B.C. First Nations’ Owned Company Named Canadian Biomass Awards Company of the Year
- CentralCR
- May 20
- 3 min read
Williams Lake, B.C.: Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation Ltd. (CCR) has been named ‘Company of the Year’ for the 2025 Canadian Biomass Awards. The recognition honours the strength of Indigenous-led forestry, the innovation behind the work, and the power of partnerships in advancing sustainability and economic opportunities in the Cariboo-Chilcotin region.
“Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation Ltd. has performed impressive work rehabilitating areas devastated by fire, while recovering much-needed fibre for clients in rural areas of B.C.,” shared Andrew Snook, editor for Canadian Biomass and judge for the Canadian Biomass Awards. “This kind of innovative thinking is badly needed to help with the recovery of the province’s forest products sector.”
The judging panel noted CCR’s innovative rehabilitation work, highlighting the Pressy Lake pilot project, which emerged as a response to fire-killed forested areas impacted by the 2017 Elephant Hill wildfire. What others considered a lost cause CCR saw as a chance to restore, recover, and redefine what was possible in forest rehabilitation. The joint venture company launched the first phase of its largest wildfire rehabilitation effort to date at Pressy Lake, addressing fibre access challenges by offering an innovative solution that challenged long-held beliefs about wildfire salvage and fibre usability.
“We saw an opportunity where others didn’t,” said Joe Webster, Operations Manager at Tsi Del Del Biomass. “By distinguishing fire-killed from burnt wood and rethinking how fibre can be assessed and processed, we’ve opened the door to a new stream of biomass. This kind of innovation isn’t just good for business, it’s essential for the future of forestry.”
During a period of fibre scarcity, the project provided 40,000 cubic metres of biomass to Kruger and Cariboo Pulp, created jobs, and supported sustainable green bioenergy. The ensuing rehabilitation work is helping to effectively close the loop in the silvicultural system, speeding up forest development by 75 to 100 years.
“This award honours the deep connection First Nations people have to the land,” said Chief Otis Guichon, Chief of Tŝideldel First Nation and Tribal Chief of the Tŝilhqot’in National
Government. “Through CCR, we’re taking the lead to care for our forests and land to create meaningful opportunities for our communities. The Pressy Lake pilot project is more than a biomass success; it’s a reflection of our inherent responsibility to restore what was lost and ensure the land can thrive for future generations.”
The success of the Pressy Lake project was made possible through collaboration with trusted partners including Kruger Kamloops Pulp LP, Cariboo Pulp, Natural Resources Canada’s 2 Billion Trees Program, and the Forest Enhancement Society of BC. Together, this work takes action on climate change, generates local jobs, strengthens rural communities, and rehabilitates damaged forests.
“At CCR, we are not only supporting economic growth through forest rehabilitation and fibre recovery but also strengthening our communities by creating good, family-supporting jobs and restoring our forests for future generations,” said Percy Guichon, CEO of CCR. “This recognition speaks to the strength of partnerships between Indigenous leadership and industry, driven by innovation and shared purpose.”
About CCR
Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation was formed by Tŝideldel First Nation, Tl’etinqox Government and Yunesit’in Government. The joint venture was originally formed to address the 100,000 hectares of dead pine left in the Chilcotin region and to rehabilitate those stands into productive forests. The fires in the summer of 2017 amplified the need to address heavily burned forest stands with minimal economic values. CCR’s mission is to coordinate and implement large-scale forestry programs and initiatives within the traditional territories of the Tŝideldel First Nation, Tl’etinqox Government and Yunesit’in Government, generating economic, social, and environmental benefits. For more information: www.centralcr.ca
Follow CCR on social media:
Twitter/X: https://x.com/centralcr_ca
For an Interview with CCR, contact:
Aleece Laird, Communications Liaison, aleece@amplifyinc.ca, 250.574.0221