“NADB is a valuable community partner which brought a much needed level-2 charging station into our community to increase traffic from EV drivers that might otherwise by-pass our community. Without their leadership on this initiative, it is unlikely this project would have made it from concept to reality.”  

– Wayne Robinson, Chief Administrative Officer, Village of Nakusp

Transforming your ideas into economic opportunities

Community-led projects are at the backbone of the Nakusp and Area Development Board. Since our inception in 1989, we’ve not only accomplished our own goals, we’ve helped numerous organizations and businesses accomplish theirs.

We strive to engage with diverse sectors within the Nakusp and Arrow Lakes region from business, forestry, agriculture and tourism to recreation, health and arts. We work hard to unite businesses, organizations and local governments throughout all sectors in strategic planning sessions, to identify your needs and develop projects and solutions based on those needs. 

We are inclusive and collaborative. Everything is done with the wellbeing of our community at the forefront.

Working in collaboration with the Village of Nakusp, we will fund and implement the recently completed plan, for the benefit of visitors and residents alike.

We maintain a current business directory and respond to requests from local business, non-profit or government organizations to support their economic resilience activity. We assess, offer options and connections to resources, and support first steps.

We participate in this program where immigrants hired by local employers can follow a path to citizenship, and retain their skills locally.

This is a community-driven campaign aimed at building awareness around and supporting the agricultural sector in the Arrow Lakes region. We aim to bring together small-scale farms, food producers, businesses and individuals to build a strong local economy centred around sustainable practices and healthy local food. This initiative includes a webpage, marketing, online directory, and a printed and digital food guide and map.

Grow Arrow Lakes

We have initiated a program to increase housing and attract employees to local businesses, creating the Upper Arrow Housing Society as of March 2024.  Stay tuned for more updates!

We support efforts of the Nakusp and Area Community Forest (NACFOR) to incubate value-added forestry initiatives in our region.

Are you part of a business or organization that wants support to pursue an economic activity?

Get In Touch!

We’ve accomplished a lot since 1989…

Year Activity and/or accomplishment
1989 NADB nonprofit society formed by the Village in January, under direction of Mayor Rose Johnson
1989 to 2001 Formed two branches: forestry and tourism.  Involved with issues such as timber licensing, ferry service, the local reservoir, promoting value added forestry, and working to obtain a community forest and a forestry training centre.

Secondary wood manufacturing study and inventory

Tourism workshop and study; promoting the area as a tourist destination

Nakusp Hot Springs development feasibility study

Burton Trail project, interpretive brochures completed

Engaged in a local industry directory

Websites were developed for the NADB, NACF and NACFOR.

