Thunder Bay Companies Work Together In Alberta
by Scott A. Sumner
www.thunderbaybusiness.ca
In the last 3 years a group of 22 local technical companies have quietly done over $50 million in business at the Alberta Oil Sands developments. This represents hundreds of jobs for people who live here in Thunder Bay. Recently the group attended a trade show held in Edmonton and walked away from that event with great new exposure for Thunder Bay and what we can offer.
Steve Demmings CEO CEDC, John Jurcik, Chairman of TBOSC and Tim Heney CEO Thunder Bay Port
“Many we met in Edmonton knew of Thunder Bay but didn’t know of it’s manufacturing strengths and the magnitude of the Port of Thunder Bay. Thunder Bay’s name came up time and time again with respect to logistics. The CEDC helped us make a first class show. It was our first trade show and a huge success,” said John Jurick, Chair of TBOSC. “
Everyone has ben asking us if the slowdown in the oil patch will hinder what we can do. It actuality helps because it was out of control out there. Projects were going ahead and they didn’t have the labour to safely manage the job, the procurement ability or the engineering. Now they are able to restructure and put more resources into the project. We want to get our name out now and make sure Thunder Bay is represented. The Port of Thunder Bay has also got huge publicity out west. People from the west were blown away at what we have to offer
with the Port.”
Mayor Lynn Peterson of Thunder Bay attended the trade show with the TBOSC and was proud of the community and how we represented 22 Thunder Bay companies working together.
Michael Gravelle, Minister of Northern Development and Mines, Ontario felt it was important that Thunder Bay increase it’s presence in the west.The list of the 22 companies is really a model and the opportunities for Thunder Bay are great with this group he noted.
Steve Demmings CEO of the CEDC attended the trade show event in Edmonton and is delighted about the new web site launched by the TBOSC.
“ The web site is exciting because is provides information on all the companies involved. Also the Port got unbelievable energy especially from CN. It shows new energy for the Port.The new website is more user friendly and shows what we want to do better.”
John Jurcik of the TBOCSC is also President of Venshore Mechanical in Thunder Bay. “ In 2007 we started our association, the TBOSC. We had 25 companies that were excited in joining and we retained 22 to make up the TBOSC. We do compete and bid for the same jobs in NW Ontario but will work together out west. We are in a slowdown here in the NW Ontario and we wanted to retain our workers so what do you do. You bid on work in Alberta. The spin off from that work is a lot too. The $50 million we have done as a group or individually is just the tip of the iceberg,” said Jurcik. “ Even with a slowdown it is still a huge opportunity for us. We want to show them what we can do and help Thunder Bay businesses grow. We have excellent trades people here in the North. They are well rounded for any type of work that is coming
out of the west. It is the mirror image of what we do here in mining, pulp and paper, gas transmission and power generation.We do that type of work here on a day to day to basis. It is very positive for Thunder Bay. They realize out west we are half way between Medicine Hat and
Toronto. We have to preach we Thunder Bay is the gateway to the west.”
