Points Athabasca at 25: Building Capacity, Building Community 

October 2, 2025 in News
Explorer: Fall 2025

This year, Points Athabasca celebrates 25 years of doing what it set out to do back in 1999: create opportunities for people in the North, build capacity in communities, and deliver quality projects with pride and care. 

At a board meeting in November 1999, leaders from Athabasca Economic Development and Training Corp., Graham Construction, and local partners recognized the potential to pursue major opportunities in road construction, highway maintenance, and northern mining projects. Out of that meeting, Points Athabasca Contracting was born. 

“The idea was to provide direct employment for Athabasca Basin residents and stable revenue for communities,” recalls Glen Strong, community relations and training coordinator, who attended that first meeting and has been with the company from that day on. “We weren’t trying to be the biggest contractor. We just wanted to do good work and make sure local people benefited.” 

From the start, Points Athabasca was built on collaboration. Graham Construction brought technical expertise at a time when local capacity in heavy construction was limited. “Being Indigenous-owned gave us focus on employment and community benefit, and Graham provided the know-how to take on projects we couldn’t have managed alone at the time,” says Lyle Bouvier, Points Athabasca’s CEO since March 2022, after serving as the company’s Vice President Corporate Services for 6 years. 

That partnership remains strong today. Senior Vice President Mining and Energy Graham Industrial, June Verhelst says: “From the very beginning, this partnership was about mentorship and capacity building. Watching Points Athabasca grow into a trusted contractor while staying true to its communities has been deeply rewarding.” 

Athabasca Basin Development (ABD) became Points Athabasca’s majority owner, and its mandate of long-term, sustainable investment aligned perfectly with its own. “Our mission has always been to invest in businesses that bring value to our communities,” said Geoff Gay, ABD’s CEO. “Points Athabasca has lived that mission for 25 years through project execution, creating opportunities, building skills, and supporting people.” 

A crucial part of Points Athabasca’s story has been its long-standing partnership with the uranium mining industry in northern Saskatchewan. From the early days, the company worked closely with Cameco and AREVA (now Orano), building a relationship that not only created steady contracts but also provided a training ground for northern workers. “When I think about some of the most important partnerships we’ve had, it’s been our relationship with Cameco and Orano,” says Bouvier. “That partnership created millions of dollars in wages for our employees and countless opportunities for skill development. It provided people with the opportunity to begin in entry-level roles and build careers in the industry.” 

Indeed, over the years, those mining partners also became more receptive to Points Athabasca’s efforts to bring in apprentices and first-year workers. As Glen Strong explains, “At first, they wanted only journeymen or third and fourth-year apprentices, and that was a barrier for our people. But with dialogue, they came to understand our situation and opened the door to first-year placements. That shift has been huge for building skills and moving our workforce up the ladder.” 

Over the years, Points Athabasca has delivered hundreds of projects and created thousands of jobs across northern Saskatchewan. Its crews have worked on everything from mine sites to community roads, always with the focus on employment. “Direct employment is the most important impact we’ve had,” Bouvier says. “In northern remote communities where jobs are scarce, a paycheque means food security, opportunities for kids, and dignity for families.” 

Another impactful long-term contract for Points Athabasca has been the Athabasca seasonal road. The company plays a key role in maintaining this provincial road, transforming it from a winter-only route into an all-season one. “Being able to secure that initial contract with the province’s department of highways and maintain it for over 20 years speaks volumes about our dedication to our communities and the quality of our work, using a 100-per-cent local workforce and subcontractors. That road is more than infrastructure, it’s access to affordable food, lumber, and supplies for families in the Athabasca,” Bouvier says. 

For Glen Strong, community engagement has always been as important as the contracts themselves. “In the early years, it was about listening, hearing what people needed from their company,” he says. Over time, that commitment translated into scholarships, youth programs, and mentorship initiatives. 

Among the most meaningful investments were the Northern Spirits youth program and annual student scholarships. “We’ve always believed in supporting youth,” Strong explains. “When you see young people get training or pursue apprenticeships, you know you’re building more than projects; you’re building the future.” 

Strong points out that training and mentorship remain a cornerstone of the company’s vision. “If we put someone on a piece of equipment, we want them to move up, become coordinators, supervisors, even managers,” he says. “We don’t want our workforce stuck at the entry level. We want them climbing the ladder.” 

Partnerships with schools, colleges, and community groups have also been vital. Whether through sponsoring safety training, mentoring apprentices, or supporting programs that encourage education and work ethic, Points Athabasca has invested steadily in people. 

“The next generation is who we’re really building for,” says Bouvier. “If young people see opportunities close to home, they’ll stay, work, and raise families here. 

That’s what keeps our communities strong.” 

As Points Athabasca celebrates 25 years, its leaders remain focused on growth that stays true to its roots. Expansion into Manitoba and Alberta has opened new doors, but the vision remains unchanged. 

“We’re proud to be Indigenous-owned and community-driven,” says Bouvier. “But to keep growing, we also have to be excellent at what we do. It means being safe, reliable, and delivering real value to our clients.” 

Strong echoes that sentiment: “Our future is about continuing to build capacity, at home in the Basin, and beyond. We’ll keep pushing for apprenticeships, for youth programs, and for opportunities that help our people move up.” 

June Verhelst agrees. “The strength of Points Athabasca has always been its balance, rooted in community, but competitive in industry. That’s what will carry them forward.” 

And Geoff Gay, speaking from ABD’s perspective, sums it up: “Points Athabasca is proof of what happens when you combine vision, partnership, and a team that strives to deliver results for customers. I look forward to seeing what the next 25 years will bring.” 

Ultimately, this 25-year milestone is about people. The workers who put in long days on northern job sites. The communities that trusted Points Athabasca to be their company. The youth who stepped into trades and careers. And the partners who shared knowledge and stood by the vision. 

“We never thought about making history,” Bouvier concludes. “We just wanted to do the work right, support our people, and carry on. The fact that it’s 25 years later, that’s something we’re grateful for.”