A new Pilot initiative, the Communities Talking Project, is set to transform how economic data is gathered and shared in rural island and rural coastal communities.
Led by RIEP and backed by new funding, the Project blends Indigenous knowledge with traditional economic data gathering to create localized, community-driven economic profiles. Instead of relying on broad statistics, it focuses on lived experience and meaningful data collected directly from communities.
In 2026, RIEP’s Project Team will collaborate with three rural island communities to:
- Explore how communities define economic well-being
- Identify what data matters most to residents
- Test innovative tools for data collection and storytelling
The Goal: support job creation, attract investment, and empower communities to make informed, future-focused decisions.
At its core, Communities Talking is about listening to communities and ensuring their voices shape their economic future.
We’ll be sharing progress updates soon.
