San Group of Companies has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Tseshaht First Nation and looks forward to working with the nation on a number of issues, says Kamal Sanghera, CEO and co-owner of San Group.
Sanghera and Wahmeesh Ken Watts, elected chief councillor from the Tseshaht, signed the MOU on June 26, 2021.
The MOU presents a framework by which the two entities will be able to work together from a position of mutual respect and co-operation. Both San and the Tseshaht First Nation fully recognize that they have “intersecting and complementary interests” and are ready to work together.
“Today is the beginning of our formal relationship,” Sanghera said. “We have been working with Tseshaht for a number of years and look forward to a number of important projects.”
“There are so many ways for us to work together,” Watts said. “I see exciting times ahead.”
San spokesperson Mike Ruttan said the company is interested in growing its relationship with Tseshaht on forestry and cultural issues.
San creates value-added wood products and has a number of facilities located in the Alberni Valley, in the unceded territories for both Tseshaht and Hupacasath First Nations.
San harvests, transports and supplies raw materials that are then turned into valuable products. These products are exported to more than 40 different countries using supply lines that have been well established through decades of commercial relationships.
At the beginning of July, San Group also took over operation of a portion of the Port Alberni Port Authority’s property, where the company intends to ship finished product overseas.