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DEH CHO - A solemn fire-feeding ceremony held under the falling snow started the first day of business for the Fort of the Forks.

On Nov. 3 approximately 30 people gathered for the ceremony held at the business' site where Highway 1 branches off from Fort Simpson on its way to Wrigley. After the fire had been fed all the participants filed inside to look at the new 2,826 square foot convenience store and gas bar that is now open for business.

A fire-feeding ceremony marked the soft opening of the Fort of the Forks convenience store in Fort Simpson on Nov. 3. Proud participants included, from left, Wilbert Cook, financial officer for Nogha, Sarfraz Khan, general manager of Fort of the Forks, Walter Blondin of Landmark Logistics Ltd., Chief Keyna Norwegian and Gilbert Cazon the interim general manager of Nogha. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

"It felt really good to see something a lot of people have worked hard to put together come to fruition and to see people smiling and laughing," said Gilbert Cazon, the interim general manager for Nogha Enterprises Ltd.

Fort of the Forks, a $4-million project, is the creation of a partnership between Liidlii Kue First Nation, Landmark Logistics Ltd. and Sodexo, a company that provides integrated food and facilities management services in a variety of countries worldwide.

The ceremony on Monday was a soft opening. The rest of the facility, which will include a 50-person industrial camp, restaurant, dining room and parking lot for transport trucks isn't scheduled for completion until the end of January, said Cazon.

"I'm really proud of what we've done," he said.

But while the partners involved in the project were pleased, not everyone celebrated the convenience store's opening.

Gordie Villeneuve, the owner of T.J.'s Grocery, said he views Fort of the Forks from the perspective of a small business being overshadowed by a giant company.

T.J's has been in business in the village since the 1960s and has been in the Villeneuve family since 1981. It currently employs approximately 10 local residents on a part- or full-time basis. The bulk of the store's business is selling small grocery and convenience store items - exactly the same market Villeneuve sees Fort of the Forks targeting.

"If it's a big convenience store like I've been told there's no reason to go to T.J.'s," he said.

The partnership between Liidlii Kue First Nation and Sodexo shows a lack of planning on the part of the band, said Villeneuve.

"I don't think it was very well thought out what the consequences are," he said.

"Wall Street is going to be winning, not Main Street."

There's a finite customer base in Fort Simpson and Fort of the Forks will only be drawing business away from the Northern Store and, more crucially, from T.J.'s, said Villeneuve.

"We're going to be suffering the most from the loss of business," he said.

Villeneuve argues there are other markets in the village, like an office supply store or a larger hardware store, that the band could have explored.

Although Villeneuve said he believes T.J.'s will adapt to the new competition and stay in business, he said it won't be easy.

"It's a good thing that people in Simpson are loyal," he said.

By opening Fort of the Forks the band isn't attempting to take away customers from other local businesses in the community, said Cazon. The location of the new store outside of Fort Simpson's core proves this point, he said.

"We want to capture all the business that drives away from the community," he said, referring to the winter road traffic.

Both Nogha Enterprises Ltd. and Landmark Logistics Ltd. assessed the needs of their proposed customer base, which includes resource development projects, before approaching Sodexo, he said.

Sodexo was chosen because it's a world-class company with experience in this field and proven partnerships with other First Nations, said Cazon. The partnership also needed a company with deep pockets that could be used for large purchases like gas orders, he said.

Before the partnership was made, Nogha considered purchasing T.J.'s while it was for sale over the summer. The asking price, however, was a little high, said Cazon.

"It was a better investment to go with Sodexo because of the new structure and the new services for the community," he said.

Nogha, however, is still willing to do business with T.J.'s and is also open to joint venture proposals from other local companies, said Cazon.

As for Fort of the Forks, Cazon said the business will bring a number of benefits to the community including employment.

When the site is fully operation it will employ approximately 15 people, all of whom are expected to be local, he said. Currently Sodexo is providing management staff but they are looking to train people to fill the positions, he said.

With the camp, restaurant and dining room, Fort of the Forks will also be able to sponsor conferences as well as house crews and offer a place for truckers to stop. With all of its possibilities the site will enhance the community, he said.

"It will be a bright future."