Saskatchewan Community Development Initiative

The Community Development Initiative (CDI) pilot project was a partnership led by First Nation communities in Saskatchewan, supported by Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) and Urban Systems. Before CDI, these communities lacked a consistent way to track progress in capacity development and community well-being. The project aimed to develop community plans with measurable indicators for assessing health and well-being. Since 2015, seventeen Saskatchewan First Nation communities have participated in CDI, establishing community plans. This success led to the creation of the Saskatchewan First Nations Regional Dashboard and a Resources Library, providing data and resources. The CDI also led to the creation of the Community Development Department at ISC, supporting First Nations Planning and Development in Saskatchewan. In 2018, the CDI project team received the Excellence in Planning Award for Excellence in Planning, Research, and Innovation from the Saskatchewan Professional Planners Institute.