Salish Sea Indigenous Guardians Association

What Salish Sea Indigenous Guardians Association does

Salish Sea Indigenous Guardians Association (SSIGA) is an independent, Indigenous-led non-profit organization headquartered in Burnaby, British Columbia, that provides cumulative effects assessments, environmental monitoring, stewardship training, and advocacy support to First Nations communities across the Salish Sea region. Founded in 2021 following a 2020 panel discussion on cumulative effects, SSIGA's central technical asset is its Data Atlas — a centralized database integrating Indigenous Knowledge (including Traditional Ecological Knowledge) with Western scientific data across approximately 140 data layers covering salmon, crab, and bivalve populations and traditional food sources, with public access for most layers and private portals for member Nations.

The organization's offering extends beyond the Data Atlas to a coordinated program suite, including Traditional Knowledge integration, monitoring programs with indicators for salmon, crab, and bivalves, bio-filtration and riparian restoration, methodologies for cumulative effects and direct impact assessments, and a Guardians Program that trains community members in stewardship and revitalization. It also provides capacity-building training, subject matter expertise for regulatory referral teams, and hosts workshops and conferences on Indigenous-led impact assessment.

SSIGA's business model is a non-profit mix of recurring membership fees from First Nations communities, sponsorship from industry and associations, grant funding from government and non-government sources (including GCT Global Container Terminals, Transport Canada, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Library and Archives Canada, and Natural Resources Canada), and fees for subject matter expert services. The organization is governed by a board representing member First Nations and operates as an arms-length entity unaffiliated with any other organization, building on the precedent of the Squamish Nation's first Indigenous-issued environmental certificate.

Name

Salish Sea Indigenous Guardians Association

Legal name

Salish Sea Indigenous Guardians Association

Website

https://ssiga.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SSIGA is an Indigenous-led non-profit that provides cumulative effects assessments, environmental monitoring, and its Data Atlas — integrating Indigenous Knowledge with Western science — to support First Nations communities and industry partners across the Salish Sea region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Indigenous Environmental Stewardship Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (541620), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Data Integration, ETL & Interoperability (APIs, Standards, Data Pipelines) (EUAHAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental Reporting, Dashboards & Regulatory Submittals (Automated Reports, e-Reporting) (EUAHAKAL), Biodiversity Baseline Studies & Long-Term Monitoring Programs (EUAHAHAE), Environmental Aspects/Impacts Register & Legal Register Development (EUAHAIAD), NEPA/EA/EIS & Public Consultation (EUAHAAAB)

Keywords

• Environmental monitoring services
• Cumulative effects assessment
• Indigenous guardians program
• Environmental data management
• First nations advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Burnaby

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: First Nations communities join as members to gain access to SSIGA's resources, programming, training, database access, and facilitated SSIGA training sessions in their communities. Membership enables communities to develop programming to meet their goals.
2. Sponsorship: Sponsorship is a strategic partnership in which organizations contribute financially to support programs and events targeting environmental preservation, community empowerment, and industry sustainability. Sponsorships provide long-term change in Indigenous participation in resource policy development.
3. Grant Funding: SSIGA has received grant funding from organizations including GCT Global Container Terminals Inc. ($200,000), Transport Canada, and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to build its database, develop stewardship plans, and support operational programs.
4. Subject Matter Expert Services: SSIGA shares data, analysis, expertise, database access, and in-depth support for referral teams. It resourced communities with subject matter experts to help with meaningful participation and informed decision-making.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SSIGA offers cumulative effects assessments, impact assessment, monitoring resources, and advocacy support for First Nations communities in the Salish Sea region. Central to its offering is the Data Atlas, a centralized database integrating Indigenous Knowledge with Western scientific data across approximately 140 data layers covering salmon, crab, and bivalve populations. The organization trains community guardians, develops monitoring programs, and provides subject matter expertise to support meaningful Indigenous participation in regulatory and resource development processes.

