Aerospace manufacturing facility eyed for Opaskwayak Cree Nation

A manufacturing company to supply Canada's aerospace industry could soon be set up in a region of Manitoba that has seen plenty of losses in recent years.

The Manitoba government, Opaskwayak Cree Nation (OCN) and Manitoba Aerospace are examining the feasibility of establishing a manufacturing facility in the area around The Pas.

If given a thumbs-up, the facility should be up and running within two years, says Education and Training Minister Ian Wishart.

"Manitoba is one of the largest aerospace hubs in Canada, and this partnership will ensure the products and expertise needed for further growth and innovation are available," he said.

​"We are pleased to work together to create high-paying, highly skilled jobs and allow our province to maintain its global competitiveness in the aerospace industry."

Hard times

The Pas and its OCN neighbour have faced some tough times of late. Tolko Industries, the main employer in The Pas, announced in August 2016 that it was shutting down and putting 332 out of work. However, the jobs were saved, in November when Canadian Kraft Paper Industries Ltd. bought the struggling mill.

Also in August, it was announced the Aseneskak Casino planned to pull up stakes in The Pas. Two months later, Sobeys announced it was closing the IGA store in OCN.

Then in December, the OCN band announced the 2016-17 season would be the last for the Blizzard, its hockey team that has been part of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League since 1996. Community members stepped up to fund one more season, but the team's future is unknown beyond the 2017-18 year.

Manitoba Aerospace will use funding — $85,000 from the Manitoba government and $25,000 from OCN — to hire an external partner to develop a proposal and business plan for the manufacturing facility.

First of its kind

If it goes ahead, training partnerships will be established and several Manitoba-based companies have offered to work with employees in a mentorship role, Wishart said, noting the province's aerospace sector directly supports more than 5,000 jobs.

"Fostering a dynamic, highly skilled workforce is a key part of our government's plan to grow Manitoba's economy and build a strong, sustainable future in the north," said Growth, Enterprise and Trade Minister Blaine Pedersen .

Pedersen noted the proposed partnership is the first of its kind in Manitoba and could be a business model for other partnerships between industries and Indigenous communities.

"Opaskwayak Cree Nation looks forward to working with Manitoba Aerospace and bringing an Indigenous voice to the Canadian aerospace sector," said Onekanew [Chief] Christian Sinclair.

"We see a role for the Indigenous community in further strengthening this thriving part of Manitoba's economy by providing a unique advantage, with potential for other communities to benefit as well."