Dakota Tipi shakes economic hands with city – Portage Daily Graphic

December 15, 2014

Dakota Tipi First Nation took the first steps in building economic ties with the City of Portage la Prairie on Dec. 11 when it held an open house welcoming city representatives to the reserve.

“What our main goal is to try and diversify and expand our business ideas and to try to incorporate those in and around the City of Portage la Prairie,” said deputy chief Karl Stone. “We want to invest our interests in outside businesses, whether that be retail or manufacturing, whatever is available out there for us to get involved in that will be feasible for the First Nation.”

Portage Mayor Irvine Ferris stressed during the meeting that “when our neighbouring communities prosper, we also prosper.”

Currently, the city has a utility and waste management agreement with the reserve and although it is too early to tell what the economic benefits will be for each, Ferris did note that the partnership between the city and the RM of Portage has been very beneficial for both. The two municipalities have built up their economic incentives for businesses by not having the same business open in the both economic areas.

Read M0re: http://www.portagedailygraphic.com/2014/12/15/dakota-tipi-shakes-economic-hands-with-city