The Owner First Nations
North Spirit Lake First Nation
An Oji-Cree community located roughly 170KM northeast of Red Lake, Ontario, North Spirit Lake is affiliated with the Keewaytinook Okimakanak (KO) tribal council. Accessible by air or winter north road, the population of North Spirit Lake is 509.
Deer Lake First Nation
An Oji-Cree community located roughly 180KM northeast of Red Lake, Ontario, Deer Lake is affiliated with the Keewaytinook Okimakanak (KO) tribal council. Accessible by air or winter north road, the population of Deer Lake is 1,302, with 221 living off-reserve and 35 as registered citizens of other reserves.
Poplar Hill First Nation
An Ojibway community located roughly 120KM northeast of Red Lake, Ontario, Poplar Hill is affiliated with the Keewaytinook Okimakanak (KO) tribal council. Accessible by air or winter north road, the population of Poplar Hill is 750, with 35 living off-reserve.
History of Omekanahkay
1957-2021
The late Edward (Ed) Hoshizaki spearheaded the formation of Omekanahkay along with his partners in North Spirit Lake, Poplar Hill, and Deer Lake. Ed Hoshizaki brought with him decades of economic development experience and was able to help the three First Nations identify opportunities coming to the region as well as develop strategies for capturing these opportunities.
Before Wataynikaneyap Project construction activities even began, Ed Hoshizaki worked with the three First Nations to establish the corporations, partnerships, and agreements that would become Omekanahkay. Once it was established, Ed Hoshizaki helped the three First Nations to conceptualize Omekanahkay’s mission, vision, values, and culture.
Omekanahkay was established to capture opportunities related to the Wataynikaneyap Transmission Project. However, when Omekanahkay was established, the vision of its owners was to use the Wataynikaneyap Project as a stepping-stone towards other large regional projects including all-season roads. Omekanahkay maintains this vision today.
Omekanahkay continues to work with its joint venture partners on work related to the Wataynikaneyap Project and other projects in the region. Omekanahkay continues to search for and investigate new opportunities as well as new potential partnerships.
Objectives & Vision
- Maintain positive relationships between the First Nations and with their partners and establish new relationships.
- Continue to provide long-term sustainable value for the First Nations owners through completing work (owners fees), property development (equity and leases), as well as other investments.
- Identify and capture education, training, employment, and other capacity building opportunities for the First Nations.
- Support for other Indigenous businesses, suppliers, etc.
- Support First Nations objectives within each community and Traditional Territory.
- Continue to leverage the strengths of partnerships, collaboration and mutual benefit.
- Continue to grow Omekanahkay to meet new opportunities, needs, and challenges.
- Investigate opportunities for new partnerships, including with other First Nations or Indigenous entities.
Future Opportunities
There are upcoming opportunities in the region that Omekanahkay can provide its current services to including, but not limited to:
- Development and construction of all-season roads.
- Community/municipal projects (i.e. sewer/water, site development, landfills, site remediation, etc.).
- Construction, maintenance, and repair of winter roads.
- Construction, maintenance, and repair of access roads.
- Mine development (i.e. roads, hauling, gravel/aggregate supply, clearing, etc.)
- MTO contracts off-reserve.
- Services to other large projects.
- Other opportunities as they are identified.
Omekanahkay will not pursue opportunities that conflict with First Nations objectives, positions, etc.
