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Canada’s tsunami reconstruction efforts: One year later
January 31, 2006
Canada’s tsunami reconstruction efforts: One year later
One year after an earthquake and tsunami devastated parts of South and Southeast Asia,
Canadian companies continue to contribute to reconstruction efforts in the region—
bringing expertise, creativity and innovative technologies.
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Canadian companies have contributed 100 wood-frame homes to the Labui Eco-Village in Banda Aceh, Indonesia.
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One such company is Intermap Technologies Inc. of Alberta, which has created digital
elevation models that will be used to rebuild drainage and rice paddies, as well as
identify locations for proper shelter construction. Intermap recently received funding
from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) to expand its technology
transfer to Indonesia. The funds are being used to train Indonesian GIS technicians to use
radar data for the construction of topographic line maps.
“This is truly a great success for CIDA, the Canadian government and Canadian
industry,” says David Hisdal, Intermap’s director for Southeast Asia and Australia. “We
have created more than 75 high-tech jobs in Indonesia over the past 15 months. In
addition, 50 to 100 positions with other Indonesian companies are also being created to
take our data and turn it into topographic line maps.”
Another company actively involved in reconstruction efforts is Komex International Ltd.,
also based in Alberta. Acting on a lead from the Canadian Embassy in Indonesia, Komex
won a six-month contract with UNICEF to manage a water supply rehabilitation project
in the Indonesian province of Aceh, where more than 100,000 homes were destroyed in
the disaster. The project aimed to build local capacity to replace and improve the water
supply and delivery capabilities. Most of the water supply in Aceh was eliminated by the
destruction of wells through massive saltwater intrusion and bacterial contamination.
Komex managed the importation of well-drilling rigs and trained local crews to operate
and maintain the equipment.
A major benefit of this project was the mapping of the local ground water chemistry to
ensure that future drilling would find safe drinking water. This data will help UNICEF
coordinate the water supply and sanitation activities in the reconstruction of Aceh.
Canada’s wood industry has also been looking at how it can contribute to reconstruction
efforts. Ten wood-frame homes have been supplied by British Columbia's Forestry
Innovation Investment Ltd., with the support of Forintek Vancouver, to demonstrate
Canadian construction technology and the suitability of B.C. wood products to tsunami
relief efforts in Indonesia. The homes, designed by B.C. firms Britco Structures, Winton
Global, Simon & Co. and Chateau Building Products, are located in the Labui Eco-Village near Banda Aceh.
To complement this project, the Canadian Embassy in Jakarta, Forintek Vancouver and
the British Columbia Institute of Technology hosted two seminars in late September to
demonstrate that Canadian-style wood-frame construction is safe and durable.
Innovative Canadian housing technology is also being introduced in Sri Lanka through
LGS Steelhouse Canada. LGS produces low-cost, high-quality pre-engineered houses
made of lightweight concrete blocks and galvanized steel channels. The houses have
received the approval of the Sri Lankan Urban Development Authority and, to date, 20
homes have been built to demonstrate suitability of design and construction to the
development community in Sri Lanka. LGS and its Sri Lankan partner expect to
contribute to the development community’s plan to build 30,000 homes during post-tsunami reconstruction efforts in Sri Lanka.
For more information, go to www.itcan-cican.gc.ca/tsunami/tsunami-response-en.asp.
Canadian companies interested in supplying the reconstruction effort may wish to
contact:
Francis Dorsemaine
International Financing Division
International Trade Canada
Email: francis.dorsemaine@international.gc.ca
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