GIS an essential service in land and asset management

"There is a higher demand in the spring-time for the Geographic Information System (GIS) training in northwest Ontario," says Jordan Shana, owner, Northern GIS, in Thunder Bay, Ontario. "We are busy delivering courses two per month from January to April each year." Training continues throughout the year, however, and Northern GIS works extensively in other GIS projects throughout the year. "We get calls to do specific GIS training in communities at any time during the year. We run 15 to 20 courses per year and these run with a maximum 10 people per course, or a minimum three or four students," in Northern Ontario, often using the lab facilities of the Northwestern Ontario Innovation Centre in Thunder Bay.

"I taught forestry-oriented GIS at college, but GIS finds application in a vast number of areas in the economy," says Jordan, and governments at all levels want the precise data provided by the application of GIS technology, First Nations included. "It is huge, and growing quickly, but it exploded in north western Ontario when the demand grew to make data on resources available." In a sense, he says, GIS is integral to government structure. "One thing that makes it powerful is the way it incorporates data into software for wider applications. GIS is used to determine large corporate moves in the economy now. Communities manage infrastructure using GIS data, and day-to-day facts keep the picture up to date. We are seeing unlimited usage if you look at uses of GIS on a google search engine."

Shana explains that GIS is a tool to be used to document and combine useful information so that it can be digitized, mapped and displayed for legal purposes. "GIS and Traditional Knowledge can be helpful to First Nation communities in asserting their ownership and obtaining control of their lands and natural resources." Northern GIS is an innovative company that provides a full range of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) services and training. "We are based out of Thunder Bay, Ontario and understand the complex and diverse issues that northern communities face. We work with clients by addressing their needs and helping to resolve these needs by providing efficient and effective solutions using the power of GIS technology."

The uses for Geographic Information System (GIS) are unlimited. GIS enables better planning and management of the information around you; and it simplifies decision making by providing quick and accurate information that can be used in economic development, capacity building, planning and maintenance. "GIS and traditional knowledge data collection can be helpful to First Nation communities in asserting their ownership and obtaining control of their lands and natural resources.

"We offer GIS, GPS and Traditional Knowledge data collection training however you would like it delivered.  We customize each course to provide real world training. We also assist with land claim and flood claim projects, community database creation, mapping of all kinds and provide you with secure data storage.  We work with you every step of the way to ensure that all of your needs are met. We are very understanding of cultural sensitivity and awareness and we are respectful of  any information that is given to us."

 They work with  clients to develop and deliver the type of training that they need the way they need it.  He says, "We offer group training courses or one-on-one customized training in your home community or in Thunder Bay.  Our courses include: Computer Basics, Introduction to GPS and Data Collection, Introduction to GIS, Collecting Traditional Knowledge Values, and Advanced GIS. Our technical expertise is complemented by our cultural sensitivity and our commitment to ensuring that all of our clients have their training needs met and even exceeded." And he adds, "Talk to us about your needs and we’ll design a course that works for you."

Information management goes with self-government in First Nations, including managing infrastructure. Good examples of First Nation operations that deploy GIS management technology are the Musqueum, and Sto:lo Tribal members are using GIS, as well as, Nisga'a and Nuu Chah Nulth treaty tables and infrastructure managers. "I do understand the topic," says Richard Johnson, " and the issue has been around for a long time. I know a lot of different Bands use it, and large First Nation organizations have hired in GIS managers."

Operating GIS systems and using the data to the best advantage, "requires a concerted education that is coordinated with standardized softwares," says Johnson, "which (coordination) would help in cooperation and better utilization of master manipulated data models. The capital investment and learning is in the software. The applications are as diverse as infrastructure management and land management," (and he notes that GIS has long being used to one extent or another in applications in GPS). "No doubt it is used in forestry and other resource extractions, including commercial fishing and integrated resource management."

Johnson says, "Operation of GIS is not an onerous learning curve now with standardized systems, which are put in place before operators are running the system, which isn't that difficult. Cansel can help in the design and implementing and training on GIS array that would be useful in any conceivable management scenario. Survey, designing, construction, and maintenance, the data pouring into the system makes GIS is the single source of truth, even while the usual business processes continue." Cansel is situated with offices across the country, including mobile training labs at offices in Burnaby, Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg, and Cansel outlets are Autodesk resellers and Esri GIS systems resellers. richard.johnson@cansel.ca

McColl's Business Dialogue on Development Print Edition Feb 2010

February 2010

Building awareness of Manitoba forestry resources and management techniques

The team at Manitoba Forestry Association is working with Patricia Pohrebniuk, Executive Director, to expand knowledge, awareness, and ensure sustainability of forests in Manitoba, which is no small undertaking in a province rich in boreal forests. The programs they deliver across the province bring new awareness to diverse groups in the general public and corporate world of Manitoba forestry and resources.

First Nation members belong to the organization and work on various committees, and the MFA works across the province in collaboration with teachers and schools. “We are a non-profit charitable organization,” explains Pohrebniuk, “working with schools, private landowners, and First Nations with programs designed for each meeting,” and on-going public awareness programming at forest centres in the province that are open from May to end of August each year.

MFA runs their education programs to students K to 12 in classrooms, and the woodlot owners access technical services related to managing forests or attend skill-oriented workshops. Tree-planting, pruning, safe chainsaw use, and other courses are delivered by MFA. “The organization began in 1919,” explains Pohrebniuk. “We began delivering workshops and training sessions in 1992.”

Programming is diverse because landowners have a wide range of goals in forestry, she explains, “everything from recreational use to harvesting timber, to reforestation, and construction of shelter belts, or wildlife enhancement. Other forestry initiatives are in biofuel management, planting willow and hybrid poplar in various places around Manitoba,” part of the Trees for Tomorrow Program from the Federal government in Saskatchewan and Alberta as well.

Each year over 500 students and citizens of the province receive the benefit of some awareness raising or knowledge distribution by MFA through public extension activities. It may regard a disease like Dutch Elm that is hitting the trees of Winnipeg hard, or the spruce bud worm that is hitting pockets of the provincial forest resources, or warnings of other invasive species threatening arrival over the horizon.

 “We have a working relationship with a number of government departments and agencies,” says Pohrebniuk, “and we work with Manitoba Environmental Fund to participate on numerous initiatives in the provincial forests, and on the provincial logistics committee in forestry.” MFA has a five member staff working out of Winnipeg. Swan River Valley has an outreach program of MFA to deliver woodlot workshops.

MFA employs seasonal staff as well, at programming delivered in Sandilands Forest Discovery Centre, the main centre, located near Hadashville; Duck Mountain Forest Centre – Located in the Duck Mountain Provincial Forest south of Minitonas; Interlake Forest Centre – Located between Fisher Branch and Hodgson; Atikameg Forest Centre – Located in The Pas.

“The Sandilands centre has been open 55 years in 2012,” she says, this year running a Fire-Smart Pilot program to train people on forest fire prevention. The annual Day in the Pines event is taking place in May 11 and 12.

