Cold Lake First Nations
Cold Lake First Nations is a self-governing Treaty 6 First Nation of approximately 3,000 members in Alberta, delivering community services and operating hospitality (Hotel Dene, Casino Dene), retail (Primco Dene), and renewable energy (Duchess Solar) enterprises.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1876
- HeadquartersCold Lake, Canada
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Cold Lake First Nations does
Cold Lake First Nations (CLFN) is a self-governing Treaty 6 First Nation located near Cold Lake and Primrose Lake in Alberta, Canada, serving approximately 3,000 registered members of whom over 1,300 reside on reserve lands (#149, #149A, #149B). As the only Denesųłiné tribe in Treaty 6, the Nation delivers a comprehensive range of community services through departments covering health, education, social development, economic development, lands and resources, emergency services, housing, and elder and youth programs. The Nation is governed by an elected Chief and Council, with Chief Kelsey Jacko elected in June 2022 leading the current term and overseeing the publication of the inaugural Council Term Report and the 2025–2028 Strategic Plan.
CLFN's commercial portfolio is operated through wholly-owned subsidiaries including Casino Dene and Hotel Dene (hospitality and gaming), Primco Dene (Petro-Canada gas bar, convenience store, and Primco Commercial Centre), and the Cold Lake First Nations Casino Corporation. Technology assets are limited to two mobile applications: the Denesųłiné Language App for Indigenous language preservation (available on iOS and Android) and the Łuéchogh Túé Community News App for daily community news, events, jobs, and forms distribution. Recent strategic moves include securing $48.1 million in financing for majority ownership of the 19.8-megawatt Duchess Solar project (May 2025), the Community Gathering Space groundbreaking (June 2026), and partnerships including First Nations Financial Markets (FNFM) and Fire & Flood Emergency Services.
Revenue derives from a diversified base of federal and provincial government transfers for First Nations services, hospitality and gaming operations, retail fuel and convenience sales, treaty and land rights settlements (including a $5.5 million Treaty Annuity Settlement for withheld payments from 1885–1951), and emerging energy revenue from the Duchess Solar project. The Nation employs 51–100 staff across administration and is expanding into financial services (FNFM) and renewable energy infrastructure as part of a deliberate economic diversification strategy.
Cold Lake First Nations firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cold Lake First Nations
- Legal name
- Cold Lake First Nations
- Website
- https://clfns.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1876
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Cold Lake First Nations is a self-governing Treaty 6 First Nation of approximately 3,000 members in Alberta, delivering community services and operating hospitality (Hotel Dene, Casino Dene), retail (Primco Dene), and renewable energy (Duchess Solar) enterprises.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cold Lake First Nations industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Indigenous Community Government Services
- NAICS
- American Indian and Alaska Native Tribal Governments (921150), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Tribal/First Nations Casino Operations (MPAEAAAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Tribal/Indigenous Public Health Authorities (HLAJAAAD), Climate Policy, Governance & NDC Support (BPADALAA)
Keywords
Where Cold Lake First Nations is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cold Lake
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Cold Lake First Nations business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Government Funding and Transfers: Federal and provincial government funding for First Nations services including health, education, social services, and infrastructure
- Hospitality and Gaming Operations: Revenue from Hotel Dene, Casino Dene, and related hospitality services including the Petro-Canada gas bar and convenience store operated by Primco Dene
- Economic Development Ventures: Revenue from economic initiatives including First Nations Financial Markets partnership, solar projects, and commercial properties
- Treaty and Land Rights Settlements: Settlement funds from treaty claims and land rights negotiations including the $5.5 million Treaty Annuity Settlement
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Cold Lake First Nations product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cold Lake First Nations is a self-governing Treaty 6 First Nation that delivers community services including health, education, social development, housing, public works, emergency services, language and culture programs, and economic development to its approximately 3,000 registered members. The Nation also operates commercial enterprises including Hotel Dene (lodging and conference), Casino Dene (gaming), and Primco Dene (Petro-Canada gas bar and convenience store), and holds majority ownership in the 19.8 MW Duchess Solar renewable energy project. Mobile applications support Denesųłiné language preservation and community news distribution.
