There’s strength in numbers.

That’s the thinking of representatives from 10 Saskatchewan-based, Indigenous-owned construction companies that have joined forces to boost their profiles.

The Indigenous Owned Construction Companies Group (IOCCG) was publicly introduced this past week via a press release.

But the IOCCG was actually formed this past June when the group ratified its terms of reference and established its mandate.

At the time it also elected a five-person board, headed up by chair John Desjarlais, the general manager for Great Plains Contracting, a company based in Saskatoon.

Desjarlais is Métis from Cumberland House. He said there was an obvious need to set up the IOCCG.

“What we found is that the markets engaged us individually and not as a collective voice,” he said.

Desjarlais said several of the companies of the IOCCG are also members of the Saskatchewan Construction Association.

He also said representatives from some of these businesses started talking amongst themselves about a year ago to determine if there were ways to work better together.

“There was a lot of discussion about how our businesses are engaged in the marketplace,” Desjarlais said. “We felt there was a lack of consistency and clarity on how much value we provide back to the market. The conversations started to evolve from there.”

Now that the IOCCG has been established it will focus on best practices regarding Indigenous engagement, capacity development and procurement in the construction industry.

The group’s purpose is to represent Indigenous-owned construction companies, meaning those that are at least 51 per cent Indigenous owned and operated, including community, individual and tribal-owned organizations.

The IOCCG has also identified four responsibilities/mandates.

They are:

The IOCCG is also aiming to increase the socio-economic impact of construction activities for Indigenous people.

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