Businesses

GECO Companies

Gitxaała Enterprises has a number of businesses that our nation owns, manages and operates. These include the following:

Environmental Services

Leading the way in environmental and marine science in British Columbia’s Northwest Coast Region.


Who We Are

Gitxaała Environmental Services is wholly owned by Gitxaała Nation, whose traditional territory is situated on British Columbia’s north coast. The company was established in 2021 and its vision is to be the leading environmental and marine sciences consulting service provider in the northwest coast region of British Columbia. We are committed to the ongoing development of a highly trained and responsive local team based in Prince Rupert to service client demands in all natural resource sectors and levels of government.

Our aim is to enhance the capacity of the Nation and its members through participation in project development and operations in the northwest while improving the sustainability outcomes for our clients and the communities we work within.


Meet the Team

Trevor McConkey, M.Sc., P.Ag. – General Manager / Senior Project Manager
Trevor has over 20 years of experience providing environmental consulting services in the oil and gas, forestry, transportation, energy, and mining industries in northern British Columbia. He has been responsible for building team capacity and standards of practice to meet client, regulatory, and community expectations on a wide range of environmental assessment, remediation, and reclamation projects. He has worked extensively with industry, First Nations, and various government agencies on environmental matters across all life stages of major projects across British Columbia from permitting through operations and closure.

Gabrielle Mullin, B.Sc. – Marine Biologist
Gabrielle holds a bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology with a certificate in Environmental Impact Assessment from Dalhousie University. Gabrielle’s experience brings a broad range of technical and research skills to the business. Her experience includes taxonomy, pathology, anatomy, genetics, animal care, and husbandry. She has been responsible for the development and oversight of stringent experimental and analytical protocols while working in aquaculture and medical research.

Leah Naglis, R.B.Tech (IT) – Environmental Technologist
Leah is a graduate of the Applied Coastal Ecology program at Coast Mountain College in Prince Rupert. Her field and research experience includes biological and ecological sciences, forestry, riparian and stream assessments, wildlife monitoring, and environmental measurements and monitoring. She is also a volunteer with the local marine search and rescue and has her small vessel operator proficiency (SVOP) training.


What We Do

Environmental Assessment, Management & Permitting:

  • Regulatory applications and permits
  • Environmental management planning and monitoring
  • Environmental Impact Assessment
  • Fisheries Act authorizations and Disposal at Sea permitting
  • Habitat assessments, inventory, and monitoring for wildlife and aquatic species (freshwater and marine)
  • Marine mammal and bird surveys
  • Sediment and erosion control
  • Spill response planning and training

Contaminated Site Assessment & Remediation:

  • Phase I, II, and III Environmental Site Assessments
  • Environmental, ecological, and human health risk assessment
  • Bioremediation design and operation
  • Site remediation design, costing, and execution
  • Waste discharge authorizations and permits
  • Audits and liability assessments

Reclamation & Habitat Restoration:

  • Reclamation and revegetation planning, implementation, and monitoring
  • Wetland and marine habitat assessments, offsetting, and monitoring
  • Vegetation management and noxious weed control
  • Mine reclamation and closure planning

Forestry:

  • Timber development including cutting permit application and site plans
  • Access road reconnaissance, design, permitting, construction, and deactivation
  • Forest health, species at risk, and visual impact assessments
  • Forestry stewardship planning and landscape reserve design
  • Riparian assessments and stream classification

Geomatics:

  • Web, GIS, and CAD mapping
  • Spatial analysis and 2D/3D data capture modelling and analysis
  • Slope profile capture and analysis
  • Third party data acquisition, management, and analysis

Capacity Building & Community Engagement:

  • Client support for training and auditing of on-site staff for environmental operations and compliance
  • Design, support, and delivery of First Nations and community engagement
  • Curriculum development and delivery for environmental sampling, monitoring, and management

Contact

Trevor McConkey | General Manager


Gitxaala Environmental Logo

Gitxaała Forestry

We are committed to creating sustainable employment and community advancement through environmentally responsible harvesting.


