Salish Elements is a majority Indigenous-owned green hydrogen production company. We engineer green hydrogen solutions to end fossil fuel dependence in hard-to-decarbonize use cases. We are producing hydrogen for heavy-duty trucking, community power in remote diesel-dependent communities, and reserve power applications.
We seek to create sustainable projects that respect the needs of the communities with whom we do business. We do this through a collaborative development process that begins with community representatives and leaders seeking green energy solutions.
Salish Elements works closely with partners to construct a “hydrogen business table” that unites First Nations, government, technology providers, and other stakeholders in the development of hydrogen projects.
We envision revolutionizing fuel in British Columbia and beyond through Indigenous-owned green hydrogen production and distribution centres.
Read on to see who is becoming part of a “A Clear Way Forward.”
Partner
The journey of Salish Elements began when one man handed a bundle of tobacco to another. This act, initiated by an entrepreneurial engineer from Egypt to a community and spiritual leader of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, was the genesis of “A Clear Way Forward”.
Rueben George and Omar Kassem first met at a gathering addressing how activists can support Indigenous communities. Rueben spoke about how green business ideas would be helpful for many First Nations. This piqued Omar’s interest as an engineer with a desire to be part of meaningful change in the energy industry.
Omar had previously worked as a hydrogen engineer for a major energy company and had worked in other energy sectors before embarking on his own ideas toward decarbonization solutions. Rueben’s words inspired him about the potential to collaborate with communities to produce green hydrogen.
Omar had a discussion with an Elder from a different First Nation (who also was Chief of his community) who was hosting a cultural gathering on the land. The Chief gave Omar a bundle of tobacco and suggested he take it to the water and make an offering to the land before he traveled back to Tsleil-Waututh Nation lands.
He did as he was instructed before returning to Vancouver. Omar later met with Rueben George in person and gifted the bundle to him. Reuben accepted the tobacco, and they discussed the idea of a green hydrogen business that could provide an alternative to oil as well as share in the green hydrogen economic opportunity with other Indigenous communities and First Nations.
The idea of producing green hydrogen across B.C. with other Indigenous communities caught Rueben’s attention. He has globally advocated for the protection of Indigenous lands, waters and peoples and has been speaking for the last decade about the dangers of an oil pipeline impacting his home territory of Tsleil-Waututh. Being part of building a solution seemed like a natural next step to take in his work.
After many prayers and conversations, together Rueben and Omar formed Salish Elements, a majority Indigenous owned green hydrogen development company that is transforming how fuel is produced. As time progresses, so are the development of multiple Indigenous owned green hydrogen production and distribution facilities.
We believe Indigenous communities should have the opportunity to share in the benefits of a shift to green energy. We seek to be the actors of change in our communities. We love our families, we love our home, and we believe in an equitable, regenerative economy that serves all people.
Rueben George is Chairman and a co-founder of Salish Elements. He is from Tsleil-Waututh Nation — one of the original groups of Coast Salish peoples living in the Vancouver area for millennia. Rueben provides a lifetime of relationship building and extensive public speaking figurehead experience to the company. He is a globally recognized environmentalist who was successful in resisting oil and gas development in his territory and beyond. Rueben started his career as a family therapist and has more recently been consulting to multiple businesses for more than 9 years. He is well respected within his own community as a spiritual leader, and this extends into the larger community as well. Rueben recently wrote a book that is a National Bestseller – It Stops Here: Standing Up for Our Lands, Our Waters and Our People.
Rueben’s main responsibilities include representing Salish Elements in the public sphere with business and government officials, initiating and maintaining relationships with First Nations partners, guiding the business in a way that aligns with Coast Salish values and meeting with the executive team to understand and contribute to how the business can accomplish its goals.
Omar Kassem is the Chief Executive officer, chief engineer and primary hydrogen technology expert for Salish Elements and a co-founder. He runs the company’s day-to-day operations. He is a registered Professional Engineer with more than seven years of energy industry experience, particularly in plant design, maintenance, and operations.
Omar provides the company’s vision and works toward making that vision a reality by developing and executing the necessary scopes of work, staying up to date in the hydrogen industry, meeting with investors and applying for funding opportunities, identifying and maintaining positive relationships with key partners, and determining an overall plan and direction for the company. Omar also manages the company’s engineering services.
Deanna takes five years of professional working experience from the technology consulting industry combined with a mind for understanding people and stories cultivated from her university education in journalism. Her ability to understand organizations and how people fit into a greater system and her writing, editing, verbal, and visual communication skills provide a unique lens to give Salish Elements a human-centred and systems-thinking-based framework to communicate internally and externally.
Deanna takes insights from members of the internal team, First Nations partners and industry partners to create internal reports, press releases, marketing communication materials and presentations to give voice to the company and narrate the story of Salish Elements.
Rory North was the Chief Executive Officer of North Growth Management Ltd for more than 20 years. Under his leadership, the investment fund grew from $40 million to $700 million in value. He is a known philanthropist and major investor in B.C.’s hydrogen and renewable energy sector.
Since 2007 he has been closely following and investing in the hydrogen and renewable industry and investing in it. He is also a director for the North Family Foundation, a registered nonprofit. His investing and funding priorities are environment, reconciliation, and mental health services.
James is a former Chief of the Klahoose First Nation and former President of Qathen Xwegus Management Corporation. He has been a witness and has had the privilege of heralding technology, eco-tourism, green energy, aquaculture and forestry projects serving the social and economic needs of the Klahoose.
As VP of Community Development, James Delorme brings his expertise and knowledge of Indigenous business and community development to major projects. This, combined with his leadership experience as former Chief and champion of clean energy and technology projects, brings a global-scale Indigenous perspective to the Salish Elements team. James supports relationships with First Nations and Indigenous groups, fosters relationships with intergovernmental groups and assists with overall business goals.
