FOR THE COMMUNITY, BY THE COMMUNITY, WITH THE COMMUNITY
WHO
Northern Community Solutions Social Enterprises Inc., (NCS) was established to connect Northern Communities with technologies that will meet the challenges faced in the North such as lack of viable employment, poor housing conditions, high energy costs, high food costs and a lack of basic infrastructure that most of us in Canada take for granted. These are focus areas in which NCS is actively seeking partners and technology providers from around the world to provide the best possible solution for Northern Communities, at the lowest possible cost.
NCS is a socially conscious, performance, results and technology driven company which, through its founders and partners, has over 30 years of extensive experience and achievements in developing and executing large numbers of successful business concepts, market-entry strategies and projects for our clients and partners.
We work with northern and remote Indigenous communities, municipalities and organizations seeking help and support in developing, implementing and operating sustainable initiatives that improve peoples’ health and lives, create jobs, and delivers results for our clients.
We look for communities, organizations and businesses that have a focus on growth and increasing sustainability of operations. This can mean anything from reducing the heating cost in buildings by improving insulation to creating local growing areas that provide fresh fruits and vegetables for local consumption. Our objectives revolve around reducing costs, increasing economic growth and creating long-term and sustainable jobs in the communities we work with.
Our Team
Northern Community Solutions is proud to have a diverse and experienced team of professionals that have a strong focus on providing practical solutions to challenges that face businesses and organizations throughout Northern Ontario.
Ari Elo
Ari Elo is an experienced project developer and management consultant with extensive experience in assessing Northern Canada’s remote community challenges, forming valuable long-term partnership with public and private industry stakeholders in provincial, National and International level organizations. Ari utilizes his industry contacts and provides the communities with the best possible solution.
Joseph Weaver
Joseph joined NCS as a summer student in 2021 as a Food Security Technician & Community Sustainability Intern. Joseph is determined to find the most energy, carbon, and capital efficient techniques to find community solutions using innovative technology, and tried and true techniques. He is currently studying Computer Science at Lakehead University and will graduate April 2022.
Andreas Zailo
Andreas is the CTO for NCS and works with groups of technical experts and engineers on planning and implementing projects. Andreas also leads the business and community development planning projects which includes feasibility studies, business plans and marketing studies. Andreas has a diploma and degree in mechanical engineering and has two Canadian patents in sustainable greenhouse design.
Judy Sander
Judy is a Senior Business Adviser to Northern Community Solutions and has worked collaboratively with company principles for several years. With over 20 years of experience in Northwestern Ontario in economic and business development, she plays an executive role for NCS and is a key team members who brings a wealth of knowledge and value to our diverse range of projects and clients.
William Stover
Will joined NCS in the spring of 2020 as a Community Sustainability Technician. Will's role includes conducting energy audits, researching, creating proposals, implementing projects, construction management and community sustainability initiatives. Will graduated from St. Lawrence College and the Technological University of Dublin's with diplomas and degrees in Sustainable Energy Engineering.
Tom Nguyen (Partner Company)
Tom is a graduate of the Materials Engineering program at University of Alberta. He is currently working on providing solutions to challenges facing northern communities and residents in Canada with our partner company ASM Innovations.
WHY
At NCS we believe that we can help Northern Indigenous Communities and Municipalities to change their world for the better. We are committed to helping communities to reach their full potential through the implementation of new technologies, systems training and techniques.
Benefits
Northern Community Solutions SE was founded on the idea that there are challenges in the North that could be
solved through careful planning, the application of specific technology or simply the assistance of a skilled and experienced team. We believe that through embracing sustainability in all of our projects we bring benefits that every organization wants – the desire to expand, improve and above all sustain their operations or the project at hand. We work with clients to provide solutions that meet the direct needs of the community and those that are sustainable – economically, environmentally and socially.
Our extensive experience helps our client communities to develop, implement and operate sustainable business
and socio-economic concepts that will increase community members overall lives by creating jobs, business opportunities, economic growth, health and wellness. We work with our clients to achieve and exceed their expectations, goals and objectives. You will be working with a team of seasoned professionals and experts with international experience who are fully committed to delivering RESULTS.
We take your goals seriously and work together as a team to achieve them. We do not settle for the status quo.
Our service portfolio is focused on Growth Mindset, Resourcefulness, Integrity, Teamwork, and these values drive us every day. Our aim is to create a stress-free experience where you will feel completely supported. We are proud
to say that we have wealth of knowledge in our focus areas. If there is something we don't know, we can rely on our large network of experts around the world that we partner with.
We also put our money where we live and are actively involved in improving the social dynamics of several
communities through the donation of our time to support social and attainable housing initiatives as well through our support for the development and growth of local food production (community gardens, indoor growing), particularly in remote and fly-in communities. As our company has grown we have been able to expand our support and continually work with out partners to provide the expertise or materials needed to get things done.
