Shuswap Indian Band

What Shuswap Indian Band does

Shuswap Indian Band (Kenpesq't), also historically known as the Columbia Campfire, is a self-governing First Nations community within the Secwépemc Nation, located on reserve near Invermere, British Columbia, on the east bank of the Columbia River. It operates as a band government under the Indian Act framework with jurisdiction over reserve lands via the Framework Agreement on First Nation Land Management (2012) and a ratified Land Code in force since February 1, 2015. The Caretaker Area extends from near Valemount to the BC/United States border, the Monashee Mountains, and the eastern foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Alberta, within the broader ~180,000 km² Secwépemc Traditional Territory.

The Band delivers a comprehensive suite of community services through multiple departments: Education & Training (K-12 coordination, post-secondary bursaries, adult upgrading), Health (nursing, mental health, harm reduction, medical transportation), Lands & Public Works (development, leases, surveys, Kinbasket Water & Sewer utility), Band Housing (social housing, CMHC-RRAP assistance), Social Development, Territorial Stewardship (rights and title, fisheries, forestry, water protection), Guardians & Heritage (land monitoring, archaeology, cultural stewardship), Language & Culture (Secwépemctsín revitalization), and Property Taxation (under FSMA since 1991/2008). Funding flows from Indigenous Services Canada program allocations (schooling, social development, community services), property tax revenues on reserve lands, and economic development activity through wholly-owned subsidiary Kenpesq't Territorial Operations Ltd. (KTO), established in 2019. The Band also engages in territorial advocacy and treaty leadership, chairing the Columbia River Salmon Recovery Initiative Executive Working Group and leading the Secwépemc Nation Technical Team for Columbia River Treaty negotiations.

The Band operates a formalized cross-jurisdictional partnership with the District of Invermere through the Shuswap Kenpesqt Invermere Partnership (SKIP), enabling joint active transportation, environmental stewardship, and park co-management. It collaborates with neighboring nations including the Ktunaxa Nation on salmon restoration and maintains board or steering committee representation with Columbia Basin Trust, FWCP, CWSP, and Parks Canada. Leadership consists of an elected Chief (Barbara Cote, in office since November 2014), Council members, and an Executive Director (Manon Moreau), supported by directors across each functional department and a roster of specialized technical staff including foresters, biologists, land use planners, and credentialed health professionals.

Name

Shuswap Indian Band

Legal name

Shuswap Indian Band

Website

https://shuswapband.net

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Shuswap Indian Band is a self-governing Secwépemc First Nations community near Invermere, BC, delivering education, health, housing, lands, social, and cultural services to its members through ten-plus departments and wholly-owned Kenpesq't Holdings subsidiary.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Invermere

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: Shuswap Band receives operational funding from Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) for various programs including schooling based on nominal role (number of full-time students), social development programs, and other community services. Funding is secured annually through Canadian Parliament.
2. Property Taxation: Shuswap Band has administered property tax jurisdiction on reserve lands since 1991/1992, originally under section 83 of the Indian Act and later under the First Nations Fiscal and Statistical Management Act (FSMA). Property taxes fund community services and infrastructure including hospital, water, sewer, and recreation services.
3. Economic Development (Kenpesq't Holdings): Kenpesq't Territorial Operations Ltd. (KTO), established in 2019, operates within BC to bolster Shuswap Band's capacity within Secwépemcúl'ecw through sustainable growth initiatives, skill development, employment opportunities, and Secwépemc inclusion in impactful projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Shuswap Indian Band is a self-governing First Nations community within the Secwépemc Nation providing a comprehensive suite of community services to band members. Core offerings include Education & Training (K-12 coordination, post-secondary funding, adult upgrading), Health Department services (nursing, mental health, harm reduction, medical transportation), Lands & Public Works, Band Housing, Social Development, Territorial Stewardship, Guardians & Heritage, Language & Culture programs, Property Taxation, and Economic Development through Kenpesq't Holdings.

Product overview

Shuswap Indian Band operates as a self-governing First Nations community within the Secwépemc Nation, offering a comprehensive suite of community services rather than commercial technology products. The Band's service portfolio includes Education & Training (K-12 coordination, post-secondary funding, adult upgrading), Health Department (nursing, mental health, harm reduction, medical travel), Lands & Public Works (land management, building permits, utilities), Band Housing, Social Development, Territorial Stewardship, Guardians & Heritage, Language & Culture, Property Taxation, and Economic Development through Kenpesq't Holdings. These programs collectively support the community's health, prosperity, and cultural preservation goals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Education & Training Programs
• Health Department Services
• Lands & Public Works
• Band Housing
• Social Development Program
• Territorial Stewardship Office
• Guardians & Heritage Program
• Language & Culture Programs
• Property Taxation Services
• Business on Shuswap Reserve
• Kenpesq't Holdings (KTO)

