Congratulations to the 2022 Fulmer Award in First Nations Art recipients! 

We are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2022 Fulmer Award in First Nations Art!  

Congratulations to the 2022 Awardees: 

The Fulmer Award in First Nations Art program creates a platform for community engagement, mentorship and storytelling while celebrating the intersection of art and culture and honouring First Nations artistic traditions. This year’s celebration of the 2022 Fulmer Award in First Nations Art recipients includes a series of short films showcasing each awardee’s artistic accomplishments which will be premiered at an award ceremony next month. Each recipient will receive a certificate and medallion in honour of their achievements. 

The awardees demonstrate artistic innovation and creativity, while building on deep traditions. Jamie, Latham, Dylan and Reg have each demonstrated a commitment to their practice, accumulated a body of work, and are recognized in their communities for their craft. 

BC Achievement is honoured to feature the 2022 recipients in a joint exhibition celebrating the recipients of the Fulmer Award in First Nations Art and the Carter Wosk Award in Applied Art + Design at The Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre in Vancouver from November 14 to November 18, 2022. 

The Fulmer Award in First Nations Art is made possible through the generous support of the Vancouver-based Fulmer Foundation. The BC Achievement Foundation is also grateful to community partners BC Ferries, Crafted Vancouver, Denbigh Fine Art Services, TELUS and The Roundhouse  and media partners CFNR, First Nations Drum, The Frog Radio, Global BC and Stir, each of which play a key role in elevating change in their support of the Fulmer Award program.  

BC Achievement: Elevate Excellence. Share Success. Inspire Change.

BC Achievement Foundation announces recipients of 2022 Carter Wosk Award in Applied Art + Design

Vancouver, BC: Today, the BC Achievement Foundation (BCAF) announced the recipients of the 18th annual Carter Wosk Award in Applied Art + Design. The program recognizes excellence among emerging and established artists whose creativity helps drive BC’s cultural economy.

“These artistic works and designs demonstrate a new strength within BC’s creative economy,” said Anne Giardini, OC, OBC, KC, Chair of the BC Achievement Foundation. “The Carter Wosk Award in Applied Art + Design celebrates and honours BC’s creators for ensuring beauty and function are part of our everyday lives. It is always a delight to us at BC Achievement to recognize new ways of marrying art and function with ingenuity and imagination.”

Artists and designers honoured by the Carter Wosk Award in Applied Art + Design produce work that has a practical or functional application, such as furniture, textiles, jewellery, ceramics, weaving, glass, fashion, and industrial design. Nominated artists have an opportunity to share their work to a wider audience while inviting critical reflection and feedback.

The 2022 recipients of the Carter Wosk Award in Applied Art + Design are:

Caine Heintzman – Vancouver – Judson Beaumont Emerging Artist

Louise Perrone – Vancouver

Cathy Terepocki – Chilliwack

Robert Anderson – Victoria – Award of Distinction for Lifetime Achievement

The Judson Beaumont Emerging Artist designation, named in honour of the late BC-based furniture designer, was presented to Caine Heintzman, co-founder of ANDlight, a decorative luminaire design studio and manufacturer.

The 2022 Award of Distinction honours Robert Anderson for lifetime achievement as a master luthier. Robert designs stringed instruments that are sensitive to the player’s intent, with a sonority that can only be achieved by hand-building.

Awardees were selected by an independent jury, whose members included Renée MacDonald, Westerly Handmade Shoes (2015 recipient); Claudia Schulz, Claudia Schulz Hats & Accessories (2018 recipient); and Henry Norris, New Format Studio (2018 recipient). Toby Barratt, Propellor Design (2010 recipient) and Ron Kong, craft advocate, served as advisors to the jury.

This year’s celebration of the Carter Wosk Award in Applied Art + Design recipients includes two short films showcasing the awardees’ artistic accomplishments which will be premiered at an award ceremony next month. Each recipient will receive a certificate and medallion in honour of their achievements. They will also be recognized through an online campaign with the hashtag #shinethelightbc.

BC Achievement is proud to present a combined exhibition which is free and open to the public showcasing the 2022 award recipients for both the Carter Wosk Award in Applied Art + Design and Fulmer Award in First Nations Art, at The Roundhouse Community Arts and Recreation Centre in Vancouver from Monday, November 14 to Friday, November 18.