This time of year the in-school programming is underway and forestry is a topic in classrooms especially in Winnipeg with MFA curriculum and supplies. Classes typically feature 45 minute presentations on forestry topics, and as the grades go higher the concentration of information evolves to include career mapping. School program is constantly in redevelopment. Provincial funding delivers the MFA education stream, and the urban lesson plans may be expanding to other school districts in coming years, depending on budgets. 

Diversity in operations around forestry in Meadow Lake Tribal Council territory

"We are a very diverse operation in North West Saskatchewan, owned by the Meadow Lake Tribal Council, which owns NorSask and nine other subsidiary companies," explains Trevor Reid, President, NorSask, "100 percent owned by MLTC since1998 after buying in as a shareholder in 1988, and it's been fantastic. We run a stud lumber sawmill with production capacity to 140 million board feet per year, and, at capacity there are 120 people employed full time twelve months a year. We will be starting a second shift as the economy recovers from the world debt crisis and housing meltdown in the USA."

Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan is the site of all this activity. And the story gets even more interesting with the news of MLTC in the process of building a power plant on-site to produce 36 MWh in a bio-mass powerplant fueled by the sawmill residue," a hog fuel plant using the wood waste that was, "historically burned off in a beehive burner. That is opening soon, we are in the final stages of planning to build this $150 million power plant, turning the ground next spring in Meadow Lake, and by 2014 we will be selling all the energy to SaskPower, from the Meadow Lake Bio Energy Centre," a 'working title' for the power company)."

Prior to the power plant project coming to the fore, "We are getting into wood pellet manufacture for the specific purpose of providing district heating solutions for remote First Nations communities, in essence becoming a utility for First Nations. We have four pilot projects under way, one for example in Canoe Lake First Nation with a district heating system applied to four houses. At Island Lake First Nation,the school was retrofitted with pellet heat. We have a demonstration project under way in Saskatoon and another in Meadow Lake. The demonstration projects are recent and have been under way since October 2011," installed and running all winter. "We want to help communities grow out from their dependence on propane, and provide (carbon neutral) energy services to remote communities."

"We have a trucking company MLTC Northern Trucking to do trucking of logs and chemical peroxide into mill, and haul chips out. We are expanding that company to grow the log haul division. We have a bulk fuel company called Polar Oils, 100 % MLTC owned, operating in North West Saskatchewan and providing First Nation community gas stations with petroleum, delivering 4 million litres a year."

MLTC’s Economic Development group runs with a 10-member core team, and lots of people on the ground. The forestry development occurs in a provincial Forest Management Area in MLTC traditional territory. The mill in Meadow Lake has been debt free since 2002. The company has paid dividends in housing and community infrastructure and other investments. The forests are in great shape. "We have no challenges from MPB like they have in B.C." though it may be coming, he says, "We have jack pine and white spruce. We've got a forestry management group and the forestry management involves a lot of consulting with Band members, such as trap-line operators.

Diving industry beckons potential employees

At the Canadian Working Divers Institute in Northern Ontario, Gordon Hay and team teaches divers to be the world-class Unrestricted Surface-Supplied Divers in demand around the country in various kinds of industrial scenarios, from energy sector, to municipal services, to coastal aquaculture operations (three coasts).

“We condensed a nine month training program into 12 weeks of intensive training. It runs 12 hours a day, six days a week,” explains Hays, “which is better for the people wanting this kind of career development.” Diving is a job for people willing to do the work as jack-of-all-trades underwater, he says. They may be employed in the energy sector in the Beaufort Sea, or aquaculture on any of the three coasts in Canada. It could take them anywhere in the world,” he says, “Training occurs near Chapleau on Lake Borden, “The work takes people across the country and around the world.”

The training institute runs one course per year for up to 30 students. “We supply room and board from August 7th to about November 1, and train them to a standard that exceeds all other diving training standards in the world, preparing personnel for jobs in the Arctic Ocean, Beaufort Sea, Hibernia oil field, Great Lakes, or anywhere else.” According to Hays, “There is room in the industry for more skilled people. Average age is around 24, but we get students from ages 18 to 40 and up. Our training is surface supply level, making it certified for deeper diving and using more tools underwater. info@canadianworkingdivers.com

Kelly Korol runs Dive Safe commercial diving school in Campbell River, B.C., and says diving training is proving to be a good fit in First Nations communities, divers working in places like Klemtu and on the other side of Vancouver Island at Ahousaht. "We are a trade school teaching commercial diving that leads to employment in a variety of areas, especially sea food harvesting and aquaculture," says Korol. "Diving for urchins in various waters and one student is currently training to be able to harvest goeduck in Ahousaht.

Korol says, "Bands have access to fisheries and licenses and where the community has nothing else going on, diving and using the commercial diving skills from training can lead to employment where you are at home every night with the wife and kids, gainful employment close to home. When the weather is bad, you don't go diving, when the weather is good, you're working in aquaculture site work, or harvesting urchins, scallops, and we train the divers for commercial fisheries and aquaculture.

"We have a couple students from the Hakai Institute, north of Rivers Inlet," (programs at the institute are conducted by partner institutions such as the University of Victoria, Simon Fraser University, the University of British Columbia and the University of Northern British Columbia). "Our training enables students to conduct underwater scientific diving studies and other employment is found working in environmental assessments."

Korol is enthusiastic about a current training program he is preparing to deliver to Nunavut, "on clam digging underwater. First Nation and Inuit people have huge pristine clam beds, and we are working out details to deliver training there," and, he notes, "It's a case again of First Nations returning to work in traditionlal lands to fill a huge demand for the resources. The guys here on the west coast and making a living harvesting sea urchin and goeduck, sea cucumbers, and it's filling the demand in the Asian market."

On the recreational side of diving, he notes, "B.C. is cold water diving at its best in the world, strong currents and clear water lots of life on the bottom when you get down there. You see all kinds of activity." Dive safe runs training courses throughout the year, "We do two courses. One is a five-week scuba curse, and the other is a seven-week surface supply course. Surface supply diving is safer and certain kinds of seafood harvests require you to be wearing weighted surface supply gear, to keep you on the bottom while you pick the geoduck off the floor by the neck. It's seven weeks to finish the surface supply course." Aquaculture work is mostly done by scuba trained and equipped divers. Surface supply diving takes longer to learn use of power tools underwater, or welding, and surface supply diving is used on pressure washing boats of marine equipment underwater.

 

The maintenance of a fish farm is a constant undertaking, underwater, with specific demands by industry, government, and society that are met by specialized outfits like Seaveyors Environmental and Marine Services Ltd., of Courtenay B.C. Canada. Darren Horler is owner of the company started in 2006 to do the work for a thriving aquaculture economy. net pen inspections and environmental monitoring using rov anchoring systems current

"We dive with a minimum two divers on inspection teams, sometimes three, and every situation is unique. Before each dive we come up with the plan. Most aquaculture related dives occur in fairly protected waters, and the teams work around the metal and steel frame net pens, inspecting nets and anchoring systems on a scheduled basis, as well as on-call inspections." Seaveyors is fully equipped with technology-laden water craft and equipment, "a big investment into the industry." He explains, "I am running the operations with eight professionals on staff, including our divers and a biologist to do certified Environmental inspection services."

