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ʔa·kisk̓aqǂiʔit / Cranbrook, BC (October 26, 2022) – The City of Cranbrook recently accepted a national award from the Economic Developers Association of Canada (EDAC) for Best Advertising Campaign.

The award recognized the exceptional work produced in the Ktunaxa Homelands campaign, which launched in the spring of 2022.

The campaign, which depicted the Ktunaxa Creation Story through a three-part video series, was a collaboration between the Ktunaxa Nation, Cranbrook Tourism, Tourism Fernie and Tourism Kimberley. 

The Ktunaxa Homelands campaign aims to help locals and visitors gain an understanding of how the Rockies and Kootenay waterways were formed, while appreciating the significance of the Hoodoos, all from a Ktunaxa perspective.

The Ktunaxa Nation Council Economic Investment Sector and their partners started work on the promotional campaign in 2020.

Janice Alpine, responsible for Ktunaxa Tourism Engagement, recognized that the Kootenay Region—her homeland of Ktunaxa ʔamakʔis—was not a well-known location, yet was a part of “SuperNatural BC,” and “Beautiful BC” campaigns.

Alpine recognized that the Ktunaxa story and perspective were needed to support those campaigns, and were clearly missing. 

“As we reclaim our stories of the land, we can now share with our neighbours and visitors,” she said. “We want to create an experience to be held in the memory, which can be taken away and revisited anytime.”

Darren Brewer, Business Development Office for the City of Cranbrook accepted the award at the EDAC’s annual conference in Kingston, Ontario, in early October.

“It was an honor to accept this prestigious national award on behalf of our communities,” he said. “Ktunaxa Homelands won 2 awards, ‘Best Advertising Campaign’ and was a contender for the EDAC Cup which recognizes the best of the best meaning we were one of the top 3 in Canada!  Thank you and congratulations to everyone who contributed, especially to Janice and Kristy, whose vision and passion created this meaningful initiative. This award is a testament to teamwork, and more importantly provided a national stage for the Ktunaxa Homelands project.”

“Thank you and congratulations to everyone who contributed, especially to Janice Alpine and Kristy Jahn Smith, whose vision and passion created this meaningful initiative. This award is a testament to teamwork, and it provided a national stage for the Ktunaxa Homelands project.”

Alpine said that “Visitors to our homelands are looking for answers to questions like ‘Is there a tribe here?’ and ‘What did they use this land for?’ They want to know about places they visit, the places they paddle, hike to, and bike through. Right where they are standing—what does that place mean to Ktunaxa?”

She added that it was only through the support of the partners, including the destination management organizations, Columbia Basin Trust, Destination BC and Ktunaxa citizens, that the Ktunaxa Homelands campaign was realized.

Collaboration Lead Kristy-Jahn Smith of Cranbrook Tourism, said, “Visitors to our region want to know the history of this place, and we know we have a role to play in communicating the broader history of our region and its first peoples.

“We want to support Ktunaxa in telling their stories in their words. I feel we have achieved that in this collaboration, and look forward to more work together in future.”

The project spanned across the Ktunaxa Homelands, including the communities of Cranbrook, Kimberley, and Fernie, and was supported with funding from the communities as well as the Columbia Basin Trust, Destination British Columbia.

Learn more at cranbrooktourism.com/blog/the-creation-of-the-ktunaxa-homelands.

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For more information, please contact:

Janice Alpine, Business Development/Tourism Engagement         Kristy Jahn Smith, Executive Director
Ktunaxa Nation                                                                                                 Cranbrook Tourism
japline@kabda.org                                                                                          kristy@cranbrooktourism.com

Darren Brewer, Business Development Officer
City of Cranbrook
darren.brewer@cranbrook.ca

 
Media release from EDAC: Ktunaxa Homelands – EDAC
Ktunaxa Homelands videos: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJhV4gRMIupBjTz5xhMaas_s9wbka0-4Y

We’re updating Cranbrook’s Official Community Plan! An OCP is about listening and co-creating goals to build a great city – together. With your help, we can create a future that helps all of Cranbrook’s residents succeed.

Join us at one of the pop-up engagement activities this week to provide your input:
• Friday, August 5 from 8 – 9:30 a.m. outside of Kootenay Grounds
• Friday, August 5 from 10:30 a.m.– 12 p.m. at Western Financial Place
• Friday, August 5 from 3:30 – 6:30 p.m. at the City Hall Parkette
• Saturday, August 6 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Farmer’s Market
• Saturday, August 6 from 2:30 -3:30 p.m. outside of Cranbrook Public Library
• Saturday, August 6 from 5 – 7 p.m. at Summer Sounds at Rotary Park
• Saturday, August 6 from 7:30 – 9 p.m. at Roller Skating at the Cranbrook Curling Centre

Learn more at https://www.cranbrook2042.ca/

ABOUT THE OFFICIAL COMMUNITY PLAN

The City of Cranbrook is developing a new Official Community Plan (OCP) bylaw. The City’s existing OCP was adopted in 2006, and Cranbrook has undergone significant change since then. The City of Cranbrook will be working together with the Project Team from Urban Systems Ltd. to develop a new OCP that reflects the current needs of the community and guides its growth and development over the next 20 years.

