Makwa-Cahill LP, a fully qualified Indigenous construction and fabrication company working within the energy sector, has announced that they have been selected by TC Energy to conduct a constructability and fabrication review of the inlet/outlet structures for TC Energy’s proposed pumped storage project in Meaford.
Makwa-Cahill is a partnership between the Cahill Group, one of the largest multi-disciplinary
construction and fabrication companies in Canada, and the Makwa Development Corporation, owned by Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation members Scott Lee and Shane Chegahno. Makwa-Cahill’s offices and fabrication facility are located in Owen Sound within the traditional territory of the Saugeen Ojibway Nation.
The company says that the design collaboration is a demonstration of TC Energy’s commitment to environmental protection and community involvement and will result in minimizing impacts to Georgian Bay’s aquatic life. Makwa-Cahill’s early contractor engagement will enable it to draw on its technical expertise and fabrication best practices to support construction and fabrication efforts throughout the project’s life cycle.
“As an independent privately owned business made up of people who live in the area and use Georgian Bay, this work is especially important to us, and we are confident that this collaboration and design process will result in minimizing impacts to Georgian Bay’s aquatic environment,” said Scott Lee, President of Makwa Developments and Director on the Makwa-Cahill Board.
“Drawing from extensive offshore construction and fabrication experience from within Cahill, Makwa-Cahill is uniquely positioned to support the early design and planning of this important clean energy project,” said Mike Benham, Makwa-Cahill President and Board Director. “As part of our long-term community resource and development plans, throughout our engagement we will look to identify opportunities to develop local capacity through transfer of knowledge and training to grow the local capabilities within Makwa-Cahill to support the project.”
“This partnership is representative of our plan to activate local employment and suppliers,” said John Mikkelsen, Project Director, TC Energy. “We are committed to leveraging local expertise and knowledge by working and partnering with those, such as Makwa-Cahill, who possess in-depth knowledge of the region and communities, and we will continue to seek opportunities to do so throughout this project.”
