Chisasibi Eeyou Resource and Research Institute

What Chisasibi Eeyou Resource and Research Institute does

Chisasibi Eeyou Resource and Research Institute (CERRI) is a community-based, community-led research organization established by the Cree Nation of Chisasibi in February 2016 and headquartered at P.O. Box 1336, Suite 206, 15 Mamuu Rd, Chisasibi, Quebec. It operates on a "Two-Eyed Seeing" paradigm that integrates Cree Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) with Western scientific methods, producing applied research across six programmatic verticals: marine science and coastal ecology (including eelgrass decline studies in James Bay), archaeology and trapline heritage, cumulative effects assessment of valued coastal ecosystems, northern agriculture and food sovereignty (geodesic dome greenhouse and KM 0 farm site), hydrogeology (mapping and characterization of natural springs), and wastewater surveillance for public health early warning. The organization delivers its work through a team of 1-10 named researchers, supplemented by partnerships with the Cree Health Board (CBHSSJB), National Microbiology Laboratory, Reykjavik University, Concordia University, Volt-Age Living Lab, FNQLSDI, Green Iglu, and Wapikoni, among others.

CERRI's business model is that of a grant-funded, community-owned nonprofit rather than a commercial enterprise. Revenue mechanics consist of research grants, government funding, project-based partnerships, and support from the Cree Nation of Chisasibi as the founding and parent entity. There is no commercial pricing model and no product distribution; outputs are research findings, educational workshops, community gardening programs, contaminant testing for traditional foods, baseline environmental data, and public health surveillance deployed free to the Chisasibi community of nearly 5,000 residents within the broader Eeyou Istchee territory spanning over 400,000 km². Customer segments are effectively single-vertical (Cree community members, elders, youth, and land users) with secondary relationships to academic and public-sector grant bodies. CERRI's competitive positioning rests on its exclusive stewardship of community-held TEK, its institutional mandate from the Cree Nation, and its differentiated methodology, rather than on any technology platform or scalable product.

Name

Chisasibi Eeyou Resource and Research Institute

Legal name

Chisasibi Eeyou Recourse and Research Institute

Website

https://cerri.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CERRI is a community-led research organization established by the Cree Nation of Chisasibi in 2016, integrating Cree Traditional Ecological Knowledge with Western science across marine ecology, agriculture, hydrogeology, wastewater surveillance, archaeology, and housing research for the Chisasibi community in Eeyou Istchee, Quebec.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community-Based Indigenous Research Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) / Vertical Farming (Indoor LED Farms) (AFAGAHAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental Control & Climate Systems (HVAC, CO₂, Ventilation, Dehumidification) (AFAAAHAB), Plant Propagation & Nursery CEA Equipment (Germination Rooms, Tissue Culture Support) (AFAAAHAJ), Conservation Agriculture (Erosion Control, Contour/Strip Cropping, Mulching) (AFAGAMAB), Biosecurity, Pest & Disease Control for CEA (IPM, Screening, Sanitation) (AFAAAHAK), CEA Monitoring, Sensors & Automation Software (SCADA, IoT, Climate/Recipe Control) (AFAAAHAG), Wetlands & Waters of the U.S. Delineation / Riparian Assessments (EUAHAHAC)

Keywords

• Community-based research
• Traditional ecological knowledge
• Environmental monitoring services
• Cumulative effects assessment
• Northern food sovereignty

Headquarters

HQ city

Chisasibi

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Research Grants and Funding: As a community-based research organization established by the Cree Nation of Chisasibi, CERRI operates primarily through research grants, government funding, and project-based partnerships. No commercial revenue model is indicated.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CERRI is a community-based research organization that conducts applied research integrating Cree Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) with Western scientific methods across environmental science (coastal ecology, eelgrass, cumulative effects), archaeology, hydrogeology (natural springs mapping, groundwater testing), public health (wastewater surveillance, methylmercury contaminant testing in traditional foods), and food sovereignty (geodesic dome greenhouse, northern agriculture). The organization serves the Cree Nation of Chisasibi community, land users, elders, and youth in the Eeyou Istchee territory of Quebec, providing baseline environmental data, training local researchers, and producing research outputs that inform stewardship and policy decisions.

