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Take this opportunity to let us know what economic development opportunities you think we should make a priority or just let us know if you would like to receive updates.
What’s New
Our 2009/2010 Annual Report can be located under 'News'.
Strategic Direction
Strategic Planning - 2008-2010
The 2007 Community Viability Strategy (Vol 1) and (Vol 2) document established the direction for the future of economic development on Haida Gwaii. The basis of MIEDS operations isfounded in this document.
In 2008, in an effort to further prioritize areas of MIEDS operations, the Board of Directors participated in a strategic planning endeavour.
The goals set forth from this planning endeavour included the following (the current status is noted):
- Launch MIEDS Business Package - June 2009 (completed 2009)
- Launch Art Route - May 2009 (completed 2009)
- Formalize a working structure between MIEDS and the Council of the Haida Nation (CHN) - 2009 (in progress - Community Forest project)
- Support and engage the private sector - 2009 (in progress - Business Investment projects, Tourism Strategy and projects, Agriculture Strategy)
- Community Forest - Take a business plan to the government - 2009 (in progress in collaboration with the CHN)
- Develop a Human Resources Strategy - 2009 (in progress - Business Directory project -training/skills identification and partnerships with Community Futures, Career Centre & Hecate Strait Employment Society)
- Opportunity Analysis of PR Container Port - 2009 (in progress - Public Presentation tentatively scheduled for June 2010)
- Research and problem-solve legislation barriers to utilizing local food products and production 2010 (in progress -working with the Farmers Institute and Islands Food; Agriculture Strategy)
Haida Gwaii Tourism Strategy
From November 2007 to October 2009 a group of committed local stakeholders worked with Tourism BC on Haida Gwaii and completed the comprehensive Haida Gwaii Community Tourism Plan. This is a valuable resource to the industry that prepares the Islands to take the next step.
While tourism certainly has existed for many decades on Haida Gwaii, it came to the forefront upon the creation of the Gwaii Haanas Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site in 1993. A wide variety of tourism providers commenced operations in earnest as a result of this newly protected area. The communities of Haida Gwaii recognize the significance of tourism as a growing sector of the Islands economy.
The following studies are available as references: Heritage Tourism Strategy (2003) , the 2007 Haida Gwaii Marketing Plan,the Haida Gwaii Community Viability Strategy (2007) (Vol 1)and (Vol 2) and the Haida Gwaii Community Tourism Plan (2009).
