113 Oceanview Drive • Box 652 • Queen Charlotte, BC • V0T 1S0 T. 250.559.8050 • edo@mieds.ca • www.mieds.ca

2015 - 2016 ANNUAL REPORT April, 2016

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The Society As of March 31, 2016, the MIEDS Board of Directors and staff were: Andrew Merilees – Chair, Village of Masset Mike Racz – Vice Chair, SQCRD Area D Sabrina Frazier – Secretary/Treasurer, Village of Queen Charlotte Bill Beldessi – Director, SQCRD Area E Doug Daugert – Director, Village of Port Clements Cameron Bell – Economic Development Officer Mary Lou Von Niessen – Administrative Assistant/Tourism Coordinator Alissa MacMullin – Grant Writer (part time) The Report The initiatives and measurables from the 2015-16 Annual Plan, and the results achieved this year, are included in this report. These initiatives were taken from the MIEDS Three Year Economic Development Strategy adopted in 2013. Revenues and expenses associated with these projects and MIEDS operations are available in the 2015-16 Financial Statement. MIEDS will be conducting an audit for the 2015-2016 fiscal year.

Introduction

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Our Mission “To work with individuals, businesses, stakeholders, governments, communities and potential investors to coordinate, collaborate and implement island wide economic development initiatives aimed at increasing employability, employment and/or jobs for the people of Haida Gwaii.” Our Mandate To support the development of a sustainable and diversified economy for all residents of Haida Gwaii by: • Providing leadership in business attraction, retention and expansion; • Actively addressing barriers to development; • Developing and supporting initiatives that strengthen the economic

capacity of the islands and/or of islanders; • Providing a link to regional and provincial economic development

initiatives; • Engaging in workforce and business development initiatives; • Being accountable and transparent as an organization

STRATEGIC GOALS

Goal 1 To increase collaboration and communication within industry and between governments

Goal 2 To increase employment and employability of islanders

Goal 3 To decrease barriers to development

MISSION and MANDATE

“Economic Development is any project or initiative that

prompts, demonstrates or contributes to long term

income sustainability, job creation, skill development,

community or individual capacity building, or

sustainable growth for the benefit of all island

communities.” (Definition taken from

the 2013 MIEDS Strategic Plan)

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Objectives: Coordinate a unified voice for industry, businesses and member communities.

Increase MIEDS’ openness and accountability with the public, Regional District, and the Village Councils.

Initiative - On behalf of all islands communities, deliver communications to

governments, agencies and businesses in response to issues pertaining to economic development on the islands.

- Hold public Annual General Meetings for MIEDS with a public feedback component.

- Provide regular reports to the public. Measurables

Annual General Meeting Hold the AGM shortly after the fiscal year end (April or May) AGM attendance represents geographic and sectorial diversity of the

islands’ economy Public feedback from AGM is used to guide MIEDS’ operations Public Reports Update the MIEDS website a minimum of once/month Post on the MIEDS Facebook page at least once/week Write bi-weekly articles in the Haida Gwaii Observer Create and disseminate quarterly public newsletters on MIEDS’

operations (“The Ec Dev Update”)

Unified Voice on Island Issues When requested and deemed necessary by the Board, collect

information on issues affecting the islands Create reports when necessary, to be delivered directly to the

appropriate business, agency, or political figure Report back to the communities on specific issues with responses

from the business, agency, or politician Maintain consistent contact with municipal Councils, Provincial staff,

and Haida economic development agencies

Advocacy and Communication (Goal 1, Collaboration and communication)

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Results AGM The 2015 AGM was held on April 19th in Tlell. In addition to the MIEDS Board and staff, six members of the public attended, including some elected officials. Questions and discussion around finances and the Community Forest provided information and feedback on MIEDS’ operations. Public Reports The MIEDS website was updated as needed, averaging slightly less than once/month. MIEDS has recently started posting all approved Board meeting minutes on the website as well. Posts on the Facebook page were made when relevant news and information was available, averaging once/week. The benefit of these platforms is hard to assess, although it does have a positive impact on public relations and availability of information. The bi-weekly column in the Observer was used to disseminate information and stimulate dialogue about MIEDS and economic development on the islands. While it does require approximately 2 hours to write each article, it has had some benefits in raising MIEDS’ profile, based on comments from local residents and organizations. Two newsletters were produced this year, falling short of the goal of 4. The newsletter seems to be a good way to provide quick information on the society’s operations, although there is not currently an effective distribution system. Unified Voice on Island Issues The first Business Walks and Visitor Exit Survey this year provided valuable information about strengths and weaknesses in our economy and tourism sector. Results were presented to each municipal Council, the Regional District Board, and the Skidegate Band Council (attempts to schedule a presentation for the OMVC were unsuccessful). This information was shared with staff at the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism, and Skills Training, although a more comprehensive communication plan could amplify the impact of this data. The EDO presented updates and information to each Council and the RD Board three times over the year. Regular communication with Provincial staff in FLNRO was essential to community forest work, while interaction with JTST and CSCD staff was less common. Collaboration with Gwaalagaa Naay Corporation in Skidegate on a tourism travel show was successful. Correspondence with staff at GNC and OMVC Economic Development (approximately monthly) kept the EDO abreast of new developments in the Haida communities.

