Bilijk, NB

Since 2013, Dillon Consulting Limited has been working collaboratively with Bilijk (Kingsclear First Nation) on a number of community development and strategic planning projects. Bilijk is located west of the city of Fredericton on the banks of the Wolastoq (St. John) River and in the shadows of the province’s largest hydroelectric dam. 

In 2014, Dillon was engaged by Chief and Council to facilitate a strategic planning exercise to prioritize Council’s capital projects over their term. Since then, we have been proud to work on a number of community building projects with the community, including, the planning and development of new housing, upgrades to the water and wastewater systems, the replacement and development of a new convenience store and gas bar (and commercial area), assistance with a Comprehensive Community Plan, assistance with a Land Use Plan and permitting processes, Phase I and II Environmental Site Assessments, design of a new Child and Family Services Building, a Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation, shoreline reclamation and protection, and the design and construction of a pedestrian underpass (to name only some). Many of these projects provided our staff opportunities to co-develop innovative and novel approaches to issues that impact Canada’s Indigenous people. Some of these solutions have set the benchmark for how Dillon delivers services to our Indigenous clients and have played a critical role in differentiating the National Dillon team as a preferred professional services provider for Indigenous communities.

Dillon is committed to building and maintaining a long-term relationship with Bilijk. Our team members are enriched everyday by Bilijk’s values of community and self-determination. These partnerships have offered our team members invaluable insight into indigenous perspectives. We continue to seek out opportunities to create shared learning environments and have partnered with Bilijk to deliver the KAIROS Blanket Exercise for staff at our Fredericton and Saint John offices, a participatory history lesson on Indigenous-settler relations in Atlantic Canada. This profound experience is one which all Canadians would benefit. 

Our partnerships go beyond technical work. For many years our Fredericton office has supported Bilijk’s Family Christmas Project, buying gifts for families in the community needing support (over 250 children since our first year). Most recently, we had an opportunity to support the Wolastoqey people in language revitalization efforts through an initiative co-led by Jeremey Dutcher (the 2018 Polaris Music Prize winner). 

We are truly proud of our relationship with our Friends at Bilijk and are honoured to have been able to play a role in the community’s progress.

Project Details

Project Partner: Bilijk
Business Unit: Multiple BUs
Servicing Offering: Multiple SO’s