 

"We are more than a dive contractor. We are working on top the water a lot, and we do specialized environmental contracting, and I like to think we have top skills with the equipment, but it's a small circle in this industry, and I know everybody personally. It's a tight ship in the underwater surveys industry, and there is a lot of competency. We do all waters, deep sea up to creek habitat."

The company is employed in environmental monitoring, "We get into a lot of third party work that comes from the demand for reports that are submitted to government," says Horler. His company's biology department has done all kinds work in the different Pacific species, commercial and environmental reports on things like goeduck, herring spawn, surveys, urchins, and a tremendous variety of other diving studies and reports made into databases. Reporting is done in many instances for DFO, especially since a transition in coast aquaculture industry report from provincial to federal jurisdiction about a year ago. Meanwhile the diving industry is a growing employment opportunity, "Definitely there are opportunities to get into the business of diving." The schools on the west coast have curriculum and certification level courses at the scuba-level and restricted diving level, which qualifies the graduates with Worksafe BC credentials for work in these kinds of marine services.

BC College of Diving principle Cory Beaudry knows a lot about the province of B.C. below the water line, all across the province and up and down the coast. "We teach unrestricted scuba and my experience with commercial diving begins 21 yrs ago, and I began the company Camcor Diving 19 years ago, and  opened the BC College of Diving in 2004, in Sidney BC." The college, which normally averages three courses per year is this year running two courses, one in the spring another in the fall. "The Unrestricted Scuba course is five weeks.  

This year's spring and fall courses will be done at the facility in Sidney and in the surrounding ocean waters. They find areas to practice in the 40 metres required to obtain the certification. When done, in his experience on the coastal operation of Camcor Diving, "the main work is aquaculture site maintenance  diving  in and around the net pens. Another coastal employment from the course is found in seafood harvesting, urchins, goeduck, sea cucumbers. His own company engages 14 full-time divers, "all on aquaculture."

Years ago fish farming maintenance was done by fish farmers themselves, and a lot of maintenance went by the way-side, then as the fish farms became advanced industrialized operations. Open-water certification programs highlight diving physiology, safe diving practices, and diving hazards,  Beaudry notes that diving demands a certain physiology that becomes apparent in the training stages. 

His business is into diving at fish farms, gaining a career worth of expertise on the maintenance of a fish farm. "It is highly specialized diving and I have been working at it 21 years. In fact, my Operations Manager trained me in the aquaculture diving industry and he has 30 years experience in the fish farming industry. Dives on farm sites are on average on average 70  to 90 feet, to do net pen inspection for DFO, mortality diving, underwater construction of new sites, each of which are anchored with weight systems to prevent billowing from currents, and invasions by sea lions and other predators."

Farms sites on the ocean receive scheduled maintenance, new constructions are done to install or move sites. The waters vary, and in fact, up north the diving gets to be some crazy stuff. Experience really counts in a hazardous environment like deepwater diving. In fact, BC College of Diving has a prerequisite that states all course entrants must have been a recreational diver with over 10 hours bottom time and a WCB Divers medical. He has seen people from a wide range of ages, "We had a  woman 57 old in the training, and we recently had a Haisla member, Dennis Robinson, 54, take the course.

In training, as on the job, "I hold safety above all," says Beaudry. I am a CSA Dive committee member, and I am on the Diver Certification Board of Canada, and obtained a certain amount of recognition among colleagues. camcordiving@telus.net

Resources North workshops building regional consensus on economic issues

Melanie Karjala, Acting General Manager for the Resources North Association, discusses an active agenda for the organization in 2012. At Resource North, she explains, “We have multiple sectors on the board, including people from  forestry, mining, oil and gas, and First Nations, and also we have academia, communities, small business, and there are projects with local education institutions.”

Resources North started in 1992 as the McGregor Model Forest and in 2007 was merged with Integrated Resource Management Partnership, an industry group working in Northern B.C., to create Resources North Association. It is run by a 16-member large board of directors and executive committee. 

Says  Karjala, “Our aim is to bring community stability and prosperity through sustainable resource management. We have four key theme areas: Community engagement, Expanding the knowledge base, Operational integration, Communications and extension,” she says, “one of our roles is to get information out to the people who can use it.

 “Our focus is on collaboration. In order to achieve it, we focus on bringing people together to work on solutions in our four theme areas. The full board meets quarterly and executive meets every six weeks roughly. Stephanie Killam, is the chair, and Mayor of Mackenzie, B.C., and she is very involved in meetings and outreach as well as attendance at all executive and board meetings”

A new communications strategy has been drafted by a contracted senior strategist, “and we are doing a lot of work on building a re-conception of our business model and preparing a communications strategy, and the board approved a new five-year strategic plan in December for new fiscal year in April 2012.”

 Resources North stages workshops in the region and coming in March 2012, RNA is holding workshops on Agro-forestry. “The goal is to build capacity for agro-forestry expansion in northern B.C., building on a workshop we gave in 2009.Agroforestry is the planned integration of agriculture and forestry practices occurring on the same plot of land, which combines agriculture, silviculture, and conservations practises to produce systems such as alley cropping, integrated riparian management, shelter belts, and silvo-pasture, which is growing trees in a farm towards producing a wood product, perhaps Christmas trees, or birch syrup. Agroforestry presents an opportunity to diversify northern economies”

She says people wanted more northern examples about the best crops for this northern latitude and more education on land management. “We got funding from the Agroforestry Development Institute and the Omenica Beetle Action Coalition to develop a community of practice, and we are having the first meeting this week to organize the workshop. We’d like to get at least 50 people per event.” The workshop will be followed by a series of learning events including field tours, short courses, to build skills and knowledge about Agroforestry.

The next set of priorities for workshops is to discuss the recruitment and retention of a labour force in natural resources industries, “and it will be a big topic in the region.”

The workshop will bring together existing initiatives, barriers and solutions for labour recruitment and retention in the natural resources sector of northern B.C.. “We have funding from the Forest Products Sector Council to put on this workshop in April. The Steering Committee includes academic institutions,  employment agencies, professional associations, and private sector.”

The Forest Products Sector Council provided analysis of labour needs and reported the shortage of personnel will be in the area between 40,000 to 120,000 the forestry sector alone as the decade proceeds. “In order to maintain economic activity we need enough people trained. Among other topics, we want to explore the nontraditional or untapped labour market, including people with disabilities, women, career changers and First Nations.”

Pacific Northwest economy developing many new directions

The Pacific Northwest of Canada is an area with a stake in the economy held by First Nations, so it’s a far cry from the economic marginalization of remote communities in northern Ontario and northern Manitoba. It may closer resemble developments ascribed to James Bay on the Quebec side. Business development in the Northwest Pacific runs the gamut from coastal marine-oriented enterprise in emerging industrial and infrastructure operations, to small businesses creating dozens of forestry jobs, to long-standing companies hiring out of local indigenous populations that have recovered a lot of rights and titles in the territory.

Port services are expanding in the Port of Prince Rupert, B.C., by a tripartite business venture with Island Tug and Barge, Metlakatla, and Lax Kw’alaams First Nations. Ryan Leighton, Director of Operations for the Metlakatla Development Corporation (MDC) stated, “There is a multitude of different opportunities we are looking at a variety of commercial activities.” John Lindsay,  ITB vice president and general manager, recently confirms the company is proceeding to establish infrastructure and move equipment to Prince Rupert.

