Sustainable recreation, Oceans and marine stewardship

Position: First Nations Liaison
Organization: BC Marine Trails
Location: Remote – living anywhere coastal BC

About BC Marine Trails

BC Marine Trails is a non-profit organization dedicated to securing long-term public access to the BC coast. Our mission is to collaborate with First Nations and stakeholders to build, protect, and promote a public network of marine trails that enable safe recreational navigation of the BC coastline while minimizing environmental impact. We are best known for our online map, a go-to tool for non-motorized trip planning along the west coast. Over the past 10 years, our map has become an invaluable resource, with 17,176 active users. This tool is accessible to the public, with additional features available to our 1300+ members.

Our work is guided by three equal pillars: 1) Establishing safe and contiguous marine access to camping and rest areas; 2) Actively protecting and preserving the coast; and 3) Engaging and seeking concurrence with First Nations, whom we recognize as the rightful holders of rights and title to these areas. Collaboration with First Nations is central to our efforts, particularly in developing a marine trail network that respects Aboriginal Rights and Title. Recognizing the shortcomings of past recreational site mapping, which often lacked proper engagement with coastal First Nations, we shifted our approach in 2016. Since then, we’ve been reviewing all known sites with each coastal First Nation, working to transform coastal recreation into a practice that fully respects Aboriginal Rights and Title.

Our goal is to create a coastal recreational resource with approval from every coastal First Nation. To date, we have engaged with over 40 of the 74 coastal Nations to understand their preferences for marine trail sites, reduce user conflicts, and establish guidelines for respectful visitation. Recent initiatives include articles such as Respecting Indigenous Management Directives and Join Us in Citizen-Based Reconciliation, Paddle with a Purpose as well as the development of a StoryMap with the Mamalilikulla First Nation.

Position Overview

BC Marine Trails (BCMT) is seeking a First Nations Engagement Liaison to build new relations and deepen our existing meaningful relationships with First Nations along the BC coast. This role is pivotal in supporting the BCMT with upholding our dedication to respecting Aboriginal rights and title and ensuring our organization aligns with Nations’ management directives and supports BCMT’s ongoing commitment to citizen-based reconciliation.

The Liaison will actively collaborate with First Nations to support stewardship and explore economic development goals, direct/re-direct recreation in sensitive territories, and promote respectful visitation through BCMT’s initiatives, including the Marine Trails Code of Conduct. We expect this position to build upon established Indigenous relations such as cultural marine trail development. The ideal candidate will bring experience in engagement, an understanding of coastal Indigenous communities, and a passion for sustainable recreation.

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Key Responsibilities

Relationship Building:

• Build, nurture, and sustain respectful, long-term relationships with First Nations across the BC coast.
• Reintroduce BCMT to Nations where engagement has lapsed and establish connections with Nations in areas of expansion.
• Build and maintain relationships for collaboration and communication within and between the committees and staff of BCMT.

Program Development:

• Lead the BCMT First Nations Engagement Program
• Collaborate with Nations to understand their recreational management directives and integrate them into BCMT’s initiatives (e.g., identifying allowable camping locations, stewardship fee systems, cultural site protections).
• Work on ensuring Indigenous directives are reflected in adjacent projects such as the development of marine trails, code of conduct updates, and site condition reporting.
• Develop strategies in collaboration with Indigenous partners to promote economic development in remote communities as a result of paddlers visiting.
• Continue current trail building initiatives such as our collaboration with the Council of the Haida Nation and Ahousaht. Also explore models for future collaborative initiatives.

Liaison and Advocacy:

• Act as a primary point of contact between BCMT and First Nations.
• Facilitate meaningful engagement with partner First Nations and advocate internally to ensure BCMT’s programs align with Indigenous management directives and stewardship priorities.
• Work alongside the BCMT First Nations Engagement Committee Chair to bring new programs forward and keep volunteers engaged.
• Coordinate with the BCMT Stewardship and Trails Development Committees to provide insight to how projects could better align with upholding Indigenous Rights and Title.
• Act as the BCMT representative for Recreation on the Marine Plan Advisory Committee (MPAC) under the Marine Plan Partnership (MaPP) Northern Vancouver Island sub region.

Outreach and Education:

• Represent BCMT in community meetings, webinars, and public events to promote respectful recreation.
• Represent BCMT in relevant committees and planning sessions (e.g., Coastal Marine Strategy Forums, Community Planning)
• Collaborate and grow more educational resources, such as the First Nations components of the BCMT Code of Conduct and collaborative StoryMaps with Indigenous partners.

Administrative Duties:

• Track and document engagement activities using our internal database (Knack Trail Manager), ensuring clear and up-to-date records.
• Prepare reports, grant proposals and summaries on engagement progress and outcomes for board and committee meetings.

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Qualifications and Skills

Required:

• A Degree or Diploma in Indigenous studies or social sciences, geography, natural resources or communications with a demonstrated application to First Nations’ issues or relevant equivalent experience.
• Familiarity with the coastal BC marine environment, First Nations governance and collaborative governance management frameworks.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (written & verbal), including cross-cultural sensitivity, conflict resolution and creative problem solving.
• Strong organizational skills, with an ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines. This role requires tracking and maintaining relationships with 74 separate coastal First Nations.
• A valid class 5 drivers license and reliable transportation.
• Competent with technological systems. Many engagement tracking tools and databases are located across multiple platforms.
  • Database systems
  • Strong familiarity with ArcGIS basic functions as our main membership and First Nations engagement tool is our online map
  • Word, Excel, Google Suite and Zoom

Preferred:

• Knowledge of relevant legal frameworks (e.g., First Nations Rights and Title, Treaty negotiations, UNDRIP, BC’s Declaration Act).
• We encourage those who self identify as Indigenous to apply.
• Self-starter, competent problem-solver, leadership skills
• Experienced paddler, comfortable in self-leading overnight trips in class III waters.

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Work Environment and Compensation

• This is a remote position with some travel to First Nations communities and meetings along the BC coast. Potential candidates must be located somewhere along the coast and must have good quality internet access.
• Candidates are expected to work from their own computer but access to all required software is provided.
• Potential travel to Haida Gwaii one or two times a year.
• Flexible hours with an average time commitment of 35 hours a week.
• The majority of work will be within business hours and largely by phone or other telecommunications, with the exception of occasional evening meetings as required.
• Compensation: $32.50-$35.00/hr. This position is reliant upon continued funding.
• Expenses for travel, meetings, and engagement activities will be reimbursed.

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How to Apply

Please submit the following to job-applications@bcmarinetrails.org by 17:00 Jan 04, 2025:

1. A cover letter detailing your experience with Indigenous engagement and coastal recreation, including examples, and why you are interested in this position.
2. A resume highlighting relevant skills and accomplishments.
3. Two references who can speak to your experience and soft skills.

Please mention you saw this posting at GoodWork.ca.

For more information, visit our website at https://www.bcmarinetrails.org/partnering-with-first-nations/