Williams Lake, B.C. – Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation Ltd. (CCR) was presented with the award for Business Partnership of the Year through the BC Achievement Foundation’s Indigenous Business Award program, at the fourteenth annual Indigenous Business Award (IBA) Gala held in Vancouver.
The Indigenous Business Award (IBA) program, which celebrates excellence and focuses on the successes of Indigenous businesses and entrepreneurs, announced earlier this fall the recipients of its 2022 IBA program. As an Indigenous business partnership of the Tŝideldel First Nation and the Tl’etinqox Government, with several successful projects completed, CCR has proven to be a great fit for the prestigious award. The awardees were celebrated at the IBA Gala on November 29, 2022, at the Fairmont Hotel in Vancouver.
The Gala helped celebrate and share stories of Indigenous business excellence and, in doing so, underlined the theme for the 2022 program, thuyshaynum which means ‘preparing the path, directing the feet.’
Angela Marston, IBA Program Director said, “We are all working to correct the understanding of Indigenous history with guests in our territory and mindfully building respectful and meaningful relationships to prepare the path.”
Directors Joe Alphonse (Chief of Tl'etinqox Government) and Otis Guichon (Chief of Tŝideldel First Nation), were both present to receive the award.
“To be recognized for this BC Achievement Award is an honour and a true testament to the innovative and collaborative work that has come out of CCR, and an acknowledgement to the humble and hard-working people of Tŝideldel First Nation and Tl’etinqox Government,” said Chief Alphonse.
In the spring of 2017, the joint venture was originally formed to address 100,000 hectares of dead pine left in the Chilcotin region, to reduce wildfire risk and rehabilitate mountain pine beetle-damaged forests near Alexis Creek. The company has since used both traditional methods and innovation to bring about substantial sustainable changes to the landscape and the area’s economy.
Photo Caption
Top photo:L-R> Chief Joe Alphonse and Chief Otis Guichon at the 2022 IBA gala in Vancouver, giving their acceptance speeches;
Middle photo: L-R> Award winners: Chief Otis Guichon (representing CCR), Donna Cranmer and Andrea Cranmer (Culture Shock Life), Ashley Kucher and Dustin Kucher (Dark Arc Welding Inc.), Chief David Jimmie (Award of Distinction),Trina Sxwithul’txw (M’i nuw’ilum DBA Cheanuh Marina), Dave Kitazaki (dk Architecture), Curtis Thomas (Warrior Plumbing) Chief John Allen French (Sasuchan Development Corporation);
Bottom left: Chief Otis Guichon giving an acceptance speech during the gala;
Bottom right: L-R> Chief Otis Guichon Sr., Chastity Davis, Chief Joe Alphonse
Photo credit: Rick Etkin.
“We are honoured to have been recognized by the BC Achievement Awards. One of the biggest drivers of our success has been the partnerships we have forged along the way. To have CCR recognized not just for its excellent management, but also as an innovative organization that is a catalyst for creating new economic opportunities, is an honour. This award is representative of the work done by our employees, contractors, and partners, and we accepted this honour on their behalf,” said Chief Guichon.
To watch the short film produced on CCR by the BC Achievement Foundation team, which premiered at the IBA Gala, click here: Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation Ltd. 2022 BC Achievement Indigenous Business Award.
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