Scf press release june 2014
2
For Immediate Release STÓ:LŌ MEANS BUSINESS: New Stó:lō Businesses Rapid Expansion of Aboriginal Entrepreneurs June 16, 2014, Chilliwack, BC – On April 9, 2014, Stó:lō Community Futures (SCF) had the official launch of its new business initiative, STÓ:LŌ MEANS BUSINESS. Since the Launch, SCF has formed a partnership with the Province of BC and is currently completing a comprehensive inventory and database of all Aboriginal businesses within the Stó:lō Traditional Territory. “This will be a valuable marketing tool for our local Aboriginal businesses and will provide insights as to the size and rapid growth occurring within the local Aboriginal business community,” says Michael Watson, General Manager of SCF. This Project is targeted for completion by mid-July, when it will be online. In addition, the rapid formation of new Aboriginal businesses continues to accelerate, as evidenced by SCF’s increased lending. Rocio Zielinski, SCF’s Operations and Loans Manager explains, “Each year, Community Futures organizations throughout BC establish yearly targets for the number of loans and total lending value that is required. SCF is experiencing rapid growth of new and expanding businesses in Stó:lō. SCF will exceed our entire year’s lending established targets, by the end of our first quarter in June”. Mrs. Zielinski advised that several new businesses were funded, including MSK Steel Ltd. in Mission, which provides expert steel erecting services for large scale commercial property developments, such as tilt-up, warehouses and office buildings. The owners are Tony MacDonald, a Leq’á:mel First Nation Member and Ryan Buchanan. Another new business that will be officially launched on the July long weekend, is the new Cheam Fishing Village Campground on the Fraser River. This is a very unique new business venture of Cheam First Nation. This large new campground on the north side of the Fraser located near the Agassiz Bridge, will include parking, campsites and a boat launch. The new campground is being built to help accommodate the growing recreational fisheries, especially with this year’s anticipated large salmon run. Seven Generations Environmental Services, a First Nation environmental firm based in Chilliwack and owned by six Stó:lō Communities, continues its rapid expansion of their environmental business, with the acquisition of new vehicles, funded by SCF. Shirley Hardman, Chairperson of SCF was also pleased to announce that the first loan under our new micro lending program, for small loans under $10,000, which a joint initiative of SCF and BMO, was recently approved for Cheam Trading Inc. “This will involve the redevelopment and opening of a retail/wholesale store directly on Highway 9, on the Cheam Reserve by the Agassiz Bridge. The Trading Post will open in the next couple of weeks and will focus upon selling retail and wholesale authentic Stó:lō products, Okanagan fruits, native fair trade salmon
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Transcript of Scf press release june 2014
For Immediate Release
STÓ:LŌ MEANS BUSINESS: New Stó:lō Businesses Rapid Expansion of Aboriginal Entrepreneurs
June 16, 2014, Chilliwack, BC – On April 9, 2014, Stó:lō Community Futures (SCF) had the official launch of its new business initiative, STÓ:LŌ MEANS BUSINESS. Since the Launch, SCF has formed a partnership with the Province of BC and is currently completing a comprehensive inventory and database of all Aboriginal businesses within the Stó:lō Traditional Territory. “This will be a valuable marketing tool for our local Aboriginal businesses and will provide insights as to the size and rapid growth occurring within the local Aboriginal business community,” says Michael Watson, General Manager of SCF. This Project is targeted for completion by mid-July, when it will be online. In addition, the rapid formation of new Aboriginal businesses continues to accelerate, as evidenced by SCF’s increased lending. Rocio Zielinski, SCF’s Operations and Loans Manager explains, “Each year, Community Futures organizations throughout BC establish yearly targets for the number of loans and total lending value that is required. SCF is experiencing rapid growth of new and expanding businesses in Stó:lō. SCF will exceed our entire year’s lending established targets, by the end of our first quarter in June”. Mrs. Zielinski advised that several new businesses were funded, including MSK Steel Ltd. in Mission, which provides expert steel erecting services for large scale commercial property developments, such as tilt-up, warehouses and office buildings. The owners are Tony MacDonald, a Leq’á:mel First Nation Member and Ryan Buchanan. Another new business that will be officially launched on the July long weekend, is the new Cheam Fishing Village Campground on the Fraser River. This is a very unique new business venture of Cheam First Nation. This large new campground on the north side of the Fraser located near the Agassiz Bridge, will include parking, campsites and a boat launch. The new campground is being built to help accommodate the growing recreational fisheries, especially with this year’s anticipated large salmon run. Seven Generations Environmental Services, a First Nation environmental firm based in Chilliwack and owned by six Stó:lō Communities, continues its rapid expansion of their environmental business, with the acquisition of new vehicles, funded by SCF. Shirley Hardman, Chairperson of SCF was also pleased to announce that the first loan under our new micro lending program, for small loans under $10,000, which a joint initiative of SCF and BMO, was recently approved for Cheam Trading Inc. “This will involve the redevelopment and opening of a retail/wholesale store directly on Highway 9, on the Cheam Reserve by the Agassiz Bridge. The Trading Post will open in the next couple of weeks and will focus upon selling retail and wholesale authentic Stó:lō products, Okanagan fruits, native fair trade salmon
from local Stó:lō fishermen, and other products. Cheam Trading Post will be an authentic Aboriginal trading house”, said Ms. Hardman. “STÓ:LŌ MEANS BUSINESS captures our Aboriginal entrepreneurial spirit and says, Consider the Possibilities. Stó:lō is open for business”, added Ms. Hardman.
For More Information, contact Shirley Hardman Chairperson Stó:lō Community Futures [email protected] Phone: 604-845-2615
Mike Watson General Manager
Phone: 604-824-5270 [email protected]
www.stolocf.ca
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