File photo of Brenda Bailey, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation (photo courtesy of the B.C. Government / Flickr)

By Liam Verster

job creation

Businesses in region benefit from manufacturing funding

Jan 4, 2024 | 2:45 PM

The province is investing in creating and securing more manufacturing jobs in B.C., including at some businesses in the region.

Through the B.C. Manufacturing Jobs Fund (BCMJF), $786,020 will go to support for-profit organizations planning to launch high-value industrial and manufacturing projects.

There are four recipients of the funds, including Vitalis Extraction Technology Inc. in Kelowna and Revelstoke’s Big Eddy Machine Shop.

Vitalis will receive up to $25,000 to upgrade its facility and purchase new specialty equipment for the manufacturing of commercial and industrial natural-refrigerant heat pumps with optional CO2 capture and storage.

“Vitalis is grateful for the support from the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund. This will allow us to expand our market research for our new product line of R744 heating and cooling solutions,” Kayla Duval, executive project manager of Vitalis Extraction Technology, said.

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“This will guide us in identifying opportunities to scale up production, leading to the creation of manufacturing jobs in the Okanagan region.”

Big Eddy Machine Shop, a machine-part manufacturer for forestry repair and rail maintenance industries, will receive up to $152,270 for the purchasing of a milling machine.

Kevin Mayr, owner and president of Big Eddy Machine Shop, said it will help them provide their forestry, railway and other customers with better quality parts, better lead times and to keep more manufacturing local.

“This is a huge step forward for our business and it wouldn’t be possible without a program like the BCMJF,” Mayr remarked.

The other recipients of the funds are Silverstone Exploration Inc. of Topely ($24,500) and Coquitlam’s Novo Textile Company ($584,000).

“Since the first project was announced in June last year, the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund has been a catalyst for creating good jobs and growing local economies across B.C. by bolstering our province’s manufacturing sectors,” Brenda Bailey, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation, said.

“We’ll keep working alongside industry to support clean, modernized manufacturing in every corner of the province, while creating the quality, sustainable jobs people need to build good lives.”

The province stated the fund has supported 25 capital projects and 13 planning projects with $36-million since its launch, adding the supports have so far resulted in the creation of more than 450 jobs, as well as securing over 780 existing in the manufacturing sector across B.C.