The Squamish Nation operates a range of businesses that support a constellation of programs and services for its members.
But Tom Butler, business revenue and services department head for the band, says they are now partnering with other groups to bring the skills needed to expand and diversify the economy.
鈥淭he problem is we don鈥檛 have the capacity we need to grow, in terms of training and development,鈥� says Butler.
鈥淵ou just don鈥檛 open a business if you don鈥檛 know how to run it. So we鈥檙e aligning ourselves with other business partners, joint venture partnerships, that can provide us with that skillset.鈥� Once we have that skillset, then we can start moving into those fields.鈥�
The Squamish Nation already operates a wide array of ventures, including two marinas.
The Mosquito Creek Marina, near Lonsdale Quay in central North Vancouver, has about 600 moorage slips and 40 dry-storage slips, while the Lynnwood Marina, under the Second Narrows Bridge, has 216 moorage slips and 30 for dry storage.
The Nation owns a gas bar and retail operation in the Squamish Valley and operates another, which it does not own, in North Vancouver; a forestry operation in the Squamish Valley; and, in partnership with the Musqueam Nation, Tsleil Wau-Tuth Nation and other partners, is involved with a number of large real estate developments in Vancouver, West Vancouver and the Squamish Valley.
In addition, the Squamish Nation manages properties on its resrves and is the property taxing authority on most of its 24 reserves, which span the region from Vancouver to Whistler, as well as on the Sunshine Coast.casino
The Mosquito Creek Marina is one of the band鈥檚 oldest ventures and an example of how a business has grown sustainably.
The band obtained the marina when the federal government opted to stop operating it.
鈥淚t was a small little disposition and then what happened is, we grew it,鈥� Butler says. 鈥淪tarted with probably 80 boats, now we are at probably 600.鈥�
聽In addition to expanding moorage, the band also expanded into dock-building and floating home construction.
That鈥檚 the sort of expansion Butler and other Squamish Nations leaders would like to see happen in other areas of their business operations.
Just what those expansions would look like are not yet firm.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got so many opportunities,鈥� he says. 鈥淎re we in real estate development? Are we going to grow business? There are so many things you can do. What are we doing?鈥�
Many decisions remain.
鈥淲e are at an incubator stage of the joint venture partnerships,鈥� says Butler. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got four partnerships 鈥� limited joint venture partnerships 鈥� but we鈥檝e got a number in line so that we can grow whatever it is we need to grow. If we鈥檙e going to do real estate, what are they going to need.? You have to have programs that provide for that so that people can get jobs.鈥�
Determining the direction of economic growth includes identifying the external partners who are able to bring the knowledge and experience to help band members gain the skills to operate new enterprises on their own. In finding the right partners, the same economic barriers that affect everyone in the region are impacting the Squamish Nation鈥檚 plans.
鈥淲e鈥檙e finding it challenging to fill the human resources requirements because we live in a costly place,鈥� Butler says. Many skilled tradespeople or others who would be necessary to advance the band鈥檚 expertise in various areas have left the region for more affordable communities.
Amid the growth and change, one thing remains consistent. Revenue generated from Squamish Nation-owned businesses is reinvested to support the programs and services delivered to band members.
鈥淲e run over 200 programs,鈥� Butler says, including education, social services, land and resource management, public works, recreation and more. Expanded economic activity will fund programs like these and provide the Squamish Nation with additional sustainable income for the future.