Leighton says, “We are involved regionally and going to grow. Barge services up here provide essential fuel, materials, supplies, everything right down to garbage remediation, and our services will extend as far North as Alaska.” Lindsay says, “It is a fully equipped marine services company in a hot area of economic development.” He noted last year that the Port of Prince Rupert is undergoing all kinds of expansion to meet the shipping demands of commodity sectors like coal, potash, and other export minerals. 

Clayton Burger is a Northwest Pacific businessman and highly experienced tree faller from Iskut, B.C., who took skills with a chain saw around the province. After 20 years as a faller, “I worked for a short time as a foreman for logging outfit, which proved to be excellent preparation to start my own business.” His company, Edziza Contracting is entering the third year operating out of Terrace, B.C..

Edziza teams of fallers work as far as Columbia Valley on a transmission line job. They work falling contracts in Alberta, and Dawson Creek, B.C., and currently, “Right where we are on the Northern Transmission Line project north of Terrace.” For his crews, falling and slashing is the game, “Line cutting, right-of-way, seismic,  oilfield line, pipeline, routes cut to make trails for industry, or government contracts.” 

On the NTL side, “We started the project last fall with All-North Consulting, and we’ve been working with McElhanney ever since on the survey job at NTL.” He worked in Nisga’a Nation to run a training course on chain-saw experienced people with no tickets. “We get them out and prepare them, then they can pass the tests to be certified fallers in the region.”

Bear Creek Contracting works in the Pacific Northwest, with a head office in Terrace, B.C.. Mike Edwards, Health and Safety Manager, has a host of responsibilities in human resources, and says, “Bear Creek Contracting is a family-run business, originally in logging and now engaged in all kinds of construction. “We specialize in ‘early works’ and ground works on utility projects, road construction, and other infrastructure. We have 150 on the payroll right now.” Furthermore, “We are operating a limited partnership with Haisla First Nation where we hire lots of people and do training and certification for a lot of new personnel being recruited in Kitimat area.”

HBO/Bear Creek Contracting limited partnership is run by Clarence Nice in Kitimaat Village. Edwards says, “This partnership opened a lot of doors for us, and we found great workers and great people by establishing the partnership. We had important conversations about building our workforce.  We now have a new pool of people trained and employed as excavator and machine operators, truck drivers, labourers, and other jobs in road construction on projects like Kitimat LNG,” the infrastructure project to ship natural gas from Canada.

The largest forestry tender holder in Haida Gwaii is looking to sell a particular form of log suitable for the B.C. power transmission system. The Skidegate Band Council of the Haida Nation (Queen Charlotte Islands) has put together an proposal to develop forestry resources under their aegis in the Haida Gwaii.  Chief Bob Mills, head of the Skidegate Band Council, explains, "We're working on leading projects based in ownership of the largest forestry tenure on Haida Gwaii. They are Skidegate Band initiatives to put some of our people in skilled positions at work that comes out of our forests, and for the Band to make some money."

The priority is training crews to work at log prepping sites using newly acquired  equipment to strip poles and prepare logs for the power pole market in B.C.. It involves the preparation of cedar poles by machine peeling the bark and putting the logs to market to corporations like BC Hydro and Fortis. “We understand there is a big demand for this and we can make money. We believe the Haida brand should be appealing." The poles will be shipped by barge to Vancouver.

The chief says, "De-barking occurs using expensive machinery that we are buying in the USA. Council member Billy Obonovich is spearheading the project. He obtained the debarking machine from a company in the USA. Training from NWCC comes with classroom and hands-on learning, time indoors followed by outdoor training toward certification in chain saw safety and machine operations. Timing of the training is arranged to precede the machine setup. There is a representative from the machine company to do operational training of the crew."

Mid-Island’s three biggest First Nations signed 2011 deal with Marine Harvest

One of the first commercial fisheries to turn to aquaculture was Klemtu, and the people have never looked back since making the investment in processing fish for Marine Harvest Canada . The Atlantic salmon are farmed in Kitasoo/XaiXais waters. Klemtu community on Swindle Island has a fishery-conscious labour force that MHC draws on for employees.

Other community members work at Kitasoo Seafoods Ltd.. Klemtu leadership created conditions that put MHC on- site. Klemtu community participates from environmental to fiscal level of seafood operations. They are there to monitor their traditional waters. This well-balanced arrangement continues to deliver economic and social benefits.

At the end of June 2011 MHC and three Central Island First Nations concluded three years of discussions intending to guide the operations of salmon aquaculture in their territories. On June 24th, the We Wai Kai, We Wai Kum and K’omoks First Nations celebrated signing of a capacity-building agreement with MHC. The agreement requires environmentally sustainable practices, provides economic and investment opportunities for the First Nations.  

“We are very pleased to start a positive relationship between Marine Harvest Canada and our people,” says Chief Ralph Dick of the Wei Wai Kai Nation. “It’s important that we have input into how companies operate within our territory since they are already here,” states Chief Robert Pollard of the Wei Wai Kum Nation, “and the best way to have our say is to work collaboratively. This agreement provides that opportunity.” 

A spring 2011 announcement by the Aboriginal Aquaculture Association is receiving positive feedback on the west coast. The Aboriginal Principles for Sustainable Aquaculture (APSA) standard of certification has been applied to Mainstream Canada, and, according to proponents, “other aquaculture companies are inquiring about certification. 

Richard Harry is president of the AAA, “We need to make the world understand and appreciate First Nations communities operating in aquaculture. It is the biggest employer in our communities. There are jobs for people which  sustains communities, and we are  partners in these endeavors.”

Harry notes, “Fish farming is probably the most over-regulated industry in the country. To us, it`s operation standards that matter. And where the industry goes we need to be part of it. Fiirst Nations and the companies involved will lead the APSA program. But the market place itself is probably the most important place.” 

He says, “It`s the people who accept this form of certification that will do the promotion. I don`t know if it`s ever happened that a First Nation certification of an industry has occurred.”  Ahousaht is engaged in the aquaculture and fish farm industry, “This is a good first example of implementation. 

In the Alberni Valley is the Sarita River, lands and waters of the Nuu Chah Nulth nation, where once a richness of Chinook salmon resources was unsurpassed. Sarita was a  special project done by Omega Pacific Hatchery with financial help from Huu Ay Aht First Nation (Sarita is part of their traditional territory), sponsorship from Creative Salmon and other fish farm companies working to release 50,000 wild Chinook salmon, April 12, 2011.

To make salmon resources thrive again, production capacity of Omega Pacific Hatchery was employed in a special project to release 50,000 ‘S-One’ Chinook salmon smolts. Stephan Ochman is the 14 year fisheries manager of Huu Ay Aht, and says the April 2011 release in Sarita River was the outcome of long term process to rehabilitate the fishery in the watershed. “These fish will return as three or four year olds.”

