefit all British Columbians as a result of hosting the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games.' Funding partners included the Arts Now 2010 Legacies Program and the District of Vanderhoof. The Art Scan project resulted in a Directory of cultural resources for the area as well as identifying economic and educational opportunities.

The goal of this project was to increase surgical services at St. John Hospital in Vanderhoof by purchasing arthroscopic surgical equipment and patient care monitoring systems. The applicant implemented and highly successful fundraising campaign to raise the majority of investment required for this project. This project brings economic benefit by increasing the number of operating room procedures possible per year, and by attracting business from outside the area. The project enhances the level of medical services to Vanderhoof, Endako, Fort Fraser, Fraser Lake, Ft. St. James, Nak?azdli, Tlazt?en, Stellat?en, Nadleh Whut?en and Saik?uz.

The purpose of this project was to purchase equipment simulator technology and equipment for a new Forest Equipment Operators Program at the College of New Caledonia. After successful completion of a pilot session of the program with leased simulators, the applicant approached NKDF for assistance with the purchase of simulators. The funding assistance helped to reduce delivery costs and increase the accessibility to students by lowering tuition fees. The purchase of the simulators has enabled CNC to deliver the program a number times at different regional campuses, two of which are within the NKDF investment area (Burns Lake and Vanderhoof). This project has been strongly supported by industry and funding partners include the College of New Caledonia and Vancouver Foundation.

The purpose of this project was to conduct a feasibility analysis to determine the viability of constructing a 2,500 sq. ft. terminal building at the Baker Airport (CYPZ). The airport currently has no heated facility for visitors or medical staff. LDAS plans to recover costs ongoing to operate and maintain the building through meeting room rental, membership increases, cafeteria lease and office rental. The terminal building and the planned increase in service are necessary parts of the Lakes District economic diversification efforts, such as mining and tourism.

The purpose of this project is to conduct swath grazing demonstrations for the cattle producers in the Nechako Valley. Swath grazing has become a viable management practice, in the Peace River region of BC and throughout Alberta. This practice can be used to extend the grazing season and to reduce feed, labour and manure handling costs for cattle producers. The swath grazing management practice involves seeding annual cereals in mid-May to early June and swathing the crop in late August to mid-September when the crop reaches the soft to late dough stage and before killing frosts. The swaths are left in the field for the cattle to graze during the winter. The project provided four field scale demonstration projects in the Vanderhoof/Ft Fraser area, with four ranch operations utilizing swath grazing practices. The sites are spread throughout the Nechako Valley with the goal of using varied location and production factors.

North Pacific Music Festival Society is a newly society formed to house the Music & Friends festival. After successful festivals during each of the previous two years the Society members organized the one-day Music and Friends Festival 2006. The festival was successfully staged on July 22, 2006. The festival organizers are motivated to showcase the community as a summer tourism destination, and to grow the event year after year, bringing social, cultural and economic benefits to Kitamaat Village and area in the future. The event organization and implementation is done by volunteers, with a priority of contributing funds toward construction of Haisla Elder Care Facility.

The purpose of this project was to develop communications infrastructure by installing telecommunication equipment needed to provide high speed Internet access to Fort Fraser and surrounding area. Fort Fraser Ambulance Society and East Francois Lake Volunteer Fire/Rescue were awarded Last-Mile Project Community Networking Infrastructure Grants by the Ministry of Labour and Citizens? Services. Project benefits include: increased communication for emergency services, increased participation in economic development opportunities, easier for local businesses to operate, increased ability for professionals to telecommute, better access to distance education, and increased interrelations between communities.

The purpose of the Northern Economic Forum 2006 was to put the most current industry specific, sectorial and regional information in front of community/economic development practitioners in Northern BC. The two-day Forum took place in September 2006, attracting well over the anticipated 85 attendees, which included CED practitioners throughout the region and all of northern BC. The NKDF contributed funding assistance toward facilitation and scribe costs for the event.

The purpose of this project was to host a film festival during what is typically the non-tourist season for Vanderhoof, while showcasing the Nechako Valley recreational opportunities. After successfully showcasing films from the Toronto International Film Festival over a three-year period, The Sterling Sturgeon Film Festival was held over three days in February 2007. The economic benefits arise mainly from expenditures by visitors to the area and over the long term, and through the increased awareness of what Vanderhoof has to offer.

Regional District of Bulkley Nechako was approved to receive funding assistance to hire a consultant to complete a region-wide Asset Mapping Report. The project entailed gathering an inventory, categorizing and ranking assets, and discovering why people value some assets more than others in the regional. The information is compiled into an easily updateable database format. The project was necessary to provide the Regional District of Bulkley Nechako communities with thorough baseline economic data ? which the proponent sees as a precursor to building an economic development action plan. The Asset Mapping project is co-funded by the NKDF and the Regional District of Bulkley Nechako.

