Aboriginal Businesses Feature
Aboriginal excellence to be honoured at PDACIn the early days of the Klondike Gold
Rush, Tagish prospector Skookum Jim was known for his perseverance
and tenacity. The same attributes could easily be bestowed on Windigo Catering, which will receive an award named for the 19th-century
miner at the Prospectors and Developers Association (PDAC) in March.Windigo is the 2013 recipient of the
PDAC’s Skookum Jim Award, which acknowledges Aboriginal achievement
in the mining industry. It’s the first such accolade for the
catering and janit...
Aboriginal Businesses News
Share the mineral wealth, say First Nations
Engagement with First Nations and
respecting treaty rights must be “cornerstones” of this week's
federal budget, said Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Harvey Yesno.“Canada will not achieve its full
potential unless First Nations are engaged in a meaningful way in the
development of our traditi...
Nordex partners with Wahgoshig Nordex Explosives Ltd. in Kirkland Lake
is partnering with another First Nation business. It announced a
recent memorandum of understanding agreement with Wahgoshig Limited
Partnership, through its general partner Wahgoshig Resources Inc.
They have agreed to enter into a working relationship th...
Consultant finds passion in Aboriginal teachingGrowing up in the remote community
of Eabametoong First Nation, Rachel Mishenene never placed any great
emphasis on getting an education, much less pursuing a career.“I was a high school dropout and a
young mom,” said the Thunder Bay-based Aboriginal educator and
consultant. “Education was s...
Sault College offering on-reserve trainingResidents in First Nations communities
along the North Shore of Lake Huron are being trained for employment
readiness in the renewable energy field, all while staying in their
home communities.Over the last year, Sault College has
facilitated on-reserve training in the communities of
Batch...
First Nations work bolsters Thunder Bay GIS companyJordan Shannon doesn't have any
Aboriginal bloodlines, but he still finds his Thunder Bay company
carries a First Nations label. But, that’s okay. The 29-year-old
founder and president of Northern GIS isn’t complaining.His
three-person data collection outfit is making its mark in
northwestern ...
Brian Davey takes the helm of Nishnawbe Aski Development Fund Brian Davey is the new executive
director of the Thunder Bay-based Nishnawbe Aski Development Fund
(NADF).Announced in late January, Davey moves
up from his position as NADF's special initiatives advisor in the
not-for-profit organization's resource services department.As a well-known figure ac...
Demographic offers untapped resourceIn the 15 years Stan Wesley has been
offering leadership and First Nations cultural awareness training,
dozens of people have crossed his path.
But it’s the young girl from
Nibinamek First Nation who waited around, long after his presentation
to a youth group had finished, whose image sticks...
Aboriginal excellence to be honoured at PDACIn the early days of the Klondike Gold
Rush, Tagish prospector Skookum Jim was known for his perseverance
and tenacity. The same attributes could easily be bestowed on Windigo Catering, which will receive an award named for the 19th-century
miner at the Prospectors and Developers Association (PD...
College prepares Aboriginal workforce for developmentIndustrial development along the north
shore of Lake Superior is opening up employment opportunities for
area First Nations people.Thunder Bay's Confederation College is
trying to get out in front of the industry's workforce needs in
mining, forestry and hydro-electric power construction.“Every...
Native forestry company proves naysayers wrong Brian Young didn't let misguided advice
deter him from making his company a success. Instead, it inspired
him.
“I was told because I was native, I
would not succeed,” said the owner of Young Forestry Services. “I
don't let anyone tell me I can't do anything.”
Since 1996, Young, and his wife...
Wahgoshig First Nation open for businessWahgoshig First Nation is open to doing
business with resource companies, but one mining executive is off the
list.The community, located about 45
kilometres east of Matheson, is not interested in meeting with Darryl
Stretch, president and CEO of Solid Gold.
The company began drilling on
Wah...
Nipissing First Nation promotes commercial developmentA progressive First Nation credits
leadership – and location – as key to establishing the
entrepreneurial spirit in its members.“We have more than 40 member-owned
businesses,” said Thomas Lambert, economic development officer with
Nipissing First Nation.About 850 members are spread throughout
...
Business, First Nations seek collaborationWhen Detour Gold embarked on the
construction of Canada's largest gold mine, Rachel Pineault, Detour's
director of human resources and Aboriginal affairs, realized if the
company wanted to foster good relations with the area's First
Nations, it would have to respect their cultural practices.And...
Micro-loans program launched on First Nation reserve The Nishnawbe Aski Development Fund
(NADF) is teaming up with Lac Seul First Nation to promote
micro-loans to aspiring entrepreneurs in northwestern Ontario.A fund of $20,000 was created by
matching contributions from Lac Seul's Obishikokaang Development Fund
and NADF to establish a peer-lendin...
Sioux Lookout company meets camp's culinary needsLobster bisque, cassoulet, chicken
marsala, jäger schnitzel: the list of gastronomical offerings at
Musselwhite Mine reads more like the menu of an internationally
renowned restaurant than that of a mining operation in the isolated
reaches of Northern Ontario.But the employees at Goldcorp's
un...
