Porcupine Opportunities Program’s legacy in core box production
In the heart of Porcupine Plain, Sask., a small not-for-profit agency has quietly supported both its community and Canada’s mining sector for half a century. The Porcupine Opportunities Program (POP) celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2024—a milestone marking five decades of providing meaningful employment for individuals experiencing disability, while building a reputation for quality, reliability, and craftsmanship in core box production.
Established in 1974 by a group of parents seeking opportunities for their children to live and work close to home, POP has grown from humble beginnings in a converted two-room schoolhouse to a fully equipped workshop serving clients across Western Canada. What began as a woodworking shop making wishing wells and planter boxes has evolved into a professional production facility supplying the mining and exploration industry with NQ, PQ, and HQ core boxes, as well as custom-sized boxes to meet specialized sampling and transport needs.
The first shipment of core boxes left the POP workshop in 1989, marking the beginning of a partnership with the mining industry that has endured for more than 35 years.
“Our workshop team takes tremendous pride in their work,” says Lenard Pelletier, POP’s production manager. “We know our customers rely on us for quality and consistency, and we treat every shipment like it’s our reputation going out the door.”
One of the most recognizable faces in the workshop is Byron Jamieson, who joined POP just one year after its founding. At 68, Jamieson continues to work full-time in the shop, leading the finishing and shipping side of the operation.
“Byron is a hard-working farm boy,” says Pelletier. “He has a job, and he gets it done.” His dedication represents the spirit of POP—commitment, capability, and community.
In recent years, POP expanded its operations to include dunnage production for the lumber industry and custom woodworking projects for private clients. The team remains open to special requests—from unique wood product designs to limited-run items for commercial or industrial use. This flexibility, combined with a deep sense of purpose, has helped POP maintain long-standing relationships with some of Saskatchewan’s most respected mining and drilling companies.
The agency’s success in business directly supports its broader mission: creating opportunities for people experiencing disability to learn skills, earn income, and find belonging.
“When industry partners order from us, they’re not just purchasing a product—they’re investing in inclusion,” says Ruth Howes, executive director of POP. “Each box that leaves our shop represents someone’s pride and purpose.”
Today, POP employs over 60 staff supporting 30 individuals across residential, vocational, and community-based programs in Porcupine Plain and Hudson Bay. The workshop remains at the heart of it all—linking the organization’s roots in woodworking with its role in serving Canada’s resource industries.
As POP celebrates 50 years, its message to the mining sector is simple:
If you need it built from wood, we’re ready to build it—reliably, skillfully, and with purpose.
For more information or to discuss special orders, contact:
Porcupine Opportunities Program Inc. (POP)
Porcupine Plain, Saskatchewan
📞 (306) 278-3017 / popine@sasktel.net -Attn: Amber Kiehn or Ruth Howes ruth.howes@sasktlel.net
🌐 www.porcupineopportunities.ca
