The Crew
Image Courtesy of Points Athabasca Contracting Ltd.
The company's three owners include the Graham Group (25%) and Points North Freight Forwarding (24%). Owner Athabasca Basin Development Corporation (ABDC) (51%) is in turn owned by the seven Basin communities: Camsell Portage, Uranium City, Stony Rapids, Black Lake, Wollaston Lake, Fond du Lac, and Hatchet Lake. This northern ownership ensures that profits stay in the north.
"That's what makes this company attractive to companies like Cameco," said Brad Darbyshire, manager at Points Athabasca Contracting Ltd. "In a lot of cases you get one or two native communities that get together and do the work. Here all the communities benefit - not just one or two. We distribute employment as much as possible among those seven communities. It's a way of ensuring everyone gets a piece."
Later along its journey, Athabasca Contracting Ltd. could become the sole property of the Athabasca Basin Development Corporation. Future plans also include the purchase of the Points North Landing facility from Points North Freight Forwarding.
In the meantime, the company carries on a wide range of general contracting services - "labour supply and general construction projects . . . construction of any trade scope - steel erection, wood framing, electrical, and piping," said Darbyshire.
Currently, the company does remedial work on the Black Lake road. "We have a fleet of road equipment. They are pushing to make the Black Lake road an all weather road," said Darbyshire who added the company would like to become the governing board for all Athabasca region roads so that northern employment would be guaranteed.
But this type of work is not the end of the road for the company. "The number one industry that directly affects the Basin is the mining sector," said Darbyshire. "Our future goals are to supply labour, supervision, operators, equipment and large scale procurement for the present and future industries located within the Basin." Involvement in the mining sector will not only lead to development of the region, but it will also set standards for the future, he said. In its efforts to target the mining sector, the company provides labourers for Cameco's Rabbit Lake and Cigar Lake minesites.
"Cigar Lake is being constructed and will be ready to go on line in the next four years. What we would like to see is a long term contract with Cameco. They are going to build a road between Cigar and McLean, and McLean and Rabbit. They will [need] contractors to maintain that road when it is built. Also, there will be trucks hauling and site services to supply." If the company gets a handle on these contracts, said Darbyshire, "The communities get a 51% dividend from the profits."
In the meantime, the company is busily training Athabasca Basin residents as managers, operators, and tradesmen. Darbyshire himself was hired and trained through the company just two years ago.
"It's been a very good experience," said Darbyshire. "I'm originally from up North myself. Being that I'm from Buffalo Narrows, [even though] not from the Athabasca Basin, I do understand the politics of it."
The company will continue to focus on jobs for northerners. Even the company logo was designed by local resident Glen Strom. "We utilize the people in the northern communities as much as possible, not bringing anyone from out of the country or even out of the area if possible," said Darbyshire. Last year, the company worked for the Athabasca Health Authority - geographically Canada's northernmost health service. To further ensure local employment, the company ran an eight-month carpentry course at the Athabasca Health facility.
Besides its head office at Hatchet Lake/Wollaston Lake, Points Athabasca Contracting Ltd. has offices in Saskatoon and a shop facility with an office at Points North Landing.