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Objective: Support the growth and sustainability of the islands’ forest industry. Initiative Facilitate the operationalization of the community forest volume.

1. Confirm and implement the business structure developed in 2014 that gives the communities collective ownership of the Community Forest Corporation.

2. Work with the Ministry of FLNRO, BCTS, CHN, and other partners to create an organizational structure that meets the needs and interests of all parties. Sign the Community Forest Agreement.

Create a long-term vision for communities within the islands’ forest industry. Measurables

Community Forest Corporation Adoption of the draft corporate structure by the communities Creation of the legal documents Finalization of the corporation Community Forest Agreement Tenure Consult with the Board, Councils, CHN, and communities to

establish support for the Community Forest Obtaining an Offer to Apply for a Community Forest Agreement Creation of a management plan Join the island-wide Forest Stewardship Plan Submit to the Province for review and approval Signing of the Community Forest Agreement

Forestry Strategy Work with the HGMC consultants (Moore Resource Management)

to include local economic development interests in the upcoming Forest Strategy

Ensure that the Community Forest aligns with the Forest Strategy to provide current and future benefits for the communities of Haida Gwaii

Community Forest (Goal 2, employment and employability)

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Results Community Forest Corporation Due to a lack of progress in CF tenure discussions, the CF Corporation was not established this year. There was discussion among the communities around 0994943 BC Ltd, the numbered company owned by MIEDS which holds revenue from the interim sales managed by BCTS. Although the company is not a municipal corporation, a legal opinion and confirmation from the CRA determined that the company is tax-exempt as a subsidiary of MIEDS. This legal opinion and documents from previous years will inform the incorporation process for the CF corporation in the future. CFA Tenure Ongoing communication between the MIEDS communities, and with CHN leadership, has confirmed support for the concept of a CF. Ongoing discussions around Haida title, area-based tenures, and private licensees have limited progress on signing a CFA. The Province’s offer of a CF tied to the BC Timber Sales Market Pricing System will not provide the benefits originally hoped for through this opportunity. The CHN has suggested an alternative structure, and the MIEDS communities will be evaluating various options with professional assistance in the upcoming year. While an approximate area for the CFA has been proposed, no Offer to Apply has been received. As a result, the management plan sand Forest Stewardship Plan have not been drafted. Forestry Strategy The EDO worked with Moore Resource Management to ensure that up to date CFA information was available at the forestry strategy meetings in each community in March and April, 2015. The EDO also presented at and participated in the Forestry Strategy Forum hosted by the Haida Gwaii Management Council in April. A working group including the EDO was established after the forum, and developed a proposal for an islands forestry council to address issues discussed at the forum. This proposal was not implemented by the HGMC, but a Forestry Skills Training Initiative led by the Hecate Strait Employment Development Society has emerged from the Forestry Strategy Forum.

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Objective: Support the growth of the tourism industry. Initiative Grow destination awareness through enhanced online, social media, print and mobile initiatives. Identify funding opportunities, develop a marketing strategy, and initiate joint marketing initiatives. Measurables Website

Establish priorities for purpose and function of website Report on website redesign options and costs Print Advertising Brochures and maps distributed on and off island Four complete SOAR ads for submission Create marketing plan indicating which advertising opportunities

will be pursued next year Digital Media Identify areas of the islands not represented in our current photo

bank Contract photography services to expand our photo bank Investigate video production options and consider contracting the

production of a short promotional video Social Media Increased online traffic to website, Facebook, and Twitter Successful delivery of another Trip to Haida Gwaii, with

corresponding publicity Funding, Marketing, and Partnerships Guide to Haida Gwaii: discuss the future of this publication with

the Haida Gwaii Observer, given their management transition and the importance of the Guide in disseminating visitor information

Engage with Visitor Centres across the islands to discuss opportunities for collaboration

Develop a proposal for an islands-wide tourism committee (or other organization) supported by stakeholders across the islands

Tourism (Goal 2, employment and employability)

