The first Khowutzun Development Corp. contract has been negotiated and approved for trucking services on the $1.45 billion Cowichan District Hospital replacement project.
The agreement is a sub–contract with one of the contractors on the project. It follows a months-long effort by Cowichan Tribes and its development arm to win work for band members’ companies. Work is already underway at the hospital site. “Our truck drivers are looking forward to being on the Cowichan District Hospital construction site later this week to start this short-term sub-contract,” said Jodee Dick, chief executive of Khowutzun Development Corp.The issue of hiring firms owned by First Nations members arose after a company owner said he was not permitted to continue land clearing on the hospital site late last year because his company was not a union operation. That company is not the one doing the three-month contract.