Interviews with the 2022 award recipients and representatives of BC Achievement are available upon request. Awardee bios and high-resolution images are available here.

For more information about BC Achievement or the Carter Wosk Award in Applied Art + Design program, visit www.bcachievement.com.

BC Achievement is grateful for the generosity of the Yosef Wosk Family Foundation in establishing this important program. The BC Achievement Foundation is also grateful to community partners BC Ferries, Crafted Vancouver, Denbigh Fine Art Services, and The Roundhouse each of which play a key role in elevating change in their support of the Fulmer Award program

The Carter Wosk Award in Applied Art + Design is named in honour of BC philanthropist, academic and visionary Yosef Wosk, OC, OBC, Ph.D. and Sam Carter, BC educator, designer and curator.

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About BC Achievement Foundation

BC Achievement is an independent foundation established in 2003 that celebrates the spirit of excellence in our province and serves to honour the best of British Columbia. By recognizing the accomplishments of our province’s entrepreneurs, artists, community leaders, youth and volunteers, its award programs pay tribute to exceptional people, doing exceptional work. www.bcachievement.com

Media Contact

Gemma Bishop
Gather PR
T: 604-375-6953
E: gemma@gatherpublicrelations.com
W: www.gatherpublicrelations.com

2022 Carter Wosk Awardees – Backgrounders

Caine Heintzman, Vancouver
Judson Beaumont Emerging Artist

Lighting designer Caine Heintzman has always been curious about the materiality and fabrication of the objects and equipment that allow him to enjoy the natural environment as an outdoors enthusiast. He found himself naturally inclined to industrial design as he’s inspired by ritual and everyday useful objects that help improve people’s lives.

Having studied and trained at Emily Carr University of Art and Design and Kunsthochschule Berlin Weissensee, lighting became one of his very early interests. Caine is now one of three co-founders of ANDlight, a decorative luminaire design studio and manufacturer. He applies rigorous material research, technical know-how and an understanding of lighting technology to an artful practice.

Caine’s lighting designs communicate how functional art objects can become economic commodities as well as affective agents in the circulation and amplification of ideas imbued with cultural meaning.

Borrowing from a philosophy of “design as art,” Caine’s designs enrich the landscape of creative expression emerging from British Columbia.

Louise Perrone, Vancouver

UK born Louise Perrone never intended to become a jeweller or a Canadian. However, three years after visiting Canada she graduated from Alberta College of Art and Design with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Jewellery and Metals and was awarded the Governor General of Canada’s Academic Medal.

Now, twenty years later, her textile jewellery explores issues of gender, labour, and sustainability by combining goldsmithing traditions with hand-sewing. Using materials derived from domestic and industrial textile and plastic waste, Louise’s work involves altering plastic objects and enveloping them in fabric, inviting a consideration of what jewelry can conceal and reveal about the maker, the wearer, and ourselves.

Louise’s work has been shown in numerous local, national, and international exhibitions, including solo and two-person shows at the Craft Council of BC, and group exhibitions featured in New York City Jewellery Week, JOYA Barcelona, and Athens Jewellery Week.

Louise is passionate about teaching her skills to others and works as an instructor in the Jewellery programs at LaSalle College Vancouver and Vancouver Community College. She’s also motivated to create opportunities for artists to thrive and has given back to her community by serving in leadership positions with various artist and craft organizations.

Cathy Terepocki, Chilliwack

Cathy Terepocki is a ceramicist whose practice is driven by innovation, process and material. She is interested in unconventional processes and crossing boundaries between different industries and artistic practices and so she is consistently researching, developing glazes and new techniques.

Practicing in Fraser Valley, Cathy has immersed herself in the community making connections and creating work that is strongly rooted and reflective of her natural surroundings. Her Chilliwack River Clay series was harvested with shovels and buckets from the local river and her current project includes making tiles from wild clay.

Cathy has had a diverse practice exhibiting, teaching, designing, and producing multiple collections of work, and she has exhibited internationally. The local clay research has opened up opportunities for community engagement and has allowed this ceramicist to create meaningful work and, in turn, contribute to the culture of the place she calls home.

Robert Anderson, Victoria
Award of Distinction for Lifetime Achievement

Master luthier Robert Anderson is committed to hand-building musical instruments that are objects of beauty. Constructed with the highest level of craft, Robert’s stringed instruments are designed to be sensitive to the player’s intent, with a sonority which can only be achieved by hand-building. 

