Manufacturing businesses in the Cariboo and northeast will receive funding to increase competitiveness and capacity for locally made products, helping to strengthen local economies and create 43 family supporting jobs.
“We’re glad to see local manufacturers expanding operations and creating new opportunities in 100 Mile House, Prince George and Fort St. John,” said Brenda Bailey, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation. “We are building more resilient economies and communities while creating jobs through bolstering our province’s manufacturing sectors.”
Through the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund (BCMJF), the Government of B.C. is contributing as much as $1.4 million in funding toward two capital projects in the Cariboo and one in the northeast. These projects will see local manufacturers contribute to local supply chains, expand and diversify their operations and add new product lines while establishing new, sustainable jobs.
Pacific Bending Inc. is an advanced metal-fabrication company that creates custom products for the forestry sector as well as mining, construction and automotive industries, with its largest facilitybased in 100 Mile House. It is receiving as much as $582,000 to support the construction of a new building that will increase capacity to meet current demand while creating 10 new full-time jobs.
“This vital support will not only allow us to enhance our manufacturing capabilities and create secure jobs but also enable us to bid for larger projects across North America, driving significant revenue back to our local community,” said Andrew Schuil, CEO, Pacific Bending Inc. “Additionally, the funding will help us invest in cutting-edge technology and ensure our team remains competitive and innovative in the global market.”
Prince-George-based Open Waters Design and Manufacturing Inc. manufactures proprietary solar panels used by the marine and transportation sectors. It is receiving as much as $450,000 to retrofit its facility with advanced and automated equipment that will allow the company to scale up the new product line to full commercialization, helping them expand into new markets while creating 20 full-time jobs.
“Open Waters is delighted to have received funding from the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund,” said Simon Angus, founder and CEO, Open Waters Design and Manufacturing Inc. “Creating a new product from conception is not an easy task and we would not be successful without provincial funding opportunities. The production plant will directly create high-paying manufacturing jobs in northern B.C., helping to diversify employment opportunities from the forest sector and sets the stage for future growth.”
Wilson Concrete, a subsidiary of Grosso Precast Ltd., is located in Fort St. John and manufactures precast concrete for civil, industrial and infrastructure projects throughout northeastern B.C. It is receiving as much as $344,000 to purchase new, less carbon-intensive equipment that will increase production and quality of products currently manufactured and establish a new product line, allowing them to service more projects in the region with cleaner processes and creating 13 jobs in a remote community.
“Our team at Wilson Concrete is very grateful for the support from the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund,” said Kyle Leahy, operations manager, Wilson Concrete. “With this grant, we are upgrading our concrete batch plant to modern automated technology, increasing the quality of our products and customer service. This upgrade enhances our manufacturing capabilities, creates well-paying, long-term jobs in northern B.C., and reduces the need for long-haul trucking, strengthening our competitiveness in the concrete industry.”
Clean and Competitive: A Blueprint for B.C.’s Industrial Future lays out the Province’s work to drive new investment, create new jobs and seize new opportunities in growing clean-energy and sustainable industries. Supporting local manufacturing sectors helps leverage B.C.’s strengths to create good jobs and opportunities in every community and will improve the quality of life for people, while strengthening B.C.’s diverse economy.