Pacific Coast aquacullture economy a major growing concern

The multi-million dollar aquaculture industry on the west coast is more and more becoming a billion-dollar industry, with growing facets in species, markets, and investors. First Nations on the coast are big players in the industry and the credit for the  way that came to pass belongs to the past. First Nations were the backbone of the commercial fishery in many areas. They have a substantial number of licensees participating in commercial fisheries today. Depleting resources could be a threat to every license,  however.

One of the first commercial fishery players to turn to aquaculture was Klemtu, and the people have never looked back since making the investment in processing fish for Marine Harvest Canada . The farmed  Atlantic salmon are grown in Kitasoo/XaiXais waters. Klemtu community on Swindle Island has a fishery-conscious labour force that MHC draws on for employees in the pen-sites.Other community members work at Kitasoo Seafoods Ltd. processing plant. Klemtu leadership created conditions that put MHC on- site. Klemtu community participates from environmental to fiscal level of seafood operations. They are as ever there to monitor things in their traditional waters. This well-balanced arrangement continues to deliver great economic and social benefits.

More recently, at the end of June 2011,  MHC and three Central Island First   Nations concluded three years of discussions intending to guide the operations of salmon aquaculture in their territories.  On June 24th, the We Wai Kai, We Wai Kum and K’omoks First Nations celebrated the   signing of a capacity-building agreement with Marine Harvest Canada. The agreement requires environmentally sustainable practices, provides economic and investment opportunities for the First Nations. 

“We are very pleased to start a positive relationship between Marine Harvest Canada  and our people,” says Chief Ralph Dick of the Wei Wai Kai Nation. “It’s important that we have input into how companies operate within our territory since they are already here,” states Chief Robert Pollard of the Wei Wai Kum Nation, “and the best way to have our say is to work collaboratively. This agreement provides that opportunity.” 

The signing increases the total number of agreements between Marine Harvest and coastal First Nations to ten. “Marine Harvest recognizes the importance of working with local First Nation bands,” said  Vincent Erenst, Managing Director at Marine Harvest Canada. “We look forward to working with our partners to ensure that our business promotes sustainability for our oceans, our economy and local communities.”

Collectively, the three Nations and Marine Harvest Canada represent a significant portion of BC’s aquaculture production – both shellfish and salmon. Marine Harvest Canada is BC’s largest producer of fresh farm-raised salmon and directly employs 550 staff. We Wai Kai, We Wai Kum and K’omoks First Nations represent approximately two thousand members and are in the shellfish business. 

A spring 2011 announcement by the Aboriginal Aquaculture Association is receiving positive feedback on the west coast where so many communities are dependent on a commercial fishery   that has declined to a shadow of it’s former self for several years. The Aboriginal Principles for Sustainable Aquaculture (APSA) standard of certification has been applied to Mainstream Canada, and, according to proponents, “other aquaculture companies are inquiring about certification. Richard Harry is president of the AAA, “We need to make the world understand and appreciate First Nations communities operating in aquaculture. It is the biggest employer in our communities. There are jobs for people which  sustains communities, and we are  partners in these endeavors.”

As a close observer of the industry over the years, Harry notes, “Fish farming is probably the most over-regulated industry in the country. To us, it`s operation standards that matter. And where the industry goes we need to be part of it. Fiirst Nations and the companies involved will lead the APSA program. But the market place itself is probably the most important place.”

Harry says, “It`s the people who accept this form of certification that will do the promotion. I don`t know if it`s ever happened that a First Nation certification of an industry has occurred.”  The AAA mission statement is to support First Nation sustainable aquaculture in ways that support and respect First Nation community culture and values. It means First Nation-approved aquaculture products coming onto the market. 

The AAA designed the criteria beginning with environmental performance of these companies and industries, “a performance that has to be better understand by public. But we also realized the need for monitoring social aspects of aquaculture, that we should focus on the economic impact in communities, and cultural aspects, asking if aquaculture operators are meeting needs in local communities.”

Ahousaht is deeply engaged in the aquaculture and fish farm industry so it makes a good starting point for a certification program, and, Harry adds, “Mainstream has been working with Ahousaht for long time to develop the relationship, in fact, signing a protocol agreemenl last year. They had a natural foundation for certification.” Thus fish farming received the first certification of aquaculture under APSA, but, “The whole idea is to go across all sorts of aquaculture.

“But this is a good first example of implementation. AAA`s goal is to have APSA applied to any form of aquaculture, operator, and First Nation across the country.” APSA audits the economic, social, water and land use, personnel use, and applies to aquaculture on the ocean, or land, including hatcheries.

In the Alberni Valley is the Sarita River, lands and waters of the Nuu Chah Nulth nation, where once was a richness of Chinook salmon resources that could only described as unsurpassed. To make the salmon resource thrive again, production capacity of Omega Pacific Hatchery was employed in a special project to release 50,000 ‘S-One’ Chinook salmon smolts, those that are raised in fresh water (at great expense ) to over a year old. These were released into the Sarita River with the sponsorship assistance of Creative Salmon of Tofino and other partners in the fish farming industry.

This was a special project done by Omega Pacific Hatchery along with financial help from Huu Ay Aht First Nation (for the Sarita is part of their traditional territory) and the help of a group of fish farm companies, all working together to release 50,000 wild Chinook salmon into the Sarita River, April 12, 2011.

Bruce Kenny and Carol Schmitt own OP, on Great Central Lake, not far north of Port Alberni, B.C., on Vancouver Island, where, Bruce said, “We grew the wild Chinook salmon to one year in fresh water, and we are making a concentrated effort to improve survival rates of hatchery released Chinook.” Growing S-One (year-old) fish is an arduous task, for they achieve a mere four inches of growth a year in fresh water.

Carole Schmitt worked on the Sarita River enhancement program to gather eggs in 2009 that were hatched and grown in 2010, and have now been shipped in 2011. Bruce says, “It’s a long period for wild animals to be in captivity, and people said to us, ‘Oh, they’ll be domestic by the end of a year in your facility.’ We released 6 km upstream with underwater camera watching, and they snapped into wild mode instantly.” The released fish, “Went upstream, came back down, stood around for two days, gathered under a bridge, and then all departed for the ocean.”

Stephan Ochman is the 14 year fisheries manager of Huu Ay Aht, and says the April 2011 release in Sarita River was the outcome of long term process to rehabilitate the fishery in the watershed. “These fish will return as three or four year olds. They are code-wire tagged so we’ll be able to see exactly, during brood stock capture, what percentage came from this Omega Pacific release.”

The Sarita River fishery has been sustained by the hatchery release of fish for many years, says Ochman, “It appears ninety percent of the fish that come into the Sarita came from hatcheries. There are very few native-born fish in the river.” The recent S-One release was done outside the usual procedure of hatchery release as operated by Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

“We are going to do the release of S-zero hatchery fish, about half-a-million as usual this spring. This release always gave us returns in the 1990s, during which we got 3,000 and 4,000 returns per year. In the last few years the returns dropped to very low counts. That’s why we tried a different method, releasing the S-Ones grown by Omega Pacific.”

