Two East Kootenay construction companies will receive grants from the province to help pay for projects aimed at low-carbon, energy-efficient building practices and technologies.
The B.C. Government said Invermere’s Collective Carpentry Ltd. and Roots to Roofs Community Development Society in Cranbrook will get a share of $800,000.
Funding comes from the CleanBC Building Innovation (CBBI) fund, which is going to a total of 21 projects around B.C. All the grants add up to $8-million distributed to various projects.
Collective Carpentry said it will use its $580,000 grant will be used to supplement planned equipment investment, coinciding with a move to a new, larger facility in 2022.
The company will also purchase advanced production equipment that will allow greater efficiency, flexibility, and speed while improving quality and increasing production volume.
“This improvement will require additional staff in design, production and support, which means Collective Carpentry can play a role in training a workforce with new skills for the 21st century, in a world where skilled construction labour is increasingly hard to find. We will be exploring avenues for training and apprenticeship opportunities and how we can extend those benefits to area First Nations. On a broader level, as Collective Carpentry increases production, so will its need for sourcing materials and professional services – so this really is a win-win-win for our company, the community and the environment,” said Craig Toohey, Collective Carpentry’s Marketing and Business Development.
Meanwhile, Roots to Roofs Community Development Society in Cranbrook will receive a $220,000 grant to build a demonstration home with the Ktunaxa First Nation. The building will be constructed using cord-wall masonry.
“Exploring innovative building techniques that utilize local resources and are inclusive of training and capacity opportunities for members are all important goals in the ʔaq̓am community strategic plan ka kniⱡwi·tiyaⱡa. The community is grateful for the support of CleanBC Building Innovation Fund,” said Joe Pierre ʔaq’am Nasuʔkin.
A full list of the projects sets to receive funding can be found below.
More: Building Innovation Fund projects (B.C. Government)