Tag Archives: QXMC

Indigenous Nations, Tourism

A new Restaurant at the Gorge and other updates from QXMC

QXMC, the Klahoose management company, has received a grant to build a new restaurant at Gorge Harbour Marina. They also recently purchased a former manager’s home for additional guest accommodations and are reporting the best season ever at the Klahoose Wilderness Resort.

Gorge Harbour’s old Floathouse Restaurant was torn down in early 2023 because of infrastructure issues. Now, thanks to a one-million-dollar grant from the BC Government’s Rural Economic Diversification and Infrastructure Program (REDIP), a new restaurant will rise on the same site. 

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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

    A Closer look at Cortes Island’s Economy

    When the Cortes Island Foundation released Cortes Island’s Vital Signs Report last month, Executive Director Manda Aufochs Gillespie said she’d like to go into specific sections in more detail. 

    “One of the things that really stood out to me is the information around income and work and economy.  This area starts around page 13 in this document and I’m going to be using a lot of words to talk about this, but when you look at the report there’s graphs,  little quotes and etc. that make it easier to read.”

    She suggested inviting Kate Maddigan, from the Cortes Community Economic Development Association (CCEDA), to get another perspective.   

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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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