Recently, IGNITE finished the construction of phase one of a multi-phase, multi-year project at Wiikwemkoong First Nation. Owner Laird Lee of South Bay Electric, the electrical contractor for this phase, says: “If I had to sum up the project, I would say it went really smoothly.” IGNITE values this endorsement because South Bay Electric, an experienced electrical contracting team from Manitoulin Island, worked on this project literally full-time for eleven months. To ensure proper communication during the construction phase, IGNITE invited South Bay Electric to attend all project team meetings at the community, which occurred about once every three weeks. Laird says, “It was helpful to the project team for me to clarify any outstanding electrical issues in laymen’s terms. Once explained, generally everyone was satisfied and we moved on.” Laird went on to say, “From my observation, larger projects of this type don’t normally get off the ground because they are too much work for the community. Most communities just don’t have the people or time to champion these projects to completion. The IGNITE process really worked well for us at South Bay because IGNITE took care of the paperwork and procurement, which allowed us to focus our attention on what we do best, which is electrical installation.” The synergy developed between IGNITE and South Bay Electric was a key reason why phase one of Wiikwemkoong’s multi-phase, multi-year IGNITE project was completed under budget and on schedule.