A BC First Nation’s owned company has been given a very prestigious honour.
Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation Ltd (CCR) was named “Company of the Year” for the 2025 Canadian Biomass Award.
Andrew Snook, editor for Canadian Biomass and judge for the Canadian Biomass Awards said “Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation has performed impressive work rehabilitating areas devastated by fire while recovering much-needed fibre for clients in rural areas of BC. This kind of innovative thinking is badly needed to help with the recovery of the province’s forest products service.”
The judging panel highlighted CCR’s Pressy Lake pilot project which emerged as a response to fire-killed forested areas impacted by the 2017 Elephant Hill wildfire.
They said CCR saw it as a chance to restore, recover, and redefine what was possible in forest rehabilitation.
“We saw an opportunity where others didn’t,” Joe Webster, Operations Manager at Tsi Del Del Biomass, “By distinguishing fire-killed from burnt wood and rethinking how fibre can be assessed and processed, we’ve opened the door to a new stream of biomass. This kind of innovation isn’t just good for business, it’s essential for the future of forestry.”
The project provided 40,000 cubic metres of biomass to Kruger and Cariboo Pulp, created jobs, and supported sustainable green bioenergy.
CEO of Cariboo Chilcotin Rehabilitation, Percy Guichon said this recognition speaks to the strength of partnerships between Indigenous leadership and industry, driven by innovation and shared purpose.
“At CCR we are not only supporting economic growth through forest rehabilitation and fibre recovery, but also strengthening our communities by creating good, family supporting jobs and restoring our forests for future generations.”
Chief Otis Guichon, Chief of the Tsideldel First Nation and Tribal Chief of the Tsilhqot’in National Government said this award honours the deep connection First Nations people have to the land.
“The Pressy Lake pilot project is more than a biomass success, It’s a reflection of our inherent responsibility to restore what was lost and ensure the land can thrive for future generations.”
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