BEC / FEB / 2017 - page 3

editor’s
letter
What the people of the T’Sou-ke First Nation are doing to promote sustain-
ability and environmental preservation is an example to all of Canada, if
not the world. Located near Sooke, British Columbia on the southern tip
of Vancouver Island, the First Nation led by Chief Gordon Planes is explor-
ing various types of alternative energy in an effort to pave a better way for
future generations.
In 2009, they launched a demonstration project designed to generate
power through a 440-panel solar photovoltaic system. Today, a surplus
in energy results in net-zero costs for the community. They operate so-
lar-powered electric vehicles, grow food for the village in the community
greenhouses and raise wasabi as a cash crop. They are partnering in proj-
ects exploring ocean wave energy production and airborne wind energy,
and are making strides in a diesel displacement project, which reduces the
reliance on diesel fuel by allowing it to coexist with solar energy.
Founded on the traditions of their ancestors, Chief Planes and the T’Sou-ke Nation are encouraging a way
of life that relies less on fossil fuels and more on the power of nature and its elements. “In the past, we did
not have gasoline, combustion engines. The environment was our energy — that energy coming from the
wind, coming from the tide,” he explained in an interview with Business Elite Canada.
In this month’s issue, you’ll find our story on the T’Sou-ke Nation along with profiles of several Canadian
businesses making their mark:
• The NWR Sturgeon Refinery, located northeast of Edmonton, Alberta, is the first to be built in Canada
in more than 30 years. What makes it unique is the combination of technology and strategies designed to
meet new standards for lower carbon emissions and promote environmental safety.
• CONFORMiT is a proven software that specializes in environment, health and safety (EHS). Aimed at
eliminating the risk of workplace accidents through occupational safety management, the innovative com-
pany is committed to saving lives.
• Not many people can say they have a passion for wiring harnesses, but that’s exactly what drives Lise
Déziel, CEO of Corde Électrique. Not only is the Quebec-based company winning awards but they have ex-
perienced remarkable growth and are looking forward to expanding across Canada and into the U.S.
Cheryl Long
Editor
FEBRUARY 2017
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