There are dozens of Indigenous-owned businesses across the NWT, ranging in size and scope. Some have a handful of employees and could be a travel agency, law office or painting company. Others could be mid-to large-sized concerns, in the fields of transportation or communications. Some are run by the investment arms of Indigenous governments, either alone of in a partnership.
The Det'on Cho Corporation (DCC) "exists to create jobs and prosperity for the Yellowknives Dene First Nation," states its online profile and has offices in Ndilo and Dettah.
DCC is the economic development arm of the Yellowknives Dene, with 15 companies. DCC's main business is supporting the region's resource development industries, providing services in exploration, construction, transportation, remediation, logistics and expediting, human resources, training, environmental, and management.
The corporation recently marked 30 years in operation at a celebration at one of its newly acquired companies, G&G Expediting. It was acquired in January by Det'on Cho Logistics, a majority-owned company of the DCC.
The anniversary celebration attracted management, employees and VIPs, such as Wally Schumann, minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.
"The company, like so many iconic Northern enterprises, originated from humble beginnings with an idea, a small grant and a whole lot of hard work," the minister told the crowd.
"It is a business that continues to contribute to training, jobs and advancement, particularly for the Yellowknives Dene First Nation; employing hundreds of people across 15 companies with annual gross revenues in excess of $50 million per year."
And that is the key to the company's success, and indeed serves as an excellent model for the future prosperity and health of the NWT as a whole.
DCC is 100 per cent owned by the Yellowknives Dene First Nation and is dedicated to the creation of jobs and prosperity for the band's members – and for the people of the North.
First Nations ownership is key. After a century of non-Indigenous mining companies and entrepreneurs calling the shots, the development of a major, Indigenous-owned enterprise is critical, not only for job and business creation for territorial First Nations members, but for community buy-in, training, development and support.
For DCC and indeed all Indigenous business interests in the territory, the key to what they do is helping to retain the skills, wages and people in communities big and small.
Without these businesses, people would journey south to look for work, perhaps never to return. The NWT's economy would be wracked, with diamond mines and other large companies either passing on setting up shop here because of a lack of support resources or contracting out to southern suppliers, with the territory losing out on revenue opportunities.
As the nature of the market is ever changing, all businesses need to not only work hard to achieve success in the present but also look to the future with a keen eye to ensure long-term viability.
And that's exactly what officials from DCC told News/North they were doing.
The corporation's management team said it is looking to expand into other areas of business as diamond mining in the territory looks to be coming to a close down the road.
This was noted when the company acquired G and G Expediting.
The corporation also won four out of the five major contracts of the massive Giant Mine remediation project in Yellowknife.
Apart from providing revenue opportunity, for the Yellowknives Dene to be able to find some good from the years of having Giant Mine in their backyard also serves as symbolic payback after a history of contentious relations between the mines and First Nations.
So News/North congratulates DCC on 30 years in business and wishes it – and all other businesses in the North, who work to achieve a sharply focused vision – success now and in the future.