Product overview

SSIGA (Salish Sea Indigenous Guardians Association) is an Indigenous-led organization offering a coordinated suite of programs and services centered on environmental guardianship and cumulative effects assessment. The core offerings include the Data Atlas (a centralized database integrating Indigenous Knowledge with Western science), the Guardians Program (supporting Indigenous community members in monitoring traditional food sources), and various program modules including Traditional Knowledge capture, Monitoring Programs (salmon, crab, bivalves), Methodologies & Impact Assessments, Bio-filtration & Restoration, and Stewardship & Revitalization. Supporting services include Capacity Building & Training and Subject Matter Expertise & Resources. Workshops and conferences provide ongoing education and collaboration opportunities. The organization operates as an arms-length, independent entity focused on advocacy, data collection, and supporting First Nation communities in the Salish Sea region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Data Atlas A centralized database for Indigenous Knowledge, monitoring, stewardship data, and holistic perspectives that aids First Nations communities in assessing development impacts on their territories, integrating Indigenous and Western scientific data to redefine cumulative effects in the Salish Sea. Most of the Data Atlas is public, with private portals for member Nations for sensitive information.
• Indigenous Guardians Program An Indigenous-led guardians program that serves four fundamental roles: ensuring acknowledgement of First Nation world views, enabling holistic data collection, enabling an interconnected regional database, and contributing to effective stewardship programs and offsets for cumulative effects in the Salish Sea.
• Monitoring Programs Develops indicators for salmon, crab, and bivalves and expands community guardian initiatives to regional efforts. Includes population, sediment, and tissue sampling, delivered in partnership with A Rocha / Shared Waters.
• Methodologies and Impact Assessments Helps First Nations communities develop clear and consistent methods for cumulative effects and direct impact assessments to address avoidance, mitigation, accommodation, and offsets, and establishes clear and accurate baselines to measure project impacts.
• Capacity Building and Training Services Enables member First Nations communities to determine their needs and trains them to run Nation-specific programming as well as participate in and manage ongoing SSIGA-specific programs. Includes training of guardians and monitors for monitoring, restoration, and stewardship programs.
• Subject Matter Expertise and Resources Shares data, analysis, expertise, funding, database access, and in-depth support for referral teams to help resource First Nations communities with meaningful participation and informed decision-making in regulatory and project review processes.
• Stewardship and Revitalization Program Trains First Nations community members and guardians to develop and carry out stewardship and revitalization programs that integrate First Nation-focused cumulative effects toward the long-term health of the Salish Sea, including bio-filtration and riparian restoration in collaboration with the Rivershed Society.
• Workshops and Conferences Hosts workshops and events focused on Indigenous-led impact assessment and collaborative monitoring, including SSIGA updates, international approaches to cumulative effects, sustainable planning, and green infrastructure research.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 140 data layers gathered, organized, and stored in the Data Atlas to date
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• World Wildlife Fund (WWF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWWF is listed as a partner and collaborator of SSIGA. The partnership supports SSIGA's environmental and guardianship objectives focused on the health of the Salish Sea and biodiversity preservation.
• Clear SeasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClear Seas is listed as a partner and collaborator of SSIGA. Clear Seas promotes safe, sustainable marine shipping in Canada through research and advocacy, aligning with SSIGA's marine ecosystem focus.
• Canada A Rocha Environmental StewardshipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA Rocha is listed as a sustainable partner and associate member of SSIGA. A Rocha collaborates with SSIGA on monitoring programs including population, sediment, and tissue sampling, and is a co-partner in the Shared Waters initiative focused on shellfish harvesting restoration.
• Tula Foundation / Ocean Decade Collaborative Center Northeast PacificminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTula Foundation is listed as a partner and collaborator of SSIGA. The foundation supports health, environment, and social initiatives for sustainable communities, aligning with SSIGA's mission.
• Shared Water AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSSIGA Vice President Chief Harley Chappell serves as a Board Member of the Shared Water Alliance. SSIGA collaborates with the Alliance on water quality and shellfish restoration initiatives in the Salish Sea.
• Rivershed SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSSIGA collaborates with the Rivershed Society for riparian restoration efforts as part of its bio-filtration and restoration program. The partnership builds on community efforts and expands restoration to more regional sites.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Nature United (The Nature Conservancy Canada): Major conservation organization working on Indigenous-led conservation, marine protection, and cumulative effects initiatives in BC. Comparable for its work at the intersection of Indigenous rights and environmental stewardship, but with substantially larger funding and geographic reach than SSIGA.
• Indigenous Services Canada: Federal department administering programs and funding for Indigenous communities, including environmental stewardship. Comparable as a major federal funder and potential alternative service provider to SSIGA's grant-dependent, Indigenous-supportive programming model.
• WWF-Canada: Large international conservation organization with active Salish Sea programs and listed SSIGA partner. Comparable as a broad incumbent operating in marine conservation and Indigenous collaboration across the same geography, but with significantly greater scale and portfolio breadth.

Direct peers

• Pacific Salmon Foundation: Non-profit focused on salmon conservation, restoration, and community engagement across BC and the Yukon. Comparable for its salmon-focused monitoring, community-based stewardship grants, and Indigenous partnership programming in the same geographies as SSIGA's salmon indicators and guardian programs.
• Coast Funds: Indigenous-led conservation fund in BC that finances environmentally sustainable projects across the North and Central Coast and Haida Gwaii. Comparable as an Indigenous-governed non-profit supporting coastal environmental stewardship with pooled funding and partnership models similar to SSIGA's sponsorship and grant approach.
• A Rocha Canada: Conservation organization running the Shared Waters marine monitoring program in partnership with SSIGA. Comparable as a direct operational partner doing shellfish, sediment, and tissue sampling that feeds SSIGA's Data Atlas — functioning as both an upstream data contributor and downstream peer.
• Tula Foundation / Hakai Institute: Tula Foundation and its Hakai Institute operate marine research programs on BC's coast, including long-term ecological monitoring. Comparable for their coastal science infrastructure, Indigenous research partnerships, and cumulative data collection aligned with SSIGA's Data Atlas and monitoring programs.
• First Nations Fisheries Council of BC: BC-wide Indigenous fisheries governance body supporting First Nations' role in aquatic resource management and decision-making. Comparable as a First Nations-led organization operating in the same Salish Sea / BC coastal geography with mandates overlapping SSIGA's fisheries monitoring and stewardship work.

Emerging players

• Squamish Nation: First Nation that pioneered the first-ever Indigenous-issued environmental certificate (Woodfibre LNG). Comparable as the precedent-setter for Indigenous-led environmental assessment in BC, with internal capacity that may directly compete with or complement SSIGA's referral and assessment services.

Regional players

• BC Assembly of First Nations: Provincial Indigenous political organization representing BC First Nations on policy, rights, and resource management. Comparable as a regional Indigenous governance and advocacy body with overlapping mandate on consultation, cumulative effects, and member services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/salish-sea-indigenous-guardians-association-ssiga

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Salish Sea Indigenous Guardians Association