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Results Website As the cornerstone of our destination marketing operations, GoHaidaGwaii.ca is updated regularly with new photos, information, business directory listings, and blog posts. The website was redesigned to improve graphic appeal and ease of navigation. A tracking tool was also implemented, to monitor traffic driven to private business websites. Page visits totaled 173,450 in 2015, averaging 14,400 per month (28% increase over 2014), while blog views totaled 65,000 (31% increase over 2014). Print Advertising Lure brochures and pad maps produced in previous years continue to be distributed both on and off-island. Staff continue to review new advertising opportunities, and strive to select the most appropriate avenues for our goals. A small advertising package was purchased through CFNR Radio, which included “live on location” coverage of Skidegate Days. Ads were placed in the following publications:

SOAR Magazine (Pacific Coastal) – 3 ads OnBoard Magazine (BC Ferries) – 1 ad My Passion Media Network – ads in BC Magazine, Explore, and

Canadian Traveler, plus an online article and over 100,000 impressions through online advertisements and eNewsletters

Wild Coast Magazine – 2 ads Coast Mountain Culture – 1 ad Guide to Haida Gwaii and Northern BC Travel Guide – 1 ad each

Based on readership of our advertising channels, Haida Gwaii Tourism ads made an estimated 1.5 million impressions on potential visitors. Digital Media Destination BC launched a new brand this year, necessitating the purchase of new digital assets to align with the new brand. These new images will be used in a variety of advertisements and online channels. We expanded our digital assets this year through the purchase of

- 3,000 images to improve the diversity and island-wide coverage of our image bank;

- 15 on-brand images for advertising purposes - Two short promotional videos

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Social Media and Info Requests MIEDS staff continue to maintain the Haida Gwaii Tourism/Go Haida Gwaii pages on Facebook, Twitter, and recently Instagram. Facebook advertisements were not purchased this year due to budget changes and timing constraints. Staff decided not to run a “Win a Trip to Haida Gwaii” contest this year due to business donation fatigue and staff capacity. Posts and followership in 2015 are as follows:

2-5 posts/day on Facebook and Twitter, including photos, articles, and/or relevant links

2-5 posts/week on Instagram 7,100 Facebook likes (19% increase over 2014) 2,800 Twitter followers (23% increase over 2014) 850 Instagram followers (started in 2015)

MIEDS staff continued to provide trip planning assistance throughout the year, responding to over 250 visitor information requests.

Funding, Marketing, and Partnerships As a collaborative effort with the Haida Gwaii Observer, gohaidagwaii.ca is now listed in the Guide to Haida Gwaii as the primary online source of tourist information. Discussions with the Visitor Centres and other attractions on island may lead to a visitor services training workshop in spring of 2016. The EDO was also involved in the Haida Gwaii Open Forum on Tourism Opportunities in September, and a 2-part Tour Packaging Workshop in February. MIEDS considered initiating a tour packaging service as a social enterprise, but decided against it for this year. Communication with the CHN Tourism Committee has generated some interest and dialogue around the management and governance of tourism on the islands. While there is a need for some type of destination management organization, there is no capacity or political agreement on how to establish such an entity. In the meantime, collaboration with organizations like GNC and Parks Canada on Trade Shows showcases Haida Gwaii to potential visitors, while also providing an opportunity to discuss broader tourism issues.

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Objective: Assist small businesses in strengthening their marketability. Initiative Love Haida Gwaii – Promote and support independent local businesses through online and physical advertising and marketing. Measurables

Continue promoting Love Haida Gwaii businesses through social media

Assess interest in promotional offers and additional advertising Sign up an additional 10 businesses and work towards equal

participation from across the islands Host the annual Trade Show and Love Haida Gwaii anniversary Assess interest in additional events to bring entrepreneurs

together for skills training (with CFDC), social events, and/or advertising purposes

Results With 135 businesses currently online (25 added in the past year) and 19 more in progress, Love Haida Gwaii continues to grow and promote local independent entrepreneurs on the islands. MIEDS staff make approximately 5 posts/week on the Love Haida Gwaii Facebook page, showcasing the businesses to local residents and visitors. Monthly showcases in the Haida Gwaii Trader have given some businesses extra exposure, and other promotions could be considered in the future (calendars, coupon books, etc). The spring Trade Show in Masset included 35 vendors and almost 300 local residents, while the fall Trade Show in Queen Charlotte included almost 50 vendors and attracted almost 400 people. Both trade shows included a business skills development workshop in the morning, hosted by Community Futures. MIEDS could continue to assess interest in additional events for entrepreneurs.

