• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Rural Islands Economic Partnership

Cultivating Resilient Partnerships

  • About
  • Events
  • Rising Tide Business Services
  • Become a Member
  • Login
  • Contact
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • RIEP Forum Network
  • Initiatives
  • News & Resources
  • Island Stories
  • Membership

Home

  • Galiano Island: Penelakut Traditional Territory

  • Quadra Island: Wei Wai Kai and Wei Wai Kum Traditional Territory

  • Saturna Island: Tsawout and Tseycum, WSÁNEĆ Traditional Territory

  • Hornby Island: Pentlach Traditional Territory

  • Denman Island: Pentlach Traditional Territory

  • Mayne Island: W̱SÁNEĆ Traditional Territory

  • Gabriola Island: Snuneymuxw Traditional Territory

  • Salt Spring Island: W̱SÁNEĆ (Tsawout) and Quw'utsun Traditional Territory

  • Pender Island: W̱SÁNEĆ Traditional Territory

  • Bowen Island: Squamish Traditional Territory

  • Cortes Island: Homalco, Tla'amin, and Klahoose Traditional Territory

  • Galiano Island: Penelakut Traditional Territory

  • Quadra Island: Wei Wai Kai and Wei Wai Kum Traditional Territory

  • Saturna Island: Tsawout and Tseycum, WSÁNEĆ Traditional Territory

  • Hornby Island: Pentlach Traditional Territory

  • Denman Island: Pentlach Traditional Territory

  • Mayne Island: W̱SÁNEĆ Traditional Territory

  • Gabriola Island: Snuneymuxw Traditional Territory

  • Salt Spring Island: W̱SÁNEĆ (Tsawout) and Quw'utsun Traditional Territory

  • Pender Island: W̱SÁNEĆ Traditional Territory

  • Bowen Island: Squamish Traditional Territory

  • Cortes Island: Homalco, Tla'amin, and Klahoose Traditional Territory

  • Galiano Island: Penelakut Traditional Territory

  • Quadra Island: Wei Wai Kai and Wei Wai Kum Traditional Territory

  • Saturna Island: Tsawout and Tseycum, WSÁNEĆ Traditional Territory

  • Hornby Island: Pentlach Traditional Territory

  • Denman Island: Pentlach Traditional Territory

  • Mayne Island: W̱SÁNEĆ Traditional Territory

  • Gabriola Island: Snuneymuxw Traditional Territory

  • Salt Spring Island: W̱SÁNEĆ (Tsawout) and Quw'utsun Traditional Territory

  • Pender Island: W̱SÁNEĆ Traditional Territory

  • Bowen Island: Squamish Traditional Territory

  • Cortes Island: Homalco, Tla'amin, and Klahoose Traditional Territory

Resilience Through Partnership

The Rural Islands Economic Partnership (RIEP) serves to empower British Columbia’s rural islands and remote coastal communities by honouring reconciliation and by collaborating and convening to share information, resources and opportunities. We network, we advocate, we support, and we take action to achieve enduring socio-economic well-being together.

Collaborate Regionally, Achieve Results Locally

RIEP provides opportunities for communication, community engagement, information-sharing, and collaboration, through initiatives focused on the challenges facing rural island and rural coastal communities today. From the climate crisis and the need for economic resilience, to Reconciliation and the strengthening of BC's social safety net, RIEP’s programs promote regenerative strategies that support the socio-economic health of BC’s rural island and coastal communities.

Fostering Healthy & Vibrant Communities

British Columbia’s rural and remote coastal communities are social and cultural gems. They are home to diverse communities of changemakers, innovators, and creators – local, regional businesses and community-building organizations representing both settler and Indigenous communities, within the traditional territories of the Kwakwa̱ka̱'wakw and Coast Salish Nations – from across the Rural Island Communities of Bowen, Broughton Archipelago, Cormorant, Cortes, Denman, Gabriola, Galiano, Gambier, Hornby, Lasqueti, Malcolm, Mayne, Pender, Quadra, Salt Spring, Saturna, Texada, and Thetis & Penelakut islands to the rural, remote coastal communities from Port Hardy and Tofino, to Sayward and Sechelt, to Lady Smith, Sooke and all in- between—seeking to foster healthy, vibrant and resilient coastal communities.

