2 T hi s pa s t y e a r W a ube t e k pr oudl y i nv e s t e d a ppr oxi m a t e l y 3614902 32 m i l l i on i nt o 79 A bor i gi na l b us i ne s s pr oj e c t s he l pi ng t o s t r e n gt he n t he r e gi on a l e c on om y a nd c r e a t i ng m a n y m uc h ne e de d n e w j obs f or bot h A bor i gi na l a n d non A bor i gi na l pe opl e a l i ke t hr o ughout N or t he r n O nt a r i o a nd S out he r n O nt a r i o S i nc e A pr i l of 2013 W a ube t e k ha s be e n de l i v e r i ng t he A bor i gi na l B us i n e s s F i na nc i ng P r ogr a m t o S out he r n O nt a r i o i n a ddi t i on t o t he c om m uni t i e s w e s e r v e i n t he N or t h T hi s w or k c ont i nue d i n 2016 t o m e e t t he ne e ds of A bor i gi na l c l i e nt s i n t hi s l a r ge r a r e a A ga i n w e onl y ha d one B us i ne s s D e v e l opm e nt O f f i c e r i n s out he r n w e s t O n ta r io d u e to th e la te n e s s in t he c onf i r m a t i on a nd r e c e i pt of f undi ng f r om 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t i ons a nd A bor i gi na l or ga ni z a t i ons t hr oughout N or t h E a s t O n ta r io a r e a c c e s s in g I t is u n c e r ta in a t th is p o in t a s to w h e t he r t he s e t w o pr ogr a m s w i l l c ont i nue be y ond M a r c h 2017 T hi s pa s t s um m e r f or t he 8t h y e a r i n a r ow w e hi r e d t r a i ne d a nd s e c ur e d j ob pl a c e m e nt s f or A bor i gi na l Y out h but t hi s y e a r i t i s unde r a m or e r e d uc e d pr ogr a m a l l ow i ng onl y 20 y out h pa r t i c i pa nt s a s oppos e d t o t he 60 w e ha d unde r a pr e v i ous pr ogr a m O nc e a g a i n A bor i gi na l Y out h ga i n e d f i r s t ha nd e xpe r i e nc e a n d c e r t i f i c a t i on i n F ood H a ndl i ng C u s t o m er S er v i ce Wo r k p l ace S af et y F i r s t A i d pe r s ona l budge t i ng a nd t r a di t i ona l t e a c hi ngs T o da t e m or e t ha n 440 A bor i gi na l Y out h ha v e be ne f i t e d f r om our s um m e r j obs pr ogr a m W a ube t e k c ont i nue s t o be a pa r t ne r w i t h t he A bor i gi na l A qua c ul t ur e i n C a na d a I ni t i a t i v e a nd w e ha v e r e c e i v e d c onf i r m a t i on of f undi ng f or a not he r t w o y e a r s W a u be t e k i s i n t he pr oc e s s o f h ir in g a f u ll t i m e aq u acu l t u r e t ech n i ci an t o a s s i s t A bor i gi na l e nt r e pr e n e ur s a nd F i r s t N a t i ons w ho m a y be i nt e r e s t e d i n e s t a bl i s hi ng a qua c ul t ur e b us i n e s s e s i n O nt a r i o M a ni t oba or S a s ka t c he w a n W a u be t e k a l s o r e c e i v e d a n a d di t i ona l 22 00 00 i n f u nds t o a s s i s t 7 a qua c ul t ur e pr oj e c t s w i t h bus i ne s s pl a ns a nd s t udi e s W e a r e e xc i t e d w i t h t he pr os pe c t of ha v i n g t he s e pr oj e c t s be c om e bus i ne s s e s o v er t h e n ex t y ear W e ha v e b e e n i m pl e m e nt i n g t he A b or i gi na l M i ni ng S t r a t e g y f or N or t h E a s t O n ta r io th is p a s t y e a r O ne of t he a c c om pl i s h m e nt s i n t he f i n a l i z a t i on of a bus i ne s s pl a n f or a pr opos e d C e nt r e of E xc e l l e nc e f or I ndi ge nous M i ne r a l D e v e l opm e nt t ha t w i l l a s s i s t F i r s t N a t i ons A bor i gi na l b us i ne s s e s a nd t he A b or i gi na l l a bour pool i n t hi s i ndus t r y A s w e m o v e f or w a r d f r o m a not he r v e r y pr oduc t i v e y e a r I w oul d l i ke t o t a ke t hi s oppor t uni t y t o pe r s ona l l y t h a nk a l l t hos e i ndi v i dua l s w ho ha v e v ol unt e e r e d a s W a ube t e k D i r e c t or s ov e r t he y e a r s f or t he i r gui da nc e S pe c i a l t ha n k s t o t he F ir s t N a tio n c o mm u n it y le a d e r s t he A bor i gi na l bus i ne s s l e a de r s t he F i r s t N a t i on E c onom i c D e v e l opm e nt O f f i c e r s our gov e r nm e nt a nd c or por a t e pa r t ne r s a nd m os t i m por t a nt of a l l t he A bor i gi na l p e opl e w e s e r v e C hi 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