Treaty #3 Economic Drivers & Leaders

Miisun is a 100% First Nations Owned Integrated Resource Management Company based in Kenora, on Treaty 3. It was developed to promote First Nations opportunities in Forest Management. Miisun has an evergreen management agreement for the Kenora Forest with Miitigoog (formerly held by Weyerhaeuser and transferred in 2010). Miisun offers Forestry Management, Geographic Information Services, Mining, Anishinabe Liaison Services, Access Roads Planning and Environmental Services.

Miisun and Miitgoog General Partner Inc., President Lorraine Cobiness, also the Chief of Ochiichagwe’babigo’ining (Dalles First Nation, is proud to state that 2017 commemorates eight years of partnerships working with forest products and woodlands companies. Miisun also recently received its re-certification under the Sustainable Forestry Initiative. Under the Miitigoog General Partner model, First Nations and industry share in the management responsibilities for the Kenora Forest with Miisun attending to monitoring, planning and enforcement of the sustainable forestry plan.The working partnership includes local timber harvesting companies, Weyerhauser, Kenora Forest Products and seven area First Nations: Dalles, Whitefish Bay, Onigaming, Shoal Lake 40, Northwest Angle #33, Big Island and Wabaseemoong.

The company implements their own traditional ceremonies and policies on how they expect harvesters to manage the forests which includes ceremonies like tobacco offerings. The company ensures extra consultations are held with their communities. If companies are going into Treaty 3 territory, Miisun confirms that the companies have passed their independent audits, and SFI audits which is unique for other Forestry Management companies in Ontario. The company has expanded from the 3 to 4 original communities to 7. The business model is developing into a model that is replicated by others and Miisun has been awarded contracts in some of the most contentious forrest in all of Canada. Miisun is very proud of the accomplishments and excited about the future developments.

Miisun Integrated Resource Management Company Services:

Forestry

• Forest Management
• Renewal (Surveys, administration, monitoring, etc.)
• Forest Resource Planning
• Roads Planning
• Timber Cruising
• Timber and land evaluation
• Compliance Monitoring

Geographic Information Systems

• Data Collection and storage
• Resource Mapping
• GIS and GPS training
• Custom printing, mapping and design
• Information Management
• Data conversion
• Geo-processing

Mining

• Access road and trail design
• Information sessions
• Obtaining Permits
• Services of Anishinabe Liaison
• Contract Administration
• Values and land mapping

Anishinabe Liaison

• Co-ordination of First Nation community information sessions
• First Nations information and values gathering
• Anishinabe translation services

Access Roads Planning

• Road design, layout and stream surveys
• Site survey, permitting and installation
• Aggregate management
• Contract Administration

Environmental Services

• Watershed monitoring and hydrology
• Fisheries assessment and surveys
• Compliance monitoring and auditing
• Environmental Assessment