Digging for bivalves in an intertidal zone
A strategic partnership with Metlakatla First Nation called Khtada Environmental Services LP is allowing Triton Environmental Consultants Ltd. to make a difference in northwestern B.C.
Metlakatla Development Corporation (MDC) and Triton Environmental Consultants formed the limited partnership in 2014, and it’s been a great success, says Paul Harrison, President of Khtada Environmental Services LP.
“These business relationships support our ongoing public commitment to our clients and Indigenous communities alike, to maximize Indigenous inclusion and engagement throughout each phase of a project,” Harrison says.
“Furthermore, these business relationships contribute to our clients’ project successes by building sustainable capacity for the local and Indigenous communities and businesses where we work.”
“Khtada has been very successful over the past 10 years” he adds. “We have been able to offer career development opportunities for Metlakatla First Nation members and other local Indigenous individuals.”
Khtada has worked on nearly all major projects in Prince Rupert and surrounding areas, including various export terminals, as well as having clients of a range of sizes in the construction, transportation and oil and gas infrastructure sectors.
Kristal Johnston, a Project Manager with Triton and Khtada, states that one of the most interesting projects she has worked on through Khtada was the MSS Coastal Baseline Project for the Metlakatla Stewardship Society (MSS). The funding for this project was provided by the Fisheries and Oceans’ Canada Coastal Environmental Baseline Program.
Khtada Environmental Services LP workers on the job
“Khtada has been supporting the Metlakatla Stewardship Society with their Coastal Baseline Project since 2021,” she notes. “The project includes completing baseline bivalve surveys on beaches in Metlakatla’s territory alongside other MSS staff and Metlakatla community members. Bivalves are an important resource for the Metlakatla First Nation both culturally and for food, social and ceremonial purposes.”
“Working on this project is a unique opportunity that expands on the existing benefits of the partnership. The project provides engaging field work for our biologists, and the information collected supports the Metlakatla Stewardship Society in the management and stewardship of Metlakatla’s resources.”
MDC is the business arm of the Metlakatla First Nation and is an active participant in economic development opportunities throughout the Prince Rupert area and has partnered with several local and regional businesses to develop successful ventures in areas ranging from transportation to heavy construction to tourism.
Alongside these business activities are the social and environmental standards that govern MDC activities. Major priorities of the Development Corporation are to understand and support the educational requirements of the membership and to ensure that sustainable development principles addressing social, cultural, economic and environmental factors are applied to all businesses and investments.
Triton, a partner in Khtada, is one of the largest environmental and biophysical consulting firms in Western Canada and brings to Khtada a team of over 350 qualified environmental professionals in business for the past 35 years. With 13 offices throughout British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, and Nova Scotia, Triton provides broad support and capacity to clients across Canada.
Triton is a member of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB) and is certified Silver under the Progressive Aboriginal Relations (PAR) program. PAR is a management and reporting program that confirms corporate performance in progressive Indigenous Relations.
Business Examiner Staff