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• District of InvermerecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Shuswap Band and District of Invermere established the Shuswap Kenpesqt Invermere Partnership (SKIP) after graduating from the CEDI (Community Economic Development Initiative) program in 2021. The partnership focuses on Joint Active Transportation Network Plan, joint engagement with Provincial Ministries on park co-management, joint environmental stewardship and wildlife rehabilitation, and shared cultural and historical learning. In 2025, partnership was continued with new Working Group members including Executive Director Manon Moreau and CAO Dean McKinley.
• Columbia Basin TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerColumbia Basin Trust is listed as a community partner and referenced in Lands Department links. Trust supports community initiatives and environmental stewardship within the Columbia Basin region where Shuswap Band operates.
• RDEK (Regional District of East Kootenay)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRDEK is listed as a community partner, indicating collaboration on regional matters affecting the East Kootenay area where Shuswap Band reserve is located.
• Eagle RanchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEagle Ranch is listed as a community partner. The vision of Eagle Ranch was born out of the Secwépemc cultural belief that 'those who nurture the land will receive back from it ten-fold.'
• Secwépemc NationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShuswap Band is a member of the Secwépemc (Secwépemcúl'ecw) Nation, one of 17 existing communities. The Band participates in collective initiatives including the Columbia Collaborative with 5 other Secwépemc communities to address issues in the Columbia Basin. Also leads Technical Team for Secwépemc Nation in Columbia River Treaty negotiations.
• Ktunaxa NationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShuswap Band has close family ties to the neighboring Ktunaxa Nation, with several members belonging to both communities. Both nations collaborate on salmon restoration initiatives including the Bringing the Salmon Home campaign.
• Columbia River Salmon Recovery Initiative (CRSRI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShuswap Band participates in the CRSRI Executive Working Group (EWG) as Chair. This initiative works to restore salmon to the Columbia River system after hydroelectric damming blocked migratory routes since the 1930s.
• Columbia River Treaty (CRT) Negotiating Advisories TeamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShuswap Band participates in CRT Negotiating Advisories Team (NAT) with 3 Nations, Canada and BC, leading the Technical Team for the Secwépemc Nation in treaty negotiations affecting the Columbia Basin.
• Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerShuswap Band participates in FWCP board for Columbia Basin fish and wildlife compensation initiatives.
• Columbia Wetlands Stewardship Partnership (CWSP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerShuswap Band participates in CWSP board for wetlands stewardship in the Columbia Basin region.
• Columbia Basin Trust's Ecosystem Enhancement Program (EEP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerShuswap Band sits on the Steering Committee for CBT's Ecosystem Enhancement Program for the Secwépemc Nation.
• First Nations Health Authority (FNHA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFNHA is referenced as a key support partner for mental wellness contact and health services coordination for First Nations communities in BC.
• British Columbia Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerShuswap Band is registered as a Certified distribution site for Naloxone Harm Reduction Supplies with BCCDC, part of the Take-Home Naloxone Program for overdose prevention.
• Indigenous Services Canada (ISC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISC funds various Shuswap Band programs including schooling, social development, and community services. Also funder of CEDI program through which partnership with District of Invermere was developed.
• Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers (CANDO)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCANDO partnered with FCM to create the CEDI program that facilitated the initial partnership between Shuswap Band and District of Invermere.
• Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFCM partnered with CANDO to create the CEDI program that facilitated the initial partnership between Shuswap Band and District of Invermere.
• Kootenay Forestry CollaborativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerShuswap Band participates in the Kootenay Forestry Collaborative for forestry sector opportunities and planning.
• Parks CanadaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint effort between Shuswap Band Elders, Staff, and Parks Canada on parks, protections, and community advocacy - referenced in video content about Shuswap Band Elders.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Tla'amin Nation: BC self-governing First Nation with a modern treaty (2016) and diversified economic development. Comparable in operating multiple community-service departments under a self-government framework and pursuing active economic development through owned corporations.
• Westbank First Nation: BC First Nation operating under a self-government agreement with strong property-tax jurisdiction and a diversified economic base. Comparable structure: Land Code-equivalent governance, own taxation authority, and significant on-reserve commercial activity.
• Osoyoos Indian Band: BC First Nation with self-government, property-tax jurisdiction, and active economic development arm (Nk'Mip). Directly comparable on dimensions of small reserve base, taxation authority, and developing commercial enterprises.
• Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc: A fellow Secwépemc Nation community in the Kamloops area with comparable self-governance, lands management, and cultural-revitalization programs. Direct peer given shared nation governance, language preservation mandate, and similar community-services operating model.

Broad incumbents

• Squamish Nation: Large BC First Nation with extensive economic development (real estate, construction) and comprehensive community services. Broader incumbent peer with overlapping service portfolio and a self-government model but materially larger scale.
• Musqueam Indian Band: Large urban-adjacent BC First Nation with major economic holdings (e.g., Musqueam Capital) and a broad service delivery structure. Broader incumbent peer with overlapping programs and self-government posture.
• Tsilhqot'in National Government: BC First Nations tribal council asserting Aboriginal title and rights, with shared territorial stewardship and cultural programs. Comparable on Indigenous-rights advocacy and territorial stewardship functions but operates at a multi-band governance level.
• Cowichan Tribes: Largest BC First Nation by membership with comprehensive community services, lands management, and self-governance initiatives. Comparable operating model (multi-department community services) but at meaningfully larger scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shuswap-indian-band

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Shuswap Indian Band