Quarry paves way for contract bidding.

• Author: Quesnel, Joseph
• Position: Special Report: Aboriginal Business - Nipissing First Nation

Production at a North Bay-area aggregate quarry is moving ahead, thanks to a new partnership finalized between Markham-based Miller Paving Ltd. and the Nipissing First Nation.

"We are seeing a lot of activity this summer and will see more as we go into the fall," says Nipissing First Nation Chief Phil Goulais, referring to the quarry located about five kilometres outside North Bay limits along Highway 17.

According to Goulais, blasting is already going on at the site and crushing has begun. Miller has also started selling the existing aggregate inventory from the quarry on the market. Miller Paving is a 2,600-employee business with interests in road construction, paving and industrial construction projects.

The band entered into an agreement with Grant Paving Ltd. on June 3, 2004 to lease the land to the company. The Aboriginal community had run the quarry itself and had also entered into a previous contract with a Sudbury-based concrete business. The band was not satisfied with the level of production they were achieving under either arrangement. According to Miller Paving representatives, the company approached Nipissing First Nation through their New Liskeard office, with an offer to make the quarry more profitable.

"This means opportunity for increased revenue for the community, as well as direct spinoff employment as a result of Miller locating on our land," Goulais says.

As an integrated commercial operation across the province, Miller Paving is well-positioned to secure contracts in other areas of construction, such as concrete (which includes...