Aboriginal community project first in Canada.

• Author: GOULIQUER, DIANNE
• Position: Niigon Technologies to be owned and operated by Moose Deer Point First Nations - Brief Article

A multi million-dollar private, public and First Nations partnership project considered to be a model for aboriginal economic, environmental and social development in Canada is starting to take shape.

Officials with Moose Deer Point First Nations report construction work on Niigon Technologies, a world-class injection molding facility, is pressing ahead. Niigon (an Ojibwa word meaning "for the future") will be owned and operated by the Moose Deer Point First Nations. Dubbed as Canada's first-ever aboriginal sustainable community project, the facility will manufacture computer, electronics, automotive and medical components for companies across North America.

Moose Deer Point Coun. Rhonda King says despite construction being two weeks behind schedule, officials are still planning to start production by the end of the year.

"Were still hoping to open in the summer of 2001," King says, noting poor weather has led to construction delays. "It got cold quickly and we got too much snow all of a sudden." King says the facility will employ between five and seven people during the first year. By the end of the fifth year of production, that number. is expected to swell to between 65 and 70.

"What we're looking at right now is the production of specialty medical parts and the line (used) for telecommunications," King says. "We're trying to keep the parts or the pieces small to avoid (high) transportation costs."

Negotiations with potential buyers are currently...