Making a Difference on a National Scale Through Aboriginal Partnerships
Our first Aboriginal Partnership was established in 2012 with the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation. It was a natural fit from the beginning, ACFN’s desire for economic viability and diversification and our desire for dramatic growth while making a difference on a national scale seemed to go hand in hand. Looking back, it seems as if it all happened overnight, two companies rolled into one, offering Janitorial and Maintenance services to almost every primary site in the Wood Buffalo area, employing over 800 people. Since that time, Bee-Clean has built partnerships with four more First Nation Communities from Alberta and Ontario with new opportunities in Saskatchewan and BC currently in the works.
We pride ourselves on the belief that every relationship is unique and special in its own way. That’s how we have approached the relationships we have built with our Aboriginal partners. With over 600 First Nations in our country and each community having a different set of priorities and goals, it is not a one size fits all approach. Every Indigenous partnership we enter into works to ensure the business has long- term, mutually sustainable benefits but, most importantly, meets the specific needs and goals of the First Nations community we’re partnering with.
A great example of this is our partnership with the Cold Lake First Nation, where employment was their top priority. Cold Lake First Nation set a goal to be the largest Aboriginal employer of Aboriginal persons in the country. It was from this goal that Iron Horse Janitorial in Cold Lake was created. We are proud to state that Iron Horse is an equal opportunity employer, with over 90% of our workforce being aboriginal.
We have stayed committed to our roots in our business partnerships with Acden and Primco Dene. Bee-Clean has a strong proven track record for success in the Janitorial industry, and it just made good business sense to join forces with janitorial companies already in operation within each Nation.
Together, we have stuck with what we know and have kept our primary focus on industrial cleaning, landscaping, pest control and general labour. The growth in both volume and economic benefit to everyone involved has been truly remarkable.
Our strong belief in reconciliation through economic development is one of the many reasons why Bee- Clean holds the Progressive Aboriginal Relations (PAR) Gold Certification and is an active member of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business.
Our legacy partnership with the Saskatoon Tribal Council is centred around janitorial work in the potash mines. This partnership incorporates our Bee-Clean team from the East, genuinely making our Aboriginal Partnerships a national way of doing business.
Bee-Clean is committed to corporate social responsibility with an emphasis on Aboriginal relations. We believe in real life change and reconciliation in action!