PRESS RELEASE

Edmonton, Alberta – Lesser Slave Lake Indian Regional Council (LSLIRC) and Tolko Industries Ltd. signed an agreement on Friday, June 10, that signifies a strengthened relationship. The First Nations Chiefs of LSLIRC met Tolko executives at the Company’s office in Edmonton for the event.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) provides the base for formalizing communications between the two organizations. Referred to by both parties as a “good neighbour” approach, the agreement is intended to lead to identifying LSLIRC’s role in forest management planning where Tolko operations overlap with LSLIRC’s Treaty No. 8 lands, while acknowledging Tolko’s rights as an FMA holder.

“This is one step in solidifying a long lasting relationship,” said Rick Huff, Tolko Vice President & General Manager, OSB and Kraft Papers. “The signing sets on paper the mutual respect that has and will continue to be part of this relationship.”

“Recognition of our First Nation rights by this industry is a welcome step toward developing a mutually beneficial relationship that will create opportunities for our members and communities. We believe this will be the first of many relationships that will lead to positive improvement in our present quality of life,” said Grand Chief Rose Laboucan on behalf of the five member First Nations of LSLIRC.

“We’ll move forward by using this framework for exploring business and employment opportunities that will benefit both parties,” added Dave Knight, Tolko’s Woodlands Regional Manager.

LSLIRC is an organization involved in the development of business opportunities on behalf and for its member First Nations, being the Driftpile First Nation, the Kapawe’no First Nation; the Sawridge Band; the Sucker Creek First Nation and the Swan River First Nation.

Tolko Industries Ltd. is a family-owned forest products company based in Vernon, British Columbia, that manufactures and markets specialty forest products to world markets. Their Woodlands operations across western Canada have received third-party certification of their sustainable forest management systems.

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