b'INDIGENOUS RELATIONSparticipate in our projects. We try to set a minimum of five-per-cent Indigenous engagement on all our projects, he says.Fourth is business development, which means that Laronde would like the compa-nys seven district offices to get to know and build meaningful and respectful rela-tionships with the communities in their marketplace. How are we going to engage community-owned businesses? he asks, by way of explanation. It could be as small as hiring an IndigenousThe First Nations Technical Instituteis conceived as net zero and also places high priority on using catering company, or it could be anIndigenous workers, service providers and suppliersIndigenous trade. Those are the busi-nesses that we want to focus on, giving the Indigenous businesses an opportu-nity they may not have had before. The whole idea behind systemic racism is that communities that are racialized are never given the opportunity, so when were proactive with our bids and our proposals, we want to be sure that all equity-seeking groups have a chance.INDIGENOUS PROJECTSChandos has been contracted to build severalcritical,transformativeproj-ects for First Nations across the country. There are educational buildings for the Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society in Kelowna, B.C., the Maskwacs Education Schools Commission north of Red Deer and the Loon River First Nation #476 in remote northern Alberta. There are water and wastewater facilities in Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation near Prince Albert, Sask. and Albertas Dene Tha First Nation, Ermineskin Cree Nation, Fort McMurray #468 First Nation and Kehewin Cree Nation. And there are community health projects like the Peerless Trout Health Centre for the Kee Tas Kee Now Tribal Council in north-central Alberta.Of note are the several projects Chandos has completed with the OChiese First Nation, a Saulteaux First Nation located about 90 minutes northwest of Red Deer. Two of these are a school and a water treatment plant, both of which are intended to accommodate the needs of a new development for the community. The OChiese First Nation School consists of two wood-frame classroom wings withCementation Americasa central steel-frame section that houses the library, cafeteria, gymnasium and administrative spaces. The contract was valued at $3 million. The OChiese Water Treatment Plant (a $404,000 contract) received funding from federal, provincial and municipal governments.Aboriginal BUSINESS REPORT73'