By Danielle Groen
May 5, 2021 Founded with the goal of creating jobs for Indigenous workers, Mikisew Group of Companies now employs more than 2,000 people. (Courtesy of Mikisew Group)
Thirty years ago, when Mikisew Group of Companies began providing industrial services to companies working in the Alberta oil sands, the goal was to generate employment for members of the Mikisew Cree First Nation (MCFN). At first, fewer than 10 workers performed janitorial tasks for Syncrude Canada; a little later, dozens more maintained the roads and grounds.
Mikisew Group expanded its services throughout the ’90s: equipment operation, mechanical repair, construction. It started working with more companies, like Suncor, Husky and Enbridge. It even struck up majority-owned partnerships with the goal of undertaking ventures specializing in everything from aircraft management to environmental monitoring to emergency response. Today, Mikisew Group is a major employer, providing roughly $