Helicopter Transport Services

First Nations an integral part of success story

Back in 1976 in North Bay, Ont., pilot and entrepreneur Luc Pilon founded a company called Nipissing Helicopters with a single helicopter. Judicious reinvestment and a series of strategic acquisitions, starting in Quebec to its most recent in Saskatchewan, grew the company into what is now Helicopter Transport Services (HTS).

It has come a long way. Now in its 42nd year, with Pilon still at the helm as President, HTS is headquartered at its new complex at Carp Airport near Ottawa. It operates two fixed-wing support aircraft and more than 60 helicopters of all types including a broad range of Bell, Airbus, and Sikorsky models throughout the world. With seasonal strength of up to 90 employees, operational branches are maintained in Trois-Rivières (Quebec), La Ronge (Saskatchewan), Markham (Toronto), and Moosonee Airport in Northern Ontario. 

The company’s success is built on the wide diversity of services it offers to a range of industries and clients across Canada and worldwide: forestry and mining including mineral exploration, surveying, and operations support; fire suppression; construction; oil and gas; electronic news gathering; air ambulance; executive transport; and motion pictures support. With its extensive resource-oriented operations especially in the North, HTS values its mutually beneficial relationships with First Nations, which include three joint ventures as well as hiring and training programs. “We have one joint venture in Nunavut we set up with Sakku [Investments] out of Rankin Inlet and one in Moosonee with the Moose Cree First Nation,” says Michael Lavoy, VP Marketing and Communications. “And we are joint venture partners with the Attawapiskat First Nation.”

Northern Hires Preferred

Hiring locals in the North is part of HTS policy, too. “We have a lot of operations where we are moving people and freight around,” says Lavoy. “Like loading and unloading, or moving children around for the schools with the winter freeze-up and spring breakup. So we hire local people for helping load passengers and freight, keeping the schedule, etc.” 

Lavoy says they are also currently working on programs to recruit Indigenous apprentices out of Nunavut and Moosonee. 

“The main one is apprenticing for the four-year Aircraft Maintenance Engineer [AME] program,” he says, adding that HTS prefers the AME program at Red River College because it better suits the candidates. “Most of them don’t like to go away for two to three years. So it is easier to get them into the Red River program which is one of the better programs – it is a short period type of school. Then you’re back working as an apprentice with an AME, so you are getting basically all of your training on the job. It is the only one like it in Canada.”

Lavoy says HTS is striving to further build up its First Nations hiring, as it’s a win-win. “Especially in places like Nunavut. When we send somebody from down south they often don’t want to be there. It’s a heck of a lot easier if you have a bunch of people from places like Rankin in the Kivalliq Region, or Moosonee – mainly because they are at home.”

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