Barren Lands First Nation Fuel Storage Facility

About the project

Located on the north shores of Reindeer Lake in northern Manitoba close to the Saskatchewan border, Barren Lands First Nation (BLFN) adjoins the village of Brochet, Manitoba. CPI provided this semi-isolated First Nations community with a new bulk fuel storage facility to service the needs of their growing community. Throughout the project, CPI worked closely with Indigenous-owned consulting firm Neegan Burnside Ltd. to access and promote the use of local materials, resources and labor.

Construction began in 2018, with the supply and installation of twelve 50,000 liter tanks. Each tank was horizontal, double-walled and rated for above ground fuel storage, and the work included supply and installation of all new piping, instrumentation, catwalks and structural. CPI also constructed a new 600 square foot controls and instrumentation facility, which was built on site using wood framing and metal-cladding.

The project was completed during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, which added another level of coordination with the community. Before starting their shift, staff were required to complete a COVID-19 Self-Assessment form before entering a construction site or office. Personnel were provided with face coverings, hand sanitizer and disinfectant cleaners and asked to maintain a minimum distance of 6 feet from each other whenever possible. To aid with contact tracing, CPI asked all workers to monitor and control who and how many people were permitted within their office. Site visits were kept to a minimum.