January 26, 2010
Crystal City, Manitoba
Candice Hoeppner, Member of Parliament for Portage-Lisgar, on behalf of the Honourable Lynne Yelich, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification, announced Government of Canada support to help PhiBer Manufacturing Inc. strengthen economic opportunities in Crystal City.
“This announcement demonstrates our Government’s continued support for the economic development of rural Manitoba communities,” said Candice Hoeppner, Member of Parliament for Portage—Lisgar. “The Government’s investment will help take this company to the next level. Not only will the building expansion project at PhiBer Industries create immediate jobs locally during the construction phase, it will permit the company to meet the demands of expanding export markets while safeguarding jobs in the community and creating opportunity for future employment expansion in this rural farm-dependent economy.”
Under this project, PhiBer Manufacturing Inc. is building a 6,300 square foot building and purchasing manufacturing equipment to expand their manufacturing capacity. This funding will assist the company to innovate and develop new agricultural implements for their target market, enabling PhiBer Manufacturing Inc. to grow and create new long-term jobs.
A repayable federal contribution of $441,000 is being provided through the Community Adjustment Fund (CAF) as part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan.
“PhiBer Manufacturing Inc. relies predominately on selling innovative equipment to the North American forage industry,” said Derek Friesen, VP Marketing and Product Development. “This stimulus package positions our company to accelerate our research and development program by cutting lead times to hours and not weeks.”
“Federal funding for this project through Canada’s Economic Action Plan shows the federal government’s faith in small town Canada,” said Ken Buchanan, Reeve of the Rural Municipality of Louise. “We very much appreciate the funding injection for assisting PhiBer Manufacturing with this expansion. This expansion will create much needed jobs in our community and will have far reaching spinoffs. I would like to thank the federal government on behalf of the Rural Municipality of Louise. ”
CAF will provide $306 million over two years to support the most affected western Canadian communities, such as those that are heavily reliant on resource-based industries, for instance forestry, mining, agriculture and fisheries, and communities that depend on the manufacturing industry. Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) is delivering the fund in the four western provinces.
Visit the Community Adjustment Fund (CAF) in the West or Canada’s Economic Action Plan for more information.
For more information, contact:
Gabriela Klimes
Communications, Winnipeg
Western Economic Diversification Canada
Telephone: 204 983-6243
Philip Friesen
President
PhiBer Manufacturing Inc.
Telephone: 204 825-7760
WD Toll-Free Number:1 888 338-WEST (9378)
Teletypewriter (TTY): 1 877 303-3388
Website: WD is online at www.wd-deo.gc.ca.
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