2002 Broadened sectors: Social, Heritage, Arts & Cultural, Education, Economic, Forestry, Tourism, Youth. Vision to recognize the developing needs of communities and promote wellness and cooperation among all non –profits
Business Vitality IndexMeetings led to Halcyon Home, Nakusp & Area Community Foundation (letters patent), Nakusp Logo, Youth initiatives opportunity identification
2003 Bootstrap meetings – led to Nakusp and Area Community Forest (NACFOR), start-up funds for Music Fest, Wellness Festival, and Halcyon Home
Supported formation of Nakusp & Area Community Foundation with $10k to start endowment fund at Vancouver Foundation
Handled the contract for the renovation of Terra Pondera clubhouse 
Handled contracts for trail building and maintenance to employ youth 
2006-8 Creation of Community Program Coordinator position, and Beth McLeod’s work; coordinate community events and calendar, implement tourism plan strategies, branding, signage inventory & updates, event & attraction guide, participate in Community Tourism Foundations Program – Tourism BC and marketing with Kootenay Rockies Tourism
Establishment of Affordable Housing committee
2005-6 Visitor/Tourism Assessment by Roger Brooks Report – main street and tourism recommendations
2006 Participated in Cooperative Market Group with Chamber and Village
2006 – 07  Involvement with Village of Nakusp Official Community Plan 
2008   Nakusp Branding Initiative leading to new Village logo
2009 Nakusp and Arrow Lakes Tourism Plan
2010 – 11 Nakusp and Arrow Lakes Economic Summit. Held six successive sessions focused on information and needs about major economic sectors in community (forestry, agriculture, recreation, etc.)
2011 – 12 Assessed feasibility of bio-energy in the Arrow Lakes region
Built and maintained a web-based local business directory
2012 – 13 Business Retention & Expansion Survey with the Rural Development Institute
2014 – 18 Led Common Agenda process with Columbia Basin Trust (CBT), which led to:  downtown revitalization, renovations to old fire hall, ‘Seekers’ social media program to promote the Village, Trails Master Plan, caboose museum, medieval festival, waterfront lights, NACFOR projects, broadband, plus…
2016 Main Street Boost report by National Trust for Canada
2017 – 22 Partner community with Imagine Kootenay, helping locals list their business or property for sale and providing information for potential buyers and developers
2018 Rental Property Management Feasibility Study 
2019 Contributor to West Kootenay Boundary Investment Co-op, promoting investment in local business initiatives.
2019 – 20 Support for Broadband Initiative to bring internet service to all residents
2019 – 21 Partner in ‘Investment Ready Nakusp’ to promote land development: led to new property/subdivision developments, funding for zoning by-law changes, application to Agricultural Land Reserve to remove a Village parcel, and launch of ‘Develop Nakusp’ website. 
2020 Tourism Development – report of recommendations
Holiday Buy Local 6-week project
2021 Signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Village of Nakusp and Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK-Area K) to work more closely to set priorities and be accountable for local economic outcomes
Raised funding and contracted with Aidan McLaren-Caux as our first Economic Development Coordinator, allowing NADB to expand service to the region
2021 – 22 Established strategic economic priorities broadly supported by community 
2021-23 NADB’s Economic Development Coordinator provided one-on-one advisory service and information about resources, to over 200 local businesses and nonprofit organizations. Improved outcomes for community group projects i.e. Summit Lake Ski Hill, Chamber of Commerce, Nakusp and Area Bike Society, Arrow & Slocan Lakes Community Services, and more.
2021-22 Fortified skills & relationships with numerous organizations that keep our area connected to potential resources i.e. Community Futures, Arrow Slocan Tourism, Economic Development Practitioner Network (EDPN), Imagine Kootenay, Government of BC, BC Economic Development Association (BCEDA), Columbia Basin Trust (CBT), Central Kootenay Food Policy Council, and more.
2022 Obtained an EV Charger at marina, in partnership with Village of Nakusp
Completed one year Buy-local campaign to promote local business revenue
2022-23 Completed Local Agriculture Phase 1 project; engaged with local farmers and producers to determine their commercial capacity and needs.

Launched Grow Arrow Lakes program, promoting and encouraging local agricultural production, 27 producers involved.  https://nadb.ca/growarrowlakes

Invited to be Rural Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) program participant-helping immigrants recruited for employment in the region gain a path to permanent residency and citizenship
 

 

 

 

 

2023-24

Invited to Small Forest Tenure Capacity Building committee, with NACFOR & Woodlot Product Development Council-to plan and incubate value added initiatives in support of small, local forestry operators.  Resulted in feasibility studies for log information exchange & co-op sawmill.

Completed a Signage and Wayfinding Plan in partnership with the Village of Nakusp.

Launched and initiative to address workforce housing, in collaboration with the Village of Nakusp.

 

New Business Advisor, Dawn Driscoll, provided advisory services to 27 organizations.

June 2020 to present Secured $385,237 in grant funding to benefit community

“NADB is a valuable community partner which brought a much needed Level 2 charging station into our community to increase traffic from EV drivers that might otherwise by-pass our community. Without their leadership on this initiative, it is unlikely this project would have made it from concept to reality.” 

– Wayne Robinson, Chief Administrative Officer, Village of Nakusp