Economic

Kalum Ventures

Lyle Bolton is the General Manger with Kalum Ventures, a First Nations company fully owned and operated by the Kitsumkalum Band membership near Terrace. Three years into the Forest and Range Agreement between the band and the Province, Bolton says the community is already benefiting from greater economic stability and growth.

“Having access to the land base is a key part of the Kitsumkalum Band’s planning for its economic future,” says Bolton. “We’ve had as many as ten people from the band working now. We set up Kalum Ventures so we could get out and manage our own harvesting. It was a steep learning curve, but we had lots of help, and now we’re going great.”

It’s a real change from how things used to be. “The people in Kitsumkalum were not involved in any of the profits or economic opportunities being generated,” recalls Bolton. “Now, we’re involved, and we are trying to be good stewards of the land out here. Kalum Ventures is an important part of the band’s plans, and the Forest and Range Agreement was a foundation. If we didn’t have it, we wouldn’t have succeeded to the point where we are now.”

What’s next for the Kitsumkalum Band? “It’s time to start looking further down the road, and figuring out other opportunities and ventures that we may want to start up in the future.”

The Reclamation and Prospecting Program

Mining and mining exploration are hot industries in northern B.C. these days. The challenge is building bridges between an industry desperate for good workers and First Nations communities keen to benefit from the boom. Enter the Reclamation and Prospecting Program, developed by Northwest Community College and funded in part by the provincial government.

The pilot provided on-the-job training in mineral prospecting, site evaluation, and bush safety to First Nations youths, giving them a hands-on introduction to the mining industry. Jermaine Joseph was one of those youths, joining the program in the summer of 2007.

Like many others in the program, Joseph gained work experience to add to his resume. He also gained a new career direction, one that’s clearing the way to a bright future.
“I know mining is going to be for me. I really feel good about it.”

And he isn’t the only one. Chris Basil, vice president of Coast Mountain Geological and a participant in the Reclamation and Prospecting Program, provided on-the-job training to First Nations youths. At the end of the pilot program, Basil hired Jermaine Joseph and several other program graduates, and he’s already thrilled with the results. “It has really been wonderful to be able to hire people who are fresh and keen to get going with their new training,” says Basil.

Basil believes this is only the beginning of a profitable relationship for all sides. “Looking ahead 10 years, First Nations will be major players in the mining and exploration business, not only as trained and experienced technical staff, but in all aspects–drilling, geology, geoteching–you name it.”

Orca Quarry

When George Speck surveys the busy Orca Quarry near Port McNeill on the eastern shore of northern Vancouver Island, he can’t help but smile. The senior administrator for Namgis First Nation at Alert Bay and chairman of the board for Orca Sand and Gravel Ltd. isn’t smiling alone. “There’s a tremendous sense of optimism about the project,” says Speck.

The quarry is a joint venture between Namgis First Nation, Kwakiutl Indian Band, and Polaris Minerals Corp. Polaris approached the band in 2001 about exploration for aggregate deposits. The solid relationship established with the company led to a formal agreement in 2005 to develop the quarry, which currently employs about 30 people, including eight Namgis First Nation members.

Polaris provided the financing for the band to acquire its part ownership in the quarry. When that obligation is paid off in four to six years, Namgis First Nation will realize between $5-million and $7-million in profit-sharing—a sum equal to almost half the band’s current yearly revenue, derived mostly from the federal government.

That’s good news for the whole community. “Our [12 per cent] share of the quarry revenue will help us provide education, health, and training resources for our people,” says Speck. “We will be able to invest in other ventures and become really integrated into the regional economy.”

And then there are the benefits Speck sees around him every day. “There are many positives for the community. A young Namgis First Nation woman is now working as a heavy equipment operator, while another is training to be a welder. These personal successes are about more than paycheques; they’re about self-esteem, positive role models for our youth, and hope for the future.”

As the business grows, Namgis First Nation and Kwakiutl Indian Band members will share equally in half of the projected 50 jobs the quarry will support. “The quarry supports steady jobs,” says Kwakiutl Indian Band Chief Councillor Verna Chartrand. “That kind of employment is something we need for our members and their families.”

Orca Quarry has a lifespan of about 25 to 30 years, but Speck notes there are other sites in the area that could also be developed for rock and gravel. This is just the beginning of good things for the future.

Pentlatch Seafoods Ltd

The K’omoks First Nation’s connection with the ocean is an ancient bond forged through centuries on the eastern shore of mid-Vancouver Island. Today this link also provides an economic development opportunity. Pentlatch Seafoods Ltd (PSL), the K’omoks First Nation’s for-profit corporation, is an award-winning shellfish aquaculture business that grows manila clams and Pacific oysters.

“Since 2002, the K’omoks First Nation has established itself in the shellfish aquaculture industry,” said PSL General Manager Richard Hardy. “In 2004, the K’omoks First Nation signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Province, enabling access to 80 hectares of Crown land foreshore for the purposes of shellfish aquaculture.”

From its beginnings, PSL has been committed to its environment and its community. During its initial stage, PSL implemented an environmental stewardship program that met with the approval of the Elders and Chiefs. Today PSL implements that program at seven inter-tidal sites under tenure. These sites employ up to 20 workers during the peak harvest season and up to 14 people the rest of the year. Employees are a diverse group of K’omoks First Nation members, neighbouring First Nations and non-First Nations people.

As PSL has demonstrated, responsible business is good business. In a few short years, the company has dispersed over 65 million manila clam seeds and 5.6 million Pacific oyster seeds, while generating revenues over $2 million. These achievements have not gone unnoticed. In 2005, the company received the Town of Comox Community Service Award, and later was a finalist for the 2006 Vancouver Mid-Island Science and Technology Award for shellfish aquaculture. In 2007, PSL was recognized as Business of the Year by the B.C. Shellfish Growers Association.

Hardy notes that the company’s long-term sustainability will depend on expanding operations. Diversification into other species, such as geoducks, horse clams and cockles is a possibility. The first order of business, of course, is consultation. “Concerns of First Nations, as well as environmental concerns, need to be addressed. Then we can start building strategic alliances and initiating joint ventures with other First Nations and non-Aboriginal companies.”