Skuppah Food Security Centre
2021-2024 | Lytton, BC
Skuppah is located along the transportation corridor just downriver of the junction of the Thompson and Fraser Rivers two kilometers south of Lytton, BC. Skuppah is a member band of the Nlaka’pamux Nation Tribal Council, the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, and the BC Assembly of First Nations. The community is part of the Nlaka’pamux Nation Tribal Council which includes other nearby First Nation communities such as Boothroyd, Lytton FN, and Oregon Jack (Ntequem, Snepa).
In 2019, Skuppah saw the need for better food security for its community and began pursuing funding to build a food security centre. Collaborators with McElhanney for over 40 years, Skuppah asked McElhanney to support them with grant writing services.
In 2021, the Lytton area was devastated by the Lytton Creek fire and Skuppah created a food relief centre within the Band office’s limited footprint to help those in need. This event emphasized the need for a larger facility to prepare, process, and store food.
Skuppah is a very small community of less than 30 on-reserve members, and they pursued various funding sources to bring their vision to life; funding from the “Investing in Canada Infrastructure, Rural and Northern Stream” was secured, Natural Infrastructure Fund landscaping projects provided cultural gardens that will promote knowledge sharing, climate resiliency, and sustainability, and the New Relationship Trust offset other rising costs. Additionally, the Local Food Infrastructure Fund approved Skuppah’s application for funding for appliances and a hothouse / greenhouse.
In 2022, construction started on the food security centre, but due to rising costs (Covid-19 supply chain issues, inflation, the 2021 Lytton fire removing nearby accommodations, and the subsequent fires in the area complicating labour supply), the cost to build the food security centre rose drastically above the original 2019 budget. As a result, Skuppah successfully collaborated with the architect and builder to cut components of the building such as decorative roofs, gutters, and paved areas. Skuppah also chose less expensive materials for roofing, siding, and the interior.
McElhanney was proud to provide civil engineering and project management services throughout the design and construction phases of this project.
Today, the Skuppah Food Security Centre helps the community reconnect with its culture and allows the sharing of traditional food practices in a sustainable way. Nearby First Nation communities, including Boothroyd, Lytton, and Oregon Jack, benefit from the center as well which allows hosting of traditional and community-based events, gatherings and community workshops.
“This project has achieved exactly what we envisioned,” says Skuppah Chief Doug McIntyre. “We feel confident that when another disaster occurs, we will be prepared to not only help our community but other communities in the Fraser Canyon.”
McElhanney is proud to be part of a project that furthers Skuppah’s food security, cultural reconnection, and traditional food practices.
