Two key individuals with the Uchucklesaht Tribe Government (UTG) say there is “lots of blue sky and sunshine on the horizon.”
This comes as the tribe juggles several economic projects currently in the works, one highest profile being the purchase of ‘Pete’s Mountain Meats’ which took effect March 31.
“Pete Kurucz and his wife Anita had it up for sale for a number of years and I think we were concerned that it just may end up closing,” says Dave McCormick, Economic Development Manager for the UTG.
The popular butcher's shop was founded in 1962 and is located in a former post office building on Johnston Road which McCormick says makes it a marquee business at a marquee location.
“The long standing established relationship that Pete’s has in the community, made so much sense for us to make that investment, to be able to continue to the community and be a stable source of revenue,” McCormick says.
Deputy CAO and Director of Lands and Resources Ryan Anaka agrees, saying the business fills a niche within the local food market. ”We saw it as an opportunity to make a positive investment, create an economy within our nation and provide the opportunity to give our citizens employment,” Anaka says.
Although it will be largely ‘business as usual’ at the market there will be a few changes, including the hiring of a new meat cutter who will be trained under Pete in order to continue his legacy. ”We do plan on investing into the business from an infrastructure perspective, doing some upgrades on the building but maintaining the historic facade,” Anaka says.
Uchucklesaht acknowledges the efforts of the existing staff and will be keeping the roughly 15 employees, encouraging them to also provide their input and ideas. ”They’re the ones face-to-face literally with the customers every day who are asking for different products” Anaka says.
The deli will continue with the line of goods customers have come to love but one product that will be added to the store will be Uchucklesaht’s own Thunderbird Spirit Water.
Award-winning Spirit Water continues to expand
McCormick says these are exciting times for the water brand, which is processed in a facility on Port Alberni's industrial waterfront. ”We just recently introduced a 10 litre bag-in-box of Spirit Water, we have that up and operating so and that’s been widely recognized.”
That recognition includes winning a ‘World Water Award’ for the best tasting fresh-water product.
The company is in the process of installing a new canning line to allow Thunderbird to offer both flat and carbonated water in big cans. The product has expanded to be available in a number of hotels, resorts and retailers on Vancouver Island as well as national and international distribution.
“Thunderbird Spirit Water was also just featured at the Fine Water Summit held in Atlanta, Georgia at the end of April,” McCormick says.
So far the company hasn’t experienced any impacts by the tariff problems created south of the border. ”It is a premium product. People are willing to pay a premium price for that product and I guess it is somewhat of a counter-balance to whatever the tariffs may end up being... is a relatively low Canadian dollar.”
From water to forests, tribe continues to invest in economy
Just before Christmas 2024, a deal was closed for the purchase of a 10-year forestry license from Interfor which allows Uchucklesaht to harvest 29.5 cubic metres annually. “It was really exciting to bring that annual allowable cut into our portfolio so that we can be more directly involved in the sustainable management of that harvest,” McCormick says.
It’s hoped that the deal will bring more certainty for local mills and harvesters.
"We’ve got great relationships with our harvesting partner that will maintain and hopefully bring back some jobs for the fallers as well as supply to the local mills too,” McCormick says.
Housing project part of Uchucklesaht's developing future
The Uchucklesaht future also includes an ambitious expansion of housing with the planned development of their award-winning Nucii Building on Fifth Avenue and Redford Street.
”It’s general housing for working class families within Port Alberni,” explains deputy CAO Anaka.
The plan is for a percentage of the 74 one- and two-bedroom apartment units to be slightly subsidized rentals in addition to 38 one-, two- and three-bedroom townhouses.
”The market rentals will provide an important revenue stream for us, but in turn it also provides necessary housing for the community. Attainable housing and suitable housing has been identified as one of the biggest challenges to attract employees,” McCormick says.
If all goes well, construction of the building could begin in the fall of 2026 or spring of 2027.
