Local Business
Here is a listing of some of the businesses in our community.
Post Office
Particular is retired postmistress Denise Giroux. She started working with the postal service on February 15, 1975 and has recently retired in 1990. After 15 years of service she still helps out with the postal duties part-time. Her daughter Jessica Giroux is the new postmistress taking over after Denise retired. The Post Office is now located at the Band Administration Building.
Bills Auto
Owner Bill Bellerose
Phone: (780) 355-3930
Cell: (780) 405-3529
Y ------- O | (Y Running Bear O) Ranch
Roger Okimaw had horses ever since he was a young man but he first started his farming/ranching business in the year 1967. He started out with 46 horses, but he in 1972 and 1973 purchased 13 cows and started his new cattle business venture. He also purchased some machinery equipment for maintenance of his livestock. They consisted of a tractor, a bailer, a mower-hay cutter, and 1 wagon. During 1967 and 1978 he bought and sold his horses and along the way he started buying more and more cattle, and in 1974 he sold most of his horses except for 4. By 1980 he had around 20 cows, but in 1983 he decided to sell all his livestock and get out of the ranching business.
In 1988-1990 he went through the rotating heard opportunity process with Driftpile First Nation. By 1990 he was back up to 15 cattle-10 heifers, and 5 cows.
By 1990 he sold all his cattle (cows) and bought 16 longhorn cows. He also purchased a 2-horse trailer, 2 wagons, a disk, and a seed drill.
As of today in the year 2015 Roger has 19 cows, 7 bull calves, 6 Heifers for a total of 32 livestock in his farming and ranching business, Roger also pastures 21 heifers and 2 bulls for Guy Leroux of Joussard, Alberta, also 27 cows, 1 bull and 27 calves for Everett Laboucan of Driftpile, Alberta With hard work he has made his business venture a stable and secure farming/ranching business.
Freeman Farming / Ranching
Peter Freeman started his business venture in the year 1992. He first started out with 10 head of cattle and his farming/ranching business venture was under way. He applied with the Indian Agriculture Development Co-operation for funding of 12% for the purchase of cattle and pasture. It is available to all Aboriginal Natives who apply. He also purchased some machinery equipment for his business to maintain the quality of his livestock – (tractor, bailer, and hay binder). He also re-opened his fathers’ old pasture and rented land off local band members to produce feed for his animals.
Later in 1999-2001 he went through the rotating heard opportunity process with Driftpile First Nation. Today his farming/ranching business is up to 26 head of cattle and 10 horses. He has also purchased a hay wagon for hauling hay and a stock trailer for transportation of his livestock. He cannot purchase any more cattle due to the lack/restrictions of land on the reserve but with hard work he has made his business venture a stable and secure farming/ranching business.
Local Home Businesses
Kokum's House
April is the Owner/Operator of Kokum’s House and provides residential services to children in care ages 5 to 17, Kokum’s House has been in operation since January 2014
KOKUM’S HOUSE LICENSED RESIDENTIAL YOUTH CARE FACILITY
Box 248
Driftpile, Alberta
T0G 0V0
Exec Director: April Lsadore
Phone: (780) 355-2406
kokumshouse@gmail.com