Robert follows the traditions of the old masters, using carefully selected and aged woods, hide glue and dovetail neck joints. For the best tone, he then French polishes each instrument. Over 25 years of instrument making has deepened his understanding of materials, acoustic design and hand-building methods, resulting in subtle, incremental changes which improve tone, volume and ergonomics. 

In an age when cheap, factory-made instruments are overwhelming the market, Robert also instructs and mentors aspiring instrument builders in the tradition of luthiery, keeping alive the spirit of inquiry and skill development fundamental to the craft.

Robert feels fortunate to work in a field where he can create the tools that enable musicians to fully give expression to their art.

BC Achievement Foundation announces recipients of the 2022 Fulmer Award in First Nations Art

Vancouver, BC: The BC Achievement Foundation has announced this year’s recipients of the Fulmer Award in First Nations Art. Presented annually, the program celebrates First Nations artistic traditions while creating a platform for community engagement, mentorship, and storytelling.

“All of us at BC Achievement Foundation are delighted to recognize the four 2022 recipients of the Fulmer Award in First Nations Art. Their work ranges widely, inspiring us with new visions while building on deep traditions,” said Anne Giardini, OC, OBC, KC, Chair of the BC Achievement Foundation. “This year’s awardees join almost 90 artists from the Award’s past 16 years. Fulmer Award alumni show us this year and every year that British Columbia is a place where artistic innovation and creativity are second to none anywhere in the world.”

The Fulmer Award honours First Nations artists in BC who have demonstrated a commitment to their practice, accumulated a body of work, and are recognized in their communities for their craft. The Award is presented by BC Achievement, an independent foundation that honours excellence and inspires achievement throughout the province.

The 2022 recipients, chosen by an independent jury, are:

Jamie Gentry – Kwakwaka’wakw, Sooke – Crabtree McLennan Emerging Artist

Latham Mack – Nuxalk, Kamloops

Qwul’thilum Dylan Thomas – Lyackson First Nation, Victoria

Reg Davidson – Haida, Masset – Award of Distinction for Lifetime Achievement

The jury was comprised of Nathan Wilson, Haisla and 2020 recipient; Shawn Hunt, Heiltsuk and 2011 recipient; Xémontélót Carrielynn Victor, Cheam First Nation and 2018 recipient. Connie Watts, Associate Director, Aboriginal Programs, Emily Carr University of Art + Design and artist of Nuu-chah-nulth, Gitxsan and Kwakwaka’wakw ancestry and Brenda Crabtree, Director, Aboriginal Programs, Emily Carr University of Art + Design, a member of the Spuzzum Band with both Nlaka’pamux and Sto:lo ancestry, served as advisors.

BC Achievement is an independent foundation established in 2003 that celebrates the spirit of excellence in our province and serves to honour the best of British Columbia. In addition to the Fulmer Award in First Nations Art, the organization presents several established programs, including the Indigenous Business Award and the Carter Wosk Award in Applied Art + Design. By recognizing the accomplishments of our province’s entrepreneurs, artists, community leaders, youth and volunteers, BC Achievement’s award programs pay tribute to exceptional people, doing exceptional work, while carving a path forward for others to follow.

This year’s celebration of the 2022 Fulmer Award in First Nations Art recipients includes a series of short films showcasing each awardee’s artistic accomplishments which will be premiered at an award ceremony next month. Each recipient will receive a certificate and medallion in honour of their achievements. They will also be recognized through an online campaign with the hashtag #shinethelightbc.

BC Achievement is proud to present a combined exhibition showcasing the 2022 award recipients for both the Fulmer Award in First Nations Art and the Carter Wosk Award in Applied Art + Design taking place at The Roundhouse Community Arts and Recreation Centre in Vancouver from Monday, November 14 to Friday, November 18 which is free and open to the public.

Interviews with representations of the BC Achievement Foundation and award recipients are available upon request. Awardee bios and high-resolution images are available here.

For more information about the BC Achievement Foundation and the Fulmer Award in First Nations Art program, please visit www.bcachievement.com.

