Partnership Wins Indigenous Business Award

Williams Lake, B.C. – A partnership between two First Nations communities in the Cariboo Chilcotin is the recipient of a 2018 BC Indigenous Business Award.

Cariboo Aboriginal Forestry Enterprises (CAFE) – formed two and half years ago by the communities of Esk’etemc (Alkali Lake) and Tl’esqox (Toosey) – was awarded its 2018 Outstanding Business Achievers award at a gala on Oct. 15 in Vancouver.

“It is unique because it is two different nations working together – Secwepemc and Tsilhqot’in,” said Gord Chipman, a registered professional forester who initiated the partnership and manages it with Craig Kennedy from Chilcotin Plateau Enterprises (CPE).

Launched in 2008 to honour and celebrate business excellence, the BC Indigenous Business Awards are presented by the BC Achievement Foundation in partnership with the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, and generously supported by New Relationship Trust, Teck, TD, BC Hydro, CN, Enbridge, Encana, FortisBC, Vancity and Western Forest Products.