Our STORY

Corey was born in Old Masset, a small village on the north coast of Haida Gwaii. He is a member of the Sta’staas Eagle Clan and is the nephew of the current serving hereditary Chief 7idansuu. Corey maintains close ties with the community including many family members who continue to reside in Old Masset. Corey moved to Southern Vancouver Island where he graduated Secondary School.

Corey’s strong aptitude for physics and mathematics led him to pursue post-secondary education in civil engineering. After receiving a Diploma in Civil Engineering Technology from Camosun College, in Victoria, BC Corey completed a civil engineering Degree at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario followed by a Master of Engineering Degree specializing in Environmental Fluid Mechanics at the University of British Columbia. After several years of industry experience, Corey founded Gwaii Engineering in March, 2017. Corey has established the business as a strong and proud aboriginal owned and operated consulting firm that aims to create capacity within First Nation communities on Vancouver Island and throughout BC.

Corey is appreciative of the support he continues to receive from his Nation in his career endeavors. In recent years, Corey has worked closely with his team at Gwaii Engineering and the Old Masset Village Band to give back to his community by leveraging his experience in infrastructure development. This partnership has resulted in successful grant applications for sustainable energy projects currently focusing on community biofuel with future plans for solar and other green energy initiatives.

Since founding Gwaii Engineering, Corey and his team have grown the business significantly from 5 core members in 2017. Since then, Gwaii has developed into a diverse organization of more than 20 technologists, engineers, and environmental scientists. Corey’s intention is to create and foster an environment that nurtures growth of Indigenous Professionals, embracing principles of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in all aspects of the business.