Spreading the warmth At home in the air Building the future 1000 cords and counting. NGC delivers free NGC News profles two Benefciaries who Nunatsiavut Construction’s building division frewood to north coast elders for 6th year. made a career in aviation. Pages 5 & 8 taps into a growing market. Page 4 Page 3 Vol. 1 No. 2 December 2016 Work got underway in early November on NCI’s contract to rebuild the wharf at Englee on the northern peninsula. This is NCI’s frst construction project outside Labrador. New Chief Financial NCI Makes History Officer for NGC Company gets frst contract on the island Keith Harbin joined NGC in early October as Chief Financial In a frst for Nunatsiavut Construction, the St. John’s. The pilot delivered the bid documents Offcer. Keith is a Chartered company has won a half-million dollar contract to Nunatsiavut Marine on Duckworth Street, and Professional Accountant (CPA, on the island to rebuild a wharf in the northern NMI’s crewing offcer Susan Gallant walked up the CGA), with extensive experience. peninsula community of Englee. The news came street to personally hand it over to Public Works Immediately prior to joining on October 17, and it had NCI winning the bid and Services Canada. “It was a real team effort,” NGC, Keith was Manager of over six competitors. “This was part of our plan says Brown. “And we are extremely proud that Operations with the Goose Bay from the start,” said vice president of operations, this is NCI’s frst federal job in Newfoundland.” Airport Corporation. Prior to Adam Brown, as he explained the strategy of that role, he held positions as going outside Labrador to bid on work. “This Long-Term Beneft a manager in Grant Thornton’s goes along with our plan to build capacity at NCI The value to NCI could go well beyond the Happy Valley-Goose Bay offce, and with NGC’s mission to build wealth in trust for current contract at Englee. “We get to develop and before that, as chief fnancial Nunatsiavut benefciaries.” a track record with the federal government,” offcer with the Sheshatshiu Innu It took an NGC team effort to get the bid to St. says Brown. “They will see our work and that is First Nation. Keith’s experience John’s in time for closing on September 30. Once important because the federal authorities have a in fnance and accounting are NCI completed the bid documents, the package rating system.” Work on the project got underway strong assets for NGC. was handed to an Air Labrador pilot who few it to in early November. Stevedoring Business Profitable Strong Future Potential Nunatsiavut Marine’s stevedoring busi- ness has a low profle, but the business of loading and unloading ships was a strong performer in 2016, largely because of the volume of material coming through the Port of Goose Bay for the Muskrat Falls project. “2016 has been our most suc- cessful year,” says NGC’s Chief Operating Offcer, Peter Adams. “We’ve seen our highest revenue earnings so far from ste- vedoring. We’ve had increased employ- ment at the dock.” Partnership working The Goose Bay stevedoring operation is a partnership between Nunatsiavut Marine and Integrated Logistics. In 2016, Nun- The Northern Ranger steams into Rigolet on the frst trip of the 2016 season. atsiavut Integrated Logistics handled all Photo by Eldred Allen, Bird’s Eye Inc. the unloading for international vessels ar- riving with material for the hydro project. That material included cargoes of fy ash Nunatsiavut Marine Overcomes for concrete production and huge spools of wire. Normally, Nunatsiavut Marine Challenges to Post Strong Year employs a port superintendent and six Nunatsiavut Marine had more than its share partners,” says Adams, “especially through stevedores for its north coast ferry opera- of challenges in 2016, including a late start trying to increase tourism as an economic tions. But additional hiring was needed to because of heavy sea ice and a shortened driver for each of those communities.” handle the international cargo, bringing season due to provincial budget cuts. The peak employment at the dock to between Northern Ranger operated with reduced 2017 plans 10 and 12 people. passenger capacity due to unforeseen is- Nunatsiavut Marine plans to build on its sues with the launching devices for two of passenger improvement plan for the 2017 Future potential the lifeboats. Still, NMI managed its way season, and to further respond to customer Peter Adams expects 2017 to be the last through the challenges, while carrying thou- feedback. “Tourists would like more local busy year for shipments to Muskrat Falls, sands of passengers and delivering the sea- dishes and healthier options in our cafete- with the arrival of the transformers at son’s supply of freight. “It’s been another ria,” says Adams. “We will try to