Product overview

Chisasibi Eeyou Resource and Research Institute (CERRI) is a community-based research organization that operates as a collection of interconnected research programs rather than a commercial product portfolio. The organization offers research services spanning environmental science (coastal ecology, eelgrass research, cumulative effects studies), archaeology (trapline archaeology, historical site investigation), hydrogeology (groundwater mapping and protection), and public health (wastewater surveillance, contaminant testing). Agricultural initiatives include the geodesic dome greenhouse and KM 0 farm site supporting food sovereignty. Community engagement is delivered through educational workshops, youth training, and knowledge-sharing programs. All research integrates Cree Traditional Ecological Knowledge with Western scientific methodologies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Eelgrass Research Program Scientific investigation combining Traditional Ecological Knowledge with Western science to study eelgrass (Zostera marina) decline in James Bay, examining ecosystem health, waterfowl habitat quality, Cocconeis diatom infestations, and environmental changes since the 1970s.
• Cumulative Effects Studies Baseline study examining anthropogenic and natural environmental changes on James Bay valued coastal ecosystems, focusing on waterfowl and fish habitats through integration of traditional knowledge and scientific monitoring.
• Agriculture Research Program Northern food production initiative including geodesic dome greenhouse, KM 0 farm site, native plant propagation (Wiichiikansh), and community gardening workshops aimed at achieving food sovereignty in zone 1B growing conditions.
• Hydrogeology Research Community-based groundwater protection and monitoring program involving mapping and characterization of natural springs, water sample collection, and testing for microbiological quality, chemical composition, and dissolved metals.
• Wastewater Surveillance Early-warning detection system for SARS-CoV-2 using wastewater analysis, involving sample collection three times weekly and testing using GeneXpert PCR Technology, providing community-level outbreak monitoring.
• Community Contaminants Testing Program Assessment of methylmercury levels in traditional foods (fish, waterfowl, shellfish) through collaboration with Cree land users, elders, and youth, providing consumption guidelines and building local testing capacity.
• Protected Areas Research Studies on marine protected areas, examining governance structures, co-management frameworks, and strategies for protecting Cree territory while balancing traditional practices with conservation and development pressures.
• Archaeology Projects Investigation of ancient waterfowl hunting sites and trapline archaeology, including the Aah Waapischiukaashiiyiyuuch hunting blinds project and CH1 trapline excavations, combining Cree Traditional Ecological Knowledge with geomorphology and archaeology.
• Coastal Ecology Research Marine science research focusing on coastal ecosystems along James Bay, including eelgrass bed studies, traditional knowledge documentation, and environmental monitoring.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 57% reduction in annual energy consumption and 69% reduction in heating demand for northern housing through building envelope improvements
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cree Nation of Chisasibi (CNC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner that established CERRI in 2016. CNC works with CERRI on various research initiatives including the Community-Led Pathways for Affordable and Resilient Housing project.
• Cree Health Board (CBHSSJB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on wastewater surveillance project for COVID-19 early warning detection, with CBHSSJB Environmental Health Lab providing laboratory facilities.
• Reykjavik UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject partner for the 2-year cumulative effects study on James Bay coastal ecosystems, focusing on waterfowl and fish habitats.
• Concordia UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Community-Led Pathways for Affordable and Resilient Housing initiative, bringing research and technical expertise for northern housing solutions.
• Volt-Age Living LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Community-Led Pathways for Affordable and Resilient Housing initiative for developing housing solutions for northern environments.
• First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Sustainable Development Institute (FNQLSDI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted the summit where CERRI's hydrogeology team presented their work on natural springs mapping and characterization.
• QcNEIHR (Quebec Network Environment for Indigenous Health Research)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganized the Indigenous Health Research Summit where CERRI youth researchers presented their projects.
• KSDPP (Kahnawake Schools Diabetes Prevention Project)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organized the Indigenous Health Research Summit facilitating knowledge exchange among Indigenous communities.
• Green IgluminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided project management support for geodesic dome greenhouse construction, ensuring best practices throughout the building process.
• WapikoniminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMobile film studio that collaborated on the 'Growing Together' documentary about CERRI's agriculture and food sovereignty work, providing filmmaker mentors and production support.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• AFOA Canada: AFOA Canada is a national Indigenous-led professional organization supporting Indigenous financial, governance, and resource management capacity, including research and capacity-building programs. It is comparable to CERRI as an Indigenous-governed organization with a similar funding and capacity-building model, though focused on professional/financial capacity rather than environmental research.
• Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada: Pauktuutit is the national Inuit women's organization that conducts research on health, wellness, and environmental impacts affecting Inuit women and families. It is comparable to CERRI as another Indigenous-led research/policy organization with similar funding model (government grants) and emphasis on community-driven priorities, though distinct in its women-specific and pan-Inuit mandate.
• Grand Council of the Crees: The Grand Council of the Crees (GCC) is the governance body representing the Cree Nation in Quebec and Eeyou Istchee and conducts and commissions policy and environmental research on Cree rights, traditional territory, and cumulative effects. While not a research institute per se, it is comparable as a Cree-led entity that funds and coordinates research (including via CERRI) on the same Eeyou Istchee territory and Indigenous knowledge base.

