We are pleased to announce that CBO and North Baffin Co-operatives have come together to form a new joint venture, Baffin Base Operators (BBO). BBO is listed on the Inuit Firm Registry and will pursue the provision of goods, Facility Management (FM) and site services opportunities in Baffin Region, which is located in the Nunavut Settlement Area. This new partnership is pursuing the North Warning System (NWS) contract as a subcontractor to Raytheon Canada to provide site operation and maintenance services at the 47 NWS radar sites across the Canadian Arctic.
“The co-ops of Sanirajak, Igloolik and Pond Inlet are very excited to join CBO and Raytheon Canada on the NWS Project,” said Anne Curley, President of Hall Beach Co-op, Board Chair of Co-op Coalition. “To increase additional Inuit participation through employment opportunities, skills training, and apprentice opportunities in the communities is key, in our minds, to truly making this northern defence project more inclusive for Northerners. The additional procurement of goods and services for the NWS through the co-ops increases patronage dividends distributed annually to our members.”
The North Baffin co-operatives consist of Inuit-owned multi-purpose businesses that provide a wide range of services to their members and their communities. Partnering and working with the coalition provides direct widespread benefits to local communities. The members of the Co-op not only directly use and support local Inuit businesses in the Baffin Region, but they also work together to improve the social and economic well-being of their communities by sponsoring events, running local programs and creating local employment opportunities.
“This collaborative partnership between CBO and other Indigenous and northern-owned enterprises across the Arctic includes a coalition of the Pond Inlet, Igloolik and Sanirajak Baffin Island co-operatives,” explained Fred Hunt, Board Executive Secretary, North Baffin Co-operative Coalition. “As locally owned member driven businesses, the co-ops will provide significant direct benefits to the communities and their approximately 3,000 co-op members through their annual patronage dividends. Not only will the co-op members receive direct financial benefits, but also CBO’s Inuit benefit objectives will continue to bring training, skills development, and business opportunities and growth within the communities. The Canadian Government should be complimented for bringing further Indigenous content to the NWS project. We are excited to be part of delivering real benefits to the citizens of our communities.”
With North Baffin Co-operatives’ longstanding history in the Baffin region and CBO’s expertise in facility management, BBO will deliver tailored facility management solutions to meet the unique requirements of its clientele in the North.
