News & Media

IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR FIRST NATIONS COMMUNITIES IS THE TOP PRIORITY FOR FIRST CANADIAN WATER & INFRASTRUCTURE INC.

Winnipeg, MB., July 2006 - Tribal Councils Investment Group of Manitoba Ltd. (TCIG) and CH2M HILL Canada Limited (CH2M HILL) are pleased to announce the formation of First Canadian Water & Infrastructure Inc. (FCWI). This First Nation controlled corporation will be a full service provider of program management, engineering, construction and operations and maintenance services with the expressed purpose of improving the quality of life within First Nation communities. FCWI will partner with communities to provide solutions that represent the highest overall value and to build human resource capacity within the communities, ensuring that community based solutions are sustainable over the long term.

"The initial focus of FCWI will be on the provision of safe drinking water, as 170 communities across Canada have been identified as being at high risk. Thousands of Aboriginal people face a serious health risk each and every day due to a lack of safe drinking water and through FCWI we will have the capacity to effectively address this crisis immediately with solutions designed from a First Nation perspective." says Philip Dorion, Chairman of TCIG.

"We are thrilled to partner with TCIG on this exciting initiative. By leveraging the strengths of the two companies, we are able to provide fully integrated solutions and make an immediate impact on the lives of thousands of Canadians." says John Murray, President of CH2M HILL.

"We have a unique approach to this new venture and we are very excited about it. Firstly, we are committed to building human resource capacity within our communities to ensure that the solutions are sustainable over the long term. Secondly, is our ability to achieve economies of scale, ensuring the most effective use of resources" says Allan McLeod, President and CEO of TCIG.

TCIG was established in June, 1990 as the investment arm of the 7 Tribal Councils in Manitoba. TCIG has significant equity investments in corporations engaged in bottling, health management and claims processing, retail pharmacies, commercial real estate, financial services, fuel distribution, hotels, and transportation to name a few. Through strong annual financial returns to its 7 Tribal Council shareholders, TCIG contributes in a meaningful way to economic development for First Nations peoples in the Province.

Employee-owned CH2M HILL is a global firm providing engineering, construction, operations, and related technical services to public and private sector clients. With more than $3.8 billion in revenue, CH2M HILL is an industry leading program management, construction management for fee, and design firm, as ranked by Engineering-News Record (2005). The firm’s work is concentrated in the areas of water, transportation, energy, environment, communications, construction, and industrial facilities. Recognized in 2006 as one of FORTUNE magazine's '100 Best Companies to Work For' and a 'Most Admired Company,' CH2M HILL has more than 18,000 employees in regional offices worldwide, including over 700 in Canada. CH2M HILL’s Winnipeg office was opened in 2004.