Business contract brings success for Alexis First Nation

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The Alexis Business Corporation celebrated the completion of a very successful contract with Alliance Pipeline in an awards ceremony and a barbeque. A round dance topped off the evening where the everyone in the community joined in to celebrate ABC's success.

A right-of-way clearing contract between ABC and Alliance covered 106 kilometres for the Alliance pipeline. The pipeline will run from Fort St. John through Alberta, Saskatchewan and on to Chicago, Illinois as the final destination. It's completion is expected in 2001.

The chief of Alexis First Nation, Francis Alexis presented awards of recognition to the various members and contractors who were involved with ABC.

"The accomplishments of all the people involved in the contract with Alliance is something we can be very proud of," said Chief Alexis.

While the Alexis corporation was established in the summer of 1998, but for the first year the corporation did not experience significant financial gain because of capital purchases.

That changed with the contract Alexis First Nation signed with Alliance pipeline in February that gave the First Nation corporation the contract it needed to make a profit.

That profit spilled into the community through local training programs, employment opportunities and two major projects that will enhance the community of Alexis.

On behalf of the Alexis business corporation, Chief Alexis presented a $5,000 cheque to Alvin Potts for the restoration of the graveyard in the community. Another $25,000 cheque went to the Alexis First Nation school to establish a scholarship, update the library and pay for student travel costs.

"The Alliance pipeline project was a big step for us that helped us we re-established ABC," said Chief Alexis.

The completion of the right-of-way clearing Alliance contract was expected to take more than two months. The Alexis corporation finished in less than two months, said Burley Butler, general manager of the construction division.

"What they did get is more than employment, it's a major accomplishment to stay on budget and without any major safety problems. They over-achieved and this event (the celebration) expresses thier pride," said Francis Erasmus, Aboriginal liason manager for Alliance pipeline.

Another bonus for the community will be the log homes that are scheduled to be built sometime this summer. The logs came from the clearing of the right-of-way that Alliance gave back to the community.

The Alexis corporation recieved financial contributions from the department of Indian Affairs, northern development economic opportunity fund. That funding will ensure that the Alexis Business corporation will continue to grow with the purchase of more than $500,000 in equipment.

"This business venture is for our young people, to make sure they have a future in their community," said Chief Alexis.