Taykwa Tagamou forestry company signs long-term deal

Taykwa Tagamou Nation’s forestry company has signed a long-term deal to provide wood to a Cochrane pulp mill.
Island Falls Forestry (IFF), a Taykwa Tagamou based company, signed a 20-year agreement on June 12 to provide harvesting services for True North Hardwood Plywood Inc.
Bernice Archibald, IFF’s board chair, told Wawatay that the agreement is estimated to be worth upwards of $55 million for the First Nation over the next 20 years.
“IFF has been in the forestry business a long time, but we’ve really had to work hard recently because of the downturn in the economy,” Archibald said. “We’re really proud of what we have done in making sure we stayed afloat, and making sure we were able to take on a project this big.”
The agreement with True North took 11 months to negotiate. Archibald said the deal means the IFF will become a harvest service provider for the True North plant in Cochrane.
She added that the deal creates a number of benefits for Taykwa Tagamou members, including direct employment with IFF and also the chance to start their own businesses.
“There will be a number of employment opportunities for community members,” Archibald said, “along with the opportunity for community members to buy their own equipment and become subcontractors.”
IFF, which has been in operation for 15 years, is wholly owned by the Taykwa Tagamou Nation. The company manages agreements with forestry businesses on behalf of the First Nation and does forestry work as well as mining service work.
True North started its operation in July 2012 after purchasing the shutdown Cochrane mill in 2011.
“True North is excited to formalize its relationship with Island Falls,” said Raymond Poe, True North’s Chief Operating Officer, in a press release. “Long term agreements such as these allow for parties to plan for supply several years out. We are confident that Island Falls will be an excellent harvest service provider for the company for many years.”
IFF’s General Manager Mark Massicotte said that in the agreement, the First Nation owned company wants to ensure that True North gets the maximum amount of wood under its Abitibi River Forest License at the best possible price.
“This is a long-term agreement that will ensure stability for both of our companies,” Massicotte said.