New travel centre just the first step in growing the economy at Beardy’s & Okemasis

“We were expending a lot of capital for upgrades and renovations, and they came to a point where we had to make a tough decision to whether we continue investing, upgrading or do we go with a new build?” said Dennis Esperance, the Chair of the Willow Cree Development Corporation.

Esperance said the decision was ultimately made to build a brand-new facility which required a lot of partners to make that happen. That included working with the First Nations Bank of Canada, Metrician Builders, and Centex, a Canadian fuel company that has already partnered with 14 First Nations in Canada. Beardy’s & Okemasis is number 15.

The business corporation of Beardy’s & Okemasis Cree Nation has only been in existence for six years. The new travel centre is their first major project but as Esperance explained, it’s only the first step in a promising future for the community’s growth and economy.

“We also have room in this property here that we’re going to look at other ventures, phase two of the three-phase project,” he said. “We’re gonna move forward and start planning for the future and what’s going to be best for our Nation and the surrounding communities.”

It’s not clear now what specific businesses could be built in the next phases but Chief of Beardy’s & Okemasis, Edwin Ananas, said regardless, the economic future for his community looks bright.

“It’s always a dream to build our economic development,” he said. “It’s something that’s been not as good as it has in the past, but now I think we have a great team, and we are all on the same vision to build up prosperous businesses.”

(Derek Craddock/paNOW Staff)

Among the other partnerships Willow Cree Developments currently has is an agreement with GFL Environmental signed this past June. The community has also partnered with 2Nations Bird Construction, a joint venture with Fishing Lake First Nation.

Willow Cree wasn’t the only First Nations business corporation celebrating a milestone this week. On Wednesday, Sturgeon Lake Developments marked the two-year anniversary of Tipi Fuel and Convenience in Prince Albert.

It’s also been a year of growth for Indigenous-owned business ventures including a new software training centre in Prince Albert owned by PLATO, Canada’s only Indigenous software testing and technology services company. That celebrated its opening in the spring.

Last February, Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation purchased a pork processing facility, Country Choice Meats, in Duck Lake.

Partnerships and developments like this don’t happen overnight as Esperance will admit, but he acknowledges the hard work and challenges they overcome are worth it to better serve their communities.

Ananas agreed with that sentiment, believing that having thriving businesses contributes greatly to the growth of the First Nation.

During his speech, he referenced an inspiring quote he once heard about how businesses truly help the communities they serve, something he hopes will continue to ring true on his reserve for years to come.

“It takes community involvement to make a business, but it takes a business to build a healthy community.’ We have to build on our community and help our community the best we can.”

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derek.craddock@pattisonmedia.com

@princealbertnow

by Derek Craddock

New travel centre just the first step in growing the economy at Beardy’s & Okemasis

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