Local Business Support (Goal 2, employment and employability)

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Objective: Assist small business in strengthening their marketability. Initiative Create a brand for local food producers, products and farmers markets Measurables

Development of a logo and labelling/marketing materials Support and participation by local producers and the GIECFI Widespread use and consumer recognition of the brand

Results A logo for local food products on Haida Gwaii was created in spring of 2015 through a logo contest and public voting. A local graphic designer finalized the logo based on feedback from a working group composed of Graham Island East Coast Farmers Institute members and MIEDS staff. With grant funding from the Investment Agriculture Foundation, branded materials were produced, including:

- 15,000 stickers and 5,000 labels - 200 tote bags in 4 colours - 50 large signs

These materials were distributed to local producers and businesses that source local foods. The new logo was launched at the Tlell Fall Fair and all 4 farmers markets on the islands. A survey conducted in the fall showed that 64% of consumers felt their shopping habits will change when they see the logo. 80% of consumers see the logo as a positive addition to encouraging the buy local initiative and 100% of the consumer survey respondents see the logo as a good thing representing local "pride", "self-reliance", "self-sufficiency", "sustainability" and raising the "profile and awareness of local food". Although an increase in local food production and sales has not been immediate, brand recognition and sales are expected to grow over time. Very few producers who completed the survey felt that the new logo could have a positive impact on their sales. However, some respondents are noticing a unification, whereby consumers are identifying with the logo throughout markets, stores and restaurants on island. This effect will strengthen the brand and encourage more local production.

Agriculture (Goal 2, employment and employability)

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Objective: Assist municipalities and non-profit societies secure funding for community economic development projects. Initiative Hire a shared Grant Writer using NDIT Grant Writer Support funding. Measurables

Submit or assist with $600,000 worth of applications Work 1200 hours between May and December, 2015 Create database of grants available on Haida Gwaii Create list of non-profit societies on Haida Gwaii

Results The MIEDS Grant Writer, employed from May to December 2015, wrote grant applications for the three municipalities, and assisted 9 not-for-profit organizations across the islands. 38 grant applications were submitted, totaling $1,514,552.09 worth of applications. The Grant Writer also drafted a list of not-for-profit organizations on the islands, created an interactive grant database on MS Excel, and assisted with other MIEDS policy documents. This new position presented a variety of challenges and benefits, as outlined in the Grant Writer 2015 Final Report. This information was presented to each Council in early 2016. Plans for the 2016 year include updates to the existing documents, outreach to non-profits beyond word-of-mouth, and a foundation database to supplement the grant database.

Objective: Pursue community-specific economic development projects Initiative Identify a project that creates economic benefits for each community through communication between the community, MIEDS, and NDIT.

Community Projects

Grant Writing (Goal 1&3, collaborate and reduce barriers)

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Measurables Support small-scale economic development projects in each

community in 2015-16 Identify a project for each community to work on in future years Develop scope, budget, and work plan, and implement project

when possible Develop measurables that can be reported on next year

Results The Community Projects funding supported a variety of small initiatives across the islands. Identifying and managing a project was quite time-consuming for the EDO in some cases. Queen Charlotte In an effort to recruit, track, and reward volunteers in the community, the Village of Queen Charlotte launched the online “Volunteer Haida Gwaii” platform in summer of 2015. Funding through MIEDS supported the purchase of a license for the Better Impact Volunteer Management Software. This system is slowly becoming more well-utilized within Queen Charlotte, and could be expanded into an island-wide initiative in the future. Port Clements In collaboration with the Port Clements Tourism Committee, MIEDS provided funding to design and print a new tourism brochure. Working with a local graphic designer, the new brochure will feature a map, photos, and basic information about services and attractions in the community. Masset The young and growing Masset Market hired a graphic designer to produce a logo, and purchased a tent and signage for the upcoming summer. This new equipment will assist local vendors with visibility and a sheltered space for their outdoor market. Area D Recognizing common needs and opportunities among the 4 farmers’ markets on the islands, MIEDS worked with the Graham Island East Coast Farmers Institute to host the first ever “Meeting of the Markets”. The meeting strengthened relationships and generated productive dialogue, including a proposal to host a farm business skills development workshop later this year. Area E Unfortunately no project was identified to allocate this funding in Sandspit during this fiscal year.

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The MIEDS Board and EDO joined several municipal Councilors, CAOs, and an external facilitator from Northern Development for a full-day Strategic Planning session in February, 2016. The communities confirmed their commitment to work collaboratively on economic development initiatives through the Misty Isles Economic Development Society. The Society decided to contract professional assistance on the Community Forest, and continue working on tourism, Love Haida Gwaii, and Grant Writing in 2016. A new EDO will be hired in fall of 2016, and the communities will re-evaluate the role and structure of the organization before committing to projects in 2017. A summary of the goals of the society for the next 2 years is outlined in the MIEDS Interim Strategy.

Strategic Planning