Economic Development
According to data from 2006, the economy of Merritt and surrounding areas is highly dependent on the forestry industry, the public sector, and mining and mineral processing when compared to the rest of the province. While agriculture does not make up as large a piece of the local economy, it is still more prominent here than in the rest of BC.
Though this data is not specific to Coldwater, it helps us to understand the economic context we are in, and what areas of partnership with our neighbouring communities may be worth further exploration. In particular, our significant holdings of agricultural and forested lands may be worth exploring in more detail as to what role Coldwater could play in a growing regional economy.
Leveraging Land and Tenure Interests
Coldwater holds significant land and tenure interests through affiliated corporations and societies. These holdings, both on and off-reserve, represent considerable economic opportunities for our community, and include:
- Forest Licences
- Grazing Licences
- Water Licences
- Spayum Development Corporation
- Stuwix Resources
- Qua'eet Forest Products
- Jackass Mountain Properties
- Nicola Valley Indian Services Association
- Nicola Valley Indian Development Corporation
- 2249 Quilchena
- Aspen Planer Post and Rail
- Designated On-Reserve For Lease Lands
British Columbia Local Area Economic Dependencies, 2009. Updated statistics from 2011 are to be released in September 2013.
The following chart illustrates the organizational structure of Coldwater Indian Band’s economic development interests.