S-Ones are grown 18 months in a tank of fresh water on reduced diets, whereas S-Zeros are hatched and grown for 6 months and released. There is a science to growing fish and DFO adheres to different science than OP, DFO releasing larger quantities of younger fish, OP taking eggs exclusively from native brood-stock and putting a natural cycle into early rearing and release. Ochman took part in the S-One release and says the Sarita River was gushing, visibility wasn’t good, and the fish were gone two days later when he went for the swim in his dry suit and snorkel.

Carol Schmitt explains the rationale behind developing the S-One hatchery fish, “Mother nature keeps them at least a year, sometimes three. The DFO S-Zero hatchery fish are released at six months because they make them grow fast, which triggers them to go into the ocean early. We are thinking the fish have to mature in fresh water longer in order to build up the physical stamina to survive in oceans.”

Omega Pacific one of the few independent hatcheries left, specializes in Chinook and raises eggs for export and supplies Chinook smolts to fish farms. “Our facility is beside the lake and the tanks are fed by a fish-free creek of mountain water,” notes Kenny. ”The entire facility is designed around the needs of fish. We have 30 years acquired knowledge. Carol has spent seven years developing a method of rearing and releasing S-One wild Chinook.”

OP is totally immersed in the raising of Chinook salmon from eggs to captive broodstock. They live beside the lake in the wilderness with salmon 24/7, 365 days a year. “We don’t have a 4 o’clock,” says Kenny. Carol says, “We go out to a stream with few returns and take eggs from the few back to the hatchery.” Kenny and Schmitt agree that ideal conditions would be to deploy satellite hatcheries that do egg hatches at the site from brood stock and reintroduces them to the native river.”

OP anticipates the S-Ones will have a higher survival rate amid the biology of a natural cycle in growth and timing of departure to sea. “We are hoping they come back to do natural reproduction on the stream, lessening the need to release fish by hatcheries,” so there it is a form of satellite-enhanced stream enhancement. Stefan Ochman says, “Now we wait three years to see the results.”

Carol Schmitt is an independent force majeure in the enhancement business and her knowledge grows from a lot of experience in aquaculture, including producing the fish presently swimming in AgriMarine’s new closed containment tanks afloat in the Seymour Narrows near Campbell River.

Delorme building on a legacy of economic development

James Delorme was elected chief the summer 2011 in a by-election at Klahoose First Nation, "I grew up on the west coast. I was an army brat and my dad was stationed in the Comox Valley."

Delorme is in truth all-Canadian, "I was born in Nova Scotia where my dad was stationed, and we came west when I was age two." He schooled in Comox and made a career of working up and down the coast in logging and construction. "I went into shake block cutting and a friend of mine from Klahoose, the late Dave Noble, went to Surrey to work in a mill. I followed him and put my first aid ticket to work as an afternoon shift supervisor. Noble was on a housing list to return to his home village, at Squirrel Cove, Klahoose, four years waiting before he got there."

Delorme worked at the wood processing facility in the Lower Mainland and when Noble returned to Squirrel Cove, He was invited to the Klahoose reserve where he entered employment with Klahoose administration. "It seemed like a great place to live where I could be close to my roots in the Comox Valley." Eventually, "I transferred my Status from the Saskatchewan-situated Cowesses Band. My dad is a Cowesses member. We are Cree people." Delorme says, with a laugh, "That makes me the first Cree chief in Klahoose." (Klahoose is related to the K'Moks people of the Coast Salish Nation.)

Delorme says, "I transferred my Indian Status to the Klahoose Band about a year ago. I love it around Klahoose. Over the years I picked up some language, worked in administration, learned much about the culture, and my three kids are Band members. I made the decision to transfer and the Band accepted me."

Today he serves with three council members  Jessie Louie, Mavis Kok, and Cathy Francis, who were elected last year with former Chief Ken Brown. "I spend about four days a week in Squirrel Cove, and I rent on Cortes Island because housing on the reserve is at a standstill, so I rent a property off-reserve. This encourages me to get housing issues up to snuff."

The problem for Klahoose housing centres on an aging sewer system. "The feds are talking about upgrading the system so we can expand housing, and that is a primary goal for the community. We have a decent amount of reserve property but we need better infrastructure. "We aren't interested in re-inventing the wheel. We will learn from some of our neighbours," like Homalco First Nation. "This will open up improvements in our relations with our neighbours."

 When Chief Brown resigned this year, "I contemplated running for chief. I respected Ken's achievements. He was a good delegater and visionary in the direction the Band should take. No chief made such dramatic changes to our financial standing, and much of the success came from establishing Qathen Xwegus Managment Corporation. It's been in place about three years and was one of Ken's labours. Without his effort we may still be in a place without direction  and missing the ability to make firm economic decisions. This climate of economic development was opened to us."

Now Chief James Delorme has the opportunity to build for the future. "Ken had the ability to build his vision by delegating. But people sometimes forget that he was a big helper of the members. His ability to establish relations with government and industry weren't his only strengths. He was a generous man to the people and they remember that."

Delorme, who turned 40 in October, was elected into an organization that contains inherent strengths built by the previous leader, "Most of the team stayed intact. The economic development corporation was set up with a board of directors, and a logging program was established for Tree Farm License 10, and government relations were arranged. What has happened is the formula is intact and there's no point in reinventing the wheel. We were doing positive development under Ken and we have no reason to upset the apple cart."

There are changes, however, to band administration and tightening some gaps. "We are looking for positive ways to help the community, including expansion of health and education, employment. Huge gaps appeared when the economy dropped but we still have a strong economic base and forestry opportunities. We are recovering, and realize that we need to be taking care of each other, building social programs that government at both levels, federal and provincial, may be reducing over time."

The Band has work to do in treaty. "We believe in the treaty process and continue to work on it, but we require social support for members and this is the key element to my goals. We need to build longevity into social programs for Band members." Klahoose is not a large Band, "We total 317 members," he explains , "We have eleven reserves, two of which are inhabited. Squirrel Cove on Cortes Island is the traditional winter grounds. Toba Inlet, less inhabited, has been occupied related to forestry work iand run of river projects. We run Qathen Xwegus Managment Corporation and social programs from offices in Powell River. We have a majority of our membership spread around in B.C. and the USA."

He says, "Basically we have health, education, and other services targeted by the federal government for members on-reserve, yet the majority live off reserve, and we have concerns about how they get help with training, employment, health services, and social programs. Much of our membership has to go to the provincial government for extended health benefits and services. We have relations in USA with no extended health benefits," especially in Washington State."

Delorme says, "We need to create our own extended health benefits. It's going to take work, time, and energy. It's a big undertaking working with government and agencies to achieve these goals. Klahoose has a great relationship with School District 47 in Powell River, using various means of providing training and obtaining federal dollars to do this. Benefits come to the Band from this relationship with the school district, and some of these benefits spill over to our neighbours in Sliammmon and Homalco. We are working on a plan for post secondary education and small trades training in welding, core construction, and culinary arts."

Other news is the possible second phase of Run of River projects in Toba Inlet with Altira Power, who bought Plutonic Power, proposing a second phase of Toba Inlet run of river to proceed. “We are working on that now. We are hoping to have things firmed up in the new year. It was on the table prior to my being chief and a negotiation team is being assembled for talks in the coming year involving another Impact Benefit Agreement like the last one with Plutonic,” including royalties plus infrastructure, jobs and roads and services in these projects, which opens up Toba Inlet to more opportunities.

