Glen Ertell reflects on a 25-year career at NRT

“And I think it’s a testament that we [NRT] must be doing something right to have drivers who have been with NRT for 37 years.”

Glen Ertell, who’s been a staple at Northern Resource Trucking for 25 years, is retiring. 

Ertell’s journey in the trucking industry began 50 years ago when, at the age of 18, he obtained his chauffeur’s license. “The only criteria to get it was it had to be in a vehicle that had a standard transmission,” he laughs. “I had a 1967 Mustang with a standard transmission, and in Tisdale, it wasn’t really all that hard.

From those beginnings, Ertell’s career took him through various roles, including Gravel Truck Driver, Concrete Plant Operator, and Truck Owner Operator. However, it was in 1998 that a chance encounter with a friend led him to Northern Resource Trucking (NRT). 

“He said, ‘You should come over to where I am and have coffee. This is really pretty unique place,” referring to NRT’s Indigenous ownership group. and hauling into the northern mines.

Starting as a dispatcher, Ertell witnessed first hand the company’s growth and evolution. “I think when I started, there might have been 50 trucks. A few months after I got there, Cameco slowed down big time, and we had to lay off a lot trucks to get right sized. “

Despite the challenges, Ertell remained dedicated to NRT, working his way up to Operations Manager, Branch Manager, and eventually, Vice President.

When asked about the future of trucking, he said, “Canada’s trucking and logistics industry is growing, and it is hard to explain how important it is to Saskatchewan and Canada’s economy. There are careers outside of driving, so I remind young people that there are roles for Mechanics and Dispatchers and that the industry offers lots of opportunities for those seeking a dynamic and rewarding career.

Ertell is a strong advocate on getting an education, he was fortunate to have great mentors and by taking available courses to help his career grow including completing post secondary Business Admin at The University of Saskatchewan when he was 53.

NRT is committed to training and developing skilled professionals, so really, there has never been a better time to consider joining the trucking and logistics industry.”

“Trucking is never the same,” he says. “I told Dave (McIlmoyl) lots of times, ‘There’s probably only a couple of days in my career that I wished I would have phoned in sick.’ But it’s always that crazy curiosity that makes you want to come back the next day to see what happened overnight.”

SSR Mine Tour

While many people in this province, especially in the north, have been waiting for an upturn in uranium mining in Saskatchewan, another valuable commodity is still forging ahead with its own agenda.

For SSR Mining, that agenda includes many employment opportunities for First Nations people in the north.

SSR Mining owns and operates the Seabee gold mine, located 125 kilometres northeast of La Ronge and is a viable option for northern residents as a stable employment opportunity.

Recently, the Chiefs and Councils of both the Lac La Ronge Indian Band and the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation were given a tour of the Seabee operation to see firsthand what kind of work might be available for their people.

“We had them up to the site, the first time in eight years, I believe,” said Blair Gunter, SSR Mining’s Environment and Community Relations manager.

“It’s very important to us because we want to be good neighbours with the First Nations in the area,” he says. “We are really working hard on building a solid relationship with people up there.”

With Cameco’s uranium mining operations basically put on hold in recent years, Gunter says a focus has shifted to their gold mining operation.

Many former Cameco mine workers have some transferable skills to what is required for work at the Seabee mine.

“If you can find trained people already, that’s perfect for what we need,” says Gunter, who added there are also entry level positions available which give people the opportunity to learn skills needed to work at a mine.

While Seabee has not set precise employment targets for First Nations people, Gunter says the company is definitely planning to hire more as the mine operations continue and thrive.

“I think it’s something that will work out well for all parties concerned,” says Gunter.

The Seabee gold mine operation was initiated by Claude Resources before that company was bought out in 2016 by Silver Standard Resources for $337 million, before it changed its name to SSR Mining, as it is known these days. SSR Mining is based in British Columbia with other mines located in Nevada as well as Argentina.

The Seabee gold mine has been operating since 1991. In 2018, the mine delivered record gold production and is forecasting continued growth.