Shaping our Future

imagiNorthern is entering an important next phase of its development: clarifying how decisions are made, how leadership is shared, and how accountability is held as the network grows across Northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

Governance is not just about structure or paperwork. It is about relationships, trust, responsibility, and care for one another. It shapes how voices are heard, how priorities are set, and how imagiNorthern stays grounded in Northern realities and Indigenous protocols as it evolves.

This governance work in 2026 continues to be shaped in the open, through a combination of:

• A Northern-led Steering Committee
• Open Community Conversations
• A draft governance framework shared for review and reflection

This continues the sharing, learning and action planning work of the Northern Arts and Food Workshop gatherings in Flin Flon (2023), The Pas (2024) and Thompson (2025).

A draft imagiNorthern Governance Framework is available here. This document reflects work to date by imagiNorthern staff, partners, and the Steering Committee, informed by years of Northern gatherings and conversations.

This draft is not final.

We invite you to:

• Read it in whole or in part
• Reflect on what feels right, what raises questions, and what needs care
• Share your thoughts, insights, or concerns

In addition to participating in the open conversations, you are welcome to send feedback and observations by February 3, 2026, directly to:

Inga Petri (click to email)
Facilitator, Strategic Moves

Fiona Rettie (click to email)
Project Manager, imagiNorthern

All feedback will be received with respect and considered as part of the governance development process.

This work is guided by a simple commitment:

By the North, In the North, For the North 

imagiNorthern’s governance must reflect the lived experience, leadership, and knowledge of the people and communities it exists to serve—today and into the future.