Aboriginal mining careers promoted in training portalAboriginal youth in northwestern
Ontario are getting a head-start on training opportunities in the
mining industry.
Oshki-Pimanche-O-Win Education and
Training Institute is receiving more than $700,000 from Ottawa and
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada to inform and steer
young pe...
Fledgling First Nations builds on woodSome days Jean Paul (J.P.) Gladu rolls
out of bed and wonders what he's gotten himself into.The senior business development advisor
for the Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabek is helping to spearhead the
revival of a former Ojibway First Nation community on the shores of
Lake Nipigon.“It's a ton of op...
First Nations want connections to Ontario gridCrisis is a word Canadians are hearing
lately in terms of Northern First Nation communities. But the
Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) said many of its communities face an
annual crisis when it comes to its energy supply.Nearly half of the 49 First Nation
communities represented by NAN rely on diesel...
Constance Lake First Nation looks to enhance workforceFor many years, Constance Lake First
Nation simply stood by and watched the world go by.Now the community is doing the exact
opposite. The Northern Ontario reserve is in what it calls, a
“participation stage.”Situated 40 kilometres west of Hearst
alongside the scenic shores of Constance Lake, t...
Former First Nation chief becomes face of Canadian miningWhen Glenn Nolan first attended the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada's (PDAC) annual spring convention in 2004, there were a couple dozen Aboriginal faces in the crowd among the world's mining heavyweights.The agenda set aside for First Nations discussion was small, and was reflecti...
Nuclear waste storage proposal sparks protestA proposal to develop a permanent nuclear waste storage facility on the north shore of Lake Huron is causing controversy amongst the area's First Nations communities.Mike Krizanc, a spokesman for the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO), said three northeastern Ontario communities along the...
First Nation rolls into transportation sector Serpent River First Nation is laying the groundwork to become a northeastern Ontario transportation hub.The First Nation community partnered with Sudbury's Mansour Group to land a railway ballast contract last summer to supply 125,000 tonnes of rock for the Huron Central Railway's $33-million track...
Company examines site options for processing plantAn Aboriginally-owned mining company still has Atikokan in its sights for an iron ore processing plant despite delays in accessing a former open pit mine.In mid-February, Bending Lake Iron Group president Henry Wetelainen was hopeful of signing a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Nat...
MAATS training program builds First Nation capacity Building capacity and business ventures for First Nation people is the focus of the impact benefit agreement (IBA) signed between Northgate Minerals Corporation and Matachewan First Nation. Although the IBA was signed almost two years ago, the agreement is about building the capacity of the Matache...
Northern universities focus on attracting First NationsWith First Nations representing an ever-increasing portion of the Canadian population, Northern Ontario universities are using a number of ways to engage and accommodate them. At Thunder Bay’s Lakehead University, officials point to the Native Access Program, a nine-month transitional year to prepa...
First Nations prosper through energy projectsThe Moose Cree First Nation have hit upon the secret to true independence. The community is shaking out the final details of a landmark equity deal struck with Ontario Power Generation (OPG) as part of the province's $2.5-billion plan to redevelop four generating stations on the Lower Mattagami Riv...
Rural communities vie to be sustainable licence holdersFrustration is mounting as three communities vie to be the new sustainable licence holders (SFL) for the Crown land surrounding Marathon, Manitouwadge and Pic River. Competition is fierce and other organizations are jockeying for the same spot. The three communities want to form an equal working pa...
New tool targets Aboriginal youth for mining careers Start them young. It's the rationale behind a recruiting tool designed to attract more Aboriginal youth into mineral exploration and mining careers. With mining companies preparing big plans for development in the James Bay 'Ring of Fire,' training a local workforce for the future to build and ser...
Mining company supports First Nation blockade at McFauld's Lake Noront Resources Ltd. (NOT:TSX) is supporting the actions of its exploration partner Marten Falls First Nation to block exploration in the Ring of Fire area of the James Bay Lowlands. The Marten Falls First Nation, together with five other First Nations, plan to obstruct the landing strip on Koppe...
First Nation pushes back against 'Ring of Fire' mine, rail project A Thunder Bay mineral symposium of the Matawa First Nations tribal council in February could be a raucous affair. The aggressive push by Cliffs Natural Resources and Canada Chrome to develop a $1.5 billion chromite deposit in the James Bay 'Ring of Fire' and ore haul railroad has drawn heat from o...
Thunder Bay environmental consulting firm expands Opening up Ontario's Far North to mineral development means First Nation communities will need top-notch environmental experts in their corner. Almost as fast as major mining companies want to develop chromite and base metal deposits in the James Bay Lowlands, Thunder Bay's True Grit Consulting Lt...
Chiefs, industry experts gather for Sioux Lookout economic summitSioux Lookout is taking a serious look at establishing an urban First Nation reserve to stimulate economic development.The
initiative is on the agenda for Sioux Lookout's upcoming Economic
Development Summit, Nov. 17 to 19 which will address growth areas in
mineral exploration, value-added fores...