Another highlight in the community is the sawmill program started last year. "We had a sawmill operator come in and mill wood for smaller projects as well as the new administration building. We intend to buy our own sawmill and get School District 47 to train people to mill lumber. We will receive the timber from Toba Inlet forestry. We will train members, and market lumber with quality wood from the Community Forest in our IR NUMBER 1 property."

He says, "There are many things started by Ken and today we are stronger and more educated, but we need outside people who will fight on our behalf. My election is part of the change that is underway. I was elected by a younger crowd and had a lot of input, and I won by a significant margin in that by-election. I have 1.5 years left to go and I will do the best I can to continue Ken's legacy."

Fish farmers committed to protecting the marine environment

Since 2001, Grieg Seafood BC Ltd. has raised Atlantic, Chinook and Coho salmon at locations on the east and west coasts of Vancouver Island, and near to Sechelt, north of Vancouver. Its total employment is around 120 persons including its head office in Campbell River, hatchery operations at Gold River, and 15 farm sites dotting coastal inlets. 

BC's aquaculture industry contributes 6,000 jobs to the regional economy and is valued at $800 million annually. "Grieg Seafood is committed to protecting the marine environment where our salmon farms are located, an environment that is so important to aboriginal communities for food gathering, canoe journeys and other cultural practices," says Managing Director Stewart Hawthorn.

Hawthorn, who joined Grieg Seafood in 2010 and relocated with his family from New Zealand, managed similar aquaculture operations and established productive relationships with Maori groups in support of their own economic activities. "Grieg has agreements with several First Nations around north Vancouver Island and the coast. “My discussions with chiefs and councils have included how we can develop aquaculture training programs which lead to employment at our farm sites and at our hatchery at Gold River.”

“For some, our support contributes to a community's economic plans to manage their own shellfish aquaculture operations. Grieg's long-term success is tied to working with our First Nation partners, and toward their efforts to develop skills and capacity amongst their own people, particularly young families."

The industry believes that partnerships with First Nations can respond to the need for jobs in more remote communities. Many of these jobs are on the fish farms, and also in the support industries such as trucking and processing. "We recognize the public interest in aquaculture and in managing our farming practices well," continued Hawthorn. 

"And that is why we invite our Aboriginal partners to meet with us, learn about our business, and tour our farms to see first-hand how we take care to raise our fish. We also acknowledge that our partners are stewards of the waters where we operate." Hawthorn states, "Grieg Seafood believes in continuous improvement." "Our relationships with First Nations has benefited us in so many ways, including how we plan for our business, and how our aboriginal partners can share in our success too."

Anti-aquaculture campaigners with the Living Oceans Society are wrong in their recent criticism of our Plover Point farm site application,” says Grant Warkentin, Communications Officer, Mainstream Canada. “They are missing the key point that our new site is a better environmental choice than the old one it will replace. Our old Cormorant site is in a location which is not optimal for growing fish to harvest size and is used for smolt entry only. “ (Once the smolts in Cormorant reach a suitable size, they must be transferred to other sites.)

The Plover Point site, located in Ahousaht First Nation territory, was identified as a suitable replacement site in the protocol agreement between Ahousaht and Mainstream Canada because it is located in deeper water and in a better location with less risk of environmental impacts. It is appropriate for growing fish from smolt size to harvest size, “and will allow us to increase fallow times at other sites in the region, lowering our overall environmental impact while still maintaining our current level of production.

"The Plover Point site we have applied for will, if approved, replace Mainstream’s Cormorant site in their production plans. The Cormorant site will be transferred to the Ahousaht First Nation, as per our protocol agreement with the Ahousaht government, for the Ahousaht to use for their own purposes.”

Nunavut Connections, Inuit-owned transportation services for the Arctic

“Business will run essentially from Churchill where we have an office. We transport anything that comes by rail and ship to communities in the Kvaliut region,” explains Elizabeth Copland, Nunavut Connections President, "communities including my own, Arviat (pop. 2,800), second largest Nunavut community. Shipping is of vehicles, groceries, building materials, and other goods and equipment,” delivering to companies like the Northern Store, or Arviat’s local Coop, and the Independent Eskimo Point Lumber store.

Nunavut is building capacity for new industry and the communities decided to get engaged in the process, “We hope to build a training program and expand operations. We want to grow the company and improve end-services with a fuel tank farm, port maintenance and railway and marine services, and eventually construction services. We have a big port that has been used for a number of years.”

The Churchill harbour facilities employ office workers and 12 stevedores that work cranes and heavy equipment. They are all from Churchill. “I have family there, so I am in Churchill on a number of occasions through the year. We could be soon developing programs to recruit and train. Things are going real well since the launch of the new enterprise. ” Meanwhile, she lives in Arviat, “Our temperatures are pretty much the same with Northern Manitoba the only difference is we do not have any trees.

July 2011 was the first sailing of a ship served by Nunavut Connections with the opening of the sea-lanes, and the shipping into these areas will run till October, weather permitting. Copland notes that, “In the north mining is booming and other companies and groups want to take part or get involved. Our shareholders decided to form a company to get a piece of the economic development action.”

She adds, “We are very familiar with Churchill,” Arviat lying due north on the shore of Hudson’s Bay, “and Nunavut needs these opportunities for the young people, jobs involving skills and service to their own communities.” 

Nunavut Connections brings together a broad base of shareholders from across the Baffin and Kivalliq regions. "We believe this is the opportune time for us to partner with a well-established company such as OmniTRAX Canada," said Simon Merkosak of Pond Inlet, a shareholder in the venture. "Nunavut needs these type of ventures to benefit not only the people of Nunavut but also our young Nunavut government."

Eitan Dehtiar of OmniTRAX Canada explains, “Several Kivalliq and Baffin business people approached us with a way to work together in the north about six months ago and the planning came together to build employment, ownership, and improved reliability of service,” giving Nunavut region communities better control over expedition of goods.

The new business initiative provides a better ability for economic developers to manoeuvre around political situations, as well as giving the region an entrepreneurial leg-up on business conducted by southern companies presently directing operations in the north. “This scenario is different in meeting service levels required, and we launched with twelve stevedore jobs in Churchill, when, in mid-May 2011, we took on local staff.”

Part of the plan is to expand employment and employ-ability of personnel around the sea-lift capability and further developing year-long project support infrastructure in Churchill planning cycles. “We are pleased with the launch cycle that occurred this spring and summer, and I estimate that things are going fairly well. Our launch was well-received and by the end of October 2011 we will see the progress that was made,” says Dehtiar.

“The major effort this year has been to introduce the shareholders behind Nunavut Connections as a company that will move goods and services in the Kivalliq and Baffin region, showing continued support for the growth of these remote communities. The economic potential in the north is becoming very significant,” impossible to ignore.

The new company improves service levels and creates more financial viability to investors in other areas of economic development, such as mining. “We will have a much better sense by end of year of how the company will deploy in future during the short shipping season. The first ship sailed to various communities,” visited by marine carriers.

