In 1991, Ecotrust, an American charity based in Portland, Oregon, was established with the purpose of developing a conservation-based economy in the Pacific Northwest. Founder, Spencer Beebe, set out to work with Indigenous people in the world’s largest intact coastal temperate rainforest, located in northwestern BC. He soon realized that he needed a Canadian partner organization and, in 1994, asked one of his Canadian Ecotrust board members, Jacqueline Koerner, to take the lead on founding Ecotrust Canada. Jacqueline became Founding Chair and soon environmental journalist, Ian Gill, became the organization’s first executive director. In 1995, Ecotrust Canada received charitable status, marking the beginning of its journey toward building resilient economies in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities. In 2010, Ian Gill left his position as President of Ecotrust Canada to assume the role of CEO of the newly founded Ecotrust Australia, operated as a separate yet affiliated organization. Ecotrust Australia closed in 2012.
Coastal Loan Fund, in partnership with Ecotrust and ShoreBank, offering loans to communities and enterprises wishing to diversify their incomes and holdings.
Advocacy work, including publications arguing against the use of catch shares in commercial fisheries.
Fisheries monitoring, including both electronic and observer-based monitoring.
Socioeconomic study of BC commercial fisheries, published in conjunction with the T. Buck Suzuki Foundation.
Community Energy
Heat Pump Pilot Project In 2018, Ecotrust Canada brought these skills to a partnership with the Heiltsuk Nation in Bella Bella, BC, a remote community off the Central Coast of BC. The pilot project replaced diesel furnaces in on-reserve homes with air-source heat pumps powered by clean energy. Hydro-powered pumps save an average of $1,650 per household per year. Based on the success of this project, Ecotrust Canada team of experienced community practitioners, policy experts, and engineers are now set to broaden this approach with communities across Canada.
Moving Toward Energy Security in British Columbia's Rural, Remote, and Indigenous Communities - 2020 Report The community-based case study explores a number of drivers of energy poverty in British Columbia, and identifies several key areas where policies and programs can be improved to better support communities pursuing resilient, clean and affordable energy systems.
Forestry
Iisaak Forest Resources, a wholly owned First Nation forestry company in Clayoquot Sound. Ecotrust Canada provided start-up funds and initially managed the corporation. Iisaak is currently overseen by the Nuu-chah-nulth Central Region Management Board.
Forest Stewardship Council group certification program, which allows owners of smaller forests to share costs by buying into Ecotrust Canada's FSC certification. Ecotrust Canada is currently the only organization in BC to offer this program.
First Nations
', a public online tool supporting aboriginal and indigenous peoples facing issues such as land claims, treaty negotiations, and resource development.
', an online tool that supports indigenous communities in sharing information about their territories, making decisions around land and water use, and going through the Aboriginal Rights and Title referral process.
Chief Kerry's Moose, co-published with the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, which establishes a global standard for land-use occupancy surveys and mapping.
First Nation Regeneration Fund, a $7 million fund to help First Nations gain equity stakes in renewable energy projects. Ecotrust Canada helped to create the fund, in partnership with Tale'awtxw Aboriginal Capital Corporation, Tribal Resources Investment Corporation, and the Government of Canada.
Qwii-qwiq-sap, an initiative promoting culturally appropriate building design and construction among First Nations communities. The first Qwii-qwiq-sap home was constructed in 2008 in the Tla-o-qui-aht Nation in Tofino, BC.
Social Enterprises
Over its 24 year history Ecotrust Canada has launched five social enterprises. The process of spinning out a business from a charity is complex and difficult. Ecotrust Canada is a leader in the field because of its ability to take risk; leverage various sources of funding; tolerate ambiguity; and imagine and operationalize new ways of doing business.
, an initiative to help small businesses reduce their carbon footprints. This program became an independent organization in 2009.
' An award-winning Vancouver-based coworking space for mission-driven organizations and businesses to connect and collaborate.
' A fisheries electronic monitoring provider focused on creating affordable and effective electronic monitoring systems for independent and small boat fish harvesters.
', a traceability project for commercial fisheries intended to combat counterfeiting in the seafood industry and provide consumers with information about seafood products. ThisFish is funded in part by the J.W. McConnell Foundation and is a partner with Sobeys and Thrifty Foods.
', which uses QR codes to trace forest products. As of 2013, the program has been used in conjunction with lumber products in Canada and mushrooms in Spain.
Other Former Activities
Cluster Economies project in the Clayoquot Sound and Barkley Sound region, evaluating green technologies that could potentially be implemented in the area.
Ecotrust Canada's Board of Directors provides guidance and oversight for the organization. The Board is independent and wholly voluntary. As of May 2020, it consists of:
Recognition
In 2019, graded Ecotrust Canada as a top 10 environmental charity in Canada. In 2013, Charity Intelligence Canada selected Ecotrust Canada as one of the top 7 environmental charities in Canada. Ecotrust Canada was also selected by the Coady International Institute at St. Francis Xavier University as one of 11 case studies from Canada and the US demonstrating successful citizen-led sustainable change. Former President, Brenda Kuecks, received a Clean50 Award in 2013 for her work in promoting sustainable development and clean capitalism in Canada. In 2008, she received a BC Community Achievement Award from Premier Gordon Campbell. In 2008, Ecotrust Canada received a Special Achievement in GIS award from ESRI in recognition of the organization's work with the Aboriginal Mapping Network. It previously won the award in 2004 for work with the Council of the Haida Nation to establish the Haida Mapping Office.