News

RIEP 2025 Virtual Forum: The Future Is Local – A Must-Attend Event for Changemakers

February 26, 2025

The Rural Island Economic Partnership (RIEP) is thrilled to announce the 2025 Virtual Forum, marking the fifth edition of this transformative … [Read More...] about RIEP 2025 Virtual Forum: The Future Is Local – A Must-Attend Event for Changemakers

SAVE THE DATE! RIEP FORUM 2025

January 19, 2025

ONWARD INTO 2025 Network > Advocate > Support > Activate As RIEP embarks on another year of fostering connection, collaboration, and … [Read More...] about SAVE THE DATE! RIEP FORUM 2025

Elections BC – Be An Informed Voter

October 9, 2024

On September 18th RIEP issued a call for the BC Conservative Party, the BC Green Party, the BC New Democratic Party, to respond to questions about … [Read More...] about Elections BC – Be An Informed Voter

Campbell River Micro-Market Business Training Kick’s Off in October

October 8, 2024

Campbell River’s Micro Market is an exciting initiative for enhancing the cultural vitality of Campbell River while providing a catalyst for small … [Read More...] about Campbell River Micro-Market Business Training Kick’s Off in October

Become a RIEP Member

Members get discounts on tickets to the RIEP Forum, invitations to Connection Cafés, and access to Rising Tide Business Services.

Join RIEP Today

Member Profiles

Ivy Peers: A Champion for Community Economic Self-Determination

May 15, 2024

In 1885, an amendment to Canada’s Indian Act banned the traditional practice of potlatch by Indigenous peoples, and remained in place for the next six … [Read More...] about Ivy Peers: A Champion for Community Economic Self-Determination

Building Future Communities, A Thetis Island Leader Reconciles His Past

December 28, 2023

Reflecting on his childhood in Saltair, an unincorporated community between Chemainus and Ladysmith, Doug Fenton admits that, while he enjoyed growing … [Read More...] about Building Future Communities, A Thetis Island Leader Reconciles His Past

Pender Island Business Leader Balances the 30,000-foot View & Community Mindset

December 21, 2023

Thandi Williams may be one of the newest rural islanders to catch the RIEP member spirit— she arrived on Pender Island in 2020 — but she already talks … [Read More...] about Pender Island Business Leader Balances the 30,000-foot View & Community Mindset

Forum Connections for Salt Spring Community Leader

November 15, 2023

“At first I wasn't sure I belonged,” said Robin Jenkinson, reflecting on the invitation she received from a good friend to participate on a speaker … [Read More...] about Forum Connections for Salt Spring Community Leader

Learn More

Rising Tide Business Services

Find out how RIEP is helping rural island economies with Rising Tide Business Services.

Learn More

Connection Café

Where rural coastal communities connect – to participate virtually by sharing news, ideas, stories, and supporting each other towards building enduring, all-islands and rural coastal communities.

Read More

#ExploreBCRuralIslands

Advancing Inter-Island Connectivity & Respectful Visitation

Read More

Member Profiles

Meet fellow rural islanders who have joined the RIEP movement.

Read More

Supporters Circle

We are deeply grateful for the financial and in-kind contributions all helping to build and sustain BC’s rural island economies, culture, livelihoods and collective voice.

Learn More

 

Rising Tide Business Services

Find out how RIEP is helping rural island economies with Rising Tide Business Services.

Learn More

Connection Café

Where rural coastal communities connect – to participate virtually by sharing news, ideas, stories, and supporting each other towards building enduring, all-islands and rural coastal communities.

Read More

Member Profiles

Meet fellow rural islanders who have joined the RIEP movement.

Read More

#ExploreBCRuralIslands

Advancing Inter-Island Connectivity & Respectful Visitation

Read More

Supporters Circle

We are deeply grateful for the financial and in-kind contributions all helping to build and sustain BC’s rural island economies, culture, livelihoods and collective voice.

Learn More

Upcoming Events

Check back for updates.

Events Archive

06 March 2025

RIEP Forum 2025

THE FUTURE IS LOCAL

Thursday, March 6 & Friday, March 7
9:15AM to 12:30PM EACH DAY

Find out more
Zoom,

Miss an Event? See our Events Archive

Let's Get Social! @RuralIslandsPartnership

Footer

The Rural Islands Economic Partnership Society (RIEP) of British Columbia (BC) is a thriving alliance of diverse settler and Indigenous rural island communities sustained through shared values and a united voice for achieving social, economic, and cultural well-being; environmental stewardship; and collaborative strength on behalf of BC’s rural islands.

  • Photo Credits
  • Privacy Policy

Working with respect on the traditional territory of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the W̱SÁNEĆ First Nations and Hul'quimi'num Treaty Group,
whose historical relationship with the land continues to this day.

© 2025 Rural Islands Economic Partnership

Copyright © 2025 · Rural Islands Economic Partnership