Our Portfolio
While we are proud of all the work we do at Sa̱nala, we are thrilled to feature these three projects that collectively showcase the quality and range of our Indigenous planning work. Whether we are coordinating large in-person or virtual events for Indigenous people to come together and plan for our future, or we’re working with mission-driven Indigenous organizations to clarify their purpose and priorities, we centre Indigenous self-determination at every step.
For more examples of our work, please visit the project directory.
Participants of the ICET Co-Governance Transformation Project meet in Haida Gwaii.
Island Coastal Economic Trust (ICET) Co-Governance Transformation
Island Coastal Economic Trust hired Sa̱nala to help advance its strategic goal to “transform the Trust into a permanent, co-governed, regional development organization for coastal communities.” To support this, Sa̱nala led an engagement process to gather strategic input and direction on transforming the Trust as a model of shared decision-making. After co-developing engagement questions and materials with the Trust, Sa̱nala conducted outreach to 53 First Nations and organized 33 meetings – both virtual and in-person. Sa̱nala was responsible for facilitation, note-taking, and report backs to Nations, as well as compiling and analyzing the data. This work culminated in the writing of a "What We Learned" report for First Nations and a final First Nations Strategic Recommendations Report to inform legislative changes.
Read the First Nations Strategic Recommendations Report here.
Read the media coverage on the project:
A graphic recording from the 2024 CCP Workshop in Skidegate, Haida Gwaii.
BC Comprehensive Community Planning Workshops
Every year, First Nations from across BC come together to share lessons learned and best practices around Comprehensive Community Planning (CCP) in their communities. This 3-day workshop is intended to provide information on how to make CCP work in your communities through a wide range of presentations – from CCP 101 and community engagement strategies to integrating land use and community plans, and exploring planning as a process of healing.
The CCP Workshop is planned by BC’s CCP Mentors, who also provide mentorship to communities undergoing their CCP processes at any stage. Sa̱nala provides the logistical support to bring the CCP Mentors together to plan the workshop, and executes their vision for the event.
In 2024, Sa̱nala organized the workshop in Skidegate, Haida Gwaii, with support from the Haida Nation, who provided a cultural opening, a food burning ceremony, a presentation on Skidegate’s CCP story, a film screening and panel, and a performance from a Haida singing group.
This year Sa̱nala has partnered with Wei Wai Kum First Nation to host the workshop at Thunderbird Hall from October 14-17, 2025.
To learn more and register for this year’s Comprehensive Community Planning Workshop, click here.
Sa̱nala team members and members of the Indigenous Advisory Group presenting at the 2024 PIBC conference.
Planning Institute of BC (PIBC) Pathways to Indigenous Membership Research Project
In collaboration with the PIBC Planning Practice and Reconciliation Committee (PRRC), the Sa̱nala team worked to identify meaningful criteria that honour the diverse knowledge and experience an Indigenous planner may bring, in order to co-create a more inclusive pathway to professional membership within PIBC. This began with the co-development of a process that respects, protects, and upholds the knowledge and experience of Indigenous Knowledge holders and planners. The Sa̱nala team then convened an Indigenous Advisory Group with representation from Indigenous planners from a variety of planning backgrounds to explore questions, concerns, and potential approaches towards membership for Indigenous planners. The final deliverable for this work included a summary report with recommendations to PIBC’s Planning Practice and Reconciliation Committee regarding next steps in the creation of a pathway to membership for Indigenous planners.
CFN-GBI Strategic Plan Cover Page.
Excerpt from the CFN-GBI Strategic Plan.
Coastal First Nations — Great Bear Initiative (CFN-GBI) Strategic Plan & Update
Sa̱nala facilitated the development of CFN-GBI’s 2021-2026 5-year strategic plan. With direction from the CFN-GBI Board of Directors and input from Staff, Program Managers, and Stewardship Directors, the strategic plan includes a vision, an updated mission, and five high-level goals to guide the work of the organization. Each goal is supported by three to five objectives to guide the organization’s actions as they work to achieve their goals. The plan was developed through an iterative process that included a wide range of engagement methods: virtual planning sessions, meetings, and one-on-one conversations, as well as questionnaires and worksheets. An operational plan was developed as a companion document to the strategic plan to further support staff connecting their day-to-day work to the broader, more visionary strategic plan.
In Fall 2024 and Winter 2025, Sa̱nala supported an update to the Strategic Plan under the direction of the CFN-GBI Board of Directors with input from Staff, Program Managers, and Stewardship Directors. This process took place by means of hybrid strategic planning sessions, questionnaire, and an assessment on the progress of the 2021-2025 Plan.