Nak’azdli Community Vision Plan: Planning for Our Future

     We are proud to share the Nak’azdli Whut’en Community Vision Plan (CVP) that was developed by the community throughout 2025. 

     This plan brings together the voices, values, and priorities of our community and reflects who we are and where we want to go together. 

     It provides a strong foundation for future decision-making and planning efforts.

We are also excited to share an accompanying community history timeline developed by Marlene Erickson. 

While the CVP includes a brief history section, this timeline offers additional context and helps deepen understanding of Nak’azdli’s rich and complex history.

What is a Community Vision Plan?

A Community Vision Plan (CVP) is a document that helps a community come together around a shared vision. This is our CVP, and it reflects who we are and what is most important to us. This plan has been developed based on feedback from the community and identifies community priorities that can form the foundation of future decision making.

This plan is meant to be high-level, and it is only step-one in the planning process. This plan sets the stage for a more detailed Strategic Plan and departmental plans (i.e Land Use Plan). The goal of this plan is to document community priorities so we can be proactive in shaping our own path instead of reacting to outside pressures.

Our CVP was created by the community, for the community. It helps Chief and Council, staff, and all community members stay focused on what matters most.

In short, our CVP helps Nak'azdli:

• Plan for the future we want.
• Protect our values and way of life.
• Make decisions that reflect our priorities.
• Use our time and resources wisely.
• Open the door to new opportunities that are still grounded in our ways.

The CVP is our guide. It reminds us of where we come from, and where we are going, together.

Why Did We Decide to do This?

Our community is growing and changing. We face both challenges and opportunities. We wanted to come together to decide what’s most important to us, as a community, as families, and as individuals.

This process involved two main steps:

1. A Community Vision Plan (CVP):

A CVP is a big-picture, long-term plan shaped by Nak’azdli values and voices. It will reflect our shared vision for the future and identify what matters most to our community. This plan is a community driven document built through collecting input with Nak’azdli members, leaders, managers, Elders, youth, and staff.

2. A 5-Year Strategic Plan:

The Strategic Plan takes the big ideas from the CVP and turns them into a five-year action plan. While the CVP sets the vision, the Strategic Plan focuses on action. It outlines what Nak’azdli will do strategically over the next five years to begin bringing the community’s goals to life. The plan includes specific projects, resources, responsibilities, and timelines.

Together, the CVP and Strategic Plan will support future decision-making, help secure funding, align department efforts, and make sure all planning is rooted in Nak’azdli voices and values.

An overview of the plan development process can be seen below:

Our Partners in this Work:

This project has been led by community members and Nak’azdli staff along with the COO and Chief and Council. Nak’azdli was also supported by consultants Jake Fell and Ashleigh Gates who helped facilitate the planning process and provided neutral external facilitation support.