Development corps call for YK Indigenous procurement policy

Four NWT Indigenous development corporations are calling on the City of Yellowknife to develop an Indigenous procurement policy.

Representatives of Det’on Cho, Metcor, the Tłı̨chǫ Investment Corporation and Denesoline – the business arms for the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, North Slave Métis Alliance, Tłı̨chǫ Government and Łútsël K’é Dene First Nation, respectively – made the request during a presentation to councillors on Monday afternoon.

They said procurement opportunities are vital as the territory’s diamond mines near the end of production and the development corporations are looking to diversify.

“It’s time to take care of us and it’s time to take care of our people here, now,” said Marc Whitford, president of the North Slave Métis Alliance.

Paul Gruner, chief executive officer of the Tłı̨chǫ Investment Corporation, said there is “a timing issue” between when the diamond mines are expected to close and when other big projects in the North may be shovel-ready.

He pointed to the proposed Arctic Security Corridor, Mackenzie Valley Highway and Taltson hydro expansion as examples.

Gruner said the diamond mines have provided the equivalent of around 350 full-time jobs and $20 million in core funding to the Tłı̨chǫ Government, Yellowknives Dene First Nation and North Slave Métis Alliance, and around $100 million in revenue to their business arms.

Mark Lewis, president and chief executive officer of Det’on Cho, said having an Indigenous procurement policy means not evaluating bids based solely on price, but on the overall impact they will have on the community.

“Maintaining that local presence is going to be more costly in some cases than bringing some people up from the south,” he said.

Gruner, Lewis and Whitford further called on the city to review outsourcing opportunities that Indigenous groups could participate in and to pursue partnerships with Indigenous groups.

The city and Yellowknives Dene First Nation have partnered on a joint economic development strategy.

The city currently has a local procurement policy, with a target of spending at least 85 percent of total annual expenditures locally.

Councillor Ryan Fequet said he was in support of updating that policy, saying the city had an obligation to do so.

“We all probably agree there’s more to do in the reconciliation space,” he said.

Fequet encouraged the Indigenous development corporations to join the city’s task force on economic development.

At the territorial level, the NWT government is working to develop an Indigenous procurement policy.