COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLANNING: ESTABLISHING A SHARED VISION  What is CCP? A comprehensive community plan (CCP) is an important over-arching ‘umbrella’ – or strategic level plan - under which other levels of community planning (sector specific, area specific) can be conducted. The CCP contains the community’s vision and high level goals which guide more focused objectives and action planning. The CCP process builds a foundation of common goals that can be used to facilitate the establishment of purposeful partnerships, objectives and strategies to realize the community’s goals. CCP’s are based on the philosophy that community initiatives are most likely to succeed when they: are planned and purposeful; engage the community; and compliment the overall vision and strategic objectives of the community. Acknowledging these keys to successful community planning, the development of a CCP should be a community-based, community-driven process that will evaluate and balance the various needs of the community (including on and off-reserve members) and provide the basis for effective and transparent decision-making in the community over the long term. Why is it innovative? The CCP process was created through a partnership involving planning staff within the Strategic Planning Division of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) and First Nation community members across the country to address the challenges some First Nations continue to face in developing and maintaining healthy, self-reliant, and sustainable communities. The comprehensive community planning process provides the opportunity for First Nations to address their unique socio-economic needs while also developing their knowledge and skills in the area of community planning and management as the CCP is specific to the First Nation communities across Canada. Our Work Hemmera has been working in partnership with the Chemainus First Nation on their Comprehensive Community Plan (CCP), as well as with the Ehattesaht Tribe, and the Kwakiutl First Nation, to capture the needs, desires, and expectations of the Nations’ members to guide their Band Councils’ management decisions. The CCP approach integrates highly participatory, capacity-building community involvement with leading-edge planning and facilitation to establish a ‘Vision’ for each unique community. As a result of Hemmera’s reputation in First Nation community planning, Hemmera was invited to present at a recent Indian and Northern Affairs two-day conference on the CCP process (session: ‘How to Plan – the Core of the Process’) and the benefits of full community engagement in the planning process. Results The Chemainus First Nation, in partnership with Hemmera, recently completed their CCP, with ratification by Band Council scheduled for August 2007. Chief and Council has already initiated dialogue with relevant potential proponents as a result of the direction provided in the CFN CCP, going forward on the ambitious commercial area development on reserve land called the Four Corners Development Project.

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