BATC reports a successful year at AGM

BATC has also opened a new training centre in North Battleford to assist First Nation people looking for work, as part of the year’s notable initiatives.

Looking ahead, focusing on long-term housing needs for member First Nations will continue to be among the priorities.

Executive Director Neil Sasakamoose said the fiscal year, from April 1, 2017 to March 31, 2018, finished with a healthy surplus.

“For our annual general meeting we’re financially in a sound position,” he said. “We’re financially stable. Our programs and services are growing, our revenue for the tribal council has grown.”

Sasakamoose said the BATC saw good progress from its labour divisions and its investments in particular.

According to the operations financial report for the 2017-18 year, revenue was about $20 million, while expenses were reported at $19.7 million. The year-end surplus came in at $643,232.

Sasakamoose said he attributes BATC’s surplus to simply “good management” by the organization.

“We’ve made good decisions; we went through strategic planning,” he said, adding that the BATC also underwent a risk assessment with its auditors.

Sasakamoose noted the organization also hired more certified management professionals providing their expertise which has also helped it reach its goals.

He said investments have been particularly promising. He added that the BATC also owns 25 per cent of a cannabis company that operates out of Saskatoon and Nipiwin. “We haven’t opened up the retail centres yet; we’re hoping they are going to be successful,” Sasakamoose said.

Sasakamoose pointed out having a “good core of leadership” has also helped make the past year such a success for the BATC.

Chief Kenny Moccasin, from Saulteaux First Nation, board director on the BATC Community Development Corporation (CDC), was pleased to report on the organization’s efforts to give back to the communities.

The organization contributed $2.87 million in grants for the 2017-18 year for projects to help develop healthy communities within the Battlefords area. The $2.87 million is a portion of the Gold Eagle Casino revenue that BATC CDC distributes in the form of grants to catchment area communities.

Moccasin said the CDC grants help a number of initiatives.

“We support projects through our sports and recreation programs, (and) community events …,” Moccasin said, as a couple of examples. “In my community of Saulteaux we put our money towards our arena operations. So monies that are not funded through the government we use the CDC funding to manage those.”

He added the CDC also gives grants to support sports and recreation programs for communities to benefit youth.

The BATC saw better outcomes for the year in managing Social Development expenses for five member First Nations. BATC Director of Social Development, Christine Pechawis, said the First Nations had much better success during the period in making sure people on-reserve applying for social assistance had submitted all their required documentation. Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) reimburses BATC for the costs as long as the proper documentation is in order.

The BATC reported many positive initiatives over the past year. As an example in sport, the BATC young athletes performed well in the 2018 Winter Games in the Battlefords and placed second overall.

On a sad note, during the AGM organizers took a moment to honour respected BATC Senator and Elder Don Pooyak (Sweetgrass First Nation) who passed away Tuesday, as well as Councillor Phillip LaPlante (Moosomin First Nation) who died in November.

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW

by battlefordsNOW

BATC reports a successful year at AGM

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