Regional Foods and Goods
Distribution Center
Project Update
RDC – COORDINATOR POSITION
Six (6)month contract with the RDC Partners
(Lac Seul, KI and Sioux Lookout)
Start date February 3, 2015
End date early August, 2015
MY ROLE IN THE RDC
• Provide admin support to the CEDI Team
• Provide support during the feasibility process
• Coordinate community engagement workshops
• Conduct project based research
• Participate in RDC committee meetings
• Research and prepare info on a business plan model
• Complete required reports and presentations
Regional Distribution Center
Progressing to realize the possibility
One of the main components with any project
is the determination of a vision. In this project
that vision is the development of a Regional
Foods and Goods Distribution Center in Sioux
Lookout, Ontario.
REGIONAL FOODS AND GOODS
DISTRIBUTION CENTRE
Community Economic Development
Initiative (CEDI)
THE PARTNERS
LAC SEUL FIRST NATIONS
Regional Distribution Center
31 Communities in Service Area
1. Bearskin Lake First Nation
2. Cat Lake First Nation
3. Deer Lake First Nation
4. Eabametoong First Nation
5. Eagle Lake First Nation
6. Fort Severn First Nation
7. Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug
8. Kingfisher Lake First Nation
9. Kasabonika Lake First Nation
10.Keewaywin First Nation
11.Koochiching First Nation
12.Lac Seul First Nation
13.McDowell Lake First Nation
14.Mishkeegogamang First Nation
15. Muskrat Dam First Nation
16. Neskantaga First Nation
17. Martin Falls First Nation
18. Nibinamik First Nation
19. North Spirit Lake First Nation
20. North Caribou Lake First Nation
21. Ojibway Nation of Saugeen
22. Pikangikum First Nation
23. Poplar Hill First Nation
24. Sachigo Lake First Nation
25. Sandy Lake First Nation
26. Slate Falls First Nation
27. Wabigoon Lake First Nation
28. Wapekeka First Nation
29. Wawakapewin First Nation
30. Webiquie First Nation
31. Wunnumin Lake First Nation
RDC Feasibility Study
Timeline 2015
April 30
MAY 1
February
•Start of
Feasibility
Study
June
May – June
 1st
 Research,
Community
Analytics and
Engagement
Creation of a
to Gain Input
Draft Feasibility
Report
July
 2nd Community
Engagement
Workshop
 Date TBD at 1st
Engagement
•Final
Draft of
Feasibility
Study
August
•Feasibility Study
Project Complete
RDC Partners
will Determine
The Next Steps
Suppliers
Considerations
Producer supply
Cloverbelt
Sysco
Pratts
MacDonalds
Gordons
Best Alternative to the
Cheapest Option
(BATTCO)
- add service and
systems
- add quality and
selection
Future Reverse Economy
(Exports)
Regional Distribution Center
Supply Chain Feasibility Analysis
2015
Transaction
(Order/Payment)
Phased Approach?
Phase 1 – Sustainable Affordable
Phase II – More healthy choice
Phase III – Promote changes to
healthier nutrition
Transportation
Transloading
Warehousing
Re-packing
Business
Functions
Northern Staging
and Re-packing?
Sioux Lookout
Considerations
Existing stores
Demand
Affordable choices
Basket of goods
Consumer Essentials
Gaps
In First Nation
MNP Feasibility Analysis
Awareness and Consensus
The Regional Distribution Centre will be
demand driven; to receive foods and goods
in Volume and to negotiate the current rates
with:
→ Local Food Growers
→ Suppliers – Wholesalers
→ Transporters –Trucking
→ Air Freight Carriers
Warehousing
The realization of a Modern Storage Facility,
with equipment; Air Conditioning &
Refrigeration Systems, Freezer’s, Lifting
Equipment and employees; to receive and
allow for sustainable distribution of foods and
goods to the Northern communities.
The area’s of interest include;
→identifying the foods which make up the staple diet
of the First Nations
→efficiency with receiving and distribution of foods
and goods
→could mean repacking of foods & goods received
from suppliers
Bulk Buying - Volume Purchasing
There is a need to look at bulk buying or; buying
goods in volume, this is how we can we negotiate
the costs of food and freight rates.
There is availability for volume purchasing if we
Come together as a group and show that we have
the capacity to negotiate as one.
Partnerships
We must look at partnerships; though it can be a complex
process we must realize that singularly pursuing our goals
only leads us back, to the same problem…
Partners To-Date
• Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (Big Trout Lake)
• Lac Seul First Nation
• Municipality of Sioux Lookout
• Federation Canadian Municipalities
• Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers
• Lakehead University – Food Security Research Network “Mapping Local Foods
Systems in Northwestern Ontario”
• Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre “Greenhouse Project”
• Thunder Bay Economic Development Commission “Logistics Project”
• Cloverbelt Local Food Co-op
• On Co-op – The Ontario Co-operative Association
• Fresh Market Foods – Sioux Lookout
• Advisors: FedNor and NOHFC
• Nishnawbe Aski Nation
Governing Structure
The consideration is a not-for-profit Social Enterprise;
→Corporation
→Cooperative
Whatever the governing structure, It must
facilitate the foreseen unique relationships.
Community Level - Distribution
the stores and local entrepreneurs will receive all the
foods and goods at the community level and distribute
via the current outlets.
We must not impact the revenue generation processes
in the Northern communities.
AWARENESS PROCESS – Outreach Plan
A composite of approaches on how we have been
reaching out to all those affected by the project.
• Meetings
• Media
• One on One
• Workshops
• Social Networks • Brochures
And many others…
AWARENESS –we are progressing
*Only a Select Group of People
• At Start of project
•By End of the
feasibility Study
• The next phase of the
project
Knew about the project
*Everyone affected should know
about the RDC
*?
*?
RDC Benefits to the Far North
• Increased Capacity on supply chain
• Longer Expiration Periods
• Increased Security on shipments
• Lower Cost Foods and Goods
• Healthy Choices
• Quality Assurance
• Consolidated & Expedited Deliveries
• Customer Service Component
“ In the Future - Reverse Economy Concept”
Final Words:
We have all been affected by Diabetes, Cancer and
Heart Disease; Some attributes to the diseases are
unhealthy food diet, unavailability of fresh foods and
limited knowledge of western stable food diets. It is
a gapping problem, it is now time to start making the
good choices. Let’s envision a better future for the
next many generations of people.
Regional Foods and Goods Distribution Center
If we can work collectively to find real solutions on a
Regional Distribution Centre we can bring fresh foods,
lower cost foods & goods to the Far North.
“There is real strength in numbers.”
MEETING ATTENDEES
•17 First Nation Communities
are here in the current
RDC two day meeting event
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
Kitchenuhmaykoosib
Lac Seul First Nation
Wunnumin Lake
Wapekeka
Kasabonika Lake
Slate Falls
Kingfisher Lake
Poplar Hill
Mishkeegogamang
Cat Lake First Nation
Bearskin Lake
Neskantaga
Eagle Lake
North Caribou
Sandy Lake
Muskrat Dam
Wawakapewin