The Columbia Basin Trust 30th Anniversary marks three decades of investment, innovation, and community leadership across southeastern British Columbia — including here in Fernie and the Elk Valley.
Since 1995, the Trust has supported projects that shape the Fernie area we know today: trail development, community broadband, affordable housing, environmental restoration, and local childcare. From the Fernie Mountain Park trails to the Fernie Heritage Library and beyond, the Trust’s vision has helped strengthen the fabric of mountain life.
The newly released Our Trust Magazine – 30th Anniversary Edition brings together inspiring stories from across the Basin — from Broadband for All, which highlights high-speed internet expansion from RED Mountain to the Elk River Valley, to Bringing Back the Salmon, which chronicles decades of Indigenous leadership to restore salmon to the upper Columbia.
Stories from the special issue include:
From Farm to Table — How FABx evolved into a collaborative hub for food-focused businesses, connecting producers and building a stronger regional food economy.
Dream Big, Decide Local — The ReDi Grants program empowers communities to transform local ideas into reality through leadership and collaboration.
From Pit Stop to Destination — Golden’s remarkable reinvention from a fading resource town into a thriving, year-round mountain destination.
Giv’er Shirt Works Levels Up — The entrepreneurs behind Fernie’s Giv’er Shirt Works now have a roadmap for where their business is headed.
Revelstoke’s Child Care Journey — A lasting legacy of innovation and community support that began with the opening of Stepping Stones in 1995.
Before It Was Mainstream — The Basin’s early climate and water leaders who acted ahead of their time, shaping the environmental direction we see today.
The Last Piece: Conserving the East Shore of Columbia Lake — How Indigenous stewardship and local collaboration secured lasting ecological protection at “Lot 48.”
Together, these and other special stories celebrate the spirit of collaboration and resilience that defines the Columbia Basin — and the Trust’s continued investment in communities like Fernie.
Read the full 30th Anniversary Edition of Our Trust Magazine at stories.ourtrust.org
