Columbia Valley Greenways Trail Alliance

What Columbia Valley Greenways Trail Alliance does

Columbia Valley Greenways Trail Alliance (CVGTA) is a registered Canadian charity (CRA# 863864666 RR0001) based in Invermere, British Columbia, that plans, constructs, and promotes responsible use of sustainable trails across the Columbia Valley region. The organization's flagship asset is the 25-kilometre Markin-MacPhail Westside Legacy Trail, a fully accessible route opened around 2020–2021 connecting Invermere and Fairmont Hot Springs and supporting hiking, cycling, rollerblading, and strolling. CVGTA is currently working on the Old Coach Trail upgrade to extend connectivity from Radium Hot Springs to Invermere under Project Manager Lianne Lang. The organization operates on traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Ktunaxa and Secwépemc Peoples.

The organization is governed by a 7-member volunteer board spanning individual members, local for-profit resort operators (Nipika Mountain Resort, Panorama Mountain Resort), and non-profit clubs (Columbia Valley Cycling Society, Toby Creek Nordic Ski Club). Paid staff are minimal: a Project Manager (Lianne Lang) and a CFO/Advisory role provided by Katie Wells through Turning Point Advisory. Revenue is generated through three channels: donations and charitable contributions (processed via Zeffy, Canada Helps, direct cheque, securities, and an endowment through the Columbia Valley Community Foundation), tiered annual memberships ($20 individual, $90 non-profit, $150 business, $175 government), and project grants such as the $173,712 Pacific Economic Development Canada grant secured in January 2025. Memberships confer voting rights and participation in Society programs.

CVGTA's technology stack is non-proprietary: the website is hosted on Squarespace, newsletters run on Mailchimp, donation and membership processing runs on Zeffy and Canada Helps, and trail maps are published on Trailforks. There is no proprietary software, no mobile application, and no AI/ML capability. The marketing motion is community-led, relying on word-of-mouth, the website, newsletter, and events, with the go-to-market centered on engaging valley residents, outdoor enthusiasts, local businesses, non-profits, and government bodies around a shared "world-class trails destination" vision.

Name

Columbia Valley Greenways Trail Alliance

Legal name

Columbia Valley Greenways Trail Alliance

Website

https://greenways.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Columbia Valley Greenways Trail Alliance is a registered charity in Invermere, British Columbia that plans, builds, and promotes sustainable trails across the Columbia Valley for residents, visitors, local businesses, non-profits, and government bodies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Recreation and Trail Infrastructure Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Recreation & Activity Services (Hiking, Boating, Climbing, Fishing—Guided/Authorized) (THAAAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hiking, Trekking & Mountain Guiding (THAJABAA), Nordic & Cross-Country Centers (XC Skiing, Biathlon, Snowshoe Trails) (THAAAJAE)

Keywords

• Trail infrastructure planning
• Recreational trail construction
• Sustainable trail development
• Outdoor recreation services
• Community trail stewardship

Headquarters

HQ city

Invermere

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Registered charity (CRA# 863864666 RR0001) funded by generous donors and grants. Accepts direct donations, securities, and endowment contributions through partner organizations.
2. Membership Fees: Annual membership program with tiered pricing for individuals ($20), non-profits ($90), businesses ($150), and government bodies ($175).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Columbia Valley Greenways Trail Alliance is a registered Canadian charity that plans, constructs, and promotes responsible use of sustainable recreational trails across the Columbia Valley in British Columbia. Its primary deliverable is the regional Trail Network, headlined by the 25-kilometre accessible Markin MacPhail Westside Legacy Trail connecting Invermere and Fairmont Hot Springs. The organization funds these activities through charitable donations, grants, and tiered memberships offered to individuals, non-profits, businesses, and government bodies.

