IPCA Innovation Centre Network

This Knowledge Hub supports the creation and coordination of a national network of regional Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA) Innovation Centres, rooted in Indigenous leadership and responsive to local and regional needs. It builds on the success of the Pacific IPCA Innovation Centre and the vision of the 2018 We Rise Together report by the Indigenous Circle of Experts (ICE), which emphasized the importance of Indigenous-led conservation as central to achieving Canada’s conservation targets, including the 30 by 30 goal.

Led by the IISAAK OLAM Foundation and Vancouver Island University, the Hub will work with Indigenous Nations, academic institutions, NGOs, and other partners to support community-driven IPCA initiatives. These regional Centres will serve as trusted, culturally grounded spaces where Nations and allies can convene to identify needs, co-develop resources and governance tools, deliver training, and share successes—both within their communities and through a national network.

Each regional Centre will reflect the unique ecological, legal, and cultural context of its area. While programs and activities will be locally tailored, they’ll contribute to a national movement of Indigenous-led conservation through shared learnings, ethical collaboration, and community-driven innovation.

The Hub prioritizes self-determination, reciprocity, and Indigenous governance, helping Nations access the resources they need to advance their conservation and land stewardship visions. A geospatial website (e.g., ipcainnovation.ca) and the IPCA Knowledge Basket will host tools and stories for knowledge sharing, respecting Ownership, Control, Access, and Possession (OCAP®) principles and privacy preferences.

Through this coordinated network, the Hub helps transform conservation in Canada by supporting Indigenous Peoples as full decision-makers over their lands and waters, while contributing to national and global biodiversity commitments.