Westbank First Nation (WFN) is open for business. Just ask Economic Development Officer Jayne Fosbery.

“Our Chief and Council are very business-friendly,” she says. “We welcome new business and we’ve worked hard to create an environment that attracts and supports it.”

WFN’s self-governing status helps to facilitate that process. Unlike the other six members of the Okanagan Nation Alliance, who remain under the jurisdiction of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC), Westbank has enjoyed self-government since 2005. That independence ensures that WFN can make development decisions quickly, a factor that has helped to cement its pro-business image.

Leaving nothing to chance, WFN has created a five-year capital plan and established an economic development commission—the only one of its kind in Canada among First Nations people, Fosbery says. “Membership includes three members of WFN and two non-members with business acumen. Financial stability is extremely important to us and we are looking to create a business environment that will maintain and increase our current prosperity.”

That approach has clearly been a huge success. Approximately 20% of WFN’s 5,300 acres are now developed and fully serviced with cable, water, sewer and other utilities. At present, there are about 200 businesses on Westbank land, with major tenants that include Wal-Mart, London Drugs, Zellers, Extra Foods, Blockbuster Video, Home Depot, Canadian Tire, and several major banks and fast-food outlets.

The remaining lands are in great demand by businesses eager to fill the needs of the rapidly growing population base in nearby Westside and the City of Kelowna on the other side of Okanagan Lake.

To help meet those demands, WFN has implemented one of the most comprehensive sets of community laws in Canada covering the development and regulation of reserve lands. And while developers must lease rather than buy land from Westbank, the standard 99-year lease doesn’t faze them, says Fosbery. “About 80% of our land is owned by individual WFN members under Certificates of Possession. As long as those individuals follow our Land Use Plan, leases are between them and the developer. We don’t get involved in the negotiations.”

For the 20% of WFN lands held by the community, WFN is contemplating a variety of uses. One involves partnering with established developers to create retail commercial projects.

“There are two projects, involving close to 30 acres of community land contemplated for major retail commercial development,” says Kirk Dressler, Council Secretariat and General Legal Counsel for Westbank First Nation. “One development has been approved in a community process, and the second will be submitted to a referendum to be conducted this fall.”

Dressler says the concept involves WFN contributing the community lands in exchange for a share of the business operation (or, in one case, an up-front cash payment and a share in the business operation).

The model marks a move away from the historical practice of simply leasing land to developers and settling for what essentially amounts to a cash sale of the land, he says. As a joint venturer, WFN will have a role in shaping the face of the development, realize an ongoing income stream, and create employment opportunities for its membership. 

“WFN is excited about being an active participant in these ventures, and the extent of the interest from the development community speaks volumes about the confidence that community has in both WFN’s system of governance and WFN’s quality as a business partner,” Dressler says.

• Civil
• Smart
• On-topic
• Free from profanity

All participants will register for an account. It's simple, takes seconds and will keep our comments free of trolls, cranks, and drive-by commenters.

As a community site, we ask that the community help by using the "Flag" button on each comment if they feel a comment has violated these rules. You can also use the 'up and down' arrows on each comment to voice your opinion about that particular comment.