Nupqu Case Study
Delivering solutions and value for Teck
About Nupqu
Nupqu offers forestry, environment, safety consulting, and archeology services, as well as native plant cultivation to serve resource industries and utilities. Nupqu is a reliable prime contractor; our approach is to build the right team for the job, involving specialized expertise and local subcontractor relationships.
Background
Each of Teck’s coal mines in the Elk Valley have fish-bearing water on the mine sites.
Teck requires annual fish capture and relocation activities during Summer/Fall water conditions to comply with regulations and environmental best practices. There are sometimes urgent requirements to capture and relocate fish in the event of unplanned environmental releases.
Why did Teck partner with Nupqu?
Nupqu has been providing Teck Coal with an increasing number of services across its business lines. Through the provisions of the Impact Management and Benefit Agreement between Teck and the Ktunaxa, Teck recognizes that Nupqu’s local workforce, numerous qualified and experienced technicians provide good value, responsive and reliable service.
Nupqu’s business partnership with Hemmera Envirochem ensures clients have access to the registered professional oversight required for best practice science as well as access to an additional pool of qualified technicians for on-site work.
How did Nupqu provide a solution?
Nupqu is able to provide Teck with reliable services through proactive planning and communication with the client to anticipate their needs; through team flexibility and a responsive approach to ensure the provision of services on short notice that reflect the reality of construction and operations in complex work environments .
Nupqu local workforce, numerous qualified and experienced technicians provide clients good value and quick turn around.
Nupqu’s business partnership with Hemmera Envirochem ensures clients have access to the registered professional oversight required for best practice science as well as access to an additional pool of qualified technicians for on-site work.
How did they differ in their offering? What did they provide that other business potentially could not?
Fish capture activities involve planning, staff resourcing, and regulatory compliance. Nupqu’s services begin with planning in consultation with the client, and completion of permitting applications to undertake the work.
Fish capture and relocation activities required 6-10 on-site trained technicians equipped with electrofishing backpacks, nets, and other aquatic life support equipment. The electrofishing equipment generates a modest, localized electrical current that temporarily stuns fish to enable their capture. The fish are then collected and transported using approved equipment. Nupqu is able to offer a unique combination of service and value through its environmental operations base in nearby Fernie and its local workforce, whose schedules are able to be shifted around to meet known and unknown fish management needs. The Hemmera partnership enables access to hundreds of scientists and experts based in Calgary and Vancouver, providing Clients comfort the work is being completed properly.
Results
What was the success story? What did the company have to say about working with the Ktunaxa business?
Through the fish capture and relocation services that Nupqu provides, Teck has been able to maintain regulatory compliance, meet its high corporate environmental standards, and maintain ongoing coal production operations. In 2019 Nupqu completed fish capture and relocation for 3/4 of Teck Coals Elk Valley mines.
Mark and the Nupqu team are very responsive and good communicators. Last minute requests are not ideal for anyone, so we really appreciate how Nupqu responds and meets our needs on short notice.