meet those Cartwright and other shipments at Goose strong year, despite the setbacks” said Pres- needs.” NMI is also exploring improving on- Bay. Now, he’s looking beyond 2017 and ident and CEO Captain Peter Adams. “We board internet through satellite coverage. sees new opportunities. “We’re hoping to did a good job of managing our way through 2017 is the fnal year of NMI’s two- leverage our relationship with Integrated the issues we faced, and made sure we kept year contract extension for the north coast Logistics into work at the Voisey’s Bay people aware of what was happening.” service. Adams expects the contract will be mine, and potentially other work in Lab- extended for an additional year, while the rador and possibly into the north,” says Support for community events provincial government fnalizes details of a Adams. But it’s not just those opportu- As operators of the Labrador Ferry Service, long-term plan to provide ferry service in the nities. “Labrador has tremendous oil and NMI directs the movements of the Northern province. “We communicate regularly with gas potential,” he says. “It may be 10-15 Ranger and Astron, which essentially oper- (the province) to get a sense of how all of years away, but oil and gas development ate as the highway for the remote commu- that will roll out. We are confdent NMI will will come to Labrador. And increased nities on the north coast of Labrador. The be operating the north coast ferry service mineral exploration will likely create de- schedule is tight, and turnaround in the vari- well into the future.” mand for our stevedoring services as ous ports is short. However, NMI adjusted well.” the Northern Ranger’s schedule this sum- mer to accommodate important community This edition of the newsletter events, including Come Home Year celebra- can also be found online at tions in Black Tickle and the Salmon Festival in Rigolet. “We put extra effort into ensur- www.ngc-ng.ca ing we meet the needs of our community 2 NGC News Vol. 1, No. 2 December 2016 Warming North Coast Homes Sixth year for NGC frewood project The still of an early October morning was the combined efforts of NGC, Nunatsiavut broken by the sound of a chainsaw near Construction, Nunatsiavut Marine, and the the dock in Goose Bay. Working next to a provincial government. “Not only is sending hulking pile of logs, NCI staff sawed 8-foot frewood to our communities important for lengths to be packed inside sea containers our stakeholders,” said NGC COO Peter Ad- and on wood trailers for the journey to the ams, “it also is an example of inter-company North Coast. The activity at the dock sig- collaboration, where we have several com- The MV Astron at the dock in Goose Bay with two nalled this year’s start to a project that NGC panies involved in delivering on this pro- trailers of frewood for the north coast. began six years ago, when it shipped fre- gram.” wood to north coast communities for free While Nunatsiavut Marine gets the distribution to elders and others who had wood into Nain and Hopedale, it’s Adam problems getting access to frewood. “I am Brown and Nunatsiavut Construction who very proud that our group of companies is prepare the wood. NCI hires contractors to once again able to provide wood to those in retrieve the wood from the Muskrat Falls need,” said Nunatsiavut Group of Compa- construction site, and transport it to Goose nies CEO, Chris Webb, “given how diffcult Bay for sawing and packing into sea contain- it is to get wood in the communities of Nain ers and onto trailers. Brown estimates there and Hopedale.” are still 100,000 cords scattered on the Since that frst shipment, more than ground in six huge piles on the north side of A contractor cuts frewood into lengths for ship- 1000 cords have been provided free-of- Muskrat Falls, with an equal amount on the ment to Nain and Hopedale. charge to help people heat their homes. This south side. The wood was cut several years year, NGC is providing 150 cords to Nain ago and some of it is starting to decay. Still, and Hopedale, the two communities with there’s lots of quality wood to send north. Nunatsiavut Group of the least access to a frewood supply. Nain “Once the wood is shipped, I notify the north Companies will receive 90 cords of wood from NGC, and coast communities,” says Brown. When the Hopedale will get 60 cords. wood arrives on the dock, the community 2-6 Royal Street • PO Box 1000, Stn. B turns out to distribute the wood. “It’s a very Happy Valley - Goose Bay, NL • A0P 1E0 Joint NGC project worthwhile project,” he says, “and one that Tel: (709) 896-8505 The frewood project brings together three NCI and the entire NGC operation is proud Fax: (709) 896-5834 units of the Nunatsiavut Group of Compa- to support.” E-mail: [email protected] nies.