Councillor Dan Caplin – Community Update

I want to begin by thanking Chief and Council for organizing this week’s meeting. It is important for us to sit with the community that elected us, listen to your questions, and report openly on the work we are doing. A special thank you to Chief Chris for his constant support and guidance. He is someone we can always count on for advice, encouragement, and leadership.

Over the last four months of this term, I have continued working on several areas that are important to our community.

We recently completed a very successful community moose hunt. Our harvest totaled ten moose and close to 4,900 pounds of meat. We are proud of the hunters who took part, including two women who joined the harvest team this year. We plan to host a small gathering to recognize everyone’s contribution and present a few donated trophies as a keepsake.

I took on the forestry portfolio last January and have been working hard to develop long term opportunities. While it is more complex than simply training people and sending them into the woods, we have made strong progress. Forestry requires highly skilled training and very expensive machinery, so we are taking a careful and proper approach.

We continue to work with our contractor, who provides training and brings his own equipment and trucks. He is helping new community members gain experience and better understand the work. We have identified opportunities in biomass and are meeting with partners and industry representatives soon to continue exploring the best path forward.

There is also a major opportunity being explored that could significantly increase the amount of wood our community is able to harvest each year. This would allow our forestry operations to grow in a structured and sustainable way. It is early, but the conversation is promising, and we are optimistic about where it may lead.

I also support our sports and recreation programs. One project I am proud of is the Bauer First Shift program, delivered in partnership with Hockey Canada, Bauer, and the Montreal Canadiens. This program gives children who have never played hockey the chance to learn the sport. For a low registration cost, kids receive full new equipment and six on ice sessions.

We are grateful to Tianna Caitlin, who has volunteered to lead the program. Her experience and commitment make this possible. I ran the first year of the program three years ago and was proud to help teach 14 children to skate. It is rewarding to see those same kids gaining confidence on the ice today.

Beyond these projects, I continue to support Chief and Council in day to day responsibilities, community needs, and any work required to keep things moving smoothly. I am always available to help wherever needed and remain committed to representing our community with honesty and focus.

Thank you, and I welcome any questions from community members.