community,” says Logan. Grande Prairie is currently in the pro-
cess of constructing a $28.8-million library and cultural centre
as well as a state-of-the-art Aquatics and Wellness Multiplex.
Increased employment opportunities and financial
resources have also provided significant benefits to many of
the province’s aboriginal communities. The Northeastern
Alberta Aboriginal Business Association (NAABA) reports
that bet ween $400 million and $500 million worth of aborigi-
nal business is carried out in Wood Buffalo each year.
Some aboriginal communities such as Fort McKay First
Nation in Wood Buffalo and Cold Lake First Nations have
formed multi-million-dollar corporations comprised of several
businesses providing a myriad of services to the oilsands indus-
try. These corporations provide local employment opportuni-
ties and financial resources that benefit the entire community.
Ken Baker, mayor of Lloydminster, a city of approximately
25,000 on the Alberta/Saskatchewan border, is a staunch sup-
porter of the heavy oil industry that has been a key driver of
the region’s economy since the 1950s.
“We’re very blessed to have the oil industry in our region,”
he says. “There are so many benefits, it’s hard to name them.”
Corporate donations are one example of the many benefits »
K`[Y`k1 K_\ gfglcXk`fe `e Xe[ `dd\[`Xk\cp
jliifle[`e^ =fik DZDliiXp `j \og\Zk\[ kf ^ifn
kf Y\kn\\e 0'#''' Xe[ (''#''' Yp )'('%
JfliZ\1 I\^`feXc Dle`Z`gXc`kp f] Nff[ 9l]]Xcf
Ongoing dialogue
A part of doing business
@e[ljkip befnj k_Xk X gfj`k`m\ i\cXk`fej_`g n`k_ k_\ Zfd$
dle`k`\j `e n_`Z_ `k fg\iXk\j dXb\j ^ff[ Ylj`e\jj j\ej\%
I\^lcXkfip X^\eZ`\j jlZ_ Xj k_\ 8cY\ikX <e\i^p I\jfliZ\j
:fej\imXk`fe 9fXi[ &(!!#x1f!!);]fid\icp k_\ <L9 dXp [\dXe[ X
Z\ikX`e c\m\c f] jkXb\_fc[\i ZfejlckXk`fe gi`fi kf ^iXek`e^
XggifmXc# Ylk `e dXep ZXj\j# `e[ljkip _Xj dX[\ X gf`ek f]
[f`e^ dfi\ k_Xe i\hl`i\[ Xj \em`ifed\ekXc Xe[ jfZ`Xc Zfe$
j`[\iXk`fej af`e \Zfefd`Zj ]fi X k_i\\$gife^\[ Yfkkfd$c`e\
XggifXZ_ kf [f`e^ Ylj`e\jj%
@e `kj gl Yc`j_\[ >l`[\ ]fi Gl Yc`Z @emfcm\d\ek# n_`Z_
[\kX`cj Y\jk giXZk`Z\j ]fi `kj d\dY\ij# k_\ :XeX[`Xe
8jjfZ`Xk`fe f] G\kifc\ld Gif[lZ\ij &(!!#x1f!!);:8GG jkXk\j k_Xk
Èi\^lcXkfip i\hl`i\d\ekj Xi\ kf Y\ m`\n\[ Xj k_\ d`e`dld
k_Xk dljk Y\ [fe\# Ylk \XZ_ gifa\Zk j_flc[ Y\ \oXd`e\[ ]fi
le`hl\ \c\d\ekj k_Xk dXp jl^^\jk \]]fikj k_Xk ^f Y\pfe[
k_\ d`e`dld%É
@eZcl[`e^ k_\ Zfddle`kp `e [`jZljj`fej Xe[ [\Z`j`fe$
dXb`e^ \Xicp `e k_\ [\m\cfgd\ek gifZ\jj f]]\ij cfZXcj
jfd\ Zfekifc fm\i k_\`i \em`ifed\ekj Xe[ \Zfefd`\j%
JlZZ\jj]lc jkXb\_fc[\i i\cXk`fej gif^iXdj Xi\ k_fj\
kX`cfi\[ kf k_\ gifa\Zk Xe[ k_\ Zfddle`kp Xe[ `e n_`Z_
Zfddle`ZXk`fe `j k`d\cp Xe[ fe^f`e^% 8e `ekif[lZkfip
d\\k`e^ k\cc`e^ k_\ Zfddle`kp n_Xk Ëj ^f`e^ kf _Xgg\e `j
ef cfe^\i \efl^_ 2 `e[ljkip dljk Ôe[ nXpj kf i\Z\`m\ Xe[
\mXclXk\ Zfddle`kp `eglk k_ifl^_flk k_\ \ek`i\ [\m\cfg$
d\ek gifZ\jj Xe[ Y\pfe[%
Connacher Oil and Gas Limited began steaming its first steam-assisted
gravity drainage (SAGD) Pod One project at Great Divide, Alberta in
September 2007. Thanks to our employees, contractors and suppliers,
bitumen production is ramping up with development of the next pod
right around the corner.
Connacher is an integrated oil sands company conducting in-situ
oil sands development as well as natural gas production and heavy
oil refining.
TSX: CLL
www.connacheroil.com
?\Xmp F`c F`cjXe[j >l`[\Yffb ;`i\Zkfip III× ),
