Six Nations is building capacity from the ground up

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Six Nations of the Grand River Territory, with a labour force of 14,000, has nearly completed construction of the Grand River Employment and Training Inc. (GRETI) Opportunity Business Centre, which will house a variety of band members' businesses under one roof and create long-term employment and training opportunities for Six Nations members.

On May 15, local MP Bob Speller announced a contribution of $1.85 million by Indian Affairs and Northern Development towards the construction, which is 90 per cent complete.

Elvera Garlow, GRETI's executive director, emphasized the importance of the new business centre to the reserve. She said the building would "help the community turn the corner and move forward in its efforts to bring in new economic development opportunities." Chief among the advantages Garlow cited were "a centralized place for doing business that can be developed over a long period of time."

Already, space in the building has been leased to the Ogwehoweh Skills and Trades Training Centre; Grand River Employment and Training; Oswe:ge Consulting & Management Services; the Children's Aid Society Native Service Branch; Two Rivers Community Development Corporation; Kimberly Thomas Professional Corporation; Pallas Communications; and Sixdion Inc.

Garlow, said that it will be a one-stop shopping place for Aboriginal people who need advice on matters of law, Web site development or financing of businesses.

The GRETI project occupies more than 3,700 square metres (40,000 square feet) on .97 hectare (2.4 acres) in the village of Ohsweken, one hour south of Toronto.

The two-storey building, constructed along the lines of a longhouse, will have an atrium with a balcony. Three trade bays will occupy the building, where automotive, welding and construction trades training will be offered. Boardrooms and rooms for language classes and computer training are also included in the design.

A food court with two vendors, and a theatre that seats 84 people is also located in the building, which will be open five days a week.

Garlow said that the community is welcome to use the facility free of charge. She said that is how the community wants to set things up.

"We are really trying to make this building belong to the community, so that the community could use it. We are not looking to set up all these barriers where only a certain group of people uses it. Now the people of the community can access things here when they need to, instead of us going out of the community."

Garlow said a committee comprised of Six Nations members began with a corporation in October 1992, when they delivered employment training for Human Resources Development Canada. Through administration, training, consulting, management and development fees, the corporation began to generate revenue for construction of the GRETI building. Within 10 years they were able to save $2.2 million.

When they first applied to Indian Affairs for additional funding, they were turned down, said Garlow, so they invited key people from Indian Affairs to tour the site. They explained their purpose for the building, which was a positive move for the community. Shortly after, they were approved for funding to complete the project.

Lesley Steven Isaacs is the GRETI centre's building manager. Isaacs has 30 years' experience as a unionized ironworker, and he has a variety of manufacturer's and trades certificates among his qualifications.

GRETI is operated by a volunteer board.

"We had a lot of help along the way from our board. I think that they are the best group of people that I've ever worked with. We did a lot of extra work, as staff members, like on the weekends and in the evenings. It was hard work, but we did it.

"We had 70 per cent of the construction work done by contractors from the Six Nations," Garlow added. The construction project created 50 new jobs; 37 of those were taken by Native workers.

The business centre's operation and maintenance will crate two full-time jobs and one part-time job. Over the next five years, GRETI estimates 107.5 new jobs will be created from business start-ups and tenants in the new building.

The Six Nations has 21,402 members and includes the Mohawk, Onondaga, Cayuga, Oneida, Seneca and Tuscarora tribes. These First Nation groups all consider themselves as one community. "We are not just one community of Mohawks or one community of Senecas-we have all of these groups living here," said Garlow. About half live on reserve and half the membership is under the age of 25.

The grand opening of the GRETI building is scheduled for September. Garlow said at the end of June that they are still adding the finishing touches, such as landscaping, and pieces of artwork for the building are still being designed.