Direct peers

• Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami: Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) is the national representational organization for Inuit in Canada and conducts Indigenous-led research on Inuit Nunangat across environmental, health, and cultural domains. It is directly comparable to CERRI as a pan-Indigenous research/policy body operating under a similar community-driven paradigm, but at the Inuit national level rather than the single Cree community level.
• First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Sustainable Development Institute: FNQLSDI is an active CERRI partner and a parallel First Nations-led research organization supporting sustainable development, environmental protection, and capacity building for Quebec and Labrador communities. It is highly comparable as another First Nations research institute operating under similar Indigenous-led governance, though with broader geographic and thematic reach than CERRI's Chisasibi-only focus.
• Nunavut Research Institute: The Nunavut Research Institute (NRI) is a community-based Arctic research organization operating in Iqaluit that integrates Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (traditional knowledge) with Western science. It is the closest structural analogue to CERRI — small-team research institute focused on northern/Indigenous-led environmental and social research — though serving the Inuit Nunangat rather than Eeyou Istchee.

Broad incumbents

• Arctic Institute of North America: The Arctic Institute of North America (AINA) is a larger, established research organization based at the University of Calgary conducting multidisciplinary Arctic research, policy, and education. It is comparable to CERRI in subject matter (northern ecosystems, climate, Indigenous communities) but operates at significantly greater scale and institutional scope, without CERRI's single-Cree-community focus.
• Canadian Climate Institute: The Canadian Climate Institute is a national climate policy and research organization producing analysis on climate impacts, adaptation, and Indigenous-led climate action. It is comparable to CERRI in addressing climate impacts on northern/Indigenous communities and ecosystem change, but operates at a national policy-advocacy scale rather than as a single-community research institute.

Emerging players

• Green Iglu: Green Iglu is a Canadian nonprofit that builds geodesic dome greenhouses in remote and northern communities to support food sovereignty. It is a CERRI partner (Green Iglu project managed the dome construction in Chisasibi) and is directly comparable on the controlled-environment agriculture / northern food production niche, though Green Iglu focuses on greenhouse infrastructure deployment while CERRI integrates it into a broader research mandate.

Regional players

• Agricultural Research and Extension Council of Alberta: Not applicable.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CERRInstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chisasibi-eeyou-resource-and-research-institute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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