b'COVER STORYREBUILDING HOMESIN SKWLX TESECWEPEMCUL ECWS K W L A X R E S O U R C E M A N A G E M E N T D I G S I N F O R R A P I D H O U S I N G P R O J E C TBY MATTHEW BRADFORDts been a little over a yearwe all felt an inherent responsibility andrebuilding has been remarkable, says I since the Bush Creek East firepride to jump in to answer the call,Kukpi7 (Chief) James Tomma.tore through southern Britishsays Trevor Delorey, CEO of SRM.Columbia, devastating First NationsCertainly, adds Delorey, The Council communities in its wake. Skwlax teFor SRM, answering the call meantmade it very clear they want members Secwepemcul ecw was among those tostepping in as the prime contractor forback on reserve as soon as possible and bear the brunt of the historic wildfire;Skwlax te Secwepemculecws Rapid that theyll do whatever they can to now, thanks to a collaborative effortHousing Project, an initiative fundedsupport this.involving the band, government andby Indigenous Services Canada with several companies, with a lead rolethe urgent goal of providing temporaryAs prime contractor, SRM is overseeing played by Skwlaxs wholly ownedaccommodations to communitythe development of 34 modular and construction company Skwlax Resourcemembers who lost their homes in semi-modular homes across four Management (SRM), both homes andthe wildfire.new subdivisions on the Skwlax telives are being rebuilt. Secwepemculecws Quaaout Reserve. I made a promise to band membersIts team includes Urban Systems, the We were fortunate that our offices andfollowing the Bush Creek East wildfireprojects contract administrator and yard were minimally impacted by thethat anyone displaced would be givendesigner; Freeport Industries, a modular fires. And as the community-ownedhousing, and through the diligenthomebuilder; and Paradigm Building construction company with manywork of a committee led by formerSolutions, a panelized wall company. employees who are Skwlax members,councillor Wes Francois, the progress onStreamline Design Inc. is also on board 36 SOUTHERN INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION ASSOCIATION'