Ulkatcho First Nation celebrates groundbreaking for new community store and gas station
June 21, 2023 — Ulkatcho First Nation, Anahim Lake, British Columbia — Indigenous Services Canada
The Government of Canada is working in partnership with First Nations to support community-driven, economic development opportunities and growth.
On this National Indigenous People’s Day, Ulkatcho First Nation held a ground breaking ceremony to launch the construction of the Ulkatcho Mercantile Store and Gas Station, a future business and commercial centre along Highway 20, Anahim Lake (IR 14A). The project is an Ulkatcho First Nation initiative intended to create jobs and promote revenue growth for the community. The new development will include a commercial building with a covered gas-dispensing area, a separate diesel-dispensing area for trucks, an aboveground storage tank for gas and diesel, rest areas for cars, semi-trailers, and electrical vehicle charging stations.
Working in partnership with the community, the Government of Canada invested $1 million in funding through ISC’s Community Opportunity Readiness Program Prioritization Framework, which provides project-based funding for a range of activities to support communities’ pursuit of economic opportunities. In addition, Ulkatcho First Nation is proud to have contributed $1.4 million to this project through West Chilcotin Forest Products, which is 100 percent owned by Ulkatcho First Nation.
Today’s announcement on National Indigenous People’s Day, is an opportunity to reflect on the importance of the ongoing work by the Government of Canada to build relationships with First Nations, Inuit and Métis grounded in respect and cooperation, and to reaffirm our commitment to support their visions of self-determination.