Opportunity knocks for First Nations value-added business Operating a First Nations-owned forestry company is likely going to eat into Terry Favelle's social life. But the president of Two Feathers Forest Products, near Dryden, won't complain too much if it brings hope and delivers jobs to Aboriginal youth in an struggling part of northwestern Ontario. “...
Paul Martin pulling Aboriginals out of poverty with CAPEA young First Nation boy caught Paul Martin's ear. “'Before you went into politics you were a lawyer and then the president of Canada Steamship Lines, right?'” said the boy to Canada's former Prime Minister. “'How did you, as a lawyer, know anything about shipping?'” he asked. Martin told the boy h...
Bridging the gap in the Far North A new bridge and road system is being built in the Far North of Ontario to allow access to the First Nation communities of Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwig and Wapekeka. The new road system and 90-metre bridge will eliminate the need for the 20 kilomtre ice crossing of Big Trout Lake to reach the two c...
Community forestry concept gaining momentum Having a greater say in the management of forests was on the minds of 120 attendees at a Thunder Bay workshop in early March. Citizens, mayors, academics, environmentalists, labour and First Nation reps from 21 communities met for a two-day workshop to discuss how local communities can gain contro...
Uranium exploration holds concern for First Nation Uranium exploration activity in Elliot Lake has a community demanding the province start formal consultation proceedings with Serpent River First Nation on its traditional and treaty lands. Chief Isadore Day is waiting on the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines to respond on a commitment for...
Paul Martin launches $50 million Aboriginal business fund Aboriginal businesses across Canada are set to receive a $50 million helping hand in the form CAPE Fund Management Inc., an investment fund launched by former prime minister Paul Martin. Short for "Capital for Aboriginal Prosperity and Entrepreneurship", the CAPE Fund is being backed by Canada's fi...
Equity stakes key for First Nation resource partnerships First Nations should insist on taking an ownership role in natural resource projects, rather than consistently going to the Impact Benefit Agreement (IBA) as a partnership solution, according to a leading expert on Aboriginal partnerships. "The leverage of First Nations has been increased over the...
Employment rates - Indicator holds steady in the NorthNorthern Ontario's employment rate has held relatively steady over the last five years with gains in the northwest. According to figures from Statistics Canada, northwestern Ontario has seen a 1.2 per cent gain in the employment rate this past year with 6.4 per cent unemployment rate compared to 7....
Truss company looking to span northeastern OntarioA former sawmill property has gotten new life with a First Nation-owned and operated building component manufacturer. Having started up in the fall of 2006, Garden River Truss Company makes wood roof trusses, open web floor joists, and pre-fab wall panels mainly for the residential housing market. ...
Canadian Arrow on solid ground with First NationFirst Nation approval was key in Canadian Arrow Mine's gradual development of its highly-prospective Kenbridge nickel deposit in northwestern Ontario.At a spring awards gala of the northwestern Ontario mining fraternity, a speaker at the podium described the rugged (and somewhat shadowy) individual...
Cree Village Ecolodge living lightly on the landHaving begun eight years ago as a First Nations effort to spark economic development, the Cree Village Ecolodge is now one of the world’s foremost examples of a green getaway.Perched upon the island community of Moose Factory, visitors to the Ecolodge can watch as pods of beluga whales slip through...
Cold enough (03/05)This winter’s mild weather has plagued the Pickle Lake community, as transports are unable to get supplies to area communities because the ice is too thin. “We don’t have good ice which means there is far less traffic through our town,” Carolyn Hochstetler, acting clerk/treasurer says. Pickle Lake ...
Getting their fair share (03/05)Attawapiskat area First Nations communities are driving home a message of inclusion as tendering contracts are being scheduled for next winter’s construction phase of the Victor Mine project.“If you’re not an Attawapiskat business or you’re not a trainer (for Aboriginals), then you are behind the e...
Into uncharted entrepreneurial territory (03/05)North American Charters 2000 has created significant turbulence by biting a hefty chunk out of the air carrier service sector.A few happy North American Charters 2000 passengers. Photo by Ian Provided.But it didn’t happen overnight. Even the pilots had to multi-task in the early goings, selling tic...
Joining the global village (03/05)Northern Ontario will always have remote communities, but they no longer have to be isolated. That’s what Minister of State (FedNor) Joe Comuzzi said at a Northern Indigenous Community Satellite Network ceremonial opening in Sioux Lookout. In the next two years the government has budgeted for Inter...
Power struggles on the Manitoba border (03/05)Northwestern First Nations communities want to be main developers in hydro electric development projects.They see it as a means to achieve economic self-sufficiency. But with the province’s new energy development policy, First Nations say hydroelectric initiatives are being taken out of their hands...
The Aboriginal advantage (03/05)John Symington feels close to seeing some long-term major projects pay off. As the Waubetek Business Development Corporation’s partnership development advisor, Symington acts as a facilitator between the First Nations communities he represents and the corporate sector in fostering economic developm...
The Germans are coming (03/05)A Manitoulin Island Aboriginal tourism marketing cooperative is going shopping in Europe.Waubetek Business Development Corp. manager Dawn Madahbee is off to Europe to attract tourists. Photo provided.Proponents hope to come away from two upcoming European travel shows with signed agreements from to...