The Fulmer Award in First Nations Art is made possible through the generous support of the Vancouver-based Fulmer Foundation. The BC Achievement Foundation is also grateful to community partners BC Ferries, Crafted Vancouver, Denbigh Fine Art Services, and The Roundhouse each of which play a key role in elevating change in their support of the Fulmer Award program.

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About BC Achievement: 

BC Achievement is an independent foundation established in 2003 that celebrates the spirit of excellence in our province and serves to honour the best of British Columbia. By recognizing the accomplishments of our province’s entrepreneurs, artists, community leaders, youth and volunteers, its award programs pay tribute to exceptional people, doing exceptional work, while carving a path forward for others to follow. www.bcachievement.com 

Media Contact:
Gemma Bishop
Bishop PR
T: 604-375-6953
E: gemmabishoppr@gmail.com

2022 Fulmer Awardees – Backgrounders

Jamie Gentry, Sooke
Kwakwaka’wakw
Crabtree McLennan Emerging Artist

Kwakwaka’wakw artist, Jamie Gentry grew up immersed in culture and surrounded by talented artists. From a young age she was drawn to working with her hands, whether it was sewing, beading or weaving. For the last eight years, Jamie has been making custom moccasins for clients – each pair is cut, beaded, sewn and carved by hand. Her goal is to make meaningful connections through moccasin making, contributing a purposeful product to the world, building connections and sharing culture. Her belief is that by making a connection with the maker and the product, we are more likely to hold that product closer to us, and it is less likely for that product to end up in a landfill. Jamie’s focus is on style, comfort and durability with an emphasis on sustainability.

Latham Mack, Kamloops
Nuxalk

Latham Mack has been practicing his Nuxalk nation’s art since he a was a child. Growing up in Bella Coola surrounded by artistic family members and attending Acwsalcta School exposed him to culture and art at a very young age. As a youth artist he would sell his painted plaques to travellers waiting at the BC Ferries terminal. He learned carving from his late grandfather, hereditary chief Lawrence Mack, and by grade 10 he helped carve a 20-foot totem pole with Tony Speers. At Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art, Latham was mentored by world-renowned artists Stan Bevan, Ken McNeil and Dempsey Bob. Latham was apprenticed under Dempsey Bob for five years following graduation. Now, as an established artist, Latham’s works are found in collections around the world, from UBC’s Museum of Anthropology to the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture in Seattle, Washington and many private collections in-between. As a Nuxalk artist Latham has stayed faithful to the traditional forms, bending them to form his own contemporary style.

Qwul’thilum Dylan Thomas, Victoria
Lyackson First Nation

Born in Victoria, Qwul’thilum Dylan Thomas is a Coast Salish artist and member of the Lyackson First Nation of Valdes Island, through his grandfather, Clifford Thomas. Although Dylan grew up in the urban setting of Victoria, he was introduced to Coast Salish art at a young age which ignited a lifelong passion for the art form – and, eventually, led him to seek guidance from established artists. Dylan received training in jewellery techniques from the late Seletze (Delmar Johnnie) and studied under Rande Cook in various mediums of Northwest Coast art. Over the past four years, Dylan has shifted his focus towards wood and stone carving and is now mainly focused on exploring Coast Salish sculpture. In 2019, Dylan was selected by the City of Victoria as the Indigenous Artist in Residence where he aimed to “create work that meaningfully honours the local Indigenous people – past, present, and future”.

Reg Davidson, Masset
Haida
Award of Distinction for Lifetime Achievement

Reg Davidson is a master Haida Artist recognized for his numerous and significant contributions to protecting and advancing Haida culture. He is known for producing significant traditional ceremonial objects such as masks, bentwood drums and dance regalia. Reg, an accomplished dancer, has mentored and taught two generations of Haida children the importance of Haida language and traditional song and dance. As an avid fisherman, he has provided his elders with food while participating in ecological protection projects that help safeguard the abundance of sea life in Haida Gwaii.

Reg’s carvings have been commissioned locally and internationally, and many can be viewed right in BC, including a large sculpture grouping of the Blind Halibut Fisherman at Vancouver International Airport.

Over many decades of committed artistry, Reg at his studio, has trained, taught and employed many artists who live in and off Haida Gwaii. With no art schools in Haida Gwaii, Reg has become a necessary agent of artistic education for younger local artists. Reg’s most recent project is a memorial pole in dedication to the life of his nephew Ben Davidson.

