Dillon Consulting, a national engineering and environmental consulting firm, has entered a joint venture agreement with Three Fires Group (TFG), a First Nations-owned economic development corporation.
The partnership will focus on economic development and delivering projects in Indigenous communities in the treaty territory of Confederacy of the Three Fires in Southwestern Ontario – which stretches from the Western Waterloo Region through to London and Windsor.
The collaboration will expand TFG and Dillon's ability to offer targeted professional services support. The joint venture agreement will also include collaboration with Soar Professional Services, an Indigenous-owned consultancy that launched last year and is partnered with Dillon.
“This collaboration enables all three parties to further improve their services and reach. Dillon and SOAR have unique reputations, services, and expertise in the market, and in joining forces, everyone will benefit," said Vince George, president and chair of the board of Three Fires Group.
TFG focuses on generating economic and infrastructure opportunities by delivering investments and partnerships in major development projects. The economic development corporation is headquartered in Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point First Nation and has owned-and-operated investments in tourism, real estate, and retail, as well as a full-service professional services division.
TFG recently provided technical and investment assistance on the Three Fires Nations-Ontario Infrastructure and Economic Opportunities Table – a joint Crown-Indigenous plan for clean energy development. Key parts include a $5-billon investment to build a large-scale electric vehicle battery manufacturing plant, five regional transmission lines, and a fleet of battery energy storage systems.
“Together with the resources and knowledge of TFG, we can really accelerate service provision while learning from, and with, Indigenous communities," said Sean Hanlon, CEO of Dillon Consulting.
Dillon provides consulting at the intersection of planning, management, engineering, and environmental science – with services related to building and improving facilities and infrastructure, environmental protection, and community development. The firm has 20 offices and more than 1,000 employees across Canada.
Sourced from Consultancy.ca