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Photo credit: Kate Maddigan


The Local Economic Action Plan (LEAP) presentation was a review of strategic focus areas for the island's economy, covering topics such as tourism, resource industries, social sector, small businesses, and shared prosperity, with an emphasis on community involvement and sustainable development.


The slides presenting the LEAP 2024 report are available for download below:




Please read the November newsletter here: https://mailchi.mp/249f80a88968/cceda-autumn-newsletter-6749103

Even though the autumn season provides a natural rhythm of slowing down, CCEDA continues to keep a busy pace with many projects around regenerative tourism, passenger transportation, business support and others.


Unfortunately our momentum will be difficult to maintain after March 2025 as CCEDA completes the last remaining months of funding for staff (thanks to a 2-year provincial grant). Unlike other local non-profits who rely on funding from sources such as Community Gaming Grants, CCEDA is not eligible for many of these funds as a "business association" even though we do plenty of community development work.


 CCEDA has accomplished so much this year, please consider donating at this link.


Business Mentorship News

Please welcome Anuschka Steigemann, our new Business Mentorship Coordinator who can advise on business resources to get you on track to success. You can reach her at Anuschka@cceda.ca with any of your business questions, and stay tuned for upcoming business-related support and events.

CCEDA sends a warm thank you to departing Tamlyn Collingwood for all her hard work with local entrepreneurs this year. Tamlyn will be spending more time on her own business, Twigroot Botanicals.


LEAP Presentation

December 11, 7pm Virtual Event

The Cortes Island Local Economic Action Plan (LEAP) is a collaborative effort to foster a thriving and resilient community. Through extensive community engagement, including consultations, surveys, and conversation cafes, the 2018 LEAP Report was updated to 2024.

Please email Kate@cceda.ca to RSVP before December 11 for this virtual presentation of the DRAFT 2024 LEAP Update. This is a great opportunity to offer feedback on this draft before the final report is released.


Tourism & Transportation Projects 2024

CCEDA is working to action recommendations from Regenerative Tourism & Passenger Transportation efforts with upcoming projects.  Please stay tuned for more on this, or reach out to Kate@cceda.ca for more information.


You can access the report recommendations at Tourism and Transportation.


North Island Employment Foundations

Whether you're interested in exploring opportunities in a specific profession or looking for new ways to map out your own unique career pathway, we invite you to reach out to NIEFS and request a 1-1 info session.

Check out programs or job postings at https://niefs.net/, or contact info@niefs.net or 250-286-3441 in Campbell River.


BC Employer Training Grant

Local employers have had success recently with this grant, we wanted to make sure you knew about it too!

This grant provides funding to businesses or organizations to support skills training for their employees, including prospective new hires. Employers can receive 80% of training costs, up to $10,000 per employee, with a maximum annual amount per employer of $300,000.

Please contact Kate@cceda.ca for more information about this grant


CCEDA in the news

In the fall of 2023, CCEDA hosted a series of public engagements to get feedback on the following community topics: Small Business supports, Quality Education, and Local Agricultural Food Security. This input was important for updating CCEDA's Local Economic Action Plan (LEAP) originally completed in 2018.


The following are summaries on the outcomes of these conversation events, along with a downloadable document with lots more information on each.


  1. What do Small and Local Businesses need to success on Cortes?

Sept. 14, 2023, Pioneer Room

Summary: Small Business Priority Actions and Strategic Directions

  Encourage local entrepreneurship and offer small business education

  Work with the SRD and other community organizations to provide incentives to support small businesses

 Encourage the community for greater support of the local circular economy, without also limiting export businesses

  Start a business network/guild with regular meetings

  Complete a local business directory online




  1. What does quality & accessible education on Cortes look like and how do we support it?

Nov. 16, 2023, Pioneer Room

Summary: Education Priority Actions

  Draft a plan to create a more full-some educational strategy for the island, through advocacy, marketing, and fundraising

  Create a model of what education can look like when truly place-based and future/eco- focussed

  Network with other rural/remote communities to end the rural education crisis

  Develop a community education position to inspire a broad culture of life-long learning, from trades apprenticeships and skill-sharing mentorships, to facilitated peer circles for local leaders and healers to support personal growth and wellbeing

  Increase community involvement in education through outreach and communication



  1. How can we support a vibrant local food system, while allowing local growers and food processors to earn sufficient livelihoods?

Dec. 7 2023, Gorge Hall

Summary: Local Food Security Priority Actions

Participants indicated that Cortes Island should grow more food year round through:

  Funding and empowering a community-wide team of food coordinators/activators, and build common community resources

  Complete inventory of arable land on the island for food production

  Create more community food networking opportunities, including through the creation of neighbourhood food security hubs

  Provide more support for local farmers, with fair wages to grow for the local community

  Facilitate the understanding and urgent need for greater local food production






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