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Cree Outfitting and Tourism Association (COTA): An Integrated Approach to Tourism Development in Eeyou Istchee, Quebec, Canada

10/9/2007

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Overview of presentation • The situation in Eeyou Istchee • COTA’s integrated approach • GeoPortal for Eeyou Istchee • Lessons learned

Dreaming of a vacation‌ Live a northern adventure

The James Bay Cree •

We, the Cree of Eeyou Istchee are a Canadian First Nation that has occupied our vast and geographically diverse homeland since time immemorial.

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Eeyou Istchee covers about 350,000 square km of land and sea.

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The region is home to caribou, moose, beaver and many species of fresh water fish, and large numbers of migratory birds. The coastal zone has seal, beluga whale and polar bear.

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The Cree are one of the world's great hunting cultures and have maintained this way of life for thousands of years based on a harmonious relationship with the lands, waters and living resources.

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In the early 1970s the Cree region became the site of one of the world’s largest hydro-electric projects. The opposition of the Cree was resolved through the negotiations that lead to the signing of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement in 1975.

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This treaty along with more recent treaties have created new opportunities and challenges and it is here that the story of COTA begins.

A history of tourism • Cree guides worked at government owned outfitting camps in the 1950’s and 60’s • Outfitting and Tourism was seen as having economic potential by leaders during negotiations in 1970’s • COTA was identified as a treaty obligation in sections 28.4 and 28.6 of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement (JBNQA) signed in 1975 • COTA was incorporated in December 2000 as a membership-based non-profit association • July 3, 2007, COTA was recognized as a regional tourism association within the Quebec network.

COTA’s mission To develop and implement a collective vision for a world-class sustainable tourism industry in Eeyou Istchee, that is in harmony with Cree culture and values, and that involves a partnership among Cree communities, institutions and businesses.

COTA’s objectives • Implement JBNQA • Industry development • Community awareness and capacity building • Marketing • Communications • Financial development

Geo Portal for Eeyou Istchee • The Project consisted of developing an online mapping Portal and application to support community planning and tourism development (COTA), and land and resources management (CTA).

• The application provides access to geospatial data in real time from distributed sources over the Internet.

• The geo-portal is capable of sharing data with other Cree organizations and entities, and through a public map service with the GeoConnections community at large.

• The geo-portal also makes metadata available to the GeoConnections Discovery Portal.

Project Partners • Cree Outfitting and Tourism Association (COTA) • Cree Trapper’s Association (CTA) • Geoconnections Program • Strata360

GeoConnections •

GeoConnections is a Canadian national partnership program that coordinates the development of the Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure (CGDI)

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The Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure (CGDI): – Allows users to access data and information from it’s closest point to source, thereby ensuring currency, avoiding versioning and minimizing duplication.

– Allows providers to maintain control over their data and information, sharing it with the people who need it but with privacy and security safeguards in place.

– CGDI is a distributed, not centralized, infrastructure developed for multiple applications/uses.

– The CGDI is designed to address barriers to accessing and applying geomatics information.

Community Benefits The Geo-portal provides Cree users with a wide range of geographic information on: – The lands and resources of Eeyou Istchee.

– The Cree use, management and protection of these resources.

– The threats to these resources from non-Cree activities.

– The Cree and non-Cree infrastructures

Applications for COTA & CTA • Provides access to digital base maps and EO images • Provides access to outside sources of geospatial information that can be used by COTA and the CTA for planning, management and decision making.

• Supports impact analysis of proposed projects and post project monitoring • Monitors mining, forestry and other land disturbances such as recreational usage and non-Cree cottages • Utilizes map interfaces to search for documents that are geographically referenced to the area

Applications for COTA • Supports tourism planning at the local and community trapline level • Provides the location and information on all the outfitters in Eeyou Istchee • Allows users to apply for or renew existing outfitting licenses and speeds up the communication process required to react to new outfitting permit applications subject to the right of first refusal.

• Allows for the reporting of land-based activities or complaints • A regional tourism map with infrastructure and community maps to be provided to visitors

Applications for CTA •

Supports Cree trapper’s planning at the local and community trapline level

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Is a tool for the CTA to determine the locations of trapper cabins, including photos and insurance information

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Monitor changes in current trapline boundaries and outside intrusions

GeoPortal Homepage

Tourism Homepage

Application Interface

Lessons learned • Planned integrated approach – Living plan with a long-term vision – Makes it easier to be pro-active

• Use of technology – EI-TIMS – GeoPortal

• Identify COTA clients – Internal/external – Communicate value of COTA – Membership benefits

• Partnerships and group problem solving – Advisory committee – Shared vision and commitment

Lessons learned • Importance of community capacity and speed of development – Standards program focus is on skill development not certification, that is a long term goal

• Funding strategy – Structure / process – Solid relationships – Project / program fit

• Lots more to learn for COTA

For More Information Cree Outfitting and Tourism Association (C.O.T.A.) www.creetourism.ca info@creetourism.ca Telephone: 418.745.2220 Fax: 418.745.2240