Tag Archives: Marco Bedetti

Tourism, Transportation

Cortes Cruiser: A New Way To Get Around Cortes Island

Eric Denis grew up in Quebec and is the technical operator of machines at Island Sea Farms. Melissa Steblyk comes from Alberta, is a substitute teacher at the Cortes Island School, and also manages the Gorge Marina. Last May, they launched a moped rental business called Cortes Cruiser in the Gorge.

It didn’t start out that way.

Melissa Steblyk: “Eric’s got three kids, and his oldest is almost 16. We were thinking a scooter would be a great option for him when he gets his license.”

Eric Denis: “In March, we bought that first bike. It was one of those Yamaha BWS—just a little bit of a beater. It was for my kids, so it was like, ‘We’ll fix it up.’”

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Indigenous Nations

Folk U: Chief Kevin Peacey on Politics, Projects & the Past (Part 2)


Interview by Manda Aufochs Gillespie; written version by Roy L Hales

This is the second half of a highly abridged text version of Manda Aufochs Gillespie’s interview with Chief Kevin Peacey of the Klahoose First Nation.

In Part 2 Kevin talks about QXMC businesses, the new restaurant in Gorge Harbour, the Squirrel Cove project, Treaty Negotiations, Land & Rights, Klahoose History, his own life and Future Challenges   

Manda: “I want to talk a little bit about your development arm, Qathen Xwegus Management Corporation (QXMC). What is its relationship to Klahoose?”

Kevin: “The corporation is Klahoose. We just keep it hands-off so that we’re not bugging them with, ‘We need this, we need that.’ We let the corporation do what they need to do.”

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Business, Indigenous Nations

Squirrel Cove Project temporarily on hold, Q&A

There has been very little movement at QXMC’s Squirrel Cove project recently, so Cortes Currents emailed Marco Bedetti, General Manager of QXMC, three questions.

Cortes Currents: What’s happening with the Squirrel Cove Project? 

Marco Bedetti: “As observed when passing by, there is currently no active construction on the site. We have successfully completed a critical phase of the project, which involved clearing the area and preparing it for future development.”

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    Business, Indigenous Nations

    QXMC Squirrel Cove: The Next Phase

    As anyone passing through Squirrel Cove in recent months knows, there has been a great clearing in the upper part of the new Klahoose property. QXMC, the business arm of the Klahoose First Nation, hopes to open a store and gas bar there by March 2025.

    Ron Buchhorn, Chair of the Board of QXMC, explained, ”We retained a project manager back in November of last year and we have signed a letter of intent with Chevron for the gas station component of the store and gas bar. We have a commitment from Co-op that they will assist us with stocking the store and helping us basically manage to their standards.  Co-op will supply us with all the products in the store through their wholesale distributor TGF. We’re very happy about that. It won’t be branded Co-op because obviously with the Chevron branding on the facility, you can’t have two brands.” 

    “The footprint of the store will be about 4,000 square feet. Full service with everything from groceries to produce, to meat, to deli to some prepared warm foods. It looks as though we’ll have four suites upstairs. A 2 bedroom and three 1 bedroom suites, to ensure that we have accommodation for staff at the store.” 

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    Indigenous Nations, Tourism

    Gorge Harbour Marina Renovations Completed

    The renovations at Gorge Harbour Marina are finished. This has been much more than a facelift. It includes a new water system, upgraded septic and electric systems, yet the face of the resort has also been dramatically improved. The RV sites, campsites, much of the grounds and internal layout of the lodge have all been redesigned. Six new visitor domes, 2 cooking stations, a new massage hut, a new bridge across the creek and a food truck have been added.  

    There is one big decision remaining. Will QXMC, the business arm of the Klahoose First Nation, build a restaurant to take the place of the former Floathouse restaurant? General Manager Marco Bedetti says a decision is imminent and, for now, the food truck serves the resort’s needs.

    The last three months at the resort have been a success story, which Bedetti insists starts at the board level.

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