Great Bear Sea PFP recognized by Fulbright Canada for outstanding Indigenous leadership and long-term impact

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Coast Funds

Aug 24, 2026, 20:00 ET

VANCOUVER, B.C., Aug. 24, 2026 /CNW/ -- The Coast Solutions Task Group, Coast Funds, and the seventeen First Nations who are part of the Great Bear Sea Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) project have been recognized as "a remarkable example of Indigenous-led conservation finance, governance,  stewardship, and long-term community impact" by the Fulbright Canada Honouring Nations Canada Awards, an initiative of Fulbright Canada that recognizes, celebrates, and shares stories of exceptional Indigenous achievement.

"The Great Bear Sea PFP is an outstanding example of what becomes possible when Indigenous Nations have the governance, resources, and partnerships to advance their own long-term vision," says Robin McLay, Executive Director of the Fulbright Canada Honouring Nations Initiative. "It brings together Indigenous-led stewardship, innovative finance, and economic opportunity in a way that can create lasting benefits for generations."

"When the $335 million Great Bear Sea PFP was finalized in June, 2024, it meant a new era of partnership in marine stewardship and conservation on the central and north coasts of British Columbia, thanks to the leadership and vision of the First Nations who had worked towards this outcome for more than a decade," says Dallas Smith, President of Nanwakolas Council and Chair of Coast Funds. "We're really proud that our leadership efforts have been recognized in this way."

The Great Bear Sea (also known as the Northern Shelf Bioregion) extends from northern Vancouver Island to the Canada-Alaska border. The region is one of the richest and most productive cold-water marine ecosystems on Earth, home to marine life from herring and salmon to whales, dolphins, seabirds, and kelp forests. Stewarded and cared for by First Nations for tens of thousands of years, the Great Bear Sea is a source of sustenance, culture, and livelihoods for all who call the coast home.

The Great Bear Sea PFP provides funding for the collaborative implementation of both the Marine Protected Area (MPA) Network Action Plan and the Marine Plan Partnership (MaPP) in the Great Bear Sea. These two initiatives, which represent the collaborative efforts of First Nations, the governments of Canada and British Columbia, local governments, and stakeholders from commercial fishing, tourism, energy, and other sectors, are the foundation for a proposed network of marine protected areas encompassing approximately 30 per cent of the Great Bear Sea. These co-developed plans will support healthy fisheries, protect and conserve ecosystems and important cultural sites, enable sustainable marine economies, improve food security, and increase coastal resilience.

"The Marine Protected Area Network is designed to protect and conserve our important resources from a place of co-governance that honours our expertise and our jurisdiction over our territories," said K̓áwáziɫ Marilyn Slett, President of Coastal First Nations – Great Bear Initiative and Chief of the Heiltsuk First Nation. "The Great Bear Sea PFP that we collectively developed is supporting the conservation goals the world needs and ensures our communities have the resources, training, and equipment for durable and collaborative management. I'm pleased our work is receiving this level of recognition," adds Christine Smith Martin, Chief Executive Officer of Coastal First Nations – Great Bear Initiative and co-Chair of the Coast Solutions Task Group.

"This demonstrates the importance of Indigenous leadership and decision-making in the stewardship of our coasts, ensuring the prosperity of our communities and of everyone who enjoys living and working in this incredible part of the world," observes fellow co-Chair Merv Child, Executive Director of Nanwakolas Council. "We're delighted to accept this award in acknowledgement of that fact."

Coast Funds, the world's first Indigenous-led conservation finance organization, is managing the Great Bear Sea PFP funds on behalf of the participating First Nations. "This PFP is delivering long-term environmental and community outcomes by supporting marine ecosystem health, biodiversity protection, and community-based stewardship capacity," says Coast Funds' Chief Executive Officer, Eddy Adra. "At the same time, it is strengthening sustainable coastal economies by linking conservation investments with economic development, employment, training, and stewardship opportunities in First Nations communities. Over the next 20 years, we expect the PFP will support more than 3,000 new jobs and 200 new businesses in marine stewardship, transportation and renewable energy, sustainable fisheries, eco-cultural tourism, and manufacturing and processing."

The award will be presented as part of the Victoria Forum in Victoria, BC, taking place from August 23 to 25, 2026. The Forum is hosted in partnership with the Senate of Canada and will bring together leaders from across Canada and internationally for major discussions on governance, reconciliation, innovation, philanthropy, and social finance. The Forum will include plenary sessions on International Indigenous Issues, as well as on new and emerging innovations in philanthropy and social finance.

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