The $1.5 billion Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) is part of the Government of Canada’s strategy to defend Canadian jobs, industries, and supply chains from the impacts of tariffs. Delivered in the Prairie provinces by Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan), RTRI strengthens the competitiveness of tariff impacted small- and medium-sized businesses by helping them to boost productivity, catalyze growth, and diversify markets.
Today, PrairiesCan announced $9,000,000 in RTRI investment for the following six projects across southern Alberta:
- Lethbridge Iron Works $1,000,000
Lethbridge Ironworks will upgrade to an automated moulding system to increase production capacity and enhance efficiency while reducing waste and emissions. This investment will strengthen competitiveness through automation and support expansion into new markets. - Oyen Regional Rail Company $1,000,000
Oyen Regional Rail Company will expand its railyard by building a covered transloading facility, a dedicated loading area, and additional rail infrastructure to handle more commodities, particularly grain and canola. This will create a direct-to-rail connection to ports and global markets and reduce reliance on long-distance trucking, improving supply chain efficiency as well as strengthening regional trade resilience.
- Southland Trailers $1,000,000
In phase one of a two-phase RTRI project, Southland Trailers will expand manufacturing capacity by implementing AI-driven systems to automate inventory, sales, finance, and internal operations. Funding will support equipment, server upgrades and the integration of digital tools to improve productivity.
- Southland Trailers $4,000,000 (repayable)
In phase two of a two-phase RTRI project, Southland Trailers will leverage AI tools from phase one to improve manufacturing processes and to reengineer trailers for easier transport. This project will increase production capacity and improve access new markets.
- TCB Manufacturing $1,000,000
TCB Manufacturing will expand its metal fabrication facility with specialized equipment and AI-driven technologies to streamline production. These upgrades will improve efficiency and productivity, enabling the company to grow sales in Canada, the United States, and other international markets.
- Triple M Housing $1,000,000
Triple M Housing will expand and add new equipment to optimize material flow, address production bottlenecks, and increase efficiency. These upgrades will boost capacity to meet growing demand, including housing projects for First Nations and expansion into Ontario markets.