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First Indigenous-owned business coming to Melfort

Jun 23, 2017 | 5:00 PM

A joint partnership between an east-central town and a nearby Indigenous community is bringing about the first Indigenous run business.

On June 21, National Aboriginal Day, the new owners of the DaMar gas station and restaurant in Melfort celebrated their grand opening.

Representatives from Melfort and the Kinistin Saulteaux Nation (KSN) began discussions two years ago, according to Mayor Rick Lang.

“The Chief of that particular community, Greg Scott, came to see me… telling me that they were wanting to connect to a neighbouring community and they felt Melfort was the community they wanted to connect with,” Lang said.

He explained the band viewed Melfort as an aggressive and progressively minded community, with a rapid population growth. Once the economic development teams had been connected, Lang said a few different opportunities were presented. Among them was the DaMar station at the Hwy 3 and Hwy 6 junction, which KSN now owns.

Other media outlets are reporting the gas station is an urban reserve, a point Lang disputes. He said he and his councillors support the idea of an urban reserve; the process has not yet been started to formally introduce one yet.

“Kinistin Saulteaux First Nation bought an existing business in our community, and they’re operating it now,” Lang said. “Technically it’s not an urban reserve; what it is, is it’s a business that is owned by Kinistin Saulteaux First Nation.”

Lang said he hopes to see more Indigenous businesses in the future.

“If there’s a viable business opportunity and a neighbouring First Nations community is interested, we will certainly do all we can to support the development of that business and the success of that business,” Lang said.

Kinistin Saulteaux Nation Chief Greg Scott was unavailable for comment by deadline.

 

Bryan.Eneas@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @BryanEneas