Who We Are

GITXAAŁA FORESTRY is a forest licensee operating three forest licenses in the Great Bear Rainforest Timber Supply Area. With over 150,000 cubic metres of allowable annual cut, we are well situated to serve the needs to the global wood products industry.


What We Do

Civil Construction:

  • Road Construction
  • Lease Construction
  • Bridge Installation

Forestry Management:

  • Full Phase Timber Harvesting and Delivery
  • Forest License Management
  • Environmental Management

Contract Management:

  • Quality Control
  • Cost Estimates
  • Contract Scheduling

Tyee Building Supplies LP

TYEE BUILDING SUPPLIES IS COMMITTED TO GROWING WITH PRINCE RUPERT AND THE NORTH COAST AS IT MOVED INTO THE FUTURE.


Who We Are

Tyee Building Supplies LP. is locally owned by the Gitxaała Nation and operates the Rona home building centre. It is located in Cow Bay, in Prince Rupert providing building supplies and other services to communities along BC’s North and Central Coast.

Tyee Building Supplies staff’s ability to work together as a team and continuously learn and improve is directly related to the store’s success. It’s the people that make a business a success, and Tyee is very fortunate to have a professional staff, with a solid mix of retail and contractor backgrounds that provide a very knowledgeable and diversified team.


What We Do


Contact

Sharon Rothwell | General Manager


Saltwater Bakery and Provisions

SALTWATER BAKERY + PROVISIONS IS LOCATED IN THE HEART OF THE COW BAY TOURISM AREA OF PRINCE RUPERT. WE OFFER A WIDE ARRAY OF NATURAL HEARTH BAKED BREADS, SIGNATURE PIES, AND PASTRIES.


Who We Are

Located in beautiful Cow Bay, Saltwater Bakery and Provisions is a place to come together. The bakery offers an array of artisanal breads, sweet and savoury pastries, and signature desserts as well as homemade ice cream and a selection of local products from across Northern BC.

Saltwater is the essence of life on the North Coast and symbolizes two of the essential three ingredients in traditional bread making – grain, water, and salt – brought to life by natural fermentation through the skilled hands of the craft baker. Saltwater Bakery’s open concept bakeshop is a perfect place to linger and watch the bakers work their craft while enjoying the tastes and aromas of a fresh new bakery experience.

The Saltwater Bakery + Provisions is excited to introduce Head Baker Holger Kloppmann. Holger comes to Prince Rupert and Saltwater Bakery with a wealth of experience, he originally trained in Germany and has brought his skills to bakeries of all sizes across Germany, Hawaii, the BC Interior, and Vancouver Island.

“My specialties are rye breads, sourdough, and croissants and puff pastries with different fillings. We will do a range of staple breads and pastries, and also things for special occasions like Christmas Stollen or desserts with seasonal fruit. We are looking forward to incorporating locally produce and foraged ingredients, like haskap berries and spruce tips, into traditional favourites.”

– Holger Kloppmann, Saltwater Bakery and Provisions Head Baker

“The name, Saltwater Bakery, is connected not only to the ingredients that will be used in the bread but also reflects the strong bond that the Gitxaała Nation has to the ocean. Gitxaała Nation, is also known as ‘Git Lax Moon’ which translates to ‘People of the Saltwater’. We are very thrilled to have the Saltwater Bakery +Provisions opening in Cowbay and feel that it will be complimentary to the businesses in the area, we are very excited to offer an array of baked goods and homemade ice-creams.”

– Michael Uehara, CEO Gitxaała Enterprises Corporation


Contact

Zoe Pottle | General Manager


The Crest Hotel

The Crest Hotel is locally owned by Gitxaała Nation, through Gitxaała Enterprises Corporation.


Who We Are

For the past 61 years The Crest Hotel has been a leader in the hospitality industry, offering a level of service like no other and continues to offer the same level of service today. The Crest Hotel is in the Heart of Prince Rupert overlooking the beautiful harbour.


What We Offer

Hotel:

  • Four-star Canada Select property rating.
  • 108 guest rooms with mountain and harbour view options
  • Hot tub
  • Guest Gym

Dining Options:

  • Waterfront Restaurant
  • Charley’s Lounge
  • The Crest Café

Quotes


Contact

Angie Eccleston | General Manager