WHAT
To deliver many of these solutions, NCS has a strong network comprised of government bodies at all levels (Federal, Provincial, Municipal, Foreign) and technology providers that have experience in delivering solutions based on remote, rural and Northern needs.
- At NCS, we believe in long-term sustainability of our projects and operations throughout the North. NCS works with communities to determine the best options for specific applications with respect to energy consumption and local availability of energy sources. NCS ensures that there is a balance between economic cost considerations, environmental benefits and local employment creation, with a strong focus on ensuring that solution implemented today are sustainable, and useful tomorrow and in the decades to come.
- Many of the energy systems that NCS works with include biomass energy systems, both for heat and electrical generation. Using biomass entails a detailed investigation into local energy sources and ensuring that these sources are sustainable for generations to come. NCS focuses on small scale forestry operations that improve the safety of local communities while providing sustainable sources of energy in the form of biomass, whether for individual houses, small businesses or commercial properties, or district heating systems.
- Most communities in northern Canada have forests that border their communities. These forests are a source for hunting, gathering, exploring and also of risk. With rising forest fires and risks from wildland fire a synergy has developed between biomass energy systems and wildland fire prevention.
- We work with communities to develop plans and operations to maximize opportunities in forestry, mining and other natural resource extraction and processing operations.
- We work with communities to develop water retention and use systems, as well as implementation of environmental monitoring tools.
- Resource extraction is a critical part of many northern communities’ economies and we work with companies that offer cutting edge technology in mining equipment and environmental monitoring equipment that provides communities with the peace of mind to ensure that mining companies are abiding by their environmental commitments and continuing to ensure the safety and sustainability of the environment for generations to come.
- We and our partners have been working in the northern food production space for several years and has implemented gardens, greenhouses and indoor growing throughout northern Ontario.
- We are a keen partner in sustainability for communities and food is often at the heart of many of the issues in the north, both as a source of better health, more employment and lower community costs for food.
- We have partnered with several companies that offer hydroponic growing systems, year-round greenhouses and community-based organizations that provide community training.
- We work with clients to develop and implement solutions that increase access and quality of healthcare while improving existing systems.
- Remote education and health have seen enormous growth with COVID-19 and we have been working with communities to provide access to health services through the use of technology and is currently undergoing a pilot project with a company to test the efficacy of e-health in the north.
- We work with clients to develop and implement sustainable and attainable housing solutions, from a capital and operating point of view, as well from an integrated social enterprise model that provides home-owner equity opportunities to at-risk populations and improves opportunities for home attainment.
- E-commerce
- NCS can take your company, band or community owned enterprise, or co-op to the next level. Whether your looking to get your foot in the door, or you have been selling online for years, NCS and our partners can be your all in one e-commerce service package provider.
- Web Development
- In 2021 every community should have a website. It is essential in the information age to have information available to your stakeholders. Your online presence is one of the best ways to distribute that knowledge. That’s why NCS is proud to offer web development for in need communities.
- Graphic Design
- Should your community need logos, flyers or brochures, marketing campaign content, or digital content creation NCS is happy to provide services for your digital art needs.
- With COVID-19, there has been a significant push to move many of the course and classes that students are supposed to undergo to online.
- This is a trend that Scandinavian countries have been doing for a while and something that we have embraced as something that they can assist communities to implement, especially communities that are fly-in only or remote.
- We have done exploratory work with SpaceX and other internet providers and is happy to help in all aspects of implementation.
- We are also working on a pilot to reduce plastic wastes and improve re-usability of waste products in northern and remote communities.
- Feasibility planning & analysis.
- Business planning.
- Human resources planning.
- Training program implementation (heavy equipment to safety).
- Funding applications.
- Government negotiations.
- Assistance with private financiers.
Where
NCS works primarily with Northern and remote communities, but also has technology-specific solutions for various scenarios. While we work with communities throughout Northern Canada, our main focus area to date has been with communities in Northern Ontario.
For our clients, we look for communities, organizations and businesses that have a focus on growth and increasing sustainability of operations. This can mean anything from reducing the heating cost in buildings by improving insulation to creating local growing areas that provide fresh fruits and vegetables for local consumption. Our objectives revolve around reducing costs, increasing economic growth and creating long-term and sustainable jobs in the communities we work with.
our offices
Sioux Lookout
54 Front Street
P.O. Box 100
Sioux Lookout, ON P8T 1A1
Treaty #3
Thunder Bay
205 Cameron Street
Thunder Bay, ON P7C 2H1
Robinson-Superior Treaty
Oakville
2857 Sherwood Heights Drive, Unit 14
Oakville, ON L6J 7J9
Upper Canada Treaty
Contact US
Send us a message, we’d love to hear from you!