WIKWEMIKONG—The 14th annual Zhiimaachtaan Economic Awareness Days 2014 has as its motto ‘E’Gaakikaabminaagok Kwiinwin (A prosperous and sustainable future)’ and the Wikwemikong Development Commission (WDC) (Enaadmaagehjik) is looking toward an exciting new era in economic development in the community complete with a new board made up of (mostly) new faces.
The WDC hosts Economic Awareness Days each year as a means to both bring a greater transparency to the work of the economic development organization with the hope that greater knowledge in the community of the initiatives being undertaken will result in stronger public support for those endeavours.
“We are trying to make economic development a priority and to gain support for the projects we are doing,” said WDC general manager and economic development officer Mary Lynn Odjig. “The Economic Awareness Days provides a lot of the people who are working on the projects at WDC an opportunity to show people in the community what they are working on and where the projects are currently.”
Ms. Odjig said that she was very proud of the work that her team at WDC have been doing and that she was excited to work with the new board members toward creating a prosperous and sustainable future.
The new five-member WDC board will serve for the next two years and consists of returning board member Lloyd McGregor and newcomers to the board Lynn Brissard, Dallas Bondy, Thecla Neganigijig and Jason Oshkawabesins.
Economic Awareness Days began with a traditional smudging ceremony and an honour song and prayer by Franklin Fisher and Adam Kaboni followed by welcoming remarks by Lawrence Enosse and Wikwemikong Chief Duke Peltier.
Some of the exciting new projects that WDC is working on is a wood pellet manufacturing facility and a biomass innovation centre. Project Manager Dawn Lambe spoke on those opportunities. These projects herald an approach of “thinking outside the rez” when it comes to economic development. The opportunities to create revenue generating operations for the band do not necessarily have to be located within the boundaries of the band.
“The wood pellet project is a good example of that,” said Ms. Odjig. The band has already had some success with projects that extend beyong the boundaries of the reserve. “We are working all across southern Ontario with a company that builds solar power projects,” she said.
Ontario Solar Provider Inc. partnered with the WDC to build a significant installation in Barrie, for the Ontario National Training Rinks. That 200 kilowatt system will annually generate more than 262,000 kilowatt hours of clean electricity for the province of Ontario while the profits from the endeavour will help build a more sustainable economy for the WUIR by providing a new income stream for the bands operations.
Over the course of three days community members learned about dozens of economic initiatives being worked on within the community, such as the Art Authentication Seal presented by arts coordinator Mike Cywink.
Mr. Cywink explained that the seal was available to certify the works of local artists and artisans. “We need people to come forward to sign up for the program,” he said. By applying the Art Authentication Seal, the artists work will have an appellation that will help consumers determine that a piece that is authentic and the work of a Wikwemikong artist.
From bee keeping to maple syrup production, fishing and agriculture, golf courses and wild rice production, the economic projects in Wikwemikong span a wide range of activities that run the gamut from the traditional to the ultra high tech, such as FirstTel TV5.
The conference sponsors include government ministries such as the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Indian Agricultural Program of Ontario, local businesses such as Steelhawk Buildings, Your Dollar Store, FirstTel, the Biomass Innovation Centre and Rainbow Ridge Golf Course, as well as band organizations such as the WUIR Department of Lands and Natural Resources and Housing as a Business.