OCP OVERVIEW

Every municipality in British Columbia is required to have an Official Community Plan (OCP) under the Local Government Act. An OCP guides the growth and development of a community. It provides direction and guidance on items relating to land use, transportation, housing, environment, infrastructure, parks, agriculture, economic development, art and culture, and more to give shape and overall function to a municipality.

We Need Your Input – Get Involved!

The Our Path to Cranbrook 2042 OCP is our main tool for determining how these different elements will show up, change and shape our community over the next 20 years. That’s why we need your input!

As part of the OCP update process, the City would like to uncover what the community’s values and priorities are for the future so that these can be reflected in the document. The community’s vision for the future will be used as a starting point for formulating policy direction that is included in the new OCP.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

We have designed a community engagement program to co-create this OCP with our residents and important stakeholders.

First, we will work with you to set the overall tone and vision for Cranbrook over the next 20 years through a series of exercises. Next, we will pull out the key elements that you tell us are important and will dig in a little deeper with you on the things like transportation, housing, parks, and the environment. Finally, we will create a draft of our new OCP which we will present to the community for final feedback and comments. For full details you can review the complete OCP Timeline.

So what do you say? Are you ready to help design Our Path to Cranbrook 2042? Check out our Get Involved page and have a say in your community.

Click link Below

https://www.cranbrook2042.ca/

The Ktunaxa people have been in this area since Naⱡmuqȼin fulfilled his prophecy and placed the Ktunaxa people in this area to be the keepers of the land. At that time there was some disturbance caused by a huge water monster known as Yawuʔnik̓, who killed many of the animals.  It was decided that Yawuʔnik̓ had to be destroyed. A war party was formed. Yawuʔnik̓ plied wu·u ʔaqsⱡmaknik ʔakinmituk (Kootenay) and Miȼ̓qaqas (Columbia) River System. When Yawuʔnik̓ was killed, and butchered and distributed among the animals, Yawuʔnik̓’s ribs were scattered throughout the region that now form the Hoodoos seen throughout the region.

When the prophecy was fulfilled the spirit animals ascended above and are now the guiding spirits of the Ktunaxa.  In all the excitement Naⱡmuqȼin rose to his feet and stood upright hitting his head on the ceiling of the sky. He knocked himself dead. His feet went northward and is today known as Ya·kⱡiki, in the Yellowhead Pass vicinity.   Naⱡmuqȼin’s head is near Yellowstone Park in the State of Montana. His body forms the Rocky Mountains – http://www.ktunaxa.org/who-we-are/creation-story/.

Long before James Baker an English settler and Colonel Sam Steele, of the Northwest Police arrived in the Kootenay’s, the Ktunaxa people enjoyed ʔakisqakⱡiʔit without interference.  ʔakisqakⱡiʔit was one of the many chosen farms and vacation sites Ktunaxa lived at different times of the year. It was free of mosquitos, had freshwater creeks and grazing for horses and other farm animals. The chief of the community was Chief Joseph who set up his home with a garden and horses that roamed freely throughout ʔakisqakⱡiʔit. 

Before the settlers came the Ktunaxa and Ksanka, our people who are in what is now Montana, had attended a meeting with the Flathead and Pend O’Reille tribes in the southern Montana at a place called Council Grove Sacred Heart of Mary – Maⱡi Akiⱡwiy. The Blackrobe, who were the first group sent by the Queen to travel North America, told the ʔakⱡsmaknik (Red People) that “the white people were spilling into the country and taking up land. And, if they did not take up land that they would be chased into the mountains.” So, that is when the Ktunaxa/Ksanka group chose to move up to the northern part of their homeland. 

The Ktunaxa knew there would be a large amounts of white people arriving to Ktunaxa ʔamakʔis (land) and knew things would change.  

The change affected the land.  The Kootenay Land District were open to land settlement pre – emptions in 1868.  As settlers made land purchases one parcel of land in particular, ʔakisqakⱡiʔit also referred to as Joseph’s prairie land, became an issue.  

ʔakisqakⱡiʔit, Joseph’s Prairie, the area that was travelled and use by Ktunaxa before the coming of the white settlers, had been purchased and worked by a settler, Galbraith who eventually sold it to James Baker.  Galbraith had an agreement with Chief Joseph which was the Ktunaxa could continue to use the land for their needs.  However, Baker rejected the arrangement between Galbraith and the Chief Joseph. Chief Isadore, who was Chief Joseph’s step son who was handed the chieftainship to, were now forbidden to farm the land that was left to him by his stepfather Chief Joseph.  Ktunaxa knowledge says that the issue became contentious when their homes and other implements were burned to the ground three times to force the Chief and his family from his land. This caused tension between Ktunaxa and settlers.  
 