BC Achievement Foundation announces 2022 Indigenous Business Award Recipients

Vancouver, BC: The BC Achievement Foundation has announced the recipients of the 2022 Indigenous Business Award (IBA). Presented annually, the IBA recognizes the contributions of extraordinary Indigenous businesses and entrepreneurs across BC, while helping to elevate connections between the province’s Indigenous and non-Indigenous economies

“When we come together to celebrate Indigenous business achievement, we are also blazing a path for today’s youth and for the generations that will follow. The Indigenous Business Award program recognizes business achievement, honouring innovative ideas and new ways of making our economy more robust and more inclusive,” said Anne Giardini, OC, OBC, KC, Chair of the BC Achievement Foundation. “Every year, the enterprises recognized with an Indigenous Business Award highlight ways we all benefit from an ongoing reconciliation of the practices of the past with the economies of the future.”

By recognizing outstanding people and businesses, the IBA gives voice to Indigenous entrepreneurship while modelling success for others to follow. Now in its 14th year, the program counts over 210 remarkable businesses among its alumni.

This year’s award theme is “Thuyshaynum: preparing the path, directing the feet,” which addresses the tireless work being done to correct perceptions of Indigenous history and build respectful, meaningful relationships. A total of eight Indigenous businesses, entrepreneurs, partnership entities and community-owned enterprises have been selected by a jury panel that includes Jessie Ramsay, Métis, a partner with Baker Newby Law; Jeff Ward, Ojibwe and Métis, founder and CEO of Animikii; and Leah George-Wilson, past Chief of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation who practices Indigenous law with Miller Titerle + Company. 

2022 Indigenous Business Awardees

Young Entrepreneur of the Year:
Dustin & Ashley Kucher – Dark Arc Welding Inc., Dawson Creek

Business of the Year – one-to-two person enterprise:
dk Architecture, North Vancouver

Business of the Year – three-to-ten person enterprise:
Culture Shock Life, Alert Bay

Business of the Year – 11+ person enterprise:
Warrior Plumbing, North Vancouver

Community-Owned Business of the Year – one entity:
M’i nuw’ilum DBA Cheanuh Marina, Sooke

Community-Owned Business of the Year – two or more entities:
Sasuchan Development Corporation, Takla Landing

Business Partnership of the Year:
Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation Ltd., Williams Lake

Award of Distinction for Lifetime Achievement:
Chief David Jimmie, Chilliwack

BC Achievement is an independent foundation established in 2003 that celebrates the spirit of excellence in our province and serves to honour the best of British Columbia. In addition to the IBA, the organization presents several established programs, including the Fulmer Award in First Nations Art and the Carter Wosk Award in Applied Art + Design. By recognizing the accomplishments of our province’s entrepreneurs, artists, community leaders, youth and volunteers, BC Achievement’s award programs pay tribute to exceptional people, doing exceptional work, while carving a path forward for others to follow.

The 2022 IBA recipients will be recognized in a formal gala ceremony – open to the public – held on November 29 at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. Tickets are $200 per person and can be purchased online here. Each awardee will receive a certificate and medallion designed by First Nations Artist, Robert Davidson. They will also be celebrated through an online campaign #shinethelightbc to commemorate their excellence and inspirational achievements positively impacting British Columbians.

Interviews with representatives of the BC Achievement Foundation, as well as IBA recipients, are available upon request.

For more information about the BC Achievement Foundation or the IBA program, please visit www.bcachievement.com.

The IBA program is presented by BC Achievement in partnership with the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, and is generously supported by Lead Sponsor: Vancity; Title Sponsor: Enbridge; Alumni Program Sponsor: TD; Presentation Sponsor: Teck; Film Sponsor: BC Hydro; BC Transit; New Relationship Trust; Ovintiv; Seaspan; Port of Vancouver – Vancouver Fraser Port Authority; Supporting Sponsors: All Nations Trust Company; Bennett Jones; Coast Capital; Copper Mountain Mine; Dentons; Ledcor; West Fraser.