The goal is to expand, “ideally, across the board, for we want Churchill to remain a competitive port from a price perspective and a Nunavut business services perspective, and the focus is a considerable expansion of service levels in material shipping,” which requires, furthermore, an evaluation of infrastructure as part of the plan. “Churchill has existing facilities, the province of Manitoba is supportive, and we the province has have a Memorandum of Understanding with Nunavut.”

This development is perceived as a boost to Province of Manitoba’s capacity for economic development in the north. “We see James Bay area and the eastern shores of Hudson’s Bay as a potential part of the expansion and definitely part of this model of business activity.” Planning continues around the seasonality of the port. “In addition, we will supply air support to communities and make this a year-round part of operations.”

Sustainable forestry departments in Fraser Valley First Nations

Photo credit: Jason Kemmler

Chief Clem Seymour’s Band, the Seabird Island First Nation in the Sto:lo Nation, has established a sustainable forestry department, “We have long term goals and forestry operations are making the Band money, and providing valuable jobs with long-term careers.” Tamihi Logging Ltd. has become a significant business operation that works in the Chilliwack-area forests on behalf of Seabird Island First Nation.

“It’s forestry operations in some deep valleys,” says Chief Seymour, “and we work wherever we have to in harvesting fir and cedar from second and third growth forests.” Fifteen to twenty employees are working in crews under Tamihi’s Gary Peters, falling trees and loading timber at the dump-sites. “We are managing these tenures in our fourth year, working in a partnership through Tamihi Logging and Dorman Lumber on the specialized form of logging that we do.”

The employment is going to Seabird Island members and other First Nation forestry personnel from around the Lower Mainland. Head office for Tamihi Logging Ltd. is about 20 kilometres outside Chilliwack, at Agassiz, B.C..

This arrangement is another example of First Nations finding innovative ways to work in the forests of traditional territories. Dorman Timber Limited and their subsidiaries, Tamahi Logging, and Fred Morris and Son Selective Logging are specialized in coastal forestry operations. "We have been working in the Fraser Valley with Seabird Island First Nation on their Forest Range Agreement," Brian Dorman explained last year, “including a 100,000 Cubic Metre (CM) annual allowable cut.”

Dorman also works with Scowlitz First Nation on a FRA of 32,000 CM per year. They work on Vancouver Island where they own and operate a couple of area-based timber licenses adding up to 400,000 CM. They cut contract logs for a couple of different forestry outfits including Timberwest, Island Timberlands, Western Forest Products, and First Nations in Sooke, Port McNeill, and elsewhere.

Dorman Timber has obviously established strong working relationships with First Nation foresters in the Fraser Valley and in coastal, island, and archipelago forests, and the company continues to build relationships that will see the forestry industry of B.C. evolve with a new set of important players.

Matt Wealick, RPF, of Ch-ihl-kway-uhk Forestry, says, “A lot of preliminary work went into the recent logging with Alternative Forest Operations to make sure the value of the end product was going to make the bottom-line work . We paid for the more expensive single-stem logging operation.” The cedar was picked up by Helifor and delivered to the buyer, Gorman Brothers, “They bought  and marked poles on site,” said  Wealick.

“This was our first attempt at logging for a particular market in telephone poles. The market happened to allow for this type of operation   Poles were worth quite a bit more money. We plan cutblocks with all the options on the table and we go with best option. We own and manage the Tree Farm License and actively coordinate projects for the logging contractors, engineers, buyers, and operations conducted by AFO and Helifor.”

Ch-ihl-kway-uhk Forestry operates from Chilliwack, B.C., and hired Alternative Forest Operations for a project that took two months to harvest  timber this summer, and a month prior to set up the job. The contract with Ch-ihl-kway-uhk Forestry ensued from AFO’s commitment to alternative harvesting and  forestry practices, as Jason Kemmler explains, “The thing is, we have no real piece of technology that sets us apart.  It’s men, the training and care we put into work. It’s thinking outside the box.”
 

The job in the Lower Mainland involved up to 10 men, “The job was specifically designed to harvest cedar poles. Engineers go in and individually pick the trees that have the characteristics to make  telephone poles. These are straight, and uniform in length and size. We limb, top and jig the tree so there is no damage. The tree gets delivered to the drop pocket without touching the ground.”

This type of harvesting leaves no room for damage. “There’s a great market for these trees, a strong market for a limited resource. The biggest difference is we don’t fall the pole so there’s no potential for hidden breakage. It’s more time-consuming and costly. Single-stem harvesting makes the opportunity of harvesting cedar poles or other niche markets one tree at a time.”

Personnel are trained in identifying poles. Engineers mark the pole, the climber climbs.  The jigger jigs the tree, once the helicopter logs the stem a ground crew walks to the stump to confirm the single stem has been removed. The size of job that warrants something like this usually ranges from  300 to 3,000 trees.

“We create projects with our client,” says  Kemmler. “Our methods are more expensive and intense, involving a high level of professionalism/organization/ and communication. We are working with clients looking to maximize value and keep a sustainable forest. We do a few clear-cuts, where there is no retention, and steep drainage. Often we harvest without clear cuts, using no roads."
 

It’s investing, planning, communication and Integrity plus time taken to make a greater return for the clients. “Our operations require someone in the Timber-holder position to consider this. It's value-added forestry to sell logs into niche markets mixed with some conventional logging.”  Kemmler says, “We have few competitors. Our goal is to maximum value through recovery methods if the expense of additional harvesting methods warrant it.”

A timber sales company goes to log brokers to sell into the commodity market. “We are of the mind-frame that the commodity log market is part of it, but where there is the one red cedar that could be made into a totem pole, we want to find the niche markets to buy the log, to tap into the value-added side of forestry. Some trees double in value when the market is for transmission cedar poles.” It all depends on what the client has for trees to cut.

Kemmler says, "First Nations have a new resource in wood fibre baskets, but they may be missing important knowledge about how to manage it. It’s a matter of building trust. Without integrity nothing works. Being a part of the operation at Ch-ihl-kway-uhk Forestry involved Matt Wealick, RPF. He’s a young RPF who has other First Nations calling him for advice. We work along side him to manage a timber harvest that incorporates alternative methods."
 

AFO has a staff complement of 30 to  40 full time personnel, working 10-12 months of the year. “Mostly our operations are on the coast of BC, harvesting fir and cedar. In Bamfield AFO is working with the Huu-ay-aht first nations, we are harvesting Highly valued red cedar logs and cedar trees picked for telephone poles the value or price of lumber that these species produce help the client harvest less valuable species such as Hemlock or Balsam with the helicopter which would normally be felled and left on the hill. “Huu ay aht is harvesting a community forest.”
 

They are taking a percentage of all species on the hill, sustainably logging the profile. There’s big wood and steep ground. We’ve been in there for a couple weeks. We’ll be in there another few weeks. The work is the same situation where we had a client who wanted to harvest in their community forest,  the sales value of the wood had the profitability of the project to small to warrant the risk. After re looking at the job we were able to apply the Single Stem method and create a win for all parties.  Kemmler has been impressed the Huu ay aht operations, “They have a well-rounded organization with lots of Band members working in their operations.