In 1884 two miners were found dead at Deadman’s Creek without leads to charge anyone for the murders, the Ktunaxa were under suspicion where two Ktunaxa men were arrested, Kapⱡa and Little Isadore being placed in a holding cell at Fort Steele.  Colonel Sam Steele of the North West Mounted Police and his troupe were called in from Alberta to manage the growing discontent.

After many days of meetings with the Ktunaxa, Colonel Sam Steele and an Indian Reserve Commissioner who had been called in, a settlement was reached.  Chief Isadore was able to take care of the matter of the two men and he accepted other Indian Reserve land in lieu of ʔakisqakⱡiʔit, Josephs’ Prairie.

City and Ktunaxa Nation Jointly Raise Nation Flag At Arches On National Indigenous Peoples Day – June 21, 2021

Entrepreneur Info Session – May 31st

The Kootenay Association for Science and Technology’s Kootenay Investment Challenge will work with Kootenays-based investors interested in stepping into locally-focused investing.

Besides the dollar investment, what other fundamental characteristics should you look for when raising early-stage capital? Do you know how to communicate your company’s impact to investors?

In this FREE online session, you will hear from entrepreneurs who have participated in our Impact Investor Challenge Program, and have the opportunity to ask questions about their journey, experience, insights, and next steps.
Register to join our FREE info session 👉🏽 https://bit.ly/3MmQbIy

Investor Info Session – June 1st

Spring Activator and the Kootenay Association for Science and Technology (KAST), have witnessed many entrepreneurs leading the charge in tech innovation in the Kootenays with excellent ideas—ideas that require funding and mentorship to accelerate the transformations they seek to make.

How can investors help fuel this much-needed impact forward? What does it mean to be an impact investor? What does this space look like beneath the surface, and what kinds of companies are emerging as leaders?

Join KAST virtually in this FREE Info Session along with impact investing experts to explore these questions, expand your network, and walk away empowered to make a difference in the Kootenays and beyond.

Register to join our FREE info session 👉🏽 https://bit.ly/3Nh4Sgm

The Economic Developers Association of Canada (EDAC) is Canada’s national association
of economic development professionals, representing every province and territory across
Canada with nearly 1,000 members. The Association’s mission is to enhance the
professional competence of economic development professionals and ensure placement
of qualified people in the field of economic development, to advance economic
development as a distinct, recognized, and self governing profession and to contribute to
Canada’s well being.

The Association recognizes that marketing a community is an integral part of the
economic development profession, therefore provides The Marketing Canada Awards
competition as an opportunity to exchange and review promotional and marketing material
produced by municipalities across the country. This awards program is open to those
organizations that undertake to promote and market Canadian provinces, territories,
regions, cities, towns and areas with a view to improving the economic well being of
Canadians.

The City of Cranbrook has been awarded a prestigious Marketing Canada Award:
Brand Identity
City of Cranbrook
Choose Cranbrook – The Essential Guide

This year’s awards program attracted submissions from across Canada, coast to coast to
coast. We are grateful for the continued support of our Marketing Awards program.

Cranbrook Tourism will be operating the Visitor Information Centre and offering visitor services to the public in 2022.

At their regular meeting on Monday night, Council approved the fee for service agreement between the City of Cranbrook and Cranbrook Tourism to provide visitor information services for a one-year term from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2022.

“Marketing the world class experiences Cranbrook has to offer is just part of growing tourism in the region. We are excited to now be able to extend our work into enhancing the visitor experience with travel planning and on the ground support,” says Kristy Jahn-Smith, Executive Director of Cranbrook Tourism. 

Cranbrook Tourism will be changing the mode of service delivery to include 2,800 total hours of mobile and on-demand visitor information services. That includes attending the Cranbrook Farmers Market and other events in 2022, in addition to the ongoing operation of the Elizabeth Lake Centre from June 1 to September 5, 2022.

A new Visitor Information Centre will also be opening at 800C Baker Street, in Kootenay-Columbia MP Rob Morrison’s former office space in the Cranbrook Photo building. This location is prominently situated within the downtown core, attached to a heritage building near many other historic elements like the Elko Station, the Cranbrook Ed statue, and the restored engine.

“This is a great location in our downtown core and will provide a unique opportunity to pilot new tourism strategies that will benefit our community,” says Darren Brewer, Business Development Officer for the City of Cranbrook. “Tourism is a pillar for growth in Cranbrook, and an important ingredient in the revitalization of downtown. This will help raise the profile of Cranbrook.:

The fee-for-service contract amount is budgeted at $66,000, which was approved in the 2021-2025 Five-Year Financial Plan.