In November 2006, the Northern BC Container Terminal Opportunity Study was completed and publicized. While the Container Study was comprehensive and informative, it did not focus on opportunities specifically for Aboriginal people. The proponent sought funding assistance from NKDF to complete an Aboriginal Companion Study. This project will serve to help communities acquire public and private investment, will help lead First Nations/Aboriginal workers to long-term job opportunities, and help promote economic activity throughout the investment area. This project is funded in partnership by the NKDF, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, The Province of British Columbia and the Aboriginal Business Development Centre.

The purpose of this project is to conduct a Northwest Regional Destination Resort Gap Analysis, as well as identifying next steps for potential investors. The analysis will include carrying out a SWOT analysis and assessment of principle products and experiences, development of a strategy, recommendations for likely investment clusters and a search for equity investors. The Ministry of Economic Development also provided funding assistance to this project.

This project is a partnership made up of North Central Municipal Association (NCMA) and the BC Paraplegic Association (BCPA), supported by the BC Healthy Communities Initiative. The Measuring Up Initiative was created by the 2010 Legacies Now to encourage communities to self-evaluate on the issue of accessibility; it is a ?guide and process?, no funding is provided for the process. The proponent was approved for a small portion of the project. Funds are to hire a Coordinator for 1 year and office and equipment costs.

This application originally came to NKDFS in November 2005. At that time the application was declined, but the NKDF Board instead approved $5,000 for the proponent to conduct study to determine feasibility. Lakes District Airport Society has now completed research and planning for the construction of a 2,560 square foot airport terminal building at the Baker Airport. The project includes construction, professional design, site preparation, septic upgrade, slab on grade foundation, framing, electrical, plumbing, finishing work and landscaping.

Changes to Meat Inspection Regulations under the Food Safety Act (September 2007) meant that small-lot livestock producers in British Columbia would be left without a way to process their livestock. The goal of this project was to conduct the necessary research to produce a feasibility study for the different poultry processing options that would be practical for communities along the northwest Hwy 16 corridor from Vanderhoof through to Hazelton.

In partnership with the District of FSJ, the ski club created and will implement a 2007-2008 Redevelopment Plan. NKDF approved funding assistance for a well and water system, marketing, and purchase of a groomer and a radio system. The project is partnered by the District of Fort St. James, the Towns for Tomorrow Initiative, Western Economic Diversification (CEDI), and NKDF.

The City of Prince George hosted the 2008 Economic Development Association of British Columbia (EDABC) conference. The Conference gathered economic development professionals together to broaden educational and professional development opportunities. NKDF provided funding toward the cost for speakers.

The purpose of the Grassroots Economic Development Opportunities Fund is to enable NKDFS to facilitate project development at the community level while leveraging funding from outside the investment area. The idea behind this concept is to have funds available to assist constituents or applicants to turn their project ideas into living projects. The fund is currently administered on an as-needed basis by the NKDF Manager. The funds are to assist prospective applicants with locating potential funding agencies for projects and broader economic development related projects such as making training available that might not otherwise be offered in the communities in the NKDF investment area.

The BC Forage Council is a non-profit society funded by memberships and is the lead agency in BC for testing improved forage crops. This project will test forage varieties between 2008 and 2011 for with the intention of increasing crop yield and profitability for Nechako area farmers and ranchers. Other funding partners include Nechako Area Livestock Producers and Fort Fraser Livestock (Horn) Fund.

CFDC of Stuart Nechako will partner in bringing the CFDC Annual Fall Conference 2008 to the north. The Conference will attract CFDC and non-CFDC economic development professionals from BC and Alberta. The purpose of the conference is to develop leadership skills and focus on attraction and retention of human recources. NKDF has approved funding toward the cost for speakers.

The purpose of the Grassroots Economic Development Opportunities Fund is to enable NKDFS to facilitate project development at the community level while leveraging funding from outside the investment area. The idea behind this concept is to have funds available to assist constituents or applicants to turn their project ideas into living projects. The fund is currently administered on an as-needed basis by the NKDF Manager. The funds are to assist prospective applicants with locating potential funding agencies for projects and broader economic development related projects such as making training available that might not otherwise be offered in the communities in the NKDF investment area.

UNWC is a registered Society whose members are lodges and resorts throughout the area south of Vanderhoof. UNWC members have joined forces for the purpose of marketing, promoting tourism and attracting investment. Last year, with funding assistance from RDBN and WED (CEDI), UNWC created a marketing strategy. NKDF approved funding to assist with making improvments to publicly ownered wilderness recreation infrastructure throughout the Upper Nechako region.

UNWC is a registered Society whose members are lodges and resorts throughout the area south of Vanderhoof. UNWC members have joined forces for the purpose of marketing, promoting tourism and attracting investment. Last year, with funding assistance from RDBN and WED (CEDI), UNWC created a marketing strategy. NKDF provided funding to assist the group with the installation of signage throughout the Upper Nechako region.