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Tahltan hope to build relationship with Oregon-based company

A memorandum of understanding with Omega Morgan will lead to an expansion of services on Tahltan territory in northwestern B.C.
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Transportation company Omega Morgan

The Tahltan Nation Development Corporation has added another company to its lengthy list of cooperative business relationships.

A memorandum of understanding with Oregon-based transportation company Omega Morgan will lead to an expansion of services on Tahltan territory in northwestern B.C., says development corporation chief executive officer Garry Merkel.

Omega Morgan specializes in unique transportation requirements ranging from moving bridges to highly-sensitive computer and other equipment.

“They offer a very specialized service and we think with potential developments in our territory, there’s an opportunity there,” said Merkel.

“This memorandum is our first stage of our business relationship and as we evolve and grow with it we see it as adding to our suite of services.”

Omega Morgan has yet to work in Tahltan territory but it has done one job in the northwest – and that is moving equipment and providing specialized equipment for decommissioning of sections of Rio Tinto Alcan’s old aluminum smelter at Kitimat.

The memorandum with Omega is the development corporation’s 29th signing of a business relationship ranging from initial memorandums all the way to full-blown business partnerships.

“We have a fairly solid reputation with people and with businesses in our territory,” said Merkel. “We want to establish relationships with businesses who share our values and goals.”

The Tahltan Nation Development Corporation is the economic development arm of the Tahltan people and its activities are regarded as a demonstration of Tahltan use of its traditional territory.

Headquartered in Dease Lake, the corporation’s list of business relationships includes companies providing drilling services, ones providing food and camp catering services and helicopter services.

Just late last year, the development corporation signed an agreement with Pacific Coastal Airlines which it hopes will result in chartered flights into Dease Lake from Vancouver and other parts of the province.

Merkel said the corporation’s intent is to smooth out employment, avoiding the boom and bust of traditional economic development cycles in the region.