The National Capital Commission (NCC) has awarded a contract to remediate historically significant lands to an Algonquin Anishinabe general contractor.

Decontie Construction Inc., working in partnership with Ottawa’s Milestone Environmental Contracting Inc., will lead the next phase of remediation on the 5.6-hectare Victoria Island, which is considered a place of special significance to Indigenous peoples in the National Capital Region.

The island is located in the Ottawa River, immediately north of Ottawa’s downtown core. The site historically supported mixed industrial, commercial and residential land uses dating back to the late 1800s.

The NCC is currently in the process of cleaning up the site, which is closed until 2025.

The remediation work, which will begin this fall, is expected to take about six months, and create jobs for Indigenous workers. The project marks the first time an Algonquin-owned company will lead a federal contract to remediate lands in the National Capital Region. 

“I remember coming to this landmark place as a child for celebrations, important causes and to make our presence known and voices heard,” said Wanda Thusky, Partner of Decontie Construction Inc. “To stand here today, with the NCC, celebrating the start of a clean-up project led by our Algonquin-owned company means more than I can say.” 

The contract was awarded to Decontie Milestone Inc. following a rigorous competitive public procurement process led by the NCC. 

“The NCC is pleased that the remediation of Victoria Island contract was awarded to an Algonguin Anishinabe contractor who specializes in environmental remediation,” said NCC CEO Tobi Nussbaum. “Following the completion of the work in 2025, Victoria Island will be reopened to the public. Next steps for this important site include the development of a master plan in partnership with the Algonquin Anishinabe Nation to establish a place of special significance in the Capital for Indigenous peoples and their cultural traditions.”

Although significant, the contract is not the first major achievement for the Decontie and Milestone joint venture.

In 2016, the Indigenous and non-Indigenous owned companies partnered to remediate the lands at the adjacent 34-acre Zibi redevelopment project, creating jobs for Algonquin Anishinabe workers and breaking a number of barriers for Algonquin-Anishinabeg on their territory. The Zibi project resulted in Decontie Construction Inc. becoming the first-ever Indigenous company to win the Brownfielder of the Year Award from the Canadian Brownfields Network.

“This is truly a symbol of what reconciliation can look like,” said Barry Grover, Strategic Partnerships, Milestone Environmental Contracting Inc. “Developers and construction companies across Canada, particularly out west, are increasingly partnering with Indigenous companies. The construction industry in the National Capital Region has been slow to pick up this model, but this project proves the capacity is there among the Algonquin Nation. Industry needs to look for opportunities to hire and continue to build-up that capacity. They will be astonished by their professionalism and what they can learn from them.” 

Decontie Construction Inc. is licensed as a general contractor under the Régie du bâtiment du Québec, allowing the company to construct any type of development, residential or commercial, on or off-reserve. Its founder Andrew Decontie is a First Nation Algonquin-Anishinabe from Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg who has worked in the construction sector for over 20 years.

Featured image: Planned remediation work at Victoria Island aims to restore the site into a publicly accessible area by 2025.