Manufacturing Makes Our Communities

Manufacturing BC’s Future > Manufacturing Drives BC’s Economy > Manufacturing Innovates for Tomorrow > More Skilled Jobs in BC

MANUFACTURING BRINGS COMMUNITIES TOGETHER

Across British Columbia, manufacturing jobs are the lifeblood of our communities.

Manufacturers fuel our small towns’ economies and our way of life. The companies and their employees support local charities, hockey, and soccer teams. They generate 165,800 jobs and 6.9% of our GDP.

During the COVID-19 crisis manufacturers in BC have kept open, kept operating and kept their contribution to community. They have worked to fill the gaps in critical supplies when our international supply chains broke down. And, with the right conditions, the manufacturing sector has the potential to drive our recovery and bring more prosperity to our communities to create high-paying jobs for hard-working British Columbians.

WHAT CANADIANS THINK OF MANUFACTURERS' CONTRIBUTIONS TO THEIR COMMUNITY

  • 32% of Canadians are, or have a family member who is, employed by the manufacturing sectors
  • 85% of Canadians think the manufacturing sector generates good jobs
  • 82% of Canadians say they will consider the manufacturing sector in their voting decision this fall after learning more its contribution to Canada.

OUR RECOMMENDATIONS

British Columbians want their communities to recover strongly. They want to grow and prosper. They want good jobs and a secure future for their kids in their home-town. That’s why it’s so important that British Columbia has policies that will support manufacturing both in the recovery and for the future.

We need a plan from the BC government to make sure we can keep businesses open, make goods in BC and create dependable jobs available close to home.

Here are 3 ways the government can help manufacturers support our communities:

  1. Introduce investment support programs to help our manufacturing sector make the capital investments that drive tech adoption, improve environmental performance, engage in employee training, and scale-up.
  2. Encourage youth engagement in skilled trades through awareness programs and funding for work-integrated learning.
  3. Permanently remove the PST from machinery and equipment with a long-term plan to create a made in BC Value-Added Tax.

MANUFACTURERS SPOTLIGHTS

Find out about manufacturers who are creating good, rewarding jobs in their communities.

SEI Industries

Location: Delta, BC
Several industries rely on critical, time sensitive products manufactured and exported by SEI’s 48,000 sq. ft manufacturing facility, including wildfire management, military, aviation, oil and gas, mining, remote construction and environmental spill and disaster response.

BI Pure Water

Location: Surrey, BC
BI Pure Water has been building water and waste treatment systems for twenty five years, providing quality engineered solutions for municipalities, First Nations communities, industry, mining and remote work sites.

STEMCELL TECHNOLOGIES

Location: Vancouver, BC
Find out how STEMCELL manufactures tissue culture media for growing a wide variety of human cells and organoids used for drug discovery, as well as for understanding the regulation of cell growth and how this goes wrong in cancer.

YETI REFRIGERATION

Location: Prince George, BC
Find out how Yeti and their team of technicians take pride in providing modern solutions across the interior of BC that support local athletes and multinational food producers alike.

VMAC

Location: Nanaimo, BC
VMAC’s story begins humbly, when two mechanical engineers, Jim Hogan and Tony Menard, began building jet engines for the Canadian Department of National Defense in 1986.

FREEPORT INDUSTRIES

Location: Westbank, BC
For over 20 years, Freeport has designed and built high-quality custom homes and commercial, industrial , and institutional structures in the Okanagan, West Kelowna, and Lower Mainland of BC as well as Alberta and Yukon.

TYCROP

Location: Chilliwack, BC
TYCROP Trailers is the premier manufacturer of bulk haul fleet solutions in Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest to organizations that are looking for profitable solutions and long-term Customer Care relationships.