North Coast Innovation Lab

We began exploring the North Coast Innovation Lab (NCIL) in 2016, and spent a year figuring out if this would be a good fit for Prince Rupert; whether we were in a position to add value to the existing initiatives and organizations in the community; could we bring capacity and attract funding to this work; and whether the social innovation lab approach was the right one. [...] Once we knew we wanted to move forward, Phase I of the NCIL became clear: scoping and designing the NCIL to understand and respond to the needs in Prince Rupert, and articulating the objectives and activities of the NCIL. [...] Principles The following five principles reflect the spirit of the North Coast Innovation Lab: Tangibility Our aim is to spark practical, demonstrable and community-led projects and initiatives for the purpose of fostering economic and social resiliency in Prince Rupert. [...] Recognition We will acknowledge and respect the social, cultural and historical complexities of Prince Rupert and its surrounding communities, and complement the existing community initiatives aiming to foster a sustainable future. [...] Activities Working towards our objectives, and to meaningfully contribute to the socio-economic resiliency of Prince Rupert, the NCIL will focus on the following activities: • Providing research, facilitation, design, incubation and project coordination capacity to activate community-led projects • Supporting Prince Rupert in developing a shared understanding of the persistent problems and opportu