About Us

History

Back in the 1940s and 1950s, the Kootenays earned a reputation as a safe harbour to draft dodgers, misfits, and kinds of folks who just wanted a place where they could be different.

By the 1970s, new arrivals were flowing in from places like California, Colorado, and Oregon. As they moved north, they (quietly) brought with them what would soon become the seeds of our regional cannabis industry.

Culture

With a natural environment and social foundation unlike any other, the Kootenays would eventually emerge as one of the world’s most respected sources of premium cannabis.

The area’s reputation for quality encouraged a sense of pride and that sense of pride encouraged a culture of quality. Today, local industry benefits from a multi-generational talent pool that is truly second to none.

Vision

As we look to the future, we understand that our greatest opportunities reside within our greatest responsibilities.

We also know that our ability to realize this future will depend on the care, discipline, and collective effort we bring to the work ahead.

Contributors

  • Operator

    GEMMA HAYES

    A operator with deep roots in Kootenay cannabis and a clear passion for craft production done properly. Her experience in operations and her commitment to quality bring practical discipline and long-term conviction to the Collective.

  • Professor

    TRACEY HARVEY

    A professor, researcher, and early leader whose work helped shape the foundation of the Kootenay Collective. Through Selkirk Innovates and her research on the socioeconomic impacts of cannabis legalization in the rural Kootenays, she helped bring academic rigor and regional perspective to the initiative.

  • Photographer

    NAASKO WRIPPLE

    Naasko is a free-lance photographer, DJ and the marketing coordinator for Sweetgrass Cannabis. A camera has always been nearby since his childhood but it's only been in the last 7 years that he's taken his photography to new levels capturing Kootenay landscapes, wildlife, global travels and the macro world of cannabis via his side hustle Macrodose Photography. 

  • Storyteller

    PAM WEST

    A storyteller and retail specialist who brings warmth, clarity, and a sharp understanding of how cannabis connects with people in the real world. Her perspective helps bridge the gap between product, place, and the audience it ultimately serves.

  • Grower

    ADAM MINT

    A legacy grower and craft cultivator whose long view of the region has helped shape the Collective’s thinking around quality, reputation, and regional opportunity. His vision draws on decades of cultivation experience and a belief that the Kootenays can build a shared standard with the kind of credibility other regions have earned over time.

  • Photographer

    Craig Barker

    In both product and lifestyle photography, he works to uncover stories that resonate with the defined target audience by beautifully communicating product features and integrating  ritualized product use into visual stories.

Project Funding

  • Selkirk Innovates helped catalyze the Kootenay Collective through its three-year SSHRC funded regional economic development project, Exploring Progressive Solutions: Innovating within the Regional Cannabis Sector, which was designed to support and strengthen the regional cannabis industry through collaborative action. Led by Dr. Tracey Harvey, the project brought producers and partners together to identify shared priorities, develop governance options, and help lay the groundwork for a more coordinated regional initiative.

  • This project is supported in part by Mitacs through its Accelerate program, which provided funding for student research internships that contributed to the development and implementation of this initiative. Student interns conducted background research on regional cannabis economic development, as well as marketing and branding approaches, and supported the identification and organization of proposed pilot activities, including the development of this digital hub.

  • The Kootenay Collective initiative, and this digital hub, is supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) through the College and Community Social Innovation Fund, with additional support from Mitacs. This funding has been crucial in getting the project off the ground, recognizing the socio-economic importance of the Kootenay cannabis sector. We are grateful for this national recognition and support.