Training Program CONTRIBUTORS

Comprehensive community planning (CCP) enables communities to integrate a broad range of planning issues into a long-term plan. CCP has become a more common planning method and form of plan used by First Nations across Canada (Mannell and Ternoway, 2008). At the same time, the need for capacity building in First Nations that are designing and implementing plans has become evident. However, there is little literature detailing how this capacity building can happen. The Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources (CIER) is a national First Nations-directed non-profi t organization located in Winnipeg, MB. CIER has created an 18 month support program for First Nations that are interested in developing comprehensive community plans. Through week-long training sessions, web-based resources, and support from CIER, participants develop plans with their community. The CIER CCP Training Program is cutting edge work. This case study of the CIER CCP Training Program, which explores the program structure, contributes to a more specifi c understanding of how First Nations can build capacity for, and in, their CPP processes