Business briefs: tires, casinos, and more
- EFN Staff | October 23, 2016
Market Tire opens
Saskatoon has been known as a hot spot in First Nations business and entrepreneurship in the province. With a booming economy and growing urban reserve opportunities, First Nations businesses are continuing to grow and expand within the bridge city. The first First Nations owned and operated tire shop in Saskatoon is now open for business on the Muskeg Lake urban reserve on Packham Avenue. Market Tire co-owner Sheldon Wuttunee has partnered with Greg and Brent Hoiness to open the established business’s newest location on-reserve hoping to fill a gap in the market in the province. Wuttunee says he and the Hoiness brothers began building a partnership years ago and expanding on reserve was an opportunity they didn’t want to miss. “It’s a great opportunity to build an important service to our people and everyone in the community at large.”
He says it’s also an opportunity to work with reserves, Tribal Councils and First Nations owned companies across the province wanting access to an essential service for their vehicles at an on-reserve location. "It’s important to build capacity to truly contribute to the economy of our province.” says Wuttunee. “It is critical that we as First Nations people do our part in building partnerships within our treaty areas with non-First Nations partners. It lends to a true realization of the spirit and intent of Treaty. To work together for the benefit of all."
Areva giving back
Saskatoon-AREVA Resources Canada has donated $500,000 to support a Family Room in the Maternal Care Centre at the new Children’s Hospital of Saskatchewan. This generous contribution to the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Saskatchewan’s “We Can’t Wait” Capital Campaign means that pregnant women and their families will have a home-away-from-home right outside their hospital room doors when they deliver their babies. “We are proud to invest in communities near our activities and operations and to support healthcare infrastructure and services for the benefit of all in Saskatchewan. We are particularly pleased to contribute to the Children’s Hospital of Saskatchewan’s Maternal Care Centre,” says Tammy Van Lambalgen, Vice President Corporate Affairs & General Counsel of AREVA Resources Canada Inc. “The AREVA Family Room will provide a needed space for families to gather and take a break from the therapeutic areas. It’s a space that will be particularly useful for those travelling from out of town, such as many of our employees’ families and friends from northern Saskatchewan.”
Lloydminster casino good to go
Lloydminster-The Border Tribal Council, Little Pine First Nation and the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) hosted a luncheon in Lloydminster, Saskatchewan to give an update on the new SIGA casino project and to provide information to local organizations and community members about the job and business opportunities the project will bring to Lloydminster. The casino has received all approvals to begin.
The 31,000-foot facility would provide 140 jobs, which SIGA president and CEO Zane Hansen says covers everything from marketing to food and beverage. “We definitely want to get the project moving along. Once we mobilize, you get a lot of resources put in place to keep things moving. We’ve built three casinos in the last eight/nine years. Some of those projects were in the 14-16 month window. I think we can move this one a little quicker than that.”
Don’t be surprised to see the casino up and running in 2017.