Thorunn Howatt
Northern News Services

Inuvik (Sep 10/01) - A little company took a giant step out of the box last month.

Inuvik's Inuvialuit Environmental and Geotechnical Inc. bought Sorel Environmental Sciences Ltd., a company that was headquartered in Calgary, Alta.

Inuvialuit Environmental and Geotechnical Inc.'s Northern manager Michael Muller and logistics co-ordinator Bessie Inuktalik. - Thorunn Howatt/NNSL photo

"That's not the way things are usually done. Usually it's done the other way around," said Inuvialuit Environmental spokesperson Michael Muller.

Muller explained the status quo has been for a southern company to form a joint venture partnership with a Northern company.

"There are a couple of different reasons we bought Sorel. A lot of petroleum companies have their head offices in calgary," said Muller. "We wanted to diversify. We gain southern customers and southern business."

"Inuvialuit Environmental and Geotech started 10 years ago as an arrangement with Hycal (Environmental Services). A portion became Sorel, then Sorel joint ventured with Inuvialuit Development Corp. to become Inuvialuit Environmental and Geotech," explained Muller.

"Last month Inuvialuit Development Corporation bought Sorel's North American business," he said.

The new corporation will keep its offices in Calgary and Inuvik and hopes to attract oil and gas-related companies to its services. It employs about 20 people between the two locations.

"We're doing work at three DEW Line sites this summer. We make sure nothing from landfills moves into the ground or the water," he said.

The contaminated sites group of the company has looked after DEW Line site cleanup for nearly a decade.

"We hope to work with petroleum companies to make sure there is a communication between individuals and groups at a community level," said Muller. "Right now our focus is the oil and gas business." Muller is excited about Inuvialuit Environmental's strategic location. "It's being where your clients are. It's good."