Product overview
Cold Lake First Nations operates a portfolio of community-focused services and hospitality enterprises rather than a traditional technology product platform. Their primary offerings include Hotel Dene (hospitality/lodging), Casino Dene (gaming/entertainment), and two mobile applications for language preservation and community communications. The Denesułiné Language Apps (iOS and Android) support Indigenous language revitalization efforts, while the Łuéchogh Túé Community News Apps enable community members to access news, events, job postings, and official documents. Combined with community services in health, education, housing, and economic development, the organization functions as a First Nations government providing comprehensive community support rather than a technology company with traditional product offerings.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Denesųłiné Language App (Denesųłiné / Dene Language App) Mobile application for the Denesųłiné language supporting language learning and preservation, available for download on iOS and Android devices. Designed for community members and language learners seeking to revitalize the Denesųłiné Indigenous language.
- Łuéchogh Túé Community News App Community news application providing latest news, events, jobs, documents, and forms from Cold Lake First Nations. Updated daily as the primary source for CLFN news and information, available on iOS and Android.
- Hotel Dene & Conference Center
Quantifiable outcome
- 19.8 MW clean electricity generation capacity serving 7,000 homes
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Cold Lake First Nations
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Cold Lake First Nations technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Cold Lake First Nations partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Elemental EnergycoreDeveloped the 19.8-megawatt Duchess Solar project using nearly 50,000 photovoltaic panels located in Duchess, Alberta.
- City of Cold LakecoreParticipation in the Community Economic Development Initiative (CEDI), a national program delivered by Cando to foster collaboration and mutual prosperity between the Nation and the City.
- Fire & Flood Emergency ServicescoreHistoric Memorandum of Understanding signed for emergency management partnership. Services include fire suppression, flood mitigation, rescue and paramedic medical services, spill control, and disaster awareness training. Fire & Flood serves as sole service provider for CLFN and potentially 12 other Treaty 6 First Nations.
- Concordia University of EdmontonminorPartnership celebration and tea dance hosted in collaboration with Concordia University of Edmonton.
- Primco DenecoreCommercial subsidiary of Cold Lake First Nations operating Petro-Canada Gas Bar & Convenience Store, Primco Commercial Centre, and other commercial enterprises. Career opportunities listed at primcodene.com.
- Wahkohtowin Indigenous Law and Governance LodgeminorPartnership for the Cold Lake Dene Laws Project, a three-year initiative funded by Department of Justice Canada to meet TRC Call to Action 50 about revitalizing Indigenous Laws.
- Imperial OilminorImperial Oil operates oil sands projects near Cold Lake including the Grand Rapids project. The Nation has expressed concerns about pipeline leaks and regulatory oversight while maintaining involvement in the energy sector.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Cold Lake First Nations competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat4 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Cold Lake First Nations social profiles
Digital presenceCold Lake First Nations financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cold Lake First Nations leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Cold Lake First Nations subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries6 records
Cold Lake First Nations funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cold Lake First Nations M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cold Lake First Nations
What does Cold Lake First Nations do?
Cold Lake First Nations is a self-governing Treaty 6 First Nation that delivers community services including health, education, social development, housing, public works, emergency services, language and culture programs, and economic development to its approximately 3,000 registered members. The Nation also operates commercial enterprises including Hotel Dene (lodging and conference), Casino Dene (gaming), and Primco Dene (Petro-Canada gas bar and convenience store), and holds majority ownership in the 19.8 MW Duchess Solar renewable energy project. Mobile applications support Denesųłiné language preservation and community news distribution.
Is Cold Lake First Nations a public or private company?
Cold Lake First Nations is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Cold Lake First Nations founded?
Cold Lake First Nations was founded in 1876. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Cold Lake First Nations based?
Cold Lake First Nations is headquartered in Cold Lake, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Cold Lake First Nations make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Government Funding and Transfers are the primary driver. The others are hospitality and Gaming Operations, economic Development Ventures and treaty and Land Rights Settlements.
Does Cold Lake First Nations have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cold Lake First Nations.
What industry is Cold Lake First Nations in?
Cold Lake First Nations's product category is Indigenous Community Government Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAEAAAD, Tribal/First Nations Casino Operations, with a secondary code of HLAJAAAD, Tribal/Indigenous Public Health Authorities. Its NAICS code is 921150 and its SIC code is 8600.