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About BC Achievement

BC Achievement is an independent foundation established in 2003 that celebrates the spirit of excellence in our province and serves to honour the best of British Columbia. By recognizing the accomplishments of our province’s entrepreneurs, artists, community leaders, youth and volunteers, its award programs pay tribute to exceptional people, doing exceptional work, while carving a path forward for others to follow. www.bcachievement.com

Media Contact:
Gemma Bishop
Bishop PR
T: 604-375-6953
E: gemmabishoppr@gmail.com

2022 Indigenous Business Awardees – Backgrounders

Young Entrepreneur of the Year:
Dark Arc Welding Inc., Dawson Creek

Dark Arc Welding Inc. is a family-owned and operated business led by Dustin and Ashley Kucher. As owner-operators, they lead a strong team with a diverse suite of services and have recently established their business location in Dawson Creek. With a mission to deliver premier service while maintaining the highest level of safety, environment, and quality, Dark Arc Welding is recognized as a reliable business partner throughout the region.

The company engages local First Nations when they have staffing requirements offering hands on mentorship and training. Dustin still welds when needed while leading the management and dispatching of their crews. Ashley directs all company administrative matters and with a current staff of 34, they anticipate continuous growth in the coming months.

Business of the Year – one-to-two person enterprise:
dk Architecture, North Vancouver

dk Architecture, owned by David Kitazaki (Xaxl’ip), specializes in First Nations architecture. A client services-oriented business model ensures needs are translated into buildings that are sustainable with minimized operational costs and constructed within budget. dk Architecture’s goal is to assist First Nations with their cultural revival while providing a built environment that reflects each community’s unique identity.

A socially responsible firm, dk Architecture believes buildings influence people’s lives and people influence the design of buildings. Taking a holistic approach to design, dk Architecture is accountable for the impact of their work on people and the environment. Its success is built on trust, developing long term relationships, and completing projects that meet and exceed client goals. dk Architecture’s innovative designs take the vision of the community together with an understanding of how Indigenous communities utilize building spaces to create beautiful culturally and sustainably informed spaces.

Business of the Year – three-to-ten-person enterprise:
Culture Shock Life, Alert Bay

Andrea Cranmer and her sister Donna Cranmer are the owners of Culture Shock Life. Founded on a solid foundation of respect for ancestry and tradition, the gallery is 100% First Nations owned and operated and is deeply rooted in the rich traditions of the ‘Namgis people. Located in Alert Bay, Culture Shock is an important cultural ‘hub’ of the community, selling a range of exquisite and affordable Indigenous designed and produced jewellery and wearable art while showcasing the award-winning films of its late co-founder (and sister to Andrea and Donna) Barb Cranmer.

Supporting and developing Indigenous artists and craftspeople drives the unique business of Culture Shock which also operates an intimate café welcoming and enabling visitors and locals to interact with the owners, staff and each other. Culture Shock creates the space for the understanding and sharing of Indigenous knowledge with all who visit, Indigenous and non-Indigenous alike, and with those who live in the area.

Business of the Year – 11+ person enterprise:
Warrior Plumbing, North Vancouver

Warrior Plumbing, a fully owned and operated Indigenous mechanical contracting company located in North Vancouver, has provided residential builders, developers and homeowner customers with turn-key plumbing, gas fitting and HVAC solutions across Greater Vancouver. Offering decades of combined expertise, Warrior gives its customers peace of mind through the design and installation of new mechanical systems, in-depth application, and technical services. Warrior’s track record of providing modern, sustainable, cost-efficient mechanical systems is second to none.

Attracting young Indigenous workers to the mechanical contracting profession is key driver for Warrior. The company offers a training program giving new staff an opportunity to gain the education and skills required to obtain their Red Seal certification and a well-paying career in the trades. Warrior is aligned with various causes the company believes in and prioritizes helping people within the Tsleil-Waututh First Nation ensuring its members stay safe and comfortable.

Community-Owned Business of the Year – one entity:  
M’i nuw’ilum DBA Cheanuh Marina

Operated by the Sc’ianew First Nation M’i nuw’ilum Marina Inc. DBA Cheanuh Marina has two distinct narratives that are united by a commitment to community building. Since the 1970’s the marina has been at the heart of the Beecher Bay community. As the region’s population grew, the marina expanded to include 365 berths, a gas bar, convenience store, and restaurant. The operation continues to be an important revenue-generating enterprise that provides jobs in the community while acting as a gathering place for locals and tourists alike. 

