Snaw-Naw-As Food Security & Farm Hub

The site will serve as a long-term asset for local food production, training, and entrepreneurship, advancing the Snaw-Naw-As First Nation’s goal of food sovereignty and economic independence.

The project will transform the site into a working demonstration and training farm that integrates greenhouse and field production, orchard agriculture, food processing, and eco-tourism. Core infrastructure includes a greenhouse, a 3.5-acre farm and orchard, and a cold storage and processing facility, alongside accessible washrooms, electrical and plumbing upgrades, and a renovated farm stay to support training and visitors.

Together, these investments will create a culturally safe, educational hub that combines modern agricultural techniques with traditional Coast Salish foodways. The initiative will generate seasonal employment, training, and entrepreneurial opportunities, positioning Snaw-Naw-As as a regional leader in Indigenous food security and agritourism. Once established, the hub will serve as a replicable model for other First Nations seeking to build climate-resilient, community-based food systems.

Island Coastal Economic Trust is partnering on the project through a $200,000 investment from the Capital and Innovation funding program, under the Food Security and Agrifood priority.

Wellbeing Impact

The Trust invests in projects using a Wellbeing Impact Framework that looks beyond traditional economic metrics. This approach evaluates how each investment strengthens economic prosperity, cultural vitality, climate resilience, and social empowerment. By focusing on outcomes that matter to people and place, the Trust works to spur new investments that create meaningful, lasting benefits across Vancouver Island and the coast.

By investing in agricultural facilities, processing equipment, and site upgrades, Snaw-Naw-As is creating lasting community assets that strengthen economic self-reliance and attract further private and institutional investment to the region.