A balancing act for the North West Company when it comes to delivering freight and food to remote First Nations.
Vice-President of the Central Division Mike Beaulieu says they have decided to maintain Wasaya Airways as its service provider for four communities, while switching to North Star Air for two others.
Beaulieu says they were planning a complete switch-over.
However, the Chief and Council for Fort Severyn, Wunnumin Lake, Kasabonika and Keewaywin asked the company to maintain their relationship with Wasaya.
Beaulieu says the switch was aimed at saving money for everyone involved but stresses they had to carefully weigh their positive relationship with individual communities and leadership.
He says the move was all about passing along savings to their customer, through lower prices or improved dividend payments back to the First Nations.
Beaulieu stresses some big box stores have been taking pieces of their business without really contributing back to northern communities.
