Award Year: 2015

Orene Askew has created a sole proprietorship business that provides DJ services for birthdays, wedding, fundraisers, youth conferences, and theme parties. In addition to her DJ business, Orene works as a DJ Instructor at the School of Remix and also acts as a motivational speaker inspiring Aboriginal youth across Canada. Orene has DJ’d on the red carpet for WE Day at Rogers Arena and was voted the official DJ for the YES (Young Entrepreneur Symposium) in Ottawa.

 

Inlailawatash Natural Resource Services provides a range of renewable resource services to Aboriginal and crown governments, private sector organizations, communities and NGO’s in five key business areas: renewable resources management, archeology, GIS and mapping, tree service, ecosystem restoration and resource construction. Inlailawatash can tailor its work to provide a broad spectrum of services that meet the highest standards of quality.

 

One hundred percent owned and operated by the Akisqnuk First Nation and located on Lake Windermere is the Columbia Valley’s largest lakeshore campground, featuring 77 serviced and 72 non-serviced campsites. The newly constructed Legacy Hall enables the campground resort to hold cultural events, concerts, weddings, and family reunions, increasing its income and spreading the word about their culture.

 

Serving a diverse client group in both the private and public sectors, the Lower Nicola Indian Band / LNB Construction Inc. joint venture was formed to offer a quality team for construction projects in the mining, earthworks and forestry sectors in the BC interior. The 50/50 partnership merges LNIB’s experience in the forestry sector with LNB’s expertise in the earthworks industry. The joint venture has successfully completed four major projects in the Nicola Valley and continues to grow. LNIB continues to train and develop community members for the future.

 

RiverFresh started as a demonstration fishery with a storefront operation in 2013. It holds the only commercial salmon fisheries license in Kamloops Lake and the Thompson River and provides the only locally caught salmon products in the region. Today, selectively harvested Sockeye and Chinook salmon are processed, packed and shipped to customers all over the world. RiverFresh products are increasingly available in wineries and a variety of restaurants and retail outlets.

 

A father-son business enterprise, Skyride Bike and Board Inc. has evolved from its beginnings in the garage of the family home to a flourishing day-to-day retail enterprise. Well established as the Okanagan’s premier mountain bike business, the company expanded in 2012, selling snowboard equipment at its Silver Star Mountain site. Its marketing and branding strategies have made Skyride a destination attracting customers from throughout BC, Alberta and Washington.

 

Spirit Works focuses on the creation and distribution of authentic Aboriginal products and collaborates with well-known and emerging Aboriginal artists. Belief in community, in the passing of knowledge from generation to generation as well as in the protection of heritage and environment, the company also offers studio space for workshops and training opportunities for Aboriginal youth.

 

Wee Care Early Childhood Centre Inc. operates five busy and successful childcare centres all located in five Comox Valley Schools. It provides before and after school care for K to Grade 6 children and kindergarten preparation at two additional centres. Wee Care responds to the community’s needs upholding its mission to provide the children in their care with a safe, clean and caring environment in which each child will feel that he/she is cared for and valued.