Economic Development Director Kerry Thistle and Community Engagement Advisor Richela Solatorio presented what is described as a “master story” of the city through the experiences of those who live here. While some aspects of the planned pitch were met with enthusiasm, city council members said that Indigenous identity and culture must be integral to such a project.
Solatorio said that place branding can be used as a tool to expand the population pool.
“It’s not just a logo or a slogan,” said Solatorio, but can be an effective strategy to help “attract and retain” more community members to stay and live in Yellowknife.
Solatorio said a plan could have impacts on multiple sectors from the workforce to education and tourism.
City Manager Stephen Van Dine said it would be a “stand alone” plan distinct from tourism projects.
Thistle said that 15 Yellowknifers, from different age groups and backgrounds, were interviewed to help the branding team articulate “what makes the city special.”
Councillor Cat McGurk and Councillor Ryan Fequet were among councillors who expressed concerns that there seemed to be a lack of Indigenous perspectives included in the proposed plan.
“The Indigenous theme is missing almost entirely from this exercise to date. And we are in a place where the most modern land claims exist and 50 per cent of the population is Indigenous. I wanted to re-echo my fellow councillors comments in that space,” said Fequet.
Van Dine said it was important to acknowledge the ways the Indigenous partnerships tables were contemplated and conceived with the notion of where the city is going and where it needs to go more quickly.
“This effort can certainly find its way through either prior to the establishment of those tables, some of the table creation just remind council, we’re optimistic, but we’re still dependant somewhat on getting some incremental resources from other levels of government to help us with that. That pitch is still being reviewed but nevertheless the spirit of engaging, rounding out this exercise through engagement with partners is still something that we can do for sure.”
Mayor Ben Hendriksen said that the fact that Yellowknife is a city on Indigenous lands would be critical to the work.
“The fact that Yellowknife is a city on Indigenous lands, it captures so much of who we are from our historical culture to our modern day culture.”
Mayor Hendriksen said it will be important to engage with Indigenous governments and community members.
Van Dine said that next steps in the process would involve working with partners to refine what the pitch will look like.
Thistle added the team is not planning on having design workshops with the general public.
“It would be more working with the stakeholders or partners that want to work with us about how we would design materials or weave the story throughout their materials and our materials.”
Thistle said stakeholders and partners could be anyone from business owners to members of the territorial government to tourism operators. Thistle said the team wants to hear from the “entire community.”
