The University of Northern British Columbia will play a leading role in
one of the biggest research projects ever undertaken in northern
Canada. The study will examine the social economy of the three Northern
Territories: the Yukon, Northwest, and Nunavut.
The social economy of the North refers to the economic contributions of
organizations that are neither clearly private nor public operations
and include the activities of First Nations organizations, voluntary
groups, community associations, and charities. The research will be
coordinated over the next five years by
Yukon College, but researchers
at a few Canadian universities will be overseeing the various research
themes. Heather Myers, a professor in UNBC’s
International Studies
program, is leading research on the connection between resource
development and the social economy.
“The resource-based economy of northern communities has traditionally
provided food and materials for domestic income and for sharing within
the community. This sector has also produced enterprises that provide
local jobs and economic benefits,” says Dr. Myers. “We’re interested in
how this sector has been affected by government policy and programming.
For example, how have community-based enterprises been affected by
government policy? More importantly, how have these policies affected
communities and regions?”
Dr. Myers has considerable research experience in northern Canada. For
example, she has been engaged in community-based activities designed to
assess northern residents' awareness about the effects of environmental
pollutants, and has been an experts witness to the Council of Europe
regarding the Canadian seal hunt. She has also researched the economic
impact of small-scale forestry enterprises in northern BC.
The Social Economy Research Network of Northern Canada is being
supported by a $1.75 million research grant from the Social Sciences
and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) of Canada. It is the largest
grant ever awarded for social science research in the Canadian North.
Contact:
Heather Myers, International Studies professor, UNBC - 250.960.6481 or myers@unbc.ca
Rob van Adrichem, Director of Media and Public Relations, UNBC - 250.960.5622
