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CCR spotlights First Nations forestry at B.C. FNFC conference

On May 29-30, 2024, Percy Guichon, executive director of Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation Ltd. (CCR) attended the 5th Annual B.C. First Nations Forestry Council (FNFC) conference in Penticton, B.C. to discuss the many changes occurring in the forest sector.

The FNFC conference, known for bringing together First Nations peoples, industry leaders, and government representatives, focused on the theme Meaningful Collaboration for Sustainable Change, and Guichon was a panelist on the forest economy – fibre supply and First Nations opportunities panel.

During his presentation, Guichon shared the story behind the creation of CCR, highlighting the company’s journey to successfully take on large scale forestry projects, the challenges they’ve faced and overcome, and key recommendations for other First Nations looking to perhaps do the same work.

“The conference was a great success. The other panel members and I shared the stories about our communities and our involvement in the forest economy,” said Guichon. “Not only did we share our successes but also the challenges we’ve faced along the way, with a focus on solutions. It was important for me to be able to share some of the things we can improve on and provide recommendations to ensure the mistakes we’ve made in the past are not repeated by others.”

By sharing personal experiences, unpacking opportunities and challenges through dialogues, and answering questions from interested communities and companies, the conference aimed to encourage future success and growth of First Nations forestry companies, providing a platform for informative engagement, purposeful collaboration, and support for Indigenous businesses.

“The audience was a great mix of people, including not only First Nations but representatives from the provincial government and industry leaders. To have the key decision makers in the room, hearing from First Nations about their successes, struggles, and concerns, was extremely valuable and important,” added Guichon.

Paul Rasmussen, president at Interior Lumber Manufacturers’ Association, was grateful for the opportunity to learn from leaders like Guichon.

“It was an honour to host the panel at the FNFC conference on May 30. I gained invaluable insights from all three panelists, who graciously devoted extra time to help me prepare for the panel session. Their insights during the panel highlighted the success of their community-based companies, driven by a commitment to long-term relationships with industry, communities, and their neighbours,” said Rasmussen, “One exceptional thing I learned about Percy was how, when faced with challenges, Percy uses perseverance, hard work, and a community-centric approach to overcome them on a consistent basis. I am inspired by Percy’s positive attitude, his willingness to share his knowledge, and his genuine leadership. He is not only a sincere leader but also a truly nice individual.”

Reflecting on the conference, Guichon remarked, “Being able to engage with the audience and have meaningful discussions afterward, meeting new people, and sharing our stories and ideas made the experience so much more special and enriching.”

For Guichon, he hopes participants left with a renewed sense of purpose and a wealth of knowledge to support the forward movement, acceleration, and expansion of First Nations forestry participation and partnerships in British Columbia.

As he explained, “Communities who might have been reluctant to participate in the forest economy before may walk away from that conference with more confidence to be successful on their endeavours. It’s important to share each other’s experiences, create alliances, and share our knowledge to help one another.”