Northern Development is pleased to announce that Allterra Wholesale Distributing Ltd., a kitchen cabinet and granite manufacturing company in Terrace has been approved under Northern Development’s Capital Investment and Training Rebate program.
Northern Development CEO, Janine North is joined by members of the Northwest Regional Advisory Committee to present the Allterra owners, Scott Walker and Neilsen Thomas, with a letter of approval for Allterra’s application to the Capital Investment and Training Rebate program. Allterra is the first business in the Northwest region to take advantage of this new business incentive.
Pictured left to right are Director Brian Lande, Central Coast Regional District, Mayor Jack Mussallem, City of Prince Rupert, Councillor Rimas Zitkauskas, Village of Telkwa, Deputy Mayor Jo Ann Groves, Town of Smithers, Mayor Cress Farrow, Town of Smithers, Scott Walter, Allterra Wholesale Distribution Ltd., Sam Harling, Economic Development Officer, Terrace Economic Development Authority, Neilsen Thomas, Allterra Wholesale Distributing Ltd., Mayor Dave McDonald, District of Port Edward, Robin Austin, MLA Skeena, Mayor Dave Pernarowski, City of Terrace, Janine North, Chief Executive Officer, Northern Development Initiative Trust, and Mayor Carman Graf, Village of Telkwa.
Allterra will be expanding their kitchen cabinetry manufacturing operations as well as becoming the first company in the Northwest to do custom granite countertop forming and memorial stone manufacturing.
“The Capital Investment and Training Rebate will support our small manufacturing and wholesale company to hire and train operations management and expand our kitchen manufacturing workforce. Granite handling and forming is a new product to the northwest. There is no one with knowledge, training, or experience in our region for this industry sector,” said Allterra owner Scott Walter. Five new staff and customized granite training with experienced trades people from the lower mainland, as well as the ability to hire graduates from Northwest Community College’s woodworking programs will allow our company to grow and produce top quality kitchens and stonework for this region.”
Mayors from across the Northwest who were in Terrace to attend a two day Local Governance Workshop as well as a Regional Advisory Committee meeting for Northern Development gathered at the site of Allterra’s business expansion. They celebrated the first manufacturing business expansion announcement in the northwest.
“This announcement is the same sort of good news that we want to see in all of our communities said Chair Val Gauvin of the Terrace Economic Development Association. We appreciate that the Northern BC Business Advantage programs offered by the Northern Development Initiative Trust allows our community to attract business investment and acknowledge how important manufacturing jobs are to our economy.”
“There is no other program for business like this in Canada that is so responsive and streamlined. The forty communities within the Northern Development region are absolutely welcoming businesses by providing a great investment climate through their commitment and support of this program.” said Northern Development Chair Bruce Sutherland.
Businesses can apply for a rebate of up to five per cent of capital, as well as direct training costs to a maximum of $10,000 per full-time position created. The goal of the program is to serve as a catalyst to create over 3,000 new jobs in northern and central BC by 2012. Towards this end, Northern Development has dedicated up to $30 million in funding that will ensure a highly trained workforce and promote a positive local environment for capital investment.
In less than three months Northern Development has approved rebates which supports over $23.7 million in capital investment and training by expanding manufacturing businesses that are creating up to 310 new jobs in central and northern BC over the next two years.
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About Northern Development
Northern Development Initiative Trust is an independent regional economic development corporation focused on stimulating economic growth and job creation in central and northern British Columbia. Over $42 million in funding has been committed to 255 projects with a total project value of over $252 million.
For information on funding programs and economic development in central and northern British Columbia, visit: http://www.northerndevelopment.bc.ca/
Media Contacts
Janine North
Chief Executive Officer
Northern Development Initiative Trust
250-561-2525
info@northerndevelopment.bc.ca
Scott Walter
Owner
Allterra Wholesale Distributing Ltd.
250-615-9825
scott@scotechsystems.net
