Lac La Biche enterprises work despite recession

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Two Native enterprises in the Lac La Biche area show promise in spite of province-wide bankruptcies, said Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) Director David McArthur.

The Lac La Biche Fish Co-op is a long established business which has had to diversify to survive Alberta's recession. In contrast, the Kikino Wildlife Ranch is a recent experiment with a promising future. Both now exist despite the recession.

The fish co-op pays locals, mostly Metis fishermen, on a per kilogram basis. Its market has changed through the years. In the 1950s, when mink farming was popular, the fish was sold for feed. When this market was gone, the co-op tried to package and sell the fish elsewhere, but government authorities said the packaging was not good enough. Today, much of the fish is sold through the Winnipeg Freshwater Marketing Co-op. The rest is bought by remaining local mink farmers and residents

. In 1978, the co-op had financial problems, and asked the Lac La Biche REDC for help. The REDC suggested a change in the management and the running of the co-op. By 1980, the co-op "had established itself as a provincial leader in packaging and quality control," and was financially much stronger, says McArthur. Half of the board and the whole administration is now Metis.

But the changes did not stop here. The co-op tried selling whitefish roe caviar, a product now called "Golden Caviar." Although there were some problems in the first year, Golden Caviar was an "instant success," and sales volumes have increased annually. It has received gold medals in international competitions as well.

Another equipment was into liquid food, mostly for pigs, made of fish offal. Liquid food is better than soy supplements, says McArthur, and is very popular in Europe. Unfortunately, it was not so popular with Alberta farmers and not much was made. Full scale production of liquid food has been halted for the moment.

The co-op is also experiencing problems in competition, mainly with tourism and recreational fisheries. These groups have stronger lobbies than the commercial Co-op and have made it difficult for the Native fishermen to work. However, this, too is changing. The province is working with all the groups to distribute fishing areas fairly. As well, the jurisdiction over fishing is being transferred form the federal to the provincial government, said McArthur.

Solutions are being found to many of the problems the co-op had in 1978. Today, it can be a more prosperous business, said McArthur.

The Kikino Wildlife Ranching Association has been in the Lac La Biche area only since 1979. The area being used for the ranch was no good for farming, but the 700 people who founded the association saw potential in bison ranching. In 1980, they set aside lands for corrals. Then in 1981, 24 bison were purchased from Elk Island Park, east of Edmonton.

The land base was made larger over the next few years. Sixty more bison and 40 elk were brought into the project. Over the last year, the infrastructure has been developed: the feed, slaughterhouse and packaging areas (in Okotoks) were set up.

This infrastructure will provide jobs and economic development for the entire region, said McArthur.

As yet, the herds are not entirely viable, and the association cannot sell elk meat. With natural reproduction, it will take at least five years for the ranch to begin making a profit. The association plans to speed this up by getting more animals from Elk island Park.

As well, it is working to change the legislation against the sale of elk meat.

It is good that "the Native people are using a renewable resource for economic development in a useful manner," said McArthur.

Despite the "murky" future of the co-op and the experimental nature of the ranching association, McArthur expressed his pleasure in the work that has been done.