Sep 30 2013
Premier Christy Clark will be in Penticton today to launch an approximately $100 million project for BC-based Britco, one of the largest modular construction companies in Canada, and a division of WesternOne Inc. ("WesternOne") (Toronto Stock Exchange: WEQ, WEQ.DB, WEQ.DB.B and WEQ.DB.C).
The project involves Britco designing and building accommodations for a large workforce housing project in Northern Alberta for Devon Energy Corporation, a major oil and natural gas exploration and production company. The workforce accommodations will be comprised of over 1,500 rooms that will be built in Britco's modular construction facilities in Agassiz and Penticton, British Columbia.
Premier Clark will be meeting about 250 Britco employees, suppliers, and sub-contractors at Britco's Penticton facility, "Britco's success shows that our plan to attract investment in B.C.'s energy and resource sector will pay off in jobs and opportunities for citizens across the province."
Premier Clark's focus on job creation is also based on diversifying the BC economy and attracting new investment, "As we reach out to new markets and customers in Asia, we are providing opportunities for companies right here in British Columbia like Britco to invest in their businesses, to expand their operations and to create new jobs."
This will be the second project undertaken by Britco for Devon. Earlier this year, Britco completed work on an 880 room workforce accommodation facility in the same region. Work on the new project will start in October of this year and the project is scheduled to be completed and fully commissioned in December of 2015.
"These types of housing projects are an important element in our business success", stated Chris Seasons, President, Devon Canada Corporation. "In order to draw the best and brightest to work on our successful oil sands projects, we need superior accommodations. Britco delivered a quality product safely and on time. They are an excellent example of oil sands benefits flowing directly to the people and province of British Columbia."
Large projects such as those for Devon have not only driven job growth at Britco across British Columbia but also have helped establish Britco as a leading provider of workforce accommodations in Canada. Britco's workforce in BC has more than doubled in recent years and the company now has over 500 employees in Western Canada.
"We are proud to be working with Devon on this important project and look forward to designing and building one of the most advanced workforce accommodation complexes anywhere in Canada," said Rob King, CEO of WesternOne.
The primary driver for Britco's growth in recent years has been the demand for workforce housing in the energy, mining and infrastructure sectors in Western Canada and the United States.
Last year, Britco signed a contract to design and build a 2,000 room workforce accommodation complex for Manitoba Hydro. The project involves providing workforce accommodations required for the construction of the Keeyask Generating Station Project in Northern Manitoba.
Stated King, "Work on projects in the resource and energy sector in BC's north and in Alberta has allowed us to not only create jobs here in BC but also has provided us with the opportunity to expand internationally to Australia and to the United States."
Combined, Britco has approximately 1,000 employees working at its operations in Canada, Australia and the United States.