Product overview

Columbia Valley Greenways Trail Alliance operates as a registered charity focused on planning, constructing, and promoting sustainable trails in the Columbia Valley region. The organization offers trail-based recreational infrastructure centered around its trail network including the flagship Markin MacPhail Westside Legacy Trail (a 25km accessible trail connecting Invermere and Fairmont Hot Springs), supplemented by membership programs at Individual, Non-Profit, Government, and Business tiers, and donation services for charitable contributions. The organization is privately funded through donations and grants, and is currently working on the Old Coach Trail upgrade project to expand trail connectivity from Radium Hot Springs to Invermere.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Markin MacPhail Westside Legacy Trail A 25-kilometre fully accessible trail connecting Invermere and Fairmont Hot Springs in the Columbia Valley, offering outdoor recreation including biking, hiking, rollerblading, and strolling with scenic beauty and rest areas.
• Columbia Valley Trail Network A network of sustainable trails throughout the Columbia Valley region providing recreational opportunities for various user groups including hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians, with trail etiquette guidelines and best practices.
• Old Coach Trail Upgrade Active project to upgrade the Old Coach Trail with the goal of connecting Radium Hot Springs with Invermere, managed by Project Manager Lianne Lang.
• Membership Programs Tiered membership offerings including Individual ($20/year), Non-Profit ($90/year), Government ($175/year), and Business ($150/year) categories, providing voting rights, participation in Society programs, and networking opportunities within the Columbia Valley recreational region.

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Crown of the ContinentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner referenced in website content, showcasing shared mission around trail development in the region.
• Canada HelpsminorOthersThird-party donation platform enabling charitable contributions. Donations via this platform receive tax receipts directly from Canada Helps.
• CV Community Foundation (Columbia Valley Community Foundation)minorOthersPartner organization for endowment donations. Contributions to the endowment receive tax receipts directly from the foundation.
• British Columbia Trails SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvincial trails organization referenced for best practices and trail stewardship guidelines.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Trans Canada Trail: National registered charity that plans, builds, and connects trails across Canada; directly comparable as a registered charity operating a multi-use trail network funded by donations, grants, and government partnerships. CVGTA operates at a regional scale of the same model TCT operates nationally.
• Appalachian Mountain Club: Long-standing US nonprofit operating trails, maintaining backcountry infrastructure, and advocating for outdoor recreation; comparable as a member-supported charity stewarding a regional trail network with associated programming.
• Leave No Trace Canada: Canadian nonprofit focused on environmental stewardship and responsible outdoor recreation, education, and advocacy; comparable mission overlap with CVGTA's 'responsible use of sustainable trails' and trail etiquette programming.
• British Columbia Trails Society: Provincial trails advocacy and stewardship organization explicitly listed as a CVGTA partner; highly comparable as a registered society promoting trail development and best practices across BC.
• Federation of Mountain Clubs of BC (FMCBC): BC-based nonprofit that advocates for and supports hiking trails and backcountry recreation; directly comparable mission (sustainable trail access) and member-based operating structure. Eric Vanderkruk on CVGTA's board also sits on related provincial bodies, evidencing close overlap.
• Columbia Valley Cycling Society: Local nonprofit advocating for cycling infrastructure and trails in the same Columbia Valley region; directly comparable as a registered society serving overlapping trail users, and is even represented on CVGTA's board.
• Rails-to-Trails Conservancy: US nonprofit focused on converting rail corridors and building active-transportation trail networks; directly comparable as a charity-driven trail-building organization with multi-use recreational and active transportation outcomes.
• Outdoor Recreation Council of BC: BC-wide umbrella body for outdoor recreation user groups, on whose board Eric Vanderkruk (CVGTA Co-Chair) also serves; closely aligned mission around trail policy, advocacy, and funding access for outdoor recreation.

Broad incumbents

• Nature Conservancy of Canada: Large national land conservation charity whose stewardship and conservation mission overlaps with CVGTA's environmental stewardship values, though NCC operates at much larger geographic and financial scale.

Regional players

• Pacific Spirit Park Society: Metro Vancouver-based nonprofit supporting trails and park stewardship; comparable as a regional trails charity but operating in a different (urban) geography than CVGTA's rural valley focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Columbia Valley Greenways Trail Alliance