The second chapter of the marina’s story emerges from Sc’ianew First Nations urgent mission to protect the marine resources that have nourished coastal peoples since time immemorial. Part proactive business development, part conservation, and part reconciliation, the Nation has taken the lead on several partnerships to enhance marine shipping safety in the Salish Sea and establish a spill response base at Beecher Bay. Early construction commenced in 2020 with a spill response base that will significantly lower spill response times for the local area. Continued partnerships bring a fleet of spill response vessels, including tugs used for escort towage that have been honoured with the names of two elders of the Sc’ianew community. 

Community-Owned Business of the Year – two entities:
Sasuchan Development Corporation, Takla Landing

Sasuchan Development Corporation creates business opportunities for the benefit of Takla Nation members. Since its inception, it has delivered on its mission to create economic wealth, inspiring careers, sustainable employment, and business opportunities, as well as conduct all operations in a manner that respects Takla’s land, people, culture, and way of life.

Driven by its respect for the land, environment, and Takla members, Sasuchan Development Corporation set a goal to build a diverse, profitable, and sustainable portfolio of businesses, both within and outside Takla’s territory. Over the past five years, a number of successful business ventures in forestry and silviculture, mining, and real estate have met with success. With these ventures, Sasuchan Development Corporation has supported its Nation in achieving economic self-reliance, and related social and community goals, and actively facilitated prosperity for Takla Nation.

Business Partnership of the Year:
Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation Ltd., Williams Lake

Nation and the Tl’etinqox Government. The company was originally designed as a vehicle to source funding and coordinate projects, relying on established local contractors to deliver the work, thus strengthening business relationships within the Chilcotin. The company’s vision is to promote First Nations involvement in the forest management of their traditional territories, rehabilitating damaged forest stands, and enhancing long-term health of forests for future generations. Through CCR, the two First Nations are focusing on achieving their mission to coordinate and implement large-scale programs and forest initiatives within their traditional territories, while generating employment for locals, and supporting the local economy.

The company first received funding from Forest Enhancement Society of BC to reduce wildfire risk and rehabilitate mountain pine beetle forests near Alexis Creek. CCR is now working on projects with Natural Resource Canada and the ‘2 Billion Trees’ program, as well as a Shell Canada Carbon Initiative project. CCR is also negotiating long-term silviculture contracts with local forest companies and is involved in the upcoming Landscape Planning initiative with the Province of B.C. Today, CCR is recognized as an innovative and collaborative organization, a catalyst for creating new economic opportunities and as a leader that has proven its reliability in carrying out large-scale forest rehabilitation work.

Award of Distinction for Lifetime Achievement:
Chief David Jimmie, Chilliwack

A collaborative leader, Chief David Jimmie lends his expertise to establish growth opportunities while serving his community and the organizations which sustain it. He is Chief and CEO of Squiala First Nation, President of the Stó:lō Nation Chiefs Council and President of Ts’elxweyéqw Tribe Management Limited. He also serves as Chair and Vice President of Finance for the Western Indigenous Pipeline Group and is the owner / operator as a licensed residential builder of DJC (DJimmie Construction). Before David was first elected Chief in 2009, DJC built 224 homes and 175 apartment units for communities in Chilliwack and Westbank. DJC is currently building 309 townhouse units and a 200-unit condo project at Base 10 in Chilliwack plus 108 townhouse units and a 215-unit condo project at Shelter Bay in Westbank. Chief Jimmie’s ability to forge relationships and bridge the gap between groups has created economic spinoffs and partnerships that have been valuable for each of the organizations he works with to diversify revenue streams.  

With a Master in Business Administration from Simon Fraser University, Chief Jimmie’s efforts focus on creating partnerships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous groups. His traditional name, Lenéx wí :ót, meaning “One who works for the people”, embodies his leadership philosophy as he believes strong relationships are key to creating capacity for his people.  

Chief Jimmie is a board member of the Chilliwack Hospital Foundation, the Sts’ailes Development Corporation and Tourism Chilliwack. He has served as co-chair of the AFN National Committee on Fiscal Relations with Canada, the Chilliwack Chamber of Commerce, and the board of New Relationship Trust. Chief Jimmie’s commitment to inclusivity reflects his intent to unite the Indigenous and non-Indigenous worlds. A changemaker who leads by example, Chief Jimmie is an inspiration and mentor to everyone he aims to serve.