Triton Environmental Consultants walks the talk
Living values can be hard in the corporate space. It’s one thing to say you do something, but it’s another to do it day in and day out, and mean it. Triton Environmental Consultants has lived their commitment to Western Canada’s Indigenous communities and peoples since their beginning in 1989—a commitment that came naturally with every project they have worked on from the start.
Early days
“Triton has a long history of working inclusively with Indigenous communities and businesses in our project work in Western Canada,” says Karen Baylis, Triton’s director of Indigenous relations. “Our early work focused on fish biology, aquatics and the environment, so it was a natural fit to partner with the actual ‘stewards of the land and the waters’.”
“We got to know the local Indigenous communities and worked with them as subcontractors and sources for labour,” says Paul Harrison, partnerships manager at Triton. Over time, engagement with Indigenous partners would grow with each project as the company expanded through Western Canada. Triton’s work with Indigenous communities evolved into formal agreements and building workforce talent within communities and at Triton itself. The company’s Indigenous relations commitments are an integral part of who Triton is and those values are integrated into the fabric of their operations.
Reaching out
Triton’s Indigenous partnerships are about more than just finding employees. They are about collaborating with local people and communities to have a positive economic and social impact in a region. “Our partnerships are built on mutual respect and getting to know the people and the area we’re working in,” says Harrison. “That commitment and collaboration leads to success for the project, and the overall community.”
Triton works closely with Indigenous communities and businesses on every project with the view to maximizing access to project opportunities through employment, capacity building and procurement for Indigenous communities who are impacted by resource development. “Our Indigenous Relations team works with each community to develop specific plans that build upon their unique long-term community aspirations,” says Baylis. “That leads to sustainability and economic reconciliation.”
Working together
Collaboration with Indigenous communities can take many forms with Triton, and every project is unique. However, the commitment to work together remains the same. “Before we start a project, we look at the region we’ll working in and learn about the people and communities within it,” says James Webster, manager at Triton’s Regina office. “We meet with potential Indigenous partners and find out how we can work together, whether it’s for finding staff, procurement or subcontractors.”
That sincere commitment to the social good and recognizing the value of working with people in traditional territories has built long-term, beneficial relationships with First Nations communities across Western Canada. It has also helped Triton grow over the past 33 years. “When we work together with Indigenous partners, we grow as an organization,” says Harrison. “We see the benefits in communities and in our bottom line.”
Baylis points to the work Triton has done with the Haisla Nation near Kitimat, B.C. “The Haisla-Triton partnership exemplifies what a true partnership can look like. It is going strong in its 11th year. All work in the geographical area of the partnership must go through the partnership,” says Baylis. “Triton has generated over a million employment hours for Indigenous employees and community members over the years and the mutual benefits for both partners are too many to mention.”
Building up
Not only does Triton offer employment opportunities for local community members, but the company also looks for talent that it can cultivate for years to come. “Today, we have many Indigenous staff members throughout the company in roles at all levels,” says Harrison. “Our goal is hiring people to grow their careers with us.”
Becoming partners
Triton is always looking to collaborate with partners to build long-term, working relationships that benefit the communities where they work. “We reach out to potential partners with every project, and our door is always open,” says Webster. “Whether you’re looking to work together on an environmental project or for employment, we want to hear from you. Our offices in Saskatchewan and across Canada are ready to work together with you.”
For further information and job postings, visit triton-env.com.
Triton Environmental Consultants
2103 – 11th Avenue, Suite 1220
Regina
(306) 517-6455
Offices also in Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Kamloops, Prince George, Vernon, Terrace, Kitimat and Prince Rupert
Triton Environmental Consultants works with the power, oil and gas, mining, transportation, municipal development and agriculture sectors across Western Canada. Triton offers:
- Feasibility and constraints analysis
- Environmental assessment and permitting
- Aquatic, terrestrial and marine assessments
- Water quality
- Soil surveys and reclamation
- Air quality and environmental noise
- Environmental management
- Compliance monitoring
- Habitat offsetting and compensation planning
