History
SXDC Ltd began as the Stswecem'c Xgat'tem Development Corporation (SXDC) and was incorporated under the Canada Corporations Act September 30, 2005. Initially operations were carried out under SXDC. To address legal, liability and tax issues not available to SXDC, Stswecem'c Xgat'tem Development Limited Partnership (SXDLP) was registered under the British Columbia Partnership Act March 23, 2006. The partnership began operations on April 1, 2008 to hold all of the assets and do all of the business of the partnership under the direction of the Board of SXDC Ltd.
By mid-summer of 2008 SXD Limited Partnership had acquired three Non-Replaceable Forest Licenses with a total volume of 690,000 cubic meters of timber over ten years.
- NRFL A80443 licence consists of 150,000 m3. This area was contracted to West Fraser Timber and harvested by McMac Logging, a Band Member owned company.
- NRFL A83848 licence is for 175,000 m3 in the 100 Mile TSA and has not been harvested.
- NRFL A84305 licence is for 350,000 m3 in the Williams Lake TSA and has not as yet been issued.
SXD Limited Partnership invested $37,000 in crew training and $96,000 in the acquisition of equipment to support crew operations. Wages paid to community members resulting from SXD Limited Partnership operations to date are in excess of $2,729,000 supporting up to thirty families.
Additional Experience
SXD Limited Partnership is registered with the BC Forest Safety Council and achieved BC Forest Safe Certification. SXD Limited Partnership held training in the communities to fulfill the requirements of the various business partners including:
- Fire and hazard tree removal and forest health on reserve : Canadian Forest Service First Nations Forestry Program partnership
- Wildlife habitat improvements : Ministry of Environment
- Recreation trails and recreation site maintenance : Ministry of Tourism, Sport and Art
- Range restoration and forest health : Ministry of Forests and Range
- Fencing and range improvements : BC Cattlemen’s Association
- Churn Creek projects : Ministry of Parks
- Block layout on forest licenses, brushing and various Silviculture projects: West Fraser Timber
- Silviculture projects and the development of NFRL blocks : Tolko Industries
Slash Pile Burning; logging clean up - Tourism: BC Parks, Friends of Churn Creek Protected Area Society, Northern Shuswap Cultural Society, Cariboo Regional District Heritage Steering Committee, the Great Cariboo Ride Society
- Mining: Blackdome and Elizabeth- Cariboo Region and the City of Williams Lake
- Thompson Rivers University : education, research and business analysis
Partnerships
We would like to give our people the opportunity to work and live in this area where they call home. SXDC Ltd works with partners to provide year round or seasonal employment opportunities. As our student graduation population continues to grow, we seek employment opportunities for our graduated youth to be trained in the skilled labour market.
SXDC Ltd. provides specialized work force crews for a number of industries including:
- FORESTRY
- FIRE FIGHTING
- RETAIL MANAGEMENT
- AGRICULTURE
- MINING
- CONSTRUCTION
- ROAD BUILDING, HIGHWAYS AND TRANSPORTATION
- SECURITY, FIRST AID, AND FLAGGING
- ENERGY PRODUCTION
- ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES
- TOURISM
Location
Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation is located in semi remote areas southwest of Williams Lake, BC on the east side of the Fraser River spanning 5,800.4 hectares. These bands are surrounded by agricultural land, valleys and watersheds.
Additionally within this region there are two school districts, two highway districts, two hydro regions, two telephone exchanges, two forest districts and two environmental lands regions.
SXDC Ltd and SXD Limited Partnership were formed as a separate entity to find ways of developing economic security and to create jobs which would enable community members to reside on the Band lands, rather than relocate for work, education and housing.