Executive Director Named for New Indigenous Prosperity Centre on South Vancouver Island

VICTORIA, British Columbia, October 26, 2022 (Newswire.com) - The Indigenous Prosperity Centre is pleased to announce Christina Clarke as its inaugural Executive Director. Created in 2021 by South Island Prosperity Partnership (SIPP), the Indigenous Prosperity Centre (IPC) is an Indigenous-led initiative supporting Indigenous interests and enhancing economic reconciliation on southern Vancouver Island. 

Clarke's wealth of experience includes First Nations governance, policy and law development, community engagement and economic development. She was most recently CEO of Songhees Development Corporation. She honours her NunatuKavut (Inuit-European of Labrador) grandmother and her Irish-born grandfather. "My ancestors walked in two worlds and I do also in my work today."

In 2022, she joined the Board of Governors at the University of Victoria, where she is an alum with a BA in Canadian History and Anthropology. Clarke earned a Certificate in First Nations Tax Administration from Thompson Rivers University and the Tulo Centre for Indigenous Economics. 

"I am honoured to contribute to regional Indigenous economic development," says Clarke. "We have all the ingredients for a thriving economy and true prosperity, defined in the broadest sense to include well-being for everyone and our environment. To get there, we need to work as One. As we bring our strengths together, across all sectors, in an ecosystem that supports innovation, collaboration and inclusion, the Indigenous Prosperity Centre will create a connection point for Indigenous business and communities."

The call to action for an Indigenous-led economic development organization on southern Vancouver Island was raised by Indigenous leaders participating in the Rising Economy Taskforce's Indigenous Economy Committee and emphasized in Reboot: Greater Victoria's Economic Recovery Plan, which said "ensuring Indigenous workers and businesses are fully included in recovery is what will lead to a truly resilient and prosperous economy."

Responding to that call for action, Indigenous leaders, together with SIPP, formed an IPC Committee in 2021 to create the framework and attract seed funding.

"Christina Clarke is well respected for her dedication to collaboration and strengthening Indigenous economic development," says Emilie de Rosenroll, CEO of SIPP. "We will all benefit greatly from the expansion of Indigenous innovation, practices, and economic leadership."

Clarke's priority is engaging with local Indigenous leaders. She and members of the IPC Committee, assisted by Indigenomics Institute CEO Carol Anne Hilton, are embarking upon a Learning Tour to listen to the needs and goals of First Nations in the South Island. "We want to connect on an individual level," she says. "Every community has unique goals, and we want to ensure we support the growth they want."

IPC is supported in its work by major funding partners, CIBC and Vancity. 

"CIBC is proud to support SIPP and its new initiative, the Indigenous Prosperity Centre," said Linda Harford, Executive Director, Indigenous Markets, CIBC. "We look forward to continuing to work together towards a shared goal of Indigenous prosperity and providing access to opportunities for the next generation of leaders and changemakers in the South Island community."

Andrea Harris, Vice President, Impact Strategy at Vancity, says, "As part of our commitment to put Reconciliation into action, we're pleased to extend our collaboration with SIPP and support the launch of the Indigenous Prosperity Centre. We're grateful for this opportunity to deepen Vancity's relationship with our partners, supporting and facilitating Indigenous-led paths to economic prosperity. We're very excited to witness the impact that a growing Indigenous economy will have on surrounding communities." 

"We've worked with CIBC and Vancity on several initiatives," says de Rosenroll. "Both have stepped up in a big way, with a genuine desire to help strengthen the local Indigenous economy."

Learn more: www.indigenous-prosperity